No textbook for kids in Montgomery County?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like parent guides/handbooks are needed for the helicopters.

[Anonymous]

pre internet/technology era, teachers really taught.
Now, everything is taught with fancy looking flipcharts, graphs and so on. If a student does not understand a concept, the teacher simply asks them to go online.
Khan Academy has become middle/high school teachers' proxy ...

[Anonymous]

I dont remember really having a textbook until I was in 5th grade. I remember getting 'information packets' or small thin spiral bound print out books for topics like the native americans or ecosystems in 4th grade.

[Anonymous]

Ex-teacher here. The problem with textbooks is that they can lead to bad (and lazy) teaching. A good teacher does not need a textbook to teach. In fact, having a textbook can ruin the discovery-type lessons.

Textbooks are useful for countries in which teaching standards are poor - e.g. in developing countries where teachers often don't turn up to work.

Now, parents understanding how things are to be done is a different story. You should first ask your child to explain the methods to you (that will help them learn and make them feel great about it). If they don't know how to do it, you should ask the teacher for guidance. I'm sure s/he could point you in the right direction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ex-teacher here. The problem with textbooks is that they can lead to bad (and lazy) teaching. A good teacher does not need a textbook to teach. In fact, having a textbook can ruin the discovery-type lessons.

Textbooks are useful for countries in which teaching standards are poor - e.g. in developing countries where teachers often don't turn up to work.

Now, parents understanding how things are to be done is a different story. You should first ask your child to explain the methods to you (that will help them learn and make them feel great about it). If they don't know how to do it, you should ask the teacher for guidance. I'm sure s/he could point you in the right direction.

Priceless.

American teachers are known for their excellence! NOT!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ex-teacher here. The problem with textbooks is that they can lead to bad (and lazy) teaching. A good teacher does not need a textbook to teach. In fact, having a textbook can ruin the discovery-type lessons.

Textbooks are useful for countries in which teaching standards are poor - e.g. in developing countries where teachers often don't turn up to work.

Now, parents understanding how things are to be done is a different story. You should first ask your child to explain the methods to you (that will help them learn and make them feel great about it). If they don't know how to do it, you should ask the teacher for guidance. I'm sure s/he could point you in the right direction.

Priceless.

American teachers are known for their excellence! NOT!!!

They're not among the world's worst. This is not a developing country.

[Anonymous]

My kids are in magnet schools in MCPS. In fact, in my circle of friends (and we are Asians - so go ahead and flame) most people have kids who are in magnet schools in MCPS. We were used to textbooks in our native country when we were growing up. So, I still research and buy highly ranked textbooks (in amazon) for most subjects in each grade for each child.

I am not holding my breath for a better curriculum or better trained teachers from MCPS or textbooks from MCPS. I have asked and figured out that MCPS is not a transparent system. These are formative years for my kids and I will not depend on the mercy of some benevolent MCPS God to gift them great teachers or actually help them reach their potential.

I feel that as parents, we have one job only - to help and support our kids to the best of our abilities; and to give them a conducive, peaceful, supportive family life - so that they can do their best, in all aspects of their life. In the end, what they make of the resources available to them - is entirely up to them.

If others do not feel that their kids need textbooks, good for them. I have no bone to pick with them. However, I cannot understand why MCPS teachers are not willing to give the names of the various textbooks and sources that they use or that the parents should use to supplement at home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ex-teacher here. The problem with textbooks is that they can lead to bad (and lazy) teaching. A good teacher does not need a textbook to teach. In fact, having a textbook can ruin the discovery-type lessons.

Textbooks are useful for countries in which teaching standards are poor - e.g. in developing countries where teachers often don't turn up to work.

Now, parents understanding how things are to be done is a different story. You should first ask your child to explain the methods to you (that will help them learn and make them feel great about it). If they don't know how to do it, you should ask the teacher for guidance. I'm sure s/he could point you in the right direction.

Priceless.

American teachers are known for their excellence! NOT!!!

Okay, let's see you volunteering to send your kids to schools in rural Zimbabwe. Or even someplace with worse schools in America like Mississippi. You're deluding yourself if you think your problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My kids are in magnet schools in MCPS. In fact, in my circle of friends (and we are Asians - so go ahead and flame) most people have kids who are in magnet schools in MCPS. We were used to textbooks in our native country when we were growing up. So, I still research and buy highly ranked textbooks (in amazon) for most subjects in each grade for each child.

I am not holding my breath for a better curriculum or better trained teachers from MCPS or textbooks from MCPS. I have asked and figured out that MCPS is not a transparent system. These are formative years for my kids and I will not depend on the mercy of some benevolent MCPS God to gift them great teachers or actually help them reach their potential.

I feel that as parents, we have one job only - to help and support our kids to the best of our abilities; and to give them a conducive, peaceful, supportive family life - so that they can do their best, in all aspects of their life. In the end, what they make of the resources available to them - is entirely up to them.

If others do not feel that their kids need textbooks, good for them. I have no bone to pick with them. However, I cannot understand why MCPS teachers are not willing to give the names of the various textbooks and sources that they use or that the parents should use to supplement at home?

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ex-teacher here. The problem with textbooks is that they can lead to bad (and lazy) teaching. A good teacher does not need a textbook to teach. In fact, having a textbook can ruin the discovery-type lessons.

Textbooks are useful for countries in which teaching standards are poor - e.g. in developing countries where teachers often don't turn up to work.

Now, parents understanding how things are to be done is a different story. You should first ask your child to explain the methods to you (that will help them learn and make them feel great about it). If they don't know how to do it, you should ask the teacher for guidance. I'm sure s/he could point you in the right direction.

Priceless.

American teachers are known for their excellence! NOT!!!

Okay, let's see you volunteering to send your kids to schools in rural Zimbabwe. Or even someplace with worse schools in America like Mississippi. You're deluding yourself if you think your problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems.

Oh no, no, no! You are right. MCPS is better than rural Zimbabwe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ex-teacher here. The problem with textbooks is that they can lead to bad (and lazy) teaching. A good teacher does not need a textbook to teach. In fact, having a textbook can ruin the discovery-type lessons.

Textbooks are useful for countries in which teaching standards are poor - e.g. in developing countries where teachers often don't turn up to work.

Now, parents understanding how things are to be done is a different story. You should first ask your child to explain the methods to you (that will help them learn and make them feel great about it). If they don't know how to do it, you should ask the teacher for guidance. I'm sure s/he could point you in the right direction.

Priceless.

American teachers are known for their excellence! NOT!!!

Okay, let's see you volunteering to send your kids to schools in rural Zimbabwe. Or even someplace with worse schools in America like Mississippi. You're deluding yourself if you think your problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems.

Oh no, no, no! You are right. MCPS is better than rural Zimbabwe.

Wow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Okay, let's see you volunteering to send your kids to schools in rural Zimbabwe. Or even someplace with worse schools in America like Mississippi. You're deluding yourself if you think your problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems.

OK! I will stop deluding myself that my problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems. I will face the reality that my problems with MCPS are much more than first world problems. In fact, my realization is that my problems with MCPS are real problems stemming from the fact that it has become a substandard school system!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Okay, let's see you volunteering to send your kids to schools in rural Zimbabwe. Or even someplace with worse schools in America like Mississippi. You're deluding yourself if you think your problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems.

OK! I will stop deluding myself that my problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems. I will face the reality that my problems with MCPS are much more than first world problems. In fact, my realization is that my problems with MCPS are real problems stemming from the fact that it has become a substandard school system!

Substandard according to whom? Internationally? Nationally? What are your benchmarks for comparison? "My ass" is not a valid source.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Okay, let's see you volunteering to send your kids to schools in rural Zimbabwe. Or even someplace with worse schools in America like Mississippi. You're deluding yourself if you think your problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems.

OK! I will stop deluding myself that my problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems. I will face the reality that my problems with MCPS are much more than first world problems. In fact, my realization is that my problems with MCPS are real problems stemming from the fact that it has become a substandard school system!

Substandard according to whom? Internationally? Nationally? What are your benchmarks for comparison? "My ass" is not a valid source.

Whoa! Was it not suggested by (p)PP, that 'I should not delude myself that my problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems'? So, why do you have an issue when I take that advice and get rid of my delusions?

English is my second language but is it your native language? If you had your schooling in the US, then perhaps you would have been better served if you had textbooks? In this instance it seems like "your ass" is a valid example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Okay, let's see you volunteering to send your kids to schools in rural Zimbabwe. Or even someplace with worse schools in America like Mississippi. You're deluding yourself if you think your problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems.

OK! I will stop deluding myself that my problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems. I will face the reality that my problems with MCPS are much more than first world problems. In fact, my realization is that my problems with MCPS are real problems stemming from the fact that it has become a substandard school system!

Substandard according to whom? Internationally? Nationally? What are your benchmarks for comparison? "My ass" is not a valid source.

Whoa! Was it not suggested by (p)PP, that 'I should not delude myself that my problems with MCPS are nothing more than first world problems'? So, why do you have an issue when I take that advice and get rid of my delusions?

English is my second language but is it your native language? If you had your schooling in the US, then perhaps you would have been better served if you had textbooks? In this instance it seems like "your ass" is a valid example.

What the hell are you trying to say?