Math league competition for 2nd grade
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Anonymous
| Are there other FCPS elementary schools participating in the Continental Math League competition? All of a sudden, our school is participating for 2nd grade. I’m wondering why. My older kids didn’t have this. |
Anonymous
Which school is this? My child is also in 2nd, but I have not heard or seen anything related to math contests for 2nd grade. I didn't think they even had contests at this low grade. |
Anonymous
| Wow. Tiger Moms are roaring EARLY. 2nd grade? What a joke. |
Anonymous
| Never too early to start TJ prep. |
Anonymous
| Wow, lots of envious people on this thread... It's not early to do travel soccer or other sports, why then do so many whine about doing outside math? |
Anonymous
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I would argue that second grade is too early to do travel sports. In my crazy world, travel sports would not start until Middle School when Rec Sports are pretty much winding up. There is a good deal of evidence that kids are ending up with more serious injuries in high school because they are specializing in a sport far too early. A second grader does not need 3 practices and 2 games a week in one sport. A second grader should be trying different sports and participating in different activities. That exposure is good for them to learn about different sports, exercise different muscles, and get a better feel for what they like. It also allows for after school extra curricular activities, which expand a child's world, and other activities like Scouts.
In my own crazy world, my Second grader is exploring the world around him and learning about new things. He is taking chess, robotics and art club. His camps this summer include an art camp, science camps, sports camps, and general day camps. There is a time and place for more intense sports and academic competitions and that is not early elementary school. Maybe by the time you hit Sixth grade and clearly in Middle School. But earlier ages should be about exploring the world, not uber focusing on one area, whether that is a sport or academic. |
Anonymous
Yes, my 2nd grader has done 2 so far. It’s just a worksheet that they spend 30 min on in class. The kids know the problems are way above skill level. This is not a big deal |
Anonymous
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My kids haven't done CML, but they have done MOEMS, which is similar. Like PP said, it's just a worksheet with challenge problems that they take during math class. It's not an intense academic competition by any stretch.
For those who are curious, here's a sample test found from a quick google search: https://www.cmleague.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CML_sample_2.pdf OP, are they giving this to all of the kids in 2nd grade, or just the ones who are stronger in math? It does seem a bit inappropriate if they have every kid in the grade take this exam and not the ones who are Level II in math. |
Anonymous
| A 30 minute math sheet is not a big deal. I could see giving it to the Level II kids, in my kids class the Level II kids get different worksheets and packets for their math and that is all. DS isn't even aware that he is getting different work. They could easily give the worksheet to kids in level II and no one would know. I don't see a reason to give a worksheet that is beyond most kids ability to everyone, that doesn't help a kids confidence. |
Anonymous
In our school they give it to everyone in 2nd. Not just level II kids. My child is in level II and he knows this is way above level and getting some wrong does nothing to his self-esteem. |
Anonymous
| OP here, I'm not the one signing up my kid for CML! The school is doing it--we are at Haycock Elementary. And, this is the first time I've seen this also, so that's why I'm asking. My other child is in 6th grade and they have math competition (via a team) but the 6th grader didn't have CML in 2nd grade. I'm trying to understand if it's a FCPS thing that got instituted this year or something across the county, but it sounds like that is not the case. But every 2nd grader at Haycock is taking the CML this year and I'm starting to wonder why. |
Anonymous
That's strange. Why would Haycock or some of the other schools that people mentioned take it and not all 2nd graders across FCPS? Is this something that the school determines? We are in an elementary school in Vienna and the 2nd graders aren't taking this. Seems strange to be random about something like that, I think. |
Anonymous
The same reason that level II looks different at various schools. Or the AARTs give different guidance on AAP packets at various schools. The district is too big for any kind of consistency so each school gets a lot of autonomy. Not necessarily a bad thing across the board but consistency on major county-wide school programs would be nice. |
Anonymous
Why is it strange? It isn’t a standardized test. It’s an optional math competition. At our Vienna school the AAP kids start CML in 3rd grade. Other schools Don’t do it, and still others have everyone participate. Apparently Haycock is starting g in 2nd, probably just to get them used to it. |
Anonymous
We are also at Haycock and DS did CML last year in 2nd grade. He got a medal 
He's in 3rd grade AAP this year and they're doing the 4th grade CML tests. I'm not sure if the 4th grade ones are just for practice and they're also doing the 3rd grade ones for the competition or what. It seems like they're grading them themselves. |