Reply to High points from MS magnet at Blair tonight

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[quote=Anonymous]I think it is more possible to have less rigorous selection criteria for the HGCs.  These are 4th and 5th grade students and it is easier to bring a few kids who might not have the best writing and math skills to the same level as the rest.  In MS and even more so in HS, having raw ability isn't enough.  Also remember the class sizes are the same as other MCPS classes so it isn't possible for teachers to spend time providing individualized guidance to students who are struggling.  One of the main reasons magnet classes are able to move faster while simultaneously going into topics in more depth is because there isn't a ton of variation in any given classroom.  These kids are pretty much on the same level (although there are always a healthy number of kids who are super smart).
I know people hate the sports analogies but it would be like trying to field a high school varsity soccer team based on how nimble and agile players are instead of picking the players who play soccer really well due to a combination of raw talent as well as years of hard work and practice.  Most kids need both to perform at a high level and if the school tries to focus too much on raw talent and less on experience, proven ability etc. they will have to devote more resources to bringing these recruits up to speed so that the team can perform well.  Given the fragile state of magnet school funding, this won't happen and the path of least resistance will be for the program and curriculum to be watered down over time.  This is what makes a lot of magnet parents really upset about MCPS's response to the Metis study.

I would support any effort to close the gaps in Math, Reading and Writing competencies.  I would argue these gaps are smaller and easier to close in younger children and anything the county can do to identify raw talent at a young age.  Unfortunately, it is too late by 9th grade and in most cases even by 6th grade.  
I have mixed feelings about the test prep centers.  My personal opinion is that they do not necessarily give children an unfair advantage.  What gives many of these children an advantage is that they are more likely to be hard working, come from families that prize education etc.  I would not be surprised if many of these kids would have succeeded without the prep center.  I am not convinced that the majority of magnet kids have gone to a prep center- I personally don't know many who did.  I will also restate what I said earlier - you need a combination of raw ability and years of practice and hard work to get in and to succeed in the HS and to some extent the MS magnets.  Kids who have a lot of raw ability but don't have the competency that comes with years of practice will have a tough time AND kids who work really hard or perhaps prep a lot but don't have a lot of raw ability will also have a hard time.  I actually think the current HS magnet selection process does a decent job of identifying kids who have both qualities in abundance- raw ability as well as the proficiency that comes with years of hard work and practice.[/quote]

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