New middle school enriched and accelerated classes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the advanced curriculum will be available to immersion students who also seem to have a critical mass of high achievers albeit in a language other than English. Immersion students take humanities in the foreign language.

I don't see how it is possible for three reasons. 1) Other than the math class, immersion students would end up taking world history twice in the same semester/year. 2) Scheduling nightmare to offer the enriched class in the target language and a humanities history class in the target language. 3) Teaching staff limitations in the target language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the advanced curriculum will be available to immersion students who also seem to have a critical mass of high achievers albeit in a language other than English. Immersion students take humanities in the foreign language.

I don't see how it is possible for three reasons. 1) Other than the math class, immersion students would end up taking world history twice in the same semester/year. 2) Scheduling nightmare to offer the enriched class in the target language and a humanities history class in the target language. 3) Teaching staff limitations in the target language.

PP here, I was thinking more along the lines of just translate the advanced curriculum and only take humanities once. This could mean either all immersion students take advanced course or offer both normal and advanced (number of classes will depend on the need).

[Anonymous]

Maybe this is a dumb point, but assuming the county is buying a new curriculum that offers some more differentiation, doesn’t it stand to follow that whatever they implement next year (with very little teacher training if any) will then be phased out within two years? I’m not saying you shouldn’t want your kid to take it but still...

[Anonymous]

My guess is this is not going to be a completely different curriculum. The classes will include some extra enrichment projects each quarter..probably an extra essay question on the tests. This is similar to honors vs regular in HS

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have info on when the placements will be done? Thought it was early April.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe this is a dumb point, but assuming the county is buying a new curriculum that offers some more differentiation, doesn’t it stand to follow that whatever they implement next year (with very little teacher training if any) will then be phased out within two years? I’m not saying you shouldn’t want your kid to take it but still...

Not a new curriculum - based on the curriculum at the MSMC. If you read the description of the classes, sounds very similar to World Studies at Eastern and Math at TPMS. Not reinventing the wheel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the advanced curriculum will be available to immersion students who also seem to have a critical mass of high achievers albeit in a language other than English. Immersion students take humanities in the foreign language.

I don't see how it is possible for three reasons. 1) Other than the math class, immersion students would end up taking world history twice in the same semester/year. 2) Scheduling nightmare to offer the enriched class in the target language and a humanities history class in the target language. 3) Teaching staff limitations in the target language.

PP here, I was thinking more along the lines of just translate the advanced curriculum and only take humanities once. This could mean either all immersion students take advanced course or offer both normal and advanced (number of classes will depend on the need).

That was my point. It wouldn't make sense for a principal to use resources such as time, rooms, and language teachers to support an advanced class and the regular language humanities class. The only solution would be to offer the advanced curriculum to all immersion students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have info on when the placements will be done? Thought it was early April.

I called the central office and was told parents would hear by the end of this month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the advanced curriculum will be available to immersion students who also seem to have a critical mass of high achievers albeit in a language other than English. Immersion students take humanities in the foreign language.

I don't see how it is possible for three reasons. 1) Other than the math class, immersion students would end up taking world history twice in the same semester/year. 2) Scheduling nightmare to offer the enriched class in the target language and a humanities history class in the target language. 3) Teaching staff limitations in the target language.

PP here, I was thinking more along the lines of just translate the advanced curriculum and only take humanities once. This could mean either all immersion students take advanced course or offer both normal and advanced (number of classes will depend on the need).

That was my point. It wouldn't make sense for a principal to use resources such as time, rooms, and language teachers to support an advanced class and the regular language humanities class. The only solution would be to offer the advanced curriculum to all immersion students.

It depends on the school. If the immersion program you attend has enough immersion students to accommodate two periods of humanities, there is no reason you couldn't offer both. It wouldn't result in any additional resources. But yes you are right, if the immersion humanities only has enough students for one class it would make no sense to create another one for enrichment purposes.

[Anonymous]

I was told letters are going out today. Anyone hear the same thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was told letters are going out today. Anyone hear the same thing?

Who told you that?

[Anonymous]

From our middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe this is a dumb point, but assuming the county is buying a new curriculum that offers some more differentiation, doesn’t it stand to follow that whatever they implement next year (with very little teacher training if any) will then be phased out within two years? I’m not saying you shouldn’t want your kid to take it but still...

Not a new curriculum - based on the curriculum at the MSMC. If you read the description of the classes, sounds very similar to World Studies at Eastern and Math at TPMS. Not reinventing the wheel.

DP.. No, the ^PP is referring to the new curriculum MCPS is getting to replace 2.0. I would assume (dangerous word) that whatever curriculum they develop for the magnets based on this new curriculum, will be implemented in the other MS, but again, big assumption. Actually, I have a feeling that they will drop the "enriched" curriculum in the other MS after a couple of years of the new replacement of 2.0 curriculum has been implemented, and not even bother implementing an "enriched" one anymore. I get a sense that this move is to just placate the parents of those who didn't get in because of the "cohort" nonsense.

[Anonymous]

The cohort nonsense was a sound policy decision when combined with the broader availability of an enriched curriculum. This ensures more kids who are able to are taught accordingly instead of being bored and ignored.

The county focuses the bulk of its resources on the achievement gap. It's admirable but no amount of $$$ will solve these problems which are deep and often transcendent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe this is a dumb point, but assuming the county is buying a new curriculum that offers some more differentiation, doesn’t it stand to follow that whatever they implement next year (with very little teacher training if any) will then be phased out within two years? I’m not saying you shouldn’t want your kid to take it but still...

Not a new curriculum - based on the curriculum at the MSMC. If you read the description of the classes, sounds very similar to World Studies at Eastern and Math at TPMS. Not reinventing the wheel.

DP.. No, the ^PP is referring to the new curriculum MCPS is getting to replace 2.0. I would assume (dangerous word) that whatever curriculum they develop for the magnets based on this new curriculum, will be implemented in the other MS, but again, big assumption. Actually, I have a feeling that they will drop the "enriched" curriculum in the other MS after a couple of years of the new replacement of 2.0 curriculum has been implemented, and not even bother implementing an "enriched" one anymore. I get a sense that this move is to just placate the parents of those who didn't get in because of the "cohort" nonsense.

That’s what it is. It’s a response to lawsuit threats.