The HUGE problem with MCPS is that they are too politically correct and have the kids blended. In my old public school system, the kids were in classes based on skill. They only do that for math here. They need to do it for the entire day so the kids can work at a pace they like and not feel "too smart" or "too dumb" in a class setting.

My son's 2nd grade teacher has been clear with the class that mom and dad are not supposed to be doing extra work at home, because she will teach them at school.

Teacher sounds insecure. Our school has a good number of Russian, Chinese, Korean, and Iranian kids who go to school on Saturday. The teachers are outright rude in their comments about how they don't agree with the extra school time. There is nothing wrong with parents ensuring that their kids maintain their families' original language. These kids aren't more over scheduled than the crazy travel soccer and swimming moms. The kids learn more one Saturday a week than in a full week with an MCPS teacher and the teachers know it. This is why they don't like it.

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks for the advice. I know teachers are overwhelmed with everything tugging at them, but I'll ask the teacher about how she includes differentiation in lesson plans. I'd rather not do the HGC because we like this school for other reasons, and we're committed to public schools so private is not in our plans either. And yes, we do try to do puzzles and other fun activities at home to stimulate her interest. It just makes me a bit sad to see a kid go from loving to disliking school.

If your child is bored, and dislikes school, then I cannot imagine what other aspects of the school would justify her staying there vs. attending the HGC. This makes NO sense to me.

The point of the HGC is to challenge students whose needs cannot be met in the regular classroom. If your child fits this description then I do not understand why you would not consider applying and sending her there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son's 2nd grade teacher has been clear with the class that mom and dad are not supposed to be doing extra work at home, because she will teach them at school.

Also, she has a whole class to worry about and I try to be sensitive to that. At the 4th grade level there is an opportunity for differentiation.

There will come a day when you will be happy for the excuse not to help. Things are taught in such a different manner and frankly, I just forget so many things I used to know. So I love being able to say I'm not allowed to help.

I'm not sure what is more sad a parent who wants an excuse not to help or the teacher who forbids it. If a teacher told my kid that, we'd be meeting with the principal. If I want to teach my kids how to do math, its my right and it is nonsense that I will confuse my child by teaching it a different way.

Hope you feel good about bashing my parenting. Yeah, as I indicated, there came a point where I really couldn't help my kids in math because I really didn't know how. The ready made excuse meant no battles in the house and my kids weren't hurt, thinking I didn't want to help. Because of the teachers "rule", they understood that homework was for her to know what they could do independently.

From your posting, it looks like you are saying that you can't help in second grade which I think is very sad. Even high school, I would try to help my kids. If I was unable ie physics, I would help them find resources to succeed. Also, I don't think that their is anything wrong with telling a high schooler that you don't know physics. I would much rather tell my child that, than the child thinking that learning begins amd ends in school...but that's me.

I don't know that we should expect public school teachers to offer each student individual learning options.

I don't know how the elem schools work, but is there a chance of her moving up to a 4th grade classroom for math? I feel like that would solve all of your problems without
a) having to do the extra work at home
b) trying to get the teacher change her style
c) having the teacher give your child extra work she and the teacher resent

Anonymous wrote:In Mo Co, testing for gifted is in grade 3. Are you in Mo Co?

Having said that, my daughter left private for public. She's in 3rd and could have tested into an HGC. But honestly? I'm only TOO happy to have her spend more time with math.

Doing math HW with her is challenging in some respects, as the process is one that looks at multiple perspectives. So even the most "basic" problems can be demanding when you view them through different lenses.

Kids say they're bored - but it's a rare statement to make when the teaching knows how to engage kids. That's a fact.

This, again and again. Faster is not necessarily better in math. Even in the TPMS math magnet, which my kid attended, the philosophy is to go deeper, not faster. Seeing things from different angles was also the approach used by some of DC's elementary teachers in MoCo. MoCo did used to allow some kids to advance by 1-2 years in math (only) in elementary school, but that was a few years back and I don't know if that's still allowed under 2.0.

In the end almost everyone ends up in the same place anyway: AP Calc AB/BC in junior year for most TPMS magnet kids, in sophomore year for a handful of really advanced magnet kids, or in senior year for kids who are more liberal artsy. Lots of kids do non-AP calc, and that's fine too. If your approach is to go faster instead of deeper, your kid will be even more bored with on-level classes, unless you're sure she really wants to try for HGCs or the math magnets.

I suggested above that you find something else, like archeology, to develop a shared interest in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son's 2nd grade teacher has been clear with the class that mom and dad are not supposed to be doing extra work at home, because she will teach them at school.

Also, she has a whole class to worry about and I try to be sensitive to that. At the 4th grade level there is an opportunity for differentiation.

There will come a day when you will be happy for the excuse not to help. Things are taught in such a different manner and frankly, I just forget so many things I used to know. So I love being able to say I'm not allowed to help.

I'm not sure what is more sad a parent who wants an excuse not to help or the teacher who forbids it. If a teacher told my kid that, we'd be meeting with the principal. If I want to teach my kids how to do math, its my right and it is nonsense that I will confuse my child by teaching it a different way.

Hope you feel good about bashing my parenting. Yeah, as I indicated, there came a point where I really couldn't help my kids in math because I really didn't know how. The ready made excuse meant no battles in the house and my kids weren't hurt, thinking I didn't want to help. Because of the teachers "rule", they understood that homework was for her to know what they could do independently.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son's 2nd grade teacher has been clear with the class that mom and dad are not supposed to be doing extra work at home, because she will teach them at school.

Also, she has a whole class to worry about and I try to be sensitive to that. At the 4th grade level there is an opportunity for differentiation.

There will come a day when you will be happy for the excuse not to help. Things are taught in such a different manner and frankly, I just forget so many things I used to know. So I love being able to say I'm not allowed to help.

I'm not sure what is more sad a parent who wants an excuse not to help or the teacher who forbids it. If a teacher told my kid that, we'd be meeting with the principal. If I want to teach my kids how to do math, its my right and it is nonsense that I will confuse my child by teaching it a different way.

OP: You shouldn't rule out the HGC if she's feeling as she is. My DS just moved to HGC this year. It's the first time he's ever told me that he's happy and he likes school.

On another note, there are some things that teachers in some schools are doing to give kids who need it extra challenge. Try talking with the teacher about Math Stars - 4th grade for 3rd graders - (http://it.pinellas.k12.fl.us/schools/curlew-es/studentconnect/mathsuperstars/4th.html) and ask if your child is getting the Drexel problems. Drexels are part of the 2.0 curriculum and are supposed to allow advanced children go deeper.

Our teacher last year had a group of kids work in base 4 when the other kids were working in base 10 to give them more of a challenge. So, there are simple things that can be done to keep them from engaged and interested.