Compacted math optional?

[Anonymous]

Of course , some kids were pushed ahead when they shouldn't have been, but not all by any means. My older kids did Algebra 1 in 6th grades (straight -
A's in HS math) and my younger kids learn nothing with 2.0. There needs to be a middle ground.

[Anonymous]

MCPS doesn't care about the SAT or AP classes. Your goal may be for your child to be competitive in the college admissions process but no one in MCPS is ranked on meeting that goal. They are ranked on the overall % of students who will meet the bottom bar of PARC. Schools are specifically ranked on how much they reduced the achievement gap based on test score data. Its in MCPS administrator's best interest for the students in the middle to not go to far above the bar.

MCPS got it wrong, very wrong. Lowering the math standards in elementary school will not raise math performance. The system is missing rigorous and meaningful assessments. The system is missing math qualified teachers at the middle and high school level. This was true pre 2.0 and its even worse now with 2.0. However, solving those problems would mean that the achievement gap would widen as more kids fail rigorous assessments and old teachers need to be replaced and new teachers need to be hired.

There are no short cuts in life. You can't maintain the problems of the status quo and improve things. MCPS hoped to find a way to cut corners and game the data. 2.0 is a perfect example of hiding poor performing students and teachers rather than addressing the real issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And here's the thing: MCPS has already tried math acceleration for just regular smart kids in lower elementary school, and decided that it didn't work.

No one in MCPS ever proved that math acceleration did not work for basic, normal smart kids. MCPS decided that it didn't care about normal, smart kids. MCPS cares about lowering the achievement gap and getting as many kids to hit the bottom bar of the PARRC assessments. If you offer appropriate acceleration, you widen the achievement gap as its recorded in your school. The only way to reduce the gap without allocating more resources to the address kids falling off the bottom is to stop teaching the middle to progress.

Oh look, it's the "MCPS is deliberately trying to lower the test scores of white and Asian kids in order to reduce the achievement gap" conspiracy theory, back again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The math standards are lower, much lower. This is the problem. Its not gifted geniuses who aren't learning new things, its every darn kid in the class. You have to be a ill formed, sheep to go along with the MCPS BS on math. If MCPS started making 3rd graders read Biscuit books everyday, you'd be up in arms too.

The problem is worse in areas with strong preschools. The Montessori schools in our area teach quantity, place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division for kids ages 3-6. These kids are not math geniuses and they aren't just memorizing facts and formulas. In fact, Montessori uses manipulative models and teaches concepts far deeper than anything we've seen from MCPS. The play based preschools teach math too and while they may not do set counting and multiplication/division they do give kids a strong understanding of addition and subtraction. These kids enter MCPS and go back to what they were doing when they were 3 or 4 years old. It progresses incredibly slowing from that point onward.

For whatever reason. Montgomery County has decided that either its children can't learn math or its teacher cant teach it , so everyone is forced to take remedial math from day one.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course , some kids were pushed ahead when they shouldn't have been, but not all by any means. My older kids did Algebra 1 in 6th grades (straight -
A's in HS math) and my younger kids learn nothing with 2.0. There needs to be a middle ground.

People keep saying that. "My kid learns nothing". Why do your kids learn nothing? Did your kids know everything already? Where did they learn it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For whatever reason. Montgomery County has decided that either its children can't learn math or its teacher cant teach it , so everyone is forced to take remedial math from day one.

What evidence do you have that elementary-school math in MCPS is "remedial math"? What are you comparing it to?

[Anonymous]

My child has not learned one new thing in math this year. Not one. He can multiply, divide a little, some fractions and all that happens in his class is addition and subtraction. So yes, he has learned NOTHING!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child has not learned one new thing in math this year. Not one. He can multiply, divide a little, some fractions and all that happens in his class is addition and subtraction. So yes, he has learned NOTHING!

Where did he learn to multiply, divide a little, and do some fractions?

Also, what grade is he in? Because it's not true that all that happens is addition and subtraction. Not in K, not in 1, not in 2.

[Anonymous]

Amazing isn't it these kids came into ES knowing how to add and multiply negatives/do long division/manipulate fractions/calculate areas and dimensions of geometric shapes and more. And there are multiple posters with this same situation..what a preschool it must have been!

[Anonymous]

Learned at home and from older siblings. Oh and yes, besides addition/subtraction they do time too-mine could read a watch since age 4. Older siblings could do mad minutes through Division by 1st grade. Older siblings in compacted math classes with about 15 other kids at the same age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Amazing isn't it these kids came into ES knowing how to add and multiply negatives/do long division/manipulate fractions/calculate areas and dimensions of geometric shapes and more. And there are multiple posters with this same situation..what a preschool it must have been!

Several of us have posted this already - Montessori

And my child LOVED it. I almost wish I had kept DC there but it just gets too small of a school as they age.

[Anonymous]

None of the Montessori kids I know covered ALL of ES math in preschool but I know each school is different. Please know that these children would not have been accommodated under the old system either. When do Montessori kids start algebra? How many AP years do they get in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None of the Montessori kids I know covered ALL of ES math in preschool but I know each school is different. Please know that these children would not have been accommodated under the old system either. When do Montessori kids start algebra? How many AP years do they get in?

I don't think anyone said Montessori covered up through Algebra and AP? They said their kids had a strong understanding of addition and subrtaction and place value and fractions when leaving Montessori - those topics are most of what is covered in K-2 these days. Yes, with some added word problems and pictures and written explanations - maybe some money and measurement - but these tend to be an easy transition because the foundation from Montessori is strong. It isn't just memorization, it uses manipulatives and the kids can visualize the concepts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None of the Montessori kids I know covered ALL of ES math in preschool but I know each school is different. Please know that these children would not have been accommodated under the old system either. When do Montessori kids start algebra? How many AP years do they get in?

the discussion has been about K-2 math not ALL OF ES

[Anonymous]

Another non-learner here. My kid did go to a Montessori preschool which probably got him off an "too advanced" start. This was all him though and he is just a quick learner. He is curious about math and reads math books on his own.

Anyways, that's not the point. The point is that the challenge is not there for him. A few years ago it would have been. Now, not so much.