Reply to The state of MCPS is atrocious

Forum Index » Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)

Reply to "The state of MCPS is atrocious"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]And if your source is from 2019, it’s irrelevant. COVID revealed to a ton of parents how awful MCPS really is.

Moreover, only 17% of the people contacted for the 2019 survey responded.

https://moco360.media/2019/10/03/parents-pleased-with-mcps-survey-shows/[/quote]

And yet they keep sending their kids to MCPS schools, while they themselves do little to affect any change or want to increase taxes to pay for their champagne wishes.[/quote]

What choice do most of us have?  Not everyone is wealthy or living in a "good" school district.  The only "affordable" privates are Catholic schools and that's only for elementary.  Only a few Catholic schools are remotely welcoming to non-Catholic/non-Christian families.  The rest of us cannot afford $50-60K privates, and there are very few privates let alone non-religious ones.

And, the privates don't have the same math track come MS/HS.[/quote]

Every private I’ve seen has MS/HS math tracks.[/quote]

They aren't equal.  Of course they have MS/HS math tracks but often Algebra isn't started till 8th, or even 9th, vs. MCPS is 6/7th grade.[/quote]

And it’s been shown that pushing kids too fast in math isn’t always appropriate. It’s not as though MCPS kids are excelling in math; far from it. So this wouldn’t be what I brag about.[/quote]

This! I have a friend who teaches math at a state university. He says it would be better if middle/high schools slowed down and spent more time on Algebra instead of pushing kids through at young ages. The number of remedial Math classes at his university is growing.[/quote]

MCPS curriculum experts testified to this at the BOE meeting recently. Compacted math is leading to superficial and poor understanding of algebraic fundamentals.[/quote]

Compacted math or AIM?  I would think AIM is more the issue as compacted math is 4-5th.  I didn't think compacted math was bad but it focused too much on strategies vs. doing actual problems and math facts (though math facts should be much younger).[/quote]

I think they mentioned both? Basically, we're either cramming too much too soon or we're prioritizing rapid advancement in math or substantive understanding of the subject matter.[/quote]

The issue was rushing to take Algebra and the stigma around not getting to it sooner instead of when a child is prepared, be that 7th,8th, or 9th grade.[/quote]

It's not rushing and in MS, kids have a huge option of classes and they can start Algebra in 7-9th grades, some can start in 6th.  Its not a once size fits all like your are making it.  Most smarter kids take AIM in 6th, which is pre-algebra.[/quote]

I guess you didn’t read the entire comment.  If it’s about rushing that is propelled by stigma or wrong beliefs.  People believe that getting to Algebra by 6th or 7th grade and definitely by 8th is the only path or their kid will be left behind.  They believe that just because kids are doing well in math in 1st grade they should automatically be in the accelerated path and compacted math.  Some people won’t even listen to teachers and administrators that their kid is on level or needs help even when the evidence is presented.  Also teachers don’t really understand all the math concepts themselves, at least not at a depth that allows explaining in differently way depending on the student(for that point neither do a lot of parents).

The above starts in ES.  As others have noted, not everyone needs to be in compacted math.  Additionally, kids need more exposure to word problems and real world application of math.[/quote]

For the smarter/advanced kids, they need to start in 7th if they are going to go to MCPS for high school as it impacts other classes they take.  It's the same class either way.  There are multiple levels in MS for kids of all needs but the discussion was comparing some of the "top" privates to MCPS and while they do have advanced classes, their math in MS is where they are lacking.

Agree some of the teachers don't understand it well enough to teach it but we've done private summer math classes and they ok to far worse than the MCPS ones.  The ones that were better were the structured classes with a textbook and experienced teacher.

It's very easy to get higher MAP scores by working a bit ahead with workbooks with ES kids.  It's harder once they hit Algebra or AIM if parents don't remember the math but once you get into AIM/Algebra the MAP scores don't matter as you already are on the track.

Most privates have one - two choice classes each grade level for math at best.  So, MCPS wins in MS for differentiation.  I looked at privates in ES and most didn't offer differentiation, a few promised extra but I doubt they did it.

But, the real issue comes with the advanced kids in MCPS with higher level classes as they all work together.  Often the private school kids will take geometry in summer school to catch up to take the higher level science classes.  So, its something to think about when you are looking at MS.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics