Reply to Is 2.0 bad enough that I should move to DC instead of Bethesda?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]From what I understand 'Curriculum 2.0' is MCPS' changes to the curriculum which includes the Common Core. The Common Core is everywhere, it's a nationwide movement that 40/50 states have adopted so far.

The premise of the Common Core is a good thing, if implemented correctly it emphasizes teaching for understanding and a move away from test-based and mile wide inch deep instruction. It may take some time to work out the kinks though but I'm sure by the time OP's kids are in school it will be fine.

In terms of instruction, I'm not sure about MCPS but a lot of schools switch classes for math. So one 3rd grade teacher will teach the kids who need more hands-on skill instruction and the other teacher will teach more hands-on but accelerated math. Hopefully MCPS will adopt a model like that.

5 years from now, the kids in K now will be well off because they will have solid number sense which in turn will lead to better math understanding in higher level math. Also, all the parents complaining about their gifted kids, there is track for taking algebra earlier. Just remember, some kids developmentally aren't ready for algebra in 7th grade and if they don't have a firm understanding of concepts they will struggle in trigonometry and calculus.[/quote]

A big part of the problem is that 2.0 HAS NOT been implemented correctly.  This year's 3rd graders have been guinea pigs.  [b]Differentiation by skill level has been eliminated [/b]and teachers (at our school) are prohibited from doing ANY acceleration (even for kids who are forced to repeat material that they have covered when accelerated last year).  Part of the reason for the rigidity in the roll-out is quite shocking:  [b]the 3rd grade curriculum was being written as the year went along![/b]  So, the teachers were learning the new curriculum on the fly and [b]no acceleration materials had been created yet[/b].  This is a sloppy and unprofessional way to roll out your brand new curriculum.  While you may be right that in a few years the "kinks" will be worked out, where does that leave the children now?  Next year the 5th graders (previously thought to have escaped 2.0) will be guinea pigs for a new 5th grade curriculum, the following year they will again be guinea pigs for the 6th grade curriculum and so on.  That is simply not fair to that group of kids.  There is a right way and a wrong way to introduce a new curriculum.  Testing it out on these kids is shameful.[/quote]

Everything I've bolded is completely incorrect.  The amount of misinformation posted on DCUM about this curriculum is what is "quite shocking".[/quote]

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