Changes to gifted center admissions

[Anonymous]

It reminds me of a certain AP class in my high-school. Many kids weren't qualified, but when their parents complained, the school made room. The downside was the class had to be dumbed down to accommodate said children. I can see both sides of this and there isn't a perfect solution short of unlimited funds and personal teachers.

[Anonymous]

This is part of the problem. The class did not have to be dumbed down to accommodate those children. MCPS chose to do that. They can even keep grade inflation, if they want. What they could have done instead, is to grade on a sharp grading curve. By grading on a curve that allowed kids who actually learned enough material to get a 5 on the AP test, an A, while giving most everyone in the class a B while only having a few/couple at the bottom with a C or worse.

This isn't a perfect solution either because so few MCPS classes grade on a curve that many students/parents would struggle with understanding how the 52% they got on the first test was a B and no one could get below MCPS's gentleman's 50%. But is seems better than dumbing down the class when the point of having AP at all is to show students how much work goes into getting a 5 and therefore how much they need to improve their study habits to do really well in college.

"It reminds me of a certain AP class in my high-school. Many kids weren't qualified, but when their parents complained, the school made room. The downside was the class had to be dumbed down to accommodate said children. I can see both sides of this and there isn't a perfect solution short of unlimited funds and personal teachers."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would it only be a few schools that don't have a whole class of qualified kids? The current program is design for the top 5ish percent. Takes a couple of kids per school. An expansion to include a whole class at most schools is a completely different program

Everyone on here constantly complains that their gifted child isn't getting what they need and very few make it to HGC. There is even a statistic thrown around that 40% of MCPS is considered gifted. So maybe they are trying to open HGC up to more qualified students.

There is a very discernable difference between gifted and highly gifted. All too often parents hear gifted and think HGC. Increasing the number of gifted students in the HGC would dilute the cohort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would it only be a few schools that don't have a whole class of qualified kids? The current program is design for the top 5ish percent. Takes a couple of kids per school. An expansion to include a whole class at most schools is a completely different program

Everyone on here constantly complains that their gifted child isn't getting what they need and very few make it to HGC. There is even a statistic thrown around that 40% of MCPS is considered gifted. So maybe they are trying to open HGC up to more qualified students.

There is a very discernable difference between gifted and highly gifted. All too often parents hear gifted and think HGC. Increasing the number of gifted students in the HGC would dilute the cohort.

That ship sailed long ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would it only be a few schools that don't have a whole class of qualified kids? The current program is design for the top 5ish percent. Takes a couple of kids per school. An expansion to include a whole class at most schools is a completely different program

Everyone on here constantly complains that their gifted child isn't getting what they need and very few make it to HGC. There is even a statistic thrown around that 40% of MCPS is considered gifted. So maybe they are trying to open HGC up to more qualified students.

There is a very discernable difference between gifted and highly gifted. All too often parents hear gifted and think HGC. Increasing the number of gifted students in the HGC would dilute the cohort.

I mean, yes, but there is very little differentiation in the home schools right now. Parents want HGC because there's basically no programming for gifted kids who aren't in the HGCs. So you have interventions for the bottom 10% or so, then a great undifferentiated mass between for the 85-87% of kids who are neither in the bottom group nor in the HGCs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would it only be a few schools that don't have a whole class of qualified kids? The current program is design for the top 5ish percent. Takes a couple of kids per school. An expansion to include a whole class at most schools is a completely different program

Everyone on here constantly complains that their gifted child isn't getting what they need and very few make it to HGC. There is even a statistic thrown around that 40% of MCPS is considered gifted. So maybe they are trying to open HGC up to more qualified students.

There is a very discernable difference between gifted and highly gifted. All too often parents hear gifted and think HGC. Increasing the number of gifted students in the HGC would dilute the cohort.

I mean, yes, but there is very little differentiation in the home schools right now. Parents want HGC because there's basically no programming for gifted kids who aren't in the HGCs. So you have interventions for the bottom 10% or so, then a great undifferentiated mass between for the 85-87% of kids who are neither in the bottom group nor in the HGCs.

I was never about accommodating the top 5% or 20% students. better wish the current changes will result in a more diversified student body in these programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would it only be a few schools that don't have a whole class of qualified kids? The current program is design for the top 5ish percent. Takes a couple of kids per school. An expansion to include a whole class at most schools is a completely different program

Everyone on here constantly complains that their gifted child isn't getting what they need and very few make it to HGC. There is even a statistic thrown around that 40% of MCPS is considered gifted. So maybe they are trying to open HGC up to more qualified students.

There is a very discernable difference between gifted and highly gifted. All too often parents hear gifted and think HGC. Increasing the number of gifted students in the HGC would dilute the cohort.

I mean, yes, but there is very little differentiation in the home schools right now. Parents want HGC because there's basically no programming for gifted kids who aren't in the HGCs. So you have interventions for the bottom 10% or so, then a great undifferentiated mass between for the 85-87% of kids who are neither in the bottom group nor in the HGCs.

We both understand this is public school, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would it only be a few schools that don't have a whole class of qualified kids? The current program is design for the top 5ish percent. Takes a couple of kids per school. An expansion to include a whole class at most schools is a completely different program

Everyone on here constantly complains that their gifted child isn't getting what they need and very few make it to HGC. There is even a statistic thrown around that 40% of MCPS is considered gifted. So maybe they are trying to open HGC up to more qualified students.

There is a very discernable difference between gifted and highly gifted. All too often parents hear gifted and think HGC. Increasing the number of gifted students in the HGC would dilute the cohort.

I mean, yes, but there is very little differentiation in the home schools right now. Parents want HGC because there's basically no programming for gifted kids who aren't in the HGCs. So you have interventions for the bottom 10% or so, then a great undifferentiated mass between for the 85-87% of kids who are neither in the bottom group nor in the HGCs.

We both understand this is public school, right?

Programs within public schools like those offered at Blair or TJ exceed any private offerings. For example, there are no private schools with close to the percentage of national merit finalists as Blair's magnet students. Public schools are fine. The goal is to provide the best opportunity for everyone, but presently this is not accomplished since the children in the middle are largely ignored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with this, but for a different reason than you. Early elementary teachers are disproportionately young, middle class, white women.

Black boys are already disproportionately singled out for disciplinary infractions, and now they want parents to trust that these young women are going to be "trained" to spot giftedness in minority and low-income kids? I'm not buying it.

Agreed.

Adding another reason: Putting the onus on teachers places them in an awkward and untenable spot with parents, who are liable to be outraged--rightly and wrongly--when their kids aren't recommended for the gifted program. My understanding is that, currently, 3rd grade teachers are in the dark about the selection process, aside from preparing their recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with this, but for a different reason than you. Early elementary teachers are disproportionately young, middle class, white women.

Black boys are already disproportionately singled out for disciplinary infractions, and now they want parents to trust that these young women are going to be "trained" to spot giftedness in minority and low-income kids? I'm not buying it.

Agreed.

Adding another reason: Putting the onus on teachers places them in an awkward and untenable spot with parents, who are liable to be outraged--rightly and wrongly--when their kids aren't recommended for the gifted program. My understanding is that, currently, 3rd grade teachers are in the dark about the selection process, aside from preparing their recommendations.

Why white teachers singled out black boys for discipling? Did the black boys interrupt the classroom or not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with this, but for a different reason than you. Early elementary teachers are disproportionately young, middle class, white women.

Black boys are already disproportionately singled out for disciplinary infractions, and now they want parents to trust that these young women are going to be "trained" to spot giftedness in minority and low-income kids? I'm not buying it.

Agreed.

Adding another reason: Putting the onus on teachers places them in an awkward and untenable spot with parents, who are liable to be outraged--rightly and wrongly--when their kids aren't recommended for the gifted program. My understanding is that, currently, 3rd grade teachers are in the dark about the selection process, aside from preparing their recommendations.

The onus isn't on teachers. Parents can also select their child to apply. This is just designed to encourage additional children whose parents might not have them apply on their own

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with this, but for a different reason than you. Early elementary teachers are disproportionately young, middle class, white women.

Black boys are already disproportionately singled out for disciplinary infractions, and now they want parents to trust that these young women are going to be "trained" to spot giftedness in minority and low-income kids? I'm not buying it.

Agreed.

Adding another reason: Putting the onus on teachers places them in an awkward and untenable spot with parents, who are liable to be outraged--rightly and wrongly--when their kids aren't recommended for the gifted program. My understanding is that, currently, 3rd grade teachers are in the dark about the selection process, aside from preparing their recommendations.

Why white teachers singled out black boys for discipling? Did the black boys interrupt the classroom or not?

Because whites are born racists? - said a liberal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would it only be a few schools that don't have a whole class of qualified kids? The current program is design for the top 5ish percent. Takes a couple of kids per school. An expansion to include a whole class at most schools is a completely different program

Everyone on here constantly complains that their gifted child isn't getting what they need and very few make it to HGC. There is even a statistic thrown around that 40% of MCPS is considered gifted. So maybe they are trying to open HGC up to more qualified students.

There is a very discernable difference between gifted and highly gifted. All too often parents hear gifted and think HGC. Increasing the number of gifted students in the HGC would dilute the cohort.

Yes. The bar for "gifted" label in MoCo is very low. A child only has to score above 80% on 2 or 3 (can't remember which) of the 5-section Inview test taken in 2nd grade. Obviously a child who barely meets that threshold does not have the same needs as a child who scores in the high 90s on all five sections, then goes on to get similarly high scores on the more challenging HGC entry test. More diversity would be great, but diluting the rigor of the HGC, designed for that second group of children, would not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with this, but for a different reason than you. Early elementary teachers are disproportionately young, middle class, white women.

Black boys are already disproportionately singled out for disciplinary infractions, and now they want parents to trust that these young women are going to be "trained" to spot giftedness in minority and low-income kids? I'm not buying it.

Agreed.

Adding another reason: Putting the onus on teachers places them in an awkward and untenable spot with parents, who are liable to be outraged--rightly and wrongly--when their kids aren't recommended for the gifted program. My understanding is that, currently, 3rd grade teachers are in the dark about the selection process, aside from preparing their recommendations.

Why white teachers singled out black boys for discipling? Did the black boys interrupt the classroom or not?

Because whites are born racists? - said a liberal

No, because all of us swim in the same racist soup and cannot help but be marked by it.

There are a lot of studies and articles about implicit bias and the impact on classroom discipline. Here's one study: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-09-28/yale-study-finds-preschool-teachers-watch-black-boys-closer-for-bad-behavior

Here's an article about Black preschoolers being suspended: http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/03/21/292456211/black-preschoolers-far-more-likely-to-be-suspended

Here's one more about Black girls and disproportionate classroom discipline: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/03/the-criminalization-of-black-girls-in-schools/473718/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with this, but for a different reason than you. Early elementary teachers are disproportionately young, middle class, white women.

Black boys are already disproportionately singled out for disciplinary infractions, and now they want parents to trust that these young women are going to be "trained" to spot giftedness in minority and low-income kids? I'm not buying it.

Agreed.

Adding another reason: Putting the onus on teachers places them in an awkward and untenable spot with parents, who are liable to be outraged--rightly and wrongly--when their kids aren't recommended for the gifted program. My understanding is that, currently, 3rd grade teachers are in the dark about the selection process, aside from preparing their recommendations.

Why white teachers singled out black boys for discipling? Did the black boys interrupt the classroom or not?

Because whites are born racists? - said a liberal

No, because all of us swim in the same racist soup and cannot help but be marked by it.

There are a lot of studies and articles about implicit bias and the impact on classroom discipline. Here's one study: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-09-28/yale-study-finds-preschool-teachers-watch-black-boys-closer-for-bad-behavior

Here's an article about Black preschoolers being suspended: http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/03/21/292456211/black-preschoolers-far-more-likely-to-be-suspended

Here's one more about Black girls and disproportionate classroom discipline: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/03/the-criminalization-of-black-girls-in-schools/473718/

Surely, there are bias reported. However, do MCPS teachers have bias against black students? Had those suspended MCPS students interrupted teaching in their classroom?

When teachers complained about my son's disruptive behaviors in their class, I talked to my son and explained him why the behaviors were unacceptable. A question is whether parents should do that?