Wilson in the fall. Any thoughts/ideas/concerns about what model it will be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wilson DL sounds like a dream compared to Deal with three 40 minute classes 4 times a week.

I have one at Deal and on at Wilson...Wilson's DL CRUSHED it compared to Deal this year. No comparison.

[Anonymous]

I have a middle schooler, and we are very disappointed. The teachers seem bored, and they sometimes show up for five minutes of instruction and then leave the kids to fend for themselves with the lesson. There are some teachers that do make an effort to be there for the whole class, but even so, the classes are unengaging - I thought mainly because the format of DL is inherently not engaging. What does a DL program that crushed look like? It is good to hear that Wilson is doing well with its DL program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From the Beacon -
DCPS mandated the continuation of the 4×4 schedule because they are still uncertain about the circumstances in which in-person instruction will take place next school year. Despite the unpredictability, Martin is confident that Wilson students will return to the building.

“All indications are that we’re going back to [school] in-person. I’m planning [to] go back to in-person instruction,” Martin said.

Based on the email we got tonight from the Wilson Principal, the 4X4 schedule was mandated by the Counsellor and it was not her decision:

"Unfortunately, having an 8-period schedule is not a decision I get to make. The DCPS Office of Teaching and Learning has pored over the district-wide data and determined that district-wide, the 4X4 schedule is more advantageous. One benefit of the 4X4 schedule is related to student failure. Students who fail a class for Term 1 and Term 2, for instance, or who have poor attendance which results in an automatic failure (FA) for Term 1 and Term 2 will automatically earn a failing grade for the rest of the year. For students in a year-long class, there is almost no incentive to continue attending school once the final grade of “FA” is placed on the transcript. However, in a 4x4 schedule, a student has an opportunity to redo classes that were failed in the first semester and has a better chance to stay on track for graduation. Since the high school schedule is adopted district-wide, the Office of Teaching and Learning determined this to be the best schedule for the school year 2021-2022. Please feel free to reach out if you have any additional questions."

this is really depressing, the only reason given for the 4X4 block is so students who fail the class can retake it in the second semester. ummm, ok. maybe failing students could be helped in a manner that words before they fail the class, in the first term when it is clear that they are not doing well, instead of just setting up a bad system for everybody else so the failing students can simply retake the class twice the same year. if this schedule can work for other schools because they have many struggling students, t does not mean that it works for Wilson. kids who take AP classes are screwed. kids who take an AP class in the first semester will have to keep reviewing it in the second semester to take the test in May, while at the same time studying for the new subjects. kids who take the AP classes in the second semester will have the test scheduled in May while the class technically ends in June so the teacher will have to cram the program in even less weeks than in the first semester to make sure to cover the entire program before the AP test in May. also, based on my kid's experience, kids who struggle in subjects like math, do not do better with the class done every day and with the program crammed in 4 months. again it seems that DCPS just does not care about the kids but just about itself. statistics don't look good so let's make them look better and who care about what the kids actually learn.

[Anonymous]

I have a kid at Wilson and one at Deal. I did not notice a big difference. it seems that maybe it depends on the teachers. my middle schooler is doing mostly well. obviously we are all looking forward to going back in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a middle schooler, and we are very disappointed. The teachers seem bored, and they sometimes show up for five minutes of instruction and then leave the kids to fend for themselves with the lesson. There are some teachers that do make an effort to be there for the whole class, but even so, the classes are unengaging - I thought mainly because the format of DL is inherently not engaging. What does a DL program that crushed look like? It is good to hear that Wilson is doing well with its DL program.

There was so much more synchronous instruction and the teachers were 100% engaged...lecturing and monitoring break-out groups. My Wilson student basically had real, live instruction Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday, and Fridays from 9:30-4pm (and enough work on Wednesdays to keep them engaged)...

As for the 4x4, I think it worked really well for the DL but I agree that I'd prefer the normal schedule for IPL...sounds like it is a district-wide policy. FWIW, a lot of districts across the country (including several wealthy suburban ones) have moved to this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a middle schooler, and we are very disappointed. The teachers seem bored, and they sometimes show up for five minutes of instruction and then leave the kids to fend for themselves with the lesson. There are some teachers that do make an effort to be there for the whole class, but even so, the classes are unengaging - I thought mainly because the format of DL is inherently not engaging. What does a DL program that crushed look like? It is good to hear that Wilson is doing well with its DL program.

There was so much more synchronous instruction and the teachers were 100% engaged...lecturing and monitoring break-out groups. My Wilson student basically had real, live instruction Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday, and Fridays from 9:30-4pm (and enough work on Wednesdays to keep them engaged)...

As for the 4x4, I think it worked really well for the DL but I agree that I'd prefer the normal schedule for IPL...sounds like it is a district-wide policy. FWIW, a lot of districts across the country (including several wealthy suburban ones) have moved to this.

It s fine for DL. It’s an awful schedule for in person school. Trying learn something like Physics or Precalculus everyday for 90 minutes is really fast. It doesn’t give much time for kids to catch up or get extra help because you keep moving. And as a PP mentioned AP classes are so difficult. AP Calculus BC second semester would mean you learn an entire year of calculus from February to early May. With a February and spring break in there that is almost impossible to do effectively. Students need time to process what they learn.

Also if you have Algebra I first semester freshmen year and pass the course, because we all know this 4x4 is just low expectations of students, they may not have Geoemtry until second semester sophomore year. That’s a full year of no math. Same deal with foreign language. How could kids possible remember the content?