Reply to 4th grader sucks at math, goes to lackadaisical DCPS, what should we do about middle school?

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Reply to "4th grader sucks at math, goes to lackadaisical DCPS, what should we do about middle school?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I put this here in the most unfriendly/ranting terms so that you get the deal without all the self-delusion typical for DCUM. In real life, I say none of this and really love and help our very kind fourth-grader.

But my wonderful fourth-grader sucks at math.

We live in Ward 4 and have our kid in a DCPS where many or most of the kids are doing the same or worse, but again not to sugarcoat it, we're a dual income meritocrat high-income family whose parents/siblings/other kids have done more than good in school, basically excelled always, whichever schools we've gone to (which have varied a lot)....and our baseline expectations are either excellence without extraordinary effort (parents and other kids) or at least ability in line with elementary school kids in Ward 3.

But, again, this kid sucks at math. Like in multiplication problems on homework, doesn't figure out that multiplication is the way to solve the problem. Doesn't know the times table. Counts with fingers up to 10. UP TO 10. Any time there's a math problem, sidles around the problem to try to get us parents to tell them the answer.

To me, this distinctly seems like undereducation. Not necessarily a developmental delay or anything, just "well, everybody else in this DCPS Title I elementary is doing this bad so [b]shrug[/b]." I am not surprised if that's the way it really is for the teachers there, who probably work from the worst kids on up, triage style, and this kid, who's not failing but not excelling, gets ignored.

My question now isn't "tutors, supplementing, ask the teachers to explain, have a meeting, call the principal, get a counselor, consider mental health challenges and screen time, blah blah blah" (Again I'm writing like this because I'm anonymously venting, not because I sound like this or want to cause drama in real life).

The question is - where can I get better for my kid in middle school? A place that will actually get this kid to build capacity to identify problems, answer them with specific learned techniques, and thereby become a capable math student? ALSO It has to be a school that has a chance of entry in the lottery. Gimme some school names!

I have thought that our local DCPS MS would be fine for years, but if it's as half-assed as the elementary, I'm doubtful. I get that I could do a lackadaisical school for this kid and tutor them myself, but I'd appreciate in middle school a setting that does what schools are supposed to do and not just settle for lack of education/lack of rigor because students around my child are just as lazy/unfocused/unready/untaught/whatever.

I'd appreciate thoughts.[/quote]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with finger counting in fourth grade. You say your child doesn't know the times tables, how about practicing at home? 
What examples of half a$$ teaching have you actually seen? Or, are you just mad that your child isn't performing up to your undefined standards[/quote]

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