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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP,

This is a big issue many parents have with MCPS right now. They pretend to give "enrichment" by giving 3rd graders these challenging problems. I cut and pasted one of DS's math problems in Google and came up with a complete PDF of the question, possible answers and methodology commentary, where the author explained that this problem was given to 5th and 6th graders.

[b]My concern is that the rest of the math curriculum is very simple (ie, not as advanced as I would want). The math problems are too complex compared to the rest. There is nothing in the middle to "train" the kids to stretch to these complex multistep problems. Everyone wants their children to learn how to formulate and strategize in math. But here the burden is placed on the parent to support their child, not the school, which is ALL WRONG.[/b]

So why does MCPS give out these problems?
Either MCPS genuinely believes the effort to think things through is worth it even if students don't fully grasp the strategy involved. This I strongly disagree with: my kid could learn this so much better with a different approach, ie step-by-step instruction in class to solve simple to complex word problems;
Or MCPS is just fobbing off parents with talk of "enrichment" (one problem a week!) so that no one can accuse them of lack of differentiation/acceleration. I believe the latter.

Either way, it's quite disheartening. Parents have had their children cry because they cannot understand these problems, which undermines the whole premise of encouraging the students to stretch their minds. We have alerted the principal and 3rd and 4th grade teachers, but she probably cannot do anything about it, since it is mandated by the curriculum 2.0.

[/quote]
OP here. These were my thoughts exactly. I feel like DD is being almost mocked for qualifying for enrichment. You want enrichment? Here figure out this problem that is years ahead of anything you have been taught. If they want her to do this work, they should actually take the time to teach it to her in class.
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