Did anyone else go to the train wreck meeting at JWMS last night?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi,
I am the JW Design and Technology teacher.

Let me clear some things up for 2020-2021 as far as the engineering courses go. All courses are aligned to IB:MYP and NGSS.

6th grade: Arts rotation. 1 quarter. "Robotics Programming and Design." We plan to be using the new Lego Prime Kits programmed on chromebooks. Depending on student interest we may also be building a hydraulic arm.

7th Grade: There is no more more arts rotation (rotation of one quarter electives.) The 7th grade engineering class elective is one semester. Called Living with Technology. Focused on design, structure, Forces, measurement, and data analysis. Some CAD and 3D printing as options.

8th Grade: One semester. Earth and Space Technology. Major focus on science of flight, design and related projects. We basically go through the history of human flight. CAD use required for all students.

Thanks for the clarification JW design teacher.

7th and 8th grade tech is one semester. What are their options for the other semester?

I am not sure. It depends on the grade level. I don’t much about the art or music courses. I know that 8th grade has a one semester programming class. I think there is a “theater 2” class for 7th grade. The Imagineering Tech course is a revamp of the current digital literacy course. I don’t know much about it. The name is confusing to me as well for various reasons. My very limited understanding is that a lot of the changes are driven by the increasing student population and because of the state requirements for a “well rounded curriculum” requiring all students to tech a computation thinking course as well as an art course. There is a broad list of county courses that fit the requirements and schools are trying to make sure that any electives offered are coming from that list.

Imagineering Tech is not a revamped Digital Literacy. It is about filmmaking. At least that is what the write up says. Digital Literacy is in place on a language elective.

Man, you would think JW would have a much clearer description of what is offered. Everyone here, including me is confused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi,
I am the JW Design and Technology teacher.

Let me clear some things up for 2020-2021 as far as the engineering courses go. All courses are aligned to IB:MYP and NGSS.

6th grade: Arts rotation. 1 quarter. "Robotics Programming and Design." We plan to be using the new Lego Prime Kits programmed on chromebooks. Depending on student interest we may also be building a hydraulic arm.

7th Grade: There is no more more arts rotation (rotation of one quarter electives.) The 7th grade engineering class elective is one semester. Called Living with Technology. Focused on design, structure, Forces, measurement, and data analysis. Some CAD and 3D printing as options.

8th Grade: One semester. Earth and Space Technology. Major focus on science of flight, design and related projects. We basically go through the history of human flight. CAD use required for all students.

Thanks for the clarification JW design teacher.

7th and 8th grade tech is one semester. What are their options for the other semester?

I am not sure. It depends on the grade level. I don’t much about the art or music courses. I know that 8th grade has a one semester programming class. I think there is a “theater 2” class for 7th grade. The Imagineering Tech course is a revamp of the current digital literacy course. I don’t know much about it. The name is confusing to me as well for various reasons. My very limited understanding is that a lot of the changes are driven by the increasing student population and because of the state requirements for a “well rounded curriculum” requiring all students to tech a computation thinking course as well as an art course. There is a broad list of county courses that fit the requirements and schools are trying to make sure that any electives offered are coming from that list.

Imagineering Tech is not a revamped Digital Literacy. It is about filmmaking. At least that is what the write up says. Digital Literacy is in place on a language elective.

Man, you would think JW would have a much clearer description of what is offered. Everyone here, including me is confused.

.
Thank you for correcting me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi,
I am the JW Design and Technology teacher.

Let me clear some things up for 2020-2021 as far as the engineering courses go. All courses are aligned to IB:MYP and NGSS.

6th grade: Arts rotation. 1 quarter. "Robotics Programming and Design." We plan to be using the new Lego Prime Kits programmed on chromebooks. Depending on student interest we may also be building a hydraulic arm.

7th Grade: There is no more more arts rotation (rotation of one quarter electives.) The 7th grade engineering class elective is one semester. Called Living with Technology. Focused on design, structure, Forces, measurement, and data analysis. Some CAD and 3D printing as options.

8th Grade: One semester. Earth and Space Technology. Major focus on science of flight, design and related projects. We basically go through the history of human flight. CAD use required for all students.

Thanks for the clarification JW design teacher.

7th and 8th grade tech is one semester. What are their options for the other semester?

I am not sure. It depends on the grade level. I don’t much about the art or music courses. I know that 8th grade has a one semester programming class. I think there is a “theater 2” class for 7th grade. The Imagineering Tech course is a revamp of the current digital literacy course. I don’t know much about it. The name is confusing to me as well for various reasons. My very limited understanding is that a lot of the changes are driven by the increasing student population and because of the state requirements for a “well rounded curriculum” requiring all students to tech a computation thinking course as well as an art course. There is a broad list of county courses that fit the requirements and schools are trying to make sure that any electives offered are coming from that list.

Imagineering Tech is not a revamped Digital Literacy. It is about filmmaking. At least that is what the write up says. Digital Literacy is in place on a language elective.

Man, you would think JW would have a much clearer description of what is offered. Everyone here, including me is confused.

.
Thank you for correcting me.

? JWMS teacher is confused. Imagine how the parents feel. Dear me, they are incompetent. And normally, I defend JW.

Is the Imagineering class going to be like the other tech class where the kids play on the computer for most of the class? That's what my kids said they did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi,
I am the JW Design and Technology teacher.

Let me clear some things up for 2020-2021 as far as the engineering courses go. All courses are aligned to IB:MYP and NGSS.

6th grade: Arts rotation. 1 quarter. "Robotics Programming and Design." We plan to be using the new Lego Prime Kits programmed on chromebooks. Depending on student interest we may also be building a hydraulic arm.

7th Grade: There is no more more arts rotation (rotation of one quarter electives.) The 7th grade engineering class elective is one semester. Called Living with Technology. Focused on design, structure, Forces, measurement, and data analysis. Some CAD and 3D printing as options.

8th Grade: One semester. Earth and Space Technology. Major focus on science of flight, design and related projects. We basically go through the history of human flight. CAD use required for all students.

Thanks for the clarification JW design teacher.

7th and 8th grade tech is one semester. What are their options for the other semester?

I am not sure. It depends on the grade level. I don’t much about the art or music courses. I know that 8th grade has a one semester programming class. I think there is a “theater 2” class for 7th grade. The Imagineering Tech course is a revamp of the current digital literacy course. I don’t know much about it. The name is confusing to me as well for various reasons. My very limited understanding is that a lot of the changes are driven by the increasing student population and because of the state requirements for a “well rounded curriculum” requiring all students to tech a computation thinking course as well as an art course. There is a broad list of county courses that fit the requirements and schools are trying to make sure that any electives offered are coming from that list.

Imagineering Tech is not a revamped Digital Literacy. It is about filmmaking. At least that is what the write up says. Digital Literacy is in place on a language elective.

Man, you would think JW would have a much clearer description of what is offered. Everyone here, including me is confused.

.
Thank you for correcting me.

? JWMS teacher is confused. Imagine how the parents feel. Dear me, they are incompetent. And normally, I defend JW.

Is the Imagineering class going to be like the other tech class where the kids play on the computer for most of the class? That's what my kids said they did.

Don’t place the blame on JW. MCPS starts these programs without giving teachers and staff adequate support and resources. Teachers are just going by what they know. Central Office in MCPS is a disaster.

[Anonymous]

We were told last night [Imagineering Tech] is not part of the art rotation. Those are four 9 week courses.

Imagineering tech is a semester course. I can’t figure out what it is supposed to go with.

You weren't listening. They said that if you pick Imagineering Tech, your child will do that for a semester, though not necessarily fall. For the other 2 quarters, they will be randomly assigned to one of the Unified Arts classes. So they will take two of the following (but you don't get any say in which 2 of the 5):

Studio Art
Coding Engineer Robotic Design
Information Communication Technology
General Music
Awareness of Language & Culture

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

We were told last night [Imagineering Tech] is not part of the art rotation. Those are four 9 week courses.

Imagineering tech is a semester course. I can’t figure out what it is supposed to go with.

You weren't listening. They said that if you pick Imagineering Tech, your child will do that for a semester, though not necessarily fall. For the other 2 quarters, they will be randomly assigned to one of the Unified Arts classes. So they will take two of the following (but you don't get any say in which 2 of the 5):

Studio Art
Coding Engineer Robotic Design
Information Communication Technology
General Music
Awareness of Language & Culture

General Music?

So MCPS is requiring a Tech class at some MSs (though apparently not at West?) and is forcing kids out of Band so that they get stuck in a General Music class?

[Anonymous]

I heard Imagineering tech - film making is optional

You can chooose that or full year unified art(rotation) or full year band/orchestra/chorus

[Anonymous]

Even though confusing, I appreciate the information, older DC middle school has no such info session, she just get asked to pick a language ( French/Spanish) and which arts elective Art/band/orchestra/chorus. I guess the rest are all recommended by ES, we were not aware of the different English/math/social science tracks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even though confusing, I appreciate the information, older DC middle school has no such info session, she just get asked to pick a language ( French/Spanish) and which arts elective Art/band/orchestra/chorus. I guess the rest are all recommended by ES, we were not aware of the different English/math/social science tracks

Also they just put her in Spanish 1ab without any discussion about full year 1a/1b option
so I learned a lot in this JW session

[Anonymous]

We were told last night [Imagineering Tech] is not part of the art rotation. Those are four 9 week courses.

Imagineering tech is a semester course. I can’t figure out what it is supposed to go with.


You weren't listening. They said that if you pick Imagineering Tech, your child will do that for a semester, though not necessarily fall. For the other 2 quarters, they will be randomly assigned to one of the Unified Arts classes. So they will take two of the following (but you don't get any say in which 2 of the 5):

Studio Art
Coding Engineer Robotic Design
Information Communication Technology
General Music
Awareness of Language & Culture


General Music?

So MCPS is requiring a Tech class at some MSs (though apparently not at West?) and is forcing kids out of Band so that they get stuck in a General Music class?

If your kid is in Band/Orchestra/Chorus, then they can't take Imagineering Tech or any of the Unified Arts classes. There was no talk of any tech requirement at the JWMS info night.

[Anonymous]

The 6th grade electives at JWMS are:

Beginning Band (full year)
Orchestra (full year)
Chorus (full year)
Imagineering Tech (semester) + 2 quarters of Unified Arts
4 quarters of Unified Arts

There are 5 Unified Arts classes. (studio art, robotics, tech, music, lang & culture). Your kids will be randomly assigned to those -- they don't get to pick.

Foreign Language (Spanish, French, Chinese) or Digital Literacy is the other choice your kid will need to make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even though confusing, I appreciate the information, older DC middle school has no such info session, she just get asked to pick a language ( French/Spanish) and which arts elective Art/band/orchestra/chorus. I guess the rest are all recommended by ES, we were not aware of the different English/math/social science tracks

Also they just put her in Spanish 1ab without any discussion about full year 1a/1b option
so I learned a lot in this JW session

Interesting...used to be you could not take 1a/1b in 6th at JW. Glad they came around to offering if as most other MS do.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t expect a teacher to keep all the electives straight and explain it to parents. That is the job of the guidance department and perhaps admin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

We were told last night [Imagineering Tech] is not part of the art rotation. Those are four 9 week courses.

Imagineering tech is a semester course. I can’t figure out what it is supposed to go with.

You weren't listening. They said that if you pick Imagineering Tech, your child will do that for a semester, though not necessarily fall. For the other 2 quarters, they will be randomly assigned to one of the Unified Arts classes. So they will take two of the following (but you don't get any say in which 2 of the 5):

Studio Art
Coding Engineer Robotic Design
Information Communication Technology
General Music
Awareness of Language & Culture

I am not the PP, but that was absolutely not said in any station I attended. Maybe that is why they needed this at RM one nights stead of the garbage of rotating every 10min. And another poster is right. Why didn’t the teachers just rotate. So stupid.

We were told Awareness of Language and Culture was only for ESOL students. Not a normal rotation. Is that not correct? Because my kid loves robotics and if he gets stuck with art, music, and cultures for 3 of his 5, we will just move him back to band. This is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

What happened to the tech rotation?