Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I understand 'Curriculum 2.0' is MCPS' changes to the curriculum which includes the Common Core. The Common Core is everywhere, it's a nationwide movement that 40/50 states have adopted so far.

The premise of the Common Core is a good thing, if implemented correctly it emphasizes teaching for understanding and a move away from test-based and mile wide inch deep instruction. It may take some time to work out the kinks though but I'm sure by the time OP's kids are in school it will be fine.

In terms of instruction, I'm not sure about MCPS but a lot of schools switch classes for math. So one 3rd grade teacher will teach the kids who need more hands-on skill instruction and the other teacher will teach more hands-on but accelerated math. Hopefully MCPS will adopt a model like that.

5 years from now, the kids in K now will be well off because they will have solid number sense which in turn will lead to better math understanding in higher level math. Also, all the parents complaining about their gifted kids, there is track for taking algebra earlier. Just remember, some kids developmentally aren't ready for algebra in 7th grade and if they don't have a firm understanding of concepts they will struggle in trigonometry and calculus.

A big part of the problem is that 2.0 HAS NOT been implemented correctly. This year's 3rd graders have been guinea pigs. Differentiation by skill level has been eliminated and teachers (at our school) are prohibited from doing ANY acceleration (even for kids who are forced to repeat material that they have covered when accelerated last year). Part of the reason for the rigidity in the roll-out is quite shocking: the 3rd grade curriculum was being written as the year went along! So, the teachers were learning the new curriculum on the fly and no acceleration materials had been created yet. This is a sloppy and unprofessional way to roll out your brand new curriculum. While you may be right that in a few years the "kinks" will be worked out, where does that leave the children now? Next year the 5th graders (previously thought to have escaped 2.0) will be guinea pigs for a new 5th grade curriculum, the following year they will again be guinea pigs for the 6th grade curriculum and so on. That is simply not fair to that group of kids. There is a right way and a wrong way to introduce a new curriculum. Testing it out on these kids is shameful.

Everything I've bolded is completely incorrect. The amount of misinformation posted on DCUM about this curriculum is what is "quite shocking".

Look OP, there is some small proportion of parents who are furious, literally up in arms about 2.0. You can see some of the commentary on this thread and lots on this board. As you see from the PPs, they disparage anyone who disagrees with their apocalyptic view of 2.0 and MCPS as unconcerned about their child's education and/or simply parenting a dunce (excuse me, "the weakest students.") Very classy by the way, PP, despite the fact that it happens not to be true.

I have no way to estimate whether this hysteria is shared by 2 percent or 20 percent. But I know from the fact that I spend a lot of time at my third grader's school that the outrage is not shared by the vast majority of parents. That's not to say everyone loves 2.0, not by a long shot, or everything else about the MCPS system. But my anecdotal experience as the parent of a kid who has been part of the 2.0 roll-out from the start is that we like, respect and trust the teachers and schools for the most part, and have found them responsive to our children's educational needs.

And my point about making the decision about where to buy over when your child may be able to take algebra was not to suggest that schools are unimportant to anyone's house buying decision -- but that the timing of algebra availability really isn't the best metric by which to assess school quality. I live in MoCo because I do "prioritize a better school system over other aspects" - whatever I may or may not like about 2.0 hasn't persuaded me that DCPS is a preferable option.

Anonymous wrote:From what I understand 'Curriculum 2.0' is MCPS' changes to the curriculum which includes the Common Core. The Common Core is everywhere, it's a nationwide movement that 40/50 states have adopted so far.

The premise of the Common Core is a good thing, if implemented correctly it emphasizes teaching for understanding and a move away from test-based and mile wide inch deep instruction. It may take some time to work out the kinks though but I'm sure by the time OP's kids are in school it will be fine.

In terms of instruction, I'm not sure about MCPS but a lot of schools switch classes for math. So one 3rd grade teacher will teach the kids who need more hands-on skill instruction and the other teacher will teach more hands-on but accelerated math. Hopefully MCPS will adopt a model like that.

5 years from now, the kids in K now will be well off because they will have solid number sense which in turn will lead to better math understanding in higher level math. Also, all the parents complaining about their gifted kids, there is track for taking algebra earlier. Just remember, some kids developmentally aren't ready for algebra in 7th grade and if they don't have a firm understanding of concepts they will struggle in trigonometry and calculus.

A big part of the problem is that 2.0 HAS NOT been implemented correctly. This year's 3rd graders have been guinea pigs. Differentiation by skill level has been eliminated and teachers (at our school) are prohibited from doing ANY acceleration (even for kids who are forced to repeat material that they have covered when accelerated last year). Part of the reason for the rigidity in the roll-out is quite shocking: the 3rd grade curriculum was being written as the year went along! So, the teachers were learning the new curriculum on the fly and no acceleration materials had been created yet. This is a sloppy and unprofessional way to roll out your brand new curriculum. While you may be right that in a few years the "kinks" will be worked out, where does that leave the children now? Next year the 5th graders (previously thought to have escaped 2.0) will be guinea pigs for a new 5th grade curriculum, the following year they will again be guinea pigs for the 6th grade curriculum and so on. That is simply not fair to that group of kids. There is a right way and a wrong way to introduce a new curriculum. Testing it out on these kids is shameful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not so easy for me to answer. We were in DCPS and moved to MCPS so that oldest DC would have access to magnets/centers. At the time, it was clear that MCPS was superior in terms of GT/accelerated offerings, particularly in elementary.

Now, I can see that my youngest child will not have the acceleration opportunities that my oldest had, even though youngest is smarter at math.

For example, youngest will now only be able to get to Algebra in 8th grade in MCPS. However, if we go back to DCPS, youngest could have accelerated math so that he could do Algebra in 7th grade at Deal MS. Our old DCPS elementary now says that it differentiates, which it didn't do when we were there. I'm not sure what that means in the DCPS school, but since it is clear that MCPS is no longer differentiating at the elementary level (unless you get into an HGC), we will have to reconsider why we are in MoCo, as school was the only reason we moved.

My kids are still in accelerated studies at MCPS, not HGC. My 1st grade daughter is in her own reading level, gettin books from the third grade class room. She received three ES's on her recent report card and her teacher was able to provide examples of how she earned that grade.

My fifth grader is in advanced Math & English. We sign up for his classes MS tomorrow. His advanced classes qualify him for further advanced classes, foreign language in the 6th grade, rather than 7th & 8th.

Not sure I would have a 6th grader do language at the MS level. Those classes count on the HS transcript. They take the same final as the HS students.

Can someone please explain why taking Algebra in 7th grade is the Holy Grail? I thought that, in most places, taking algebra in 8th grade was considered to be advanced, and still allows for Calculus to be taken in 12th grade.

From what I understand 'Curriculum 2.0' is MCPS' changes to the curriculum which includes the Common Core. The Common Core is everywhere, it's a nationwide movement that 40/50 states have adopted so far.

The premise of the Common Core is a good thing, if implemented correctly it emphasizes teaching for understanding and a move away from test-based and mile wide inch deep instruction. It may take some time to work out the kinks though but I'm sure by the time OP's kids are in school it will be fine.

In terms of instruction, I'm not sure about MCPS but a lot of schools switch classes for math. So one 3rd grade teacher will teach the kids who need more hands-on skill instruction and the other teacher will teach more hands-on but accelerated math. Hopefully MCPS will adopt a model like that.

5 years from now, the kids in K now will be well off because they will have solid number sense which in turn will lead to better math understanding in higher level math. Also, all the parents complaining about their gifted kids, there is track for taking algebra earlier. Just remember, some kids developmentally aren't ready for algebra in 7th grade and if they don't have a firm understanding of concepts they will struggle in trigonometry and calculus.

If you child is not a strong student and needs a lot of repetition, you might well be satisfied with 2.0. In our school, the parents of the weakest students think that 2.0 if just fine. This makes sense because 2.0 is geared toward the middle/lower end of the spectrum. It is probably fine for some, but it isn't fine for all.

It has become clear that the roll out of 2.0 has been a disaster for some kids. The good news, however, is that the backlash has been strong enough (both from parents and teachers) that there are some changes on the way. For example, next year, there may be more acceleration/enrichments for kids who need it. Parents need to keep pushing and MCPS will have to move away from the one-size-fits-all approach they took this year. There is hope, maybe.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really like Curriculum 2.0, compared to the previous curriculum.

What do you like about it PP?

Maybe she just likes the fact that she's paid to say that.

Anonymous wrote:I really like Curriculum 2.0, compared to the previous curriculum.

What do you like about it PP?

I really like Curriculum 2.0, compared to the previous curriculum.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly does anyone's home-buying decision hinges on whether your child can do algebra in 7th grade vs. 8th grade? That's not the most important element of my kid's education, much less my choice of neighborhoods to live in or homes to buy.

OP here. Not algebra, per se, but considering the geographical distance between lower MoCo and NW DC can often be measured in yards, then yes, the school systems are a large part of my thought process. I have no idea if my kids will be math geniuses (genetics would suggest not) but since I have the option to think about this now, as we are looking for a house, then I want to be armed with as much info as possible!

Honestly does anyone's home-buying decision hinges on whether your child can do algebra in 7th grade vs. 8th grade? That's not the most important element of my kid's education, much less my choice of neighborhoods to live in or homes to buy.

Yes, many people do prioritize a better school system over other aspects. I know many people who loved living in DC but moved to the burbs for schools. Montgomery County used to have a very strong math program which attracted many families to the area. It also created some great diversity in several suburbs beyond Bethesda as first generation Americans working in STEM were seeking the best education for their kids.

In 2.0 math the kids repeat the same things year after year. I have kids in K, 2nd and 3rd. The problem is not just the older kids being knocked back to repeat something they learned 2 years ago because they got caught in the 2.0 turnover. My 2nd grader has been doing the same type of math work with very little change year after year. They spend a huge amount of time repeating what they did the previous year. This isn't depth its repetition.

DC schools are the worst, don't make that move.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly does anyone's home-buying decision hinges on whether your child can do algebra in 7th grade vs. 8th grade? That's not the most important element of my kid's education, much less my choice of neighborhoods to live in or homes to buy.

And as a parent of a kid in high school, with all those kids who took Algebra 1 in 7th, I can tell you many of them have stuggled with pre calc and AP calc. Lots of tutoring required so be careful what you wish for. I think too many people are pushing kids who shouldn't be pushed.

Honestly does anyone's home-buying decision hinges on whether your child can do algebra in 7th grade vs. 8th grade? That's not the most important element of my kid's education, much less my choice of neighborhoods to live in or homes to buy.