TJ teachers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why anyone from Loudoun would schlep to TJ now if they can attend AOS, especially given the declining rigor of TJ. It will take a few years to be documented but it’s not fiercely committed to excellence any longer. It’s just kind of…there.

Some kids may want the full high school.
Many who get into TJ did not get admitted to AOS or AET.
TJ offers more opportunities than AOS/AET in math and science classes. Some students can get calculus sooner by declining AOS where you will not get until 11th grade.
At TJ you can take in 9th grade if you are good enough.

AOS and AET have very set curriculum. There is not much flexibility if the kid changes their mind later. Also there's no math tracking at AOS/AET. The whole cohort follows the same math curriculum. Other than the long commute from Loudoun, TJ is a much better option as compared to AOS/AET.

The other challenge with AOS and AET, for me, is that they're not high schools. They're academies. As such, when you go back to your base school, you're not getting to take humanities classes with TJ students and TJ teachers. Maybe they're honors or AP classes, and that's fine, but there's a huge difference between learning, say, The Grapes of Wrath with TJ students as opposed to the goons on the Briar Woods football team.

This is an incredibly offensive, elitist, and depressing post. The goons on the football team? Shame on you.

I think this is accurate, since it is not talking about the entire team, just the goons on the team.
They are definitely there, because I saw one of their practices. The coach at one point was yelling, 'Just how dumb can one person be?'

Yet you think it appropriate to talk about CHILDREN in such a way as to call them goons?

Maybe they were making brainless moves on the football field the day you saw their practice. So what? How do you know that those CHILDREN don't possess outstanding literary analysis skills, aren't brilliant mathematicians, don't have phenomenal talents in the kitchen, aren't highly-empathtic people who will make a great impact on this world, or won't be the person who unlocks the key to bettering our world?

How would you feel if someone called your kid a goon?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they were making brainless moves on the football field the day you saw their practice. So what? How do you know that those CHILDREN don't possess outstanding literary analysis skills, aren't brilliant mathematicians, don't have phenomenal talents in the kitchen, aren't highly-empathtic people who will make a great impact on this world, or won't be the person who unlocks the key to bettering our world?
[/quote

Because if they were those things, they wouldn't be a goon. What you are doing, besides being overly sensitive, is claiming is there are no such kids who could be labeled 'goon'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they were making brainless moves on the football field the day you saw their practice. So what? How do you know that those CHILDREN don't possess outstanding literary analysis skills, aren't brilliant mathematicians, don't have phenomenal talents in the kitchen, aren't highly-empathtic people who will make a great impact on this world, or won't be the person who unlocks the key to bettering our world?

Because if they were those things, they wouldn't be a goon. What you are doing, besides being overly sensitive, is claiming is there are no such kids who could be labeled 'goon'.

You sound like a good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a freshman at TJ. Classmate is in BC calculus. This kind of kid needs a school like TJ and will take advantage of the many advanced courses the school has to offer.

Teachers are good and bad everywhere. I have heard that a few really good and well thought of TJ teachers have left / are leaving. I think some of it has to do with the admissions changes and admin perhaps encouraging teachers to dumb down the classes, be more lenient in grading to accommodate some of these students who maybe would be best served by attending their base school.

Well, you'll be glad to know that's not true, and it's just propaganda that's sewn by those who wanted a gameable admissions process. Classes haven't been dumbed down. The cohort at TJ is stronger than ever.

Many TJ classes have been watered down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These new classes are definitely not academically as strong. Greater number of kids struggling already and they haven’t experienced notoriously difficult junior year yet. My kid knows multiple classmates repeating math as sophomores.

If the classes were not as strong as before, kids would not be struggling. Good to know they are maintaining high standards in their teaching.

The good news is I heard the exact opposite was true. The new kids are the strongest cohort in years. In the past, many average kids were admitted only because they had early access to the admissions test by paying thousands to outside prep. At least these new kids are the very best and brightest from their respective schools based on fair and objective criteria.

Just nonstop leftist misinformation.

Asian kids in pre-calculus = average kids who cheated to get test questions early.
(Diversity Inclusive Equity) kids doing algebra 1 got in via lottery = “very best and brightest”

[Anonymous]

Anyone doing pre-calculus does not make them exceptional. More often than not, it is due to tiger parenting, paid coaching. If the kid is truly exceptional, top 1% TJ or not, they would thrive. The aim is to provide more equity and provide level field to kids across NoVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These new classes are definitely not academically as strong. Greater number of kids struggling already and they haven’t experienced notoriously difficult junior year yet. My kid knows multiple classmates repeating math as sophomores.

If the classes were not as strong as before, kids would not be struggling. Good to know they are maintaining high standards in their teaching.

The good news is I heard the exact opposite was true. The new kids are the strongest cohort in years. In the past, many average kids were admitted only because they had early access to the admissions test by paying thousands to outside prep. At least these new kids are the very best and brightest from their respective schools based on fair and objective criteria.

Did you see the data? 541/550 kids joined class of 2025 (9 accepted but did not join). 15 students were admitted as "sophmores". As of March, 2023 there are 520 kids in 10th grade. What does it mean? 21+15=36 kids dropped out from the class of 2025 in addition of 9 who did not even join. I would not be surprised if this drop further this year and in the Junior year. This stat, with the "watered down" rigor and grading. You think kids would drop out even when they are not struggling?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone doing pre-calculus does not make them exceptional. More often than not, it is due to tiger parenting, paid coaching. If the kid is truly exceptional, top 1% TJ or not, they would thrive. The aim is to provide more equity and provide level field to kids across NoVA.

Merely taking pre-calculus in 8th isn't exceptional. Earning straight As in all of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-Calc is exceptional for an 8th grader. Many kids who sailed through Algebra I struggle later in Geometry, Algebra II, or pre-calc. The straight A kid isn't one of those and is likely to thrive with TJ math.

Also, in FCPS, the kids taking pre-calc in 8th are few and far between.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These new classes are definitely not academically as strong. Greater number of kids struggling already and they haven’t experienced notoriously difficult junior year yet. My kid knows multiple classmates repeating math as sophomores.

If the classes were not as strong as before, kids would not be struggling. Good to know they are maintaining high standards in their teaching.

The good news is I heard the exact opposite was true. The new kids are the strongest cohort in years. In the past, many average kids were admitted only because they had early access to the admissions test by paying thousands to outside prep. At least these new kids are the very best and brightest from their respective schools based on fair and objective criteria.

That's what I've heard as well from friends whose kids are currently TJ students. A lot of what's posted here is just propaganda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone doing pre-calculus does not make them exceptional. More often than not, it is due to tiger parenting, paid coaching. If the kid is truly exceptional, top 1% TJ or not, they would thrive. The aim is to provide more equity and provide level field to kids across NoVA.

Can you yourself do precalculus at your age? Now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone doing pre-calculus does not make them exceptional. More often than not, it is due to tiger parenting, paid coaching. If the kid is truly exceptional, top 1% TJ or not, they would thrive. The aim is to provide more equity and provide level field to kids across NoVA.

Merely taking pre-calculus in 8th isn't exceptional. Earning straight As in all of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-Calc is exceptional for an 8th grader. Many kids who sailed through Algebra I struggle later in Geometry, Algebra II, or pre-calc. The straight A kid isn't one of those and is likely to thrive with TJ math.

Also, in FCPS, the kids taking pre-calc in 8th are few and far between.

Do you realize that the 8th graders doing precalculus are almost 100% likely to have gotten As in all their math classes? Otherwise they wouldn't be doing precalc in 8th, duh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why anyone from Loudoun would schlep to TJ now if they can attend AOS, especially given the declining rigor of TJ. It will take a few years to be documented but it’s not fiercely committed to excellence any longer. It’s just kind of…there.

Some kids may want the full high school.
Many who get into TJ did not get admitted to AOS or AET.
TJ offers more opportunities than AOS/AET in math and science classes. Some students can get calculus sooner by declining AOS where you will not get until 11th grade.
At TJ you can take in 9th grade if you are good enough.

AOS and AET have very set curriculum. There is not much flexibility if the kid changes their mind later. Also there's no math tracking at AOS/AET. The whole cohort follows the same math curriculum. Other than the long commute from Loudoun, TJ is a much better option as compared to AOS/AET.

The other challenge with AOS and AET, for me, is that they're not high schools. They're academies. As such, when you go back to your base school, you're not getting to take humanities classes with TJ students and TJ teachers. Maybe they're honors or AP classes, and that's fine, but there's a huge difference between learning, say, The Grapes of Wrath with TJ students as opposed to the goons on the Briar Woods football team.

This is an incredibly offensive, elitist, and depressing post. The goons on the football team? Shame on you.

I think this is accurate, since it is not talking about the entire team, just the goons on the team.
They are definitely there, because I saw one of their practices. The coach at one point was yelling, 'Just how dumb can one person be?'

Yet you think it appropriate to talk about CHILDREN in such a way as to call them goons?

Maybe they were making brainless moves on the football field the day you saw their practice. So what? How do you know that those CHILDREN don't possess outstanding literary analysis skills, aren't brilliant mathematicians, don't have phenomenal talents in the kitchen, aren't highly-empathtic people who will make a great impact on this world, or won't be the person who unlocks the key to bettering our world?

How would you feel if someone called your kid a goon?

You may not like it, but the goon statement is statistically accurate. There is a probability between 1/1000 and 1/100 of those traits actually existing on the football field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone doing pre-calculus does not make them exceptional. More often than not, it is due to tiger parenting, paid coaching. If the kid is truly exceptional, top 1% TJ or not, they would thrive. The aim is to provide more equity and provide level field to kids across NoVA.

Merely taking pre-calculus in 8th isn't exceptional. Earning straight As in all of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-Calc is exceptional for an 8th grader. Many kids who sailed through Algebra I struggle later in Geometry, Algebra II, or pre-calc. The straight A kid isn't one of those and is likely to thrive with TJ math.

Also, in FCPS, the kids taking pre-calc in 8th are few and far between.

Do you realize that the 8th graders doing precalculus are almost 100% likely to have gotten As in all their math classes? Otherwise they wouldn't be doing precalc in 8th, duh.

Do you think it has anything to do with spending so much on outside enrichment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone doing pre-calculus does not make them exceptional. More often than not, it is due to tiger parenting, paid coaching. If the kid is truly exceptional, top 1% TJ or not, they would thrive. The aim is to provide more equity and provide level field to kids across NoVA.

Merely taking pre-calculus in 8th isn't exceptional. Earning straight As in all of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-Calc is exceptional for an 8th grader. Many kids who sailed through Algebra I struggle later in Geometry, Algebra II, or pre-calc. The straight A kid isn't one of those and is likely to thrive with TJ math.

Also, in FCPS, the kids taking pre-calc in 8th are few and far between.

Do you realize that the 8th graders doing precalculus are almost 100% likely to have gotten As in all their math classes? Otherwise they wouldn't be doing precalc in 8th, duh.

Do you think it has anything to do with spending so much on outside enrichment?

Not necessarily. Outside enrichment doesn't have to be expensive. Also some kids are lucky to have parents who can teach them math at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone doing pre-calculus does not make them exceptional. More often than not, it is due to tiger parenting, paid coaching. If the kid is truly exceptional, top 1% TJ or not, they would thrive. The aim is to provide more equity and provide level field to kids across NoVA.

Merely taking pre-calculus in 8th isn't exceptional. Earning straight As in all of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-Calc is exceptional for an 8th grader. Many kids who sailed through Algebra I struggle later in Geometry, Algebra II, or pre-calc. The straight A kid isn't one of those and is likely to thrive with TJ math.

Also, in FCPS, the kids taking pre-calc in 8th are few and far between.

Do you realize that the 8th graders doing precalculus are almost 100% likely to have gotten As in all their math classes? Otherwise they wouldn't be doing precalc in 8th, duh.

Do you think it has anything to do with spending so much on outside enrichment?

Not necessarily. Outside enrichment doesn't have to be expensive. Also some kids are lucky to have parents who can teach them math at home.

Although outside enrichment can be helpful, being involved directly was a more significant factor at least when my children were young.