My kid is reading Hunger Games in Geography (or read part of it for one lesson). I thought it was cool. He came home bubbling with info on command economies v free markets v traditional economies. I agree with the PP that said it doesn't sound like they are at the same school. My kid loves Deal and is inspired and engaged so far. It's not perfect but seems impressive to me on several different levels.

Anonymous wrote:What is up with reading Hunger Games? Is there not better literature out there?

Who is reading Hunger Games?

OP, I am a former middle school teacher & I can tell you that MCPS would not lessen your feeling that children are being shortchanged. I wonder about this myself. I don't want to take my kid out of public school, support public schools, etc. But I do feel badly for my kids. Like you, when outside of school, I really focus on sports and arts for enrichment since the kids get far less of this than I think is desirable in school. I think the mile wide/inch deep phenomenon is a byproduct of strict content standards (which likely are a good thing -- I taught in DCPS prior to ed reform & I literally had no book and no curriculum -- just vague standards which bore no relation to my day to day). I think from your recognition of the challenge of cranking out large #s of kids to the need to attend to achievement gaps you know why schools, even the best of the best like Deal, leave room for creativity. I wonder if I sent my kids to private school (not any private, obviously, but one that aligned with my ed philosophy) if I'd be happier? I have friends w/kids in privates and they too complain, although about different things. More about a lack of rigor & weak science/math/engineering in comparison to MoCo publics. Anyways, empathy for you and your kids - I have a middle schooler and an elementary schooler & from here it sure seems like a looooong road to graduation.

What is up with reading Hunger Games? Is there not better literature out there?

We also thought the curriculum at Deal could have been better, but we lived with it, supplemented with CTY, and were (very) happy when our DC got involved with debate. Just something to consider.

^continuing above: it's not that one can't supplement the education; it's that our kids are getting shortchanged six hours per day. can't blame the school- they have to crank out 400+ students a year. Uniformity and order are essential. It's just so boring.

Anonymous wrote:14:15 here. Also, do you see a meaningful difference in how your private school students do, since you singled out public school students?

My students who went to private schools are better prepared to produce college-level written work.

Depending upon the school, some report having more interesting or inspiring high school educations; some simply felt they were drilled.

Independent girls' school alumnae are overall the best prepared for writing and class participation.

In answer to the prior question -- my child does her homework fairly quickly. I believe that homework is worthless (her assignments are quite tedious) and that kids deserve time to be themselves. I'm not subjecting her to hours of extra school and certainly not asking her to create some project I'd evaluate. That would not be good for our relationship or her mental health. There's so little PE in DC schools that if the weather isn't terrible I get her outside to exercise.

However, she does enriching things in her spare time -- she reads extensively, draws for at least an hour per day, and reads a couple of articles from the Post daily.

We do a fair bit of community service and outdoor adventures. Because of her independent interests she knows more about earth sciences than they'll teach her in the next couple of years.

14:15 here. Also, do you see a meaningful difference in how your private school students do, since you singled out public school students?

This is something I wonder about as well. Your comments make me believe your child probably knocks off her schoolwork quickly, leaving her with time in hand. Can you supplement by, e.g., getting get her to do a 2-month long project designed by you (how did the French Revolution influence art, education and civil society in the 50 years after)?

I have a 6th grader at Deal and from what you describe, it seems like our kids are at a totally different school. Weird.

What Team?

I had two kids at Deal. The writing assignments improve but not really until 8th grade. The history is also more challenging in 8th. The science is just dull.

Anonymous wrote:OP - what would you add or subtract to the curriculum?

--engaging with more complex texts
--readings that reflect diverse points of view
--projects and assessments that require students to synthesize concepts, think critically about ideas presented, and argue both sides of a question
--deeper discussions in social studies. Currently a mile wide and an inch deep.
--science has a great deal of memorization and canned "experiments" with limited tie in to application.
--change writing assignments to focus more on persuasion and structure (write a thesis and support it with three pieces of evidence) rather than an info quota (write five sentences about Asia).
--laughable language curriculum. Most days my child's French homework = drawing a picture.

Please note it's not that I want it to be more rigorous so my special snowflake gets into Yale. It's just that they're teaching kids to perform tasks but not to think. I'm grateful she happily goes off to school every morning. I think if I had a high - energy kid they'd be bored AF. I know I am just doing the mom component of her middle school education.

OP - what would you add or subtract to the curriculum?

Charters.

Daughter is in 6th grade at Deal. Teachers are smart and accessible; principal is an exceptionally competent leader. Facilities are lovely. Kids are nice and it's big enough for any kid to find her "tribe."

However, I'm just hating the curriculum. It's dull and formulaic. The assessments are barely better than rote.

I teach at the college level so I know firsthand how uninspired today's public school graduates are. They can explain what they read but not engage creatively with important ideas.

Deal gives me a window on how bright and creative little kids turn into the what I'm seeing.

She seems happy. She gets good grades. We have interesting and worthwhile conversations at home. At this rate her raw skills will be comparable to my students' by the time she leaves for college.

I just can't shake the feeling that this is a sad way to spend childhood.

Are there free public alternatives that aren't so tedious and unimaginative?