TAG kids at GW Middle (ACPS)

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have experience with kids who were in TAG English and Math in 4th and 5th grade at ACPS moving on to GW Middle school? As I understand it, the honors classes in the middle school let anyone who wants to opt in. Does that make them less rigorous than the elementary school TAG classes? I’d love to hear from anyone who has experience there.

[Anonymous]

Bump. Not the OP, but interested in seeing responses.

[Anonymous]

Another bump. Would like to hear reaction.

[Anonymous]

This assessment was of the TAG program was presented to the school board back in 2017 and basically echoes what I have heard from parents I know with children at GW in the program. The honors classes lack rigor. one example - the report notes that books assigned to honors classes are appropriate for younger grades.

[Anonymous]

link to news story about TAG assessment
http://www.acpsk12.org/news/?p=7311

[Anonymous]

Is anyone happy about the experience in GW in general?

[Anonymous]

I appreciate the link to the assessment. I am aware of it as well as the principal’s thoughts (or plans? I am not sure if it is a definite) about clustering students. But I would still like to hear from anyone with first hand experience. Anyone?

[Anonymous]

Apparently, the first rule about GW TAG is not to talk about GW TAG.

[Anonymous]

My 7th grader is in all tag. He's not challenged.

[Anonymous]

What about students who took 6th grade math in 5th grade? Does GW cluster the 6th graders who are a year ahead in math in an advanced math class? I don't understand how you can opt in to advanced math if you have not bee in accelerated math in TAG in 4th through 5th grade and learned the material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about students who took 6th grade math in 5th grade? Does GW cluster the 6th graders who are a year ahead in math in an advanced math class? I don't understand how you can opt in to advanced math if you have not bee in accelerated math in TAG in 4th through 5th grade and learned the material.

There are three options for math in 6th grade:

- Math 6
- Math 6 honors
- TAG math (which is basically Math 7 honors, but it is only for 6th grader)

[Anonymous]

There are not TAG classes or pull-outs in middle school as there are in elementary. There are honors classes in all core subjects (English/Science/History) into which most TAG students are clustered. In addition, because of the TAG math curriculum in the elementary grades, the accelerated math sequence classes are typically all TAG kids. I assume there are kids who may have transferred from other schools (either private or another county/city/state) who are also in those classes because that is the correct math sequence for them based on their academic history. I believe there are also honors/non-honors math classes at grade level open to all students, including TAG students who may want to step out of the advanced sequence.

I'll preface specific remarks about the GW TAG classes by saying that I don't like "talented and gifted" programs generally (not just ACPS, but writ large) because I think they are a far cry from what they were designed to be in the first place: the identification of the very small number of truly gifted students who needed a different pace/style of learning and more complex content. In modern practice, these programs seem to be just an identification of kids with decent work habits and/or pushy parents. (And I say this as a parent of TAG-participating kids who I think got there because they tested well and have good work ethic, not because they are gifted in the true sense of the word).

So, that having been said: by and large, I have found the advanced math sequence classes to be as advertised. As far as I can tell there is no project-based or applied learning, but the students are doing the high-school level course work in the traditional learning style/method (caveat to say that there are multiple math teachers, so perhaps that are some who do more interesting things). In other words, in math TAG really only ever promises acceleration in content and that is what they give. For typical TAG-identified kids, the classes are plenty challenging.

In the honors English classes, they appear to primarily covering books my students previously read (although not necessarily in school). My students were disappointed in 6th grade at the relatively low level of material covered, but by older student thought that the seventh and eighth grade classes provided more challenge. There was some project-based activity and certainly more appropriate level texts with an emphasis on writing in the later grades. Still not what I would consider classes for the truly gifted - but again, that is not how TAG these days is designed.

Honors Science and History certainly have more project-based learning and things that I would consider more typical of a TAG curriculum. My students enjoyed those classes. (Actually, my students have enjoyed all of the honors classes, although I'm not sure that says anything about the academic rigor.)

I am sure there are kids in those classes who were not TAG in elementary school, as honors classes are open to all who want to take them but I don't think those kids had any impact on the teaching and learning in the classroom. I imagine all of them were more than capable of doing the work - and probably could have done the TAG work in elementary school had they tested well or had pushy parents. Certainly my student never mentioned any issues relating to other students' abilities to keep up with the work. Personally, I am glad honors classes are open to all who wish to take them. We should encourage students to set high standards for themselves and work hard. I do feel sorry for the very few students who are profoundly gifted, as I don't think the TAG program (or AAP in FCPS or whatever they call it in Arlington or anywhere else) really meets the needs of those students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are not TAG classes or pull-outs in middle school as there are in elementary. There are honors classes in all core subjects (English/Science/History) into which most TAG students are clustered. In addition, because of the TAG math curriculum in the elementary grades, the accelerated math sequence classes are typically all TAG kids. I assume there are kids who may have transferred from other schools (either private or another county/city/state) who are also in those classes because that is the correct math sequence for them based on their academic history. I believe there are also honors/non-honors math classes at grade level open to all students, including TAG students who may want to step out of the advanced sequence.

I'll preface specific remarks about the GW TAG classes by saying that I don't like "talented and gifted" programs generally (not just ACPS, but writ large) because I think they are a far cry from what they were designed to be in the first place: the identification of the very small number of truly gifted students who needed a different pace/style of learning and more complex content. In modern practice, these programs seem to be just an identification of kids with decent work habits and/or pushy parents. (And I say this as a parent of TAG-participating kids who I think got there because they tested well and have good work ethic, not because they are gifted in the true sense of the word).

So, that having been said: by and large, I have found the advanced math sequence classes to be as advertised. As far as I can tell there is no project-based or applied learning, but the students are doing the high-school level course work in the traditional learning style/method (caveat to say that there are multiple math teachers, so perhaps that are some who do more interesting things). In other words, in math TAG really only ever promises acceleration in content and that is what they give. For typical TAG-identified kids, the classes are plenty challenging.

In the honors English classes, they appear to primarily covering books my students previously read (although not necessarily in school). My students were disappointed in 6th grade at the relatively low level of material covered, but by older student thought that the seventh and eighth grade classes provided more challenge. There was some project-based activity and certainly more appropriate level texts with an emphasis on writing in the later grades. Still not what I would consider classes for the truly gifted - but again, that is not how TAG these days is designed.

Honors Science and History certainly have more project-based learning and things that I would consider more typical of a TAG curriculum. My students enjoyed those classes. (Actually, my students have enjoyed all of the honors classes, although I'm not sure that says anything about the academic rigor.)

I am sure there are kids in those classes who were not TAG in elementary school, as honors classes are open to all who want to take them but I don't think those kids had any impact on the teaching and learning in the classroom. I imagine all of them were more than capable of doing the work - and probably could have done the TAG work in elementary school had they tested well or had pushy parents. Certainly my student never mentioned any issues relating to other students' abilities to keep up with the work. Personally, I am glad honors classes are open to all who wish to take them. We should encourage students to set high standards for themselves and work hard. I do feel sorry for the very few students who are profoundly gifted, as I don't think the TAG program (or AAP in FCPS or whatever they call it in Arlington or anywhere else) really meets the needs of those students.

Thanks for your thorough response!

[Anonymous]

Can anyone comment on how well GW prepared their child for high school as far as writing skills and math skills? I'd be particularly interested to hear the experience of families whose students when from GW into private high schools or who moved jurisdictions such that the students were competing in high school with students who attended other middle schools.

[Anonymous]

Bump