Experience with math help in FCPS?

[Anonymous]

If your 3rd, 4th, 5th grader has struggled in math at an FCPS school, what has been your experience with assistance from the school?

We aren't currently in an FCPS school but are seriously considering a change based on a lot of factors, with a big one being that our current school doesn't offer much in the way of assistance for kids that aren't doing well, with math being the worst of it.

I'm trying to explore what happens in FCPS when you have a kid that isn't getting it/performing to the level one would expect based on standardized tests.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

1. You help them at home.
2. You hire a tutor.
3. You send them to Kumon or Mathnasium.

I'm not sure what you are expecting the school to do. It's your student/child who needs help doing what is being taught.

Usually, they pull kids together for small group help during the classtime. But, what more are you expecting them to do? Provide afterschool or Sat. sessions?

[Anonymous]

Well, this is the second extremely combative answer I've received on these forums tonight.

I'd simply like to know if anyone has experience with a kid struggling in a subject in a FCPS school and what your experience was with the resources available. Do they have remedial classes? Do they have a resource teacher? Will the teacher meet with you to talk about extra help you can give your child.

Like I said, I don't have experience with any of these possibilities or whether they exist. I'm asking because I'd like to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, this is the second extremely combative answer I've received on these forums tonight.

I'd simply like to know if anyone has experience with a kid struggling in a subject in a FCPS school and what your experience was with the resources available. Do they have remedial classes? Do they have a resource teacher? Will the teacher meet with you to talk about extra help you can give your child.

Like I said, I don't have experience with any of these possibilities or whether they exist. I'm asking because I'd like to know.

I think you are defensive and reading too much hostility into an answer that is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, this is the second extremely combative answer I've received on these forums tonight.

I'd simply like to know if anyone has experience with a kid struggling in a subject in a FCPS school and what your experience was with the resources available. Do they have remedial classes? Do they have a resource teacher? Will the teacher meet with you to talk about extra help you can give your child.

Like I said, I don't have experience with any of these possibilities or whether they exist. I'm asking because I'd like to know.

I think you are defensive and reading too much hostility into an answer that is not.

NP. I thought the first response was combative.

I'm sorry, OP, I can't give you any advice about this. As someone who doesn't know how to approach this problem, I would start by asking the teacher for a conference to discuss the issues. Maybe other posters can give you more helpful or more directed responses.

[Anonymous]

NP here. We hired tutors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, this is the second extremely combative answer I've received on these forums tonight.

I'd simply like to know if anyone has experience with a kid struggling in a subject in a FCPS school and what your experience was with the resources available. Do they have remedial classes? Do they have a resource teacher? Will the teacher meet with you to talk about extra help you can give your child.

Like I said, I don't have experience with any of these possibilities or whether they exist. I'm asking because I'd like to know.

Some schools ability group, some do not. Some teachers do Math Workshop which can help to better meet individual needs, some don't. Some schools have a resource teacher.

I'm sure the teacher would be willing to meet on varying degrees.

[Anonymous]

Practice math facts at home - addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. The more second nature these basic math facts become, the easier it is for a kid to learn how to do long division, fractions, etc. I used to drill my kids in the car on the way to/from school. We also played games that required quick addition/subtraction.

A book that I used to refresh my own math skills was No Fear Math.

I do think that kids need to start learning some self study skills - the sooner the better. There are all sorts of great videos on Youtube, too. I wish I had had those when I was a kid.

[Anonymous]

Mathnasiam or kumon

[Anonymous]

You should be able to handle 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. Save your money for later years. Get the math books and do your homework first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your 3rd, 4th, 5th grader has struggled in math at an FCPS school, what has been your experience with assistance from the school?

We aren't currently in an FCPS school but are seriously considering a change based on a lot of factors, with a big one being that our current school doesn't offer much in the way of assistance for kids that aren't doing well, with math being the worst of it.

I'm trying to explore what happens in FCPS when you have a kid that isn't getting it/performing to the level one would expect based on standardized tests.

Thanks.

My kids go to a Title 1 school in FCPS - we're in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County. One of the advantages of Title 1 is they have the extra resource teachers and will work one on one with a child who is struggling below the benchmarks, no matter what their income level. This is for bath math and reading. Our school has a full time Math resource teacher. Our school has wonderful teachers and will also work one on one with someone who is advanced. My DS was advanced in math but not quite ready for advanced math (moving a grade ahead.) The teacher agreed to meet with him before school, on her own time at her own dime, to tutor him so he could move into the advanced class. I also know of another student (from an upper middle class family who could afford tutors) who was struggling in math and he was pulled out for one on one tutoring with the Math Resource Teacher at school. Our school also offers after school remediation programs. So extra help does happen in FCPS but it maybe school specific.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mathnasiam or kumon

Why are you being so hostile!??

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks to those who replied with their experiences.

[Anonymous]

I have a child who regressed in reading a few years into school in fcps. The school is giving a tremendous amount of help. Pull outs, special groups etc. But this child does just fine in math. I'm not sure this helps, since it's a different subject.

[Anonymous]

You need to tell the new school that your child needs special help in math. Every school has RI, now, which is for tracking kids that struggle with math or reading and providing help for it. Be up front and ask.