Reply to FCPS plans to "reform" TJ?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It's interesting because I've taught in middle schools in FCPS in three different schools. I worked in a middle class, non-TJ feeder school for 7 years (think Robinson, Fairfax, Lake Braddock or West Springfield). I enjoyed working there, taught math and the kids were bright and hard-working. A few were interested in TJ but there really wasn't much support from teachers, guidance or admin. beyond doing the bare minimum. I had zero guidance on filling out recommendations, what TJ is looking for and we basically said "good luck" with only a few kids getting in. (It's still the case for these schools).

I then went to teach at a Title I middle school. The kids had other struggles beyond only math. I spent way more time teaching the language of math, teaching and reinforcing concepts. I did have some students who were advanced and a few pursued TJ. Very rarely we had more than a handful of kids who attended. Like my previous school, there was very little support to mentor kids, write recommendations, or even pay attention to the TJ deadlines. The few kids who made it in really had to manage and advocate to get through the process.

I now teach in a major TJ feeder (home with a sick kid today). And it is like working in a completely different school system. We attend multiple meetings with admins and other teachers to discuss, coordinate and manage the TJ application process. TJ counselors and admins provide us guidance on best practices. Our teaching is accelerated as a matter of course (and sadly, our ESOL and SPED students struggle and really get the short end of the stick unless they have parents who are aggressively managing IEPs and 504's and ESOL support). It is night and day.

So, in some ways, I think spreading TJ spots to the middle school level would address some of the inequity that is sort of baked in the cake in FCPS. I look at my first school, where there were as many kids in Alg. 1 in 7th as my current school and see that there is such a different approach to TJ. Getting a more uniform approach probably would address things, but absent there being a sense of demand, schools are site run and they really do focus on the issues that impact as many kids as possible. For the rare TJ applicant, they don't get the support that they would if they went to my current school. Even though all of the schools are in FCPS.[/quote]

I am not surprised that there is such a disparity across the county. How much of the difference is due to the parents level of involvement in the process?

I live in area that feeds into Carson and see the Test Prep places on Elden Street and the various enrichment centers and programs. DS is going to be participating in chess, robotics, and coding after school this session because it is available and he is interested. I have no idea how many kids end up at TJ but parents are discussing advanced math, although not too many are interested in AAP per se. My understanding is that there are schools were the PTAs are full of parents who are very involved and want to make sure their kids have a lot of STEM based enrichment options.

Do you think that the kids at your other schools would be able to handle, or want to handle, the academic pressure that comes from attending TJ? Are they prepared enough in their classes? I am not sure that I would want DS to go to TJ, the commute and the pressure strike me as crazy.

I am surprised to hear that TJ is not reaching out to all schools to provide guidance on the process for the teachers and counselors at the schools. I should think that the same meetings and training should be held annually so that all the schools have the same information on admissions.[/quote]

PP here. I've actually thought a good bit about this. And I'm of two minds. For my first school, I would say that there were plenty of kids who could have done perfectly well at TJ. I base this on my assessment of students in my current school. Honestly, the biggest difference I see is that my students now walk in the door with a resume that they have spent a good bit of time developing (years, really). My current students' parents are heavily involved in the process (even though we give lip service to student based advocacy). If I took the kids I had in school one and gave them the school based support and parent support in school three, they'd probably coast into TJ in large numbers. Not to put down the parents in school one. They were incredibly involved and they spent time and money and energy on their kids. It's just that they weren't keyed into TJ the way my current parents are. What's interesting is that the kids at school one live much closer or equadistant to TJ than my current school

In my second school, I think they'd probably get more students, particularly ESOL and minority students if they invested in TJ development at the teacher and admin levels. But people really need to understand that for many decisions, it is site based management that is driven by the needs of the majority. It is hard to get attention to something that may only help 20 kids instead of netting 2-4 kids annually to TJ. Yes, I think the parents inform the process, but I think there is a feeling of why bother in a lot of these schools. So, even if I were a parent in school 1 or 2, I'd face an uphill battle to get my kids the support I think they need to get to and succeed at TJ. I think a lot of these parents just give up and clump up at the big feeders. It's a self-fulfilling cycle then.[/quote]

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