Anonymous wrote:I think that maybe MD might be heading the same way as California's education system

We have the same culture/diversity here. Why not? It is a shame everyone can't see how this is just killing our schools.

Anonymous wrote:I think that maybe MD might be heading the same way as California's education system

What? Did we pass Proposition 13 last November? How did I miss this?!

I think that maybe MD might be heading the same way as California's education system

mean while in FCPS, we're doing great !!!

The wording is just as bad in 2.0. I don't think the poor wording is a conscious curriculum choice by MCPS. Honestly, I think its just very sloppy.

If your son is strong in reading and good at dealing with ambiguous or poorly worded questions in the context of reading then try having him use the same techniques. One concept is language arts is that both answers can be technically correct but one is slightly more likely based on commonalties of speech and culture. Its odd for this be an issue in math but the person creating the worksheet probably has no idea that they are introducing this or not forming a question correctly.

Anonymous wrote:

Have any teachers taken the test themselves, and, if so, did they find it difficult?

This is actually a good suggestion. As a grad TA we had a professor who would test out his exams on us. The person(s) creating the test know what answers they have in mind but running a test group shows whether you were unclear in your explanation or presentation of the problem.

I've been really surprised at how bad the wording is on the math word problems that DC brings home in elementary school. There are often grammatical errors as well. I'm not a math person so I can figure out what the teacher meant to ask but for anyone who is precise you would end up with the wrong answer or confused.

This has been happening to my ds this year. he is doing very well in all his classes except for Math 7 (Math B) which he is taking in 5th grade. His unit assessments have been high 'Bs' and when I ask about the problems he did incorrectly, it usually has something to do with him misinterpreting the question. He has extremely high reading comprehension scores so I can't imagine he is having trouble understanding the question, unless the question isn't written clearly. His teacher agrees that his comprehension of the concepts is not the problem and he is generally a solid test-taker. Are things better with C2.0? He will begin taking Math under the new curriculum two years from now, in 7th grade when he takes Algebra. I would hate to have this dogging him all the way through high school since it is not apparent what the 'fix' is.

Have any teachers taken the test themselves, and, if so, did they find it difficult?

This is actually a good suggestion. As a grad TA we had a professor who would test out his exams on us. The person(s) creating the test know what answers they have in mind but running a test group shows whether you were unclear in your explanation or presentation of the problem.

I've been really surprised at how bad the wording is on the math word problems that DC brings home in elementary school. There are often grammatical errors as well. I'm not a math person so I can figure out what the teacher meant to ask but for anyone who is precise you would end up with the wrong answer or confused.

Why hasn't Montgomery County taken steps to to evaluate the test itself? If half the students or more fail a test, then the test may well be poorly designed or badly written.

Then, look at patterns in the failure. Did the students who failed mostly miss the same questions? There may have been topics on the test that weren't covered in the classes. Did any students do particularly well on the test, and, if so, did they have tutoring or help from parents with a strong background in mathematics?

Have any teachers taken the test themselves, and, if so, did they find it difficult?

It's the public school's job to teach all the children, and, and this point, Montgomery County is failing.

Anonymous wrote:

Is this Obama or an illegal?
I forgot it is now PC to welcome people who think they are above other going thru the proper channels to be a legal citizen. Watching my SIL go thru it for years only to see others hop a fence and are welcomed is disgusting. Why have any laws if it is okay to break some??

Terrific. Now, what do you expect MCPS to do about it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please explain how somebody living in the US can not pay anything in federal/state taxes. You can start with the state sales tax.

Also please explain what you expect MCPS to do about federal immigration policy.

Are you serious? You think illegals come here, set up home by themselves, get jobs and pay all their taxes, support our economy and receive no government assistance???

Well, let's see.

Do I think that illegals come here? No, I don't. I think that people come here, and that some of these people do not have the immigration papers authorizing them to be here.
Do I think that they set up home by themselves? No, I think that typically they get help from other immigrants.
Do I think that they get jobs? Yes.
Do I think that they pay all their taxes? No, I do not think that all of them pay all of their taxes. Some of them do, some of them don't. However, all of them do pay some taxes. (Do you pay all of your taxes?)
Do I think that they support our economy? Yes.
Do I think that they receive no government assistance? As far as I know, they don't qualify for TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, SCHIP, or Social Security (though I'm not an expert). Are there other programs that you consider "government assistance"?

Now, please tell me what's your point in asking this question?

Is this Obama or an illegal?
I forgot it is now PC to welcome people who think they are above other going thru the proper channels to be a legal citizen. Watching my SIL go thru it for years only to see others hop a fence and are welcomed is disgusting. Why have any laws if it is okay to break some??

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please explain how somebody living in the US can not pay anything in federal/state taxes. You can start with the state sales tax.

Also please explain what you expect MCPS to do about federal immigration policy.

Are you serious? You think illegals come here, set up home by themselves, get jobs and pay all their taxes, support our economy and receive no government assistance???

Well, let's see.

Do I think that illegals come here? No, I don't. I think that people come here, and that some of these people do not have the immigration papers authorizing them to be here.
Do I think that they set up home by themselves? No, I think that typically they get help from other immigrants.
Do I think that they get jobs? Yes.
Do I think that they pay all their taxes? No, I do not think that all of them pay all of their taxes. Some of them do, some of them don't. However, all of them do pay some taxes. (Do you pay all of your taxes?)
Do I think that they support our economy? Yes.
Do I think that they receive no government assistance? As far as I know, they don't qualify for TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, SCHIP, or Social Security (though I'm not an expert). Are there other programs that you consider "government assistance"?

Now, please tell me what's your point in asking this question?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(I like the way "They don't pay taxes!!!!!!!!!!!" and "CASA gives them a Taxpayer Identification Number!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" ends up in the same thought.)

Honest questions: do you think all illegal immigrants get a TIN, and do you think the taxes they put into the system balance the cost of the services they get?

+1000

Just because a small percentage get a TIN does not mean they pay anything in federal/state taxes. That is for middle and upper class to pay. They receive a ridiculous amount of services that offset the amount that truly goes towards teachers, better schools, decreased class sizes, extracurriculars, etc... They send their kids for meals and babysitting so they can work their under the table jobs and send money back to their home country.

Please explain how somebody living in the US can not pay anything in federal/state taxes. You can start with the state sales tax.

Also please explain what you expect MCPS to do about federal immigration policy.

Are you serious? You think illegals come here, set up home by themselves, get jobs and pay all their taxes, support our economy and receive no government assistance???

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Obviously illegal immigrants pay taxes. The question is, do they pay in anything close to what the services they use cost?

Families with children, in general, do not pay anything close to what the services they use cost. Per pupil spending in MCPS is about $15,000. How many children do you have in MCPS? Do you pay $15,000 per child in state and county taxes (including property, income, and sales (excluding gas))? I sure don't.

I have one child in MCPS and definitely pay way more than 15k in taxes. I'd also be interested in the delta of taxes paid over a persons lifetime in MoCo vs. just the years when they had kids in school.

Anonymous wrote:

Obviously illegal immigrants pay taxes. The question is, do they pay in anything close to what the services they use cost?

Families with children, in general, do not pay anything close to what the services they use cost. Per pupil spending in MCPS is about $15,000. How many children do you have in MCPS? Do you pay $15,000 per child in state and county taxes (including property, income, and sales (excluding gas))? I sure don't.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(I like the way "They don't pay taxes!!!!!!!!!!!" and "CASA gives them a Taxpayer Identification Number!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" ends up in the same thought.)

Honest questions: do you think all illegal immigrants get a TIN, and do you think the taxes they put into the system balance the cost of the services they get?

+1000

Just because a small percentage get a TIN does not mean they pay anything in federal/state taxes. That is for middle and upper class to pay. They receive a ridiculous amount of services that offset the amount that truly goes towards teachers, better schools, decreased class sizes, extracurriculars, etc... They send their kids for meals and babysitting so they can work their under the table jobs and send money back to their home country.

Please explain how somebody living in the US can not pay anything in federal/state taxes. You can start with the state sales tax.

Also please explain what you expect MCPS to do about federal immigration policy.

Obviously illegal immigrants pay taxes. The question is, do they pay in anything close to what the services they use cost?