incompetent teacher -- what can parents do?

[Anonymous]

OP, I am trying to figure out how to post files w/o revealing my email address. Right now your child should be studying Medieval Europe, right?

[Anonymous]

would this help?
http://ebwood.montgomeryschoolsmd.libguides.com/content.php?pid=516673&sid=4359006

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I am trying to figure out how to post files w/o revealing my email address. Right now your child should be studying Medieval Europe, right?

all MoCo schools study the same content at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Do they even use the same assignments?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I am trying to figure out how to post files w/o revealing my email address. Right now your child should be studying Medieval Europe, right?

all MoCo schools study the same content at the same time.

It's a pacing issue within the Unit. Teacher A and Teacher B at Muddy Creek MS may decide they need two weeks for feudalism and them move on to two each for the Byzantine and Islamic Empires. Teachers C and D at Big Pines MS do 4 days each on Feudal Europe, Byzantines, and Islamic Empire.
Plus, OP still has identified if her DD is taking the advanced course yet. There's an advanced lesson on Medieval Europe that takes an extra day and an advanced lesson on Byzantine and Islamic Empires that replaces the standard lesson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do they even use the same assignments?

Depends in standard MS Social Studies.
--Unit Tests are the same.
--One formative quiz each unit is provided but not required.
--BCR and ECR prompts are provided, but not required.

Even if one school does it, they may not grade it the same as another school or grade it at all. The first middle school I taught in graded the "What's on the Manor?" Sketch. The school I'm at now doesn't. I've been at three middle schools that have students make their own coat of arms. The points have ranged from 10 to 30.

What happens is that teachers share materials with colleagues at other schools or bring assignments when they switch schools.
I use a project that my DD's teacher created and she uses a quiz I made. When I came to my current school, I introduced assignments that I got second or third hand from other MCPS schools.

We also go to trainings where activities are shared.

[Anonymous]

At some schools it is all advanced. Pyle is an example of that.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Again, pardon my remaining obscure about details, but to the other poster who may very well be in my exact situation, I have made a call to our principal's boss. I found this person (who I am not going to name here because it would reveal the school I am talking about) by calling the Superintendent's office and asking who my principal reports to. I have been trading calls with this higher-up for a week and have yet to speak to him directly, but I plan to give him chapter and verse.

So to the other poster worried about a teacher who seems seriously impaired, I encourage you (and any other concerned parents you know) to elevate this. I have been making it clear all along that I am not complaining about the way our principal is handling the situation (in my opinion he is doing what he can with the hand he's been dealt) but rather making sure that he gets all the support from the school district that he can.

I have also made it clear to the principal and his immediate subordinate that I will be calling them regularly to find out what the status is and what supports they are providing to students in this teacher's classes. I have a note in my calendar to do so next week and I am going to try to stay on it every two weeks or so. I encourage you to do the same. They need to know that the parents are not going to shut up about this after the initial round of complaints.

[Anonymous]

OP again. To 21:19, they have been doing stuff with maps. There is shockingly little of any substance in my child's binder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. To 21:19, they have been doing stuff with maps. There is shockingly little of any substance in my child's binder.

OP, if your DC is still doing the Mental Maps and hasn't started Feudalism yet, there is cause for concern. All the Grade 7 MCPS teachers I know (roughly 25) are finished with feudalism or finishing it by interims. Otherwise, there isn't time to learn the two empires outside of Europe, the Crusades, the Mongols, the Black Death, and the rise of towns and monarchs before the end of MP1.

I can't tell you what's on the County Unit Test (gotta keep my job) but I can tell you what chapters to read to get the general concepts you need to pass Unit I. Just let me know which of the three County approved textbooks your DD's class is using. There's no true alternative source for the MCPS spin on events, but both History Alive and the DBQ Project seem to have been inspirational. Get the Principles of Government handout and keep tying it into new material as you cover the Middle Ages.

I am so sorry that this is happening to you.

[Anonymous]

What are you hoping the higher ups will do to support the principal? Won't they need to follow the same procedure that the principal needs to go through--documenting etc.?

[Anonymous]

And in the meantime, what do you want the principal to do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At some schools it is all advanced. Pyle is an example of that.

Kingsview and Tilden as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are you hoping the higher ups will do to support the principal? Won't they need to follow the same procedure that the principal needs to go through--documenting etc.?

I don't think they can expedite the process. Maybe OP wants to ensure the process is actually taking place and parents aren't just getting lip service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At some schools it is all advanced. Pyle is an example of that.

Kingsview and Tilden as well.

And SSIMS.