Anonymous wrote:When you speak with the parents of the kids in TPMS and Eastern programs they say that
when the kids look back at the tests, they look like walk in the park comparing how
difficult is every single day at the magnet. They have to think on their feet all the time
and it is high demanding fast paced program so the test seem like a good way
to show the kids what is the magnet about and how well they can handle the
stress, the competition and the emotional and mental demands of performing
on the top level in such conditions.
Parent of both TPMS and EMS magnet students. While both schools are more work than the home school, both schools are also way more interesting than the home school. Both kids found the nagnet way more enjoyable than their friends found the home school. While the pace is faster, it is still too slow for a good chunk of atudents and there are a number of kids with IEP or 504 plans w/ extra time who do fine. Neither kid found the programs super stressful or competitive. If any competition existed it seemed mostly self-generated, i.e. students pushing themselves to be perfect rather than pushing themselves to be better than their peers.
Your description of the magnets as highly competitive and strressful seems a bit over the top to me.