Anonymous wrote:AS for teacher turnover, the highest rate of dropping out of the profession is after year 5, so if you've got lots of young teachers, you are more likely to see turnover.

I think the teacher turnover our ES suffers from is teachers putting in for other schools, usually near their house. But maybe they are leaving MCPS entirely as well. I know they chat about teaching at privates so their future kids can go there on the cheap.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My daughter is in 3rd and has yet to have any test except for MAPs. My older child used to have math facts quizzes, spelling tests, vocabulary match quizzes, spelling bees, geography bees..... Now they just play games on chromebooks

From which you can conclude that there are no longer any spelling tests in the lower grades that your daughter has been in, at your daughter's school. But it would be an absurd generalization to conclude from this that there are no longer any spelling tests in any lower grade at any school in MCPS.

I remember reading "MCPS doesn't teach cursive anymore!" on DCUM the year my kid was in third grade in MCPS being taught cursive.

MCPS doesn't teach cursive. My middle schoolers do not know cursive.

Nobody likes mayonnaise. [I know this because] I don't like mayonnaise.

I think the PP as accutate. MCPS does not have cursive as part of their curriculum. The fact that certain teachers or schools might decide to change/augment the MCPS curriculum does not mean that MCPS teaches it.

Lots of kids in MCPS learn cursive at school, but MCPS doesn't teach cursive?

Once we've settled that question, we can address the questions of "is water wet?" and "when you throw a ball at a tree, does it ever actually get there?".

And many parents and teachers continue teaching cursive, for the hand/brain connection, free-flowing thought, and ability to take notes on paper as well as outline/organize thoughts.

AS for teacher turnover, the highest rate of dropping out of the profession is after year 5, so if you've got lots of young teachers, you are more likely to see turnover.

My daughter has had two young teachers and one near retirement. The two young teachers were excellent, full of energy, lots of ideas and expertise, very attentive and resourceful. The one near retirement had checked out, "never smiled," yelled often, was constantly nervous and a weak presence in the classroom (I am basing this on my own observations as well as what my DD who is the teacher's pet type observed). She retired the following year.

I'm a teacher and have found that many of the older teachers are the greatest assets, but there are plenty of young teachers that are excellent too. You just can't assume based on age.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My non-W 4th grader has had spelling tests every 2 weeks since 2nd grade. In 1st grade, they were every week. I don’t think they spend much time on chrome books at all, apart from a math program they do in the 5 minutes while kids are settling into class. They were taught cursive in 3rd grade but aren’t required to use it in their writing. Either you W folks are exaggerating, or you’re not aware of what your kids are doing, or your schools aren’t as rigorous (our school has a high gs rating and high test scores so don’t even try that one).

The elementary schools in bethesda have mainly teachers under age 25. Principal claims thisbiabbecasuenolder teachers live far out and prefer schools closer to them. Thus it makes sense that a 40-55 yo teacher is able to teach better, teach more, and incorporate more of the former curricula into his or her coursework. They probably also know what is best and useful. Less sticking to the c2.0 rubric only.

I'm officially leaving this thread. I hope no one who is considering MCPS is taking seriously any of the garbage here.

MCPS requires masters' degrees. Most people are 25ish when they finish school. You are claiming that the highly sought after elementaries in Bethesda have only those teachers?

I can't speak for Bethesda but I assume Potomac gets your vitriol as well. Our school's 4 K teachers are all over 40. 1st grade all over 40 except one new this year who's in her 20s. The most sought-after 1st grade teacher is in her 60s.

I don't know that more experienced teachers are always better or vice versa, but there are literally people on this thread claiming things that are easily proven 100% untrue.

Many schools worldwide have stopped teaching cursive. I have no opinion on this either way, but it is not just an MCPS thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My daughter is in 3rd and has yet to have any test except for MAPs. My older child used to have math facts quizzes, spelling tests, vocabulary match quizzes, spelling bees, geography bees..... Now they just play games on chromebooks

From which you can conclude that there are no longer any spelling tests in the lower grades that your daughter has been in, at your daughter's school. But it would be an absurd generalization to conclude from this that there are no longer any spelling tests in any lower grade at any school in MCPS.

I remember reading "MCPS doesn't teach cursive anymore!" on DCUM the year my kid was in third grade in MCPS being taught cursive.

MCPS doesn't teach cursive. My middle schoolers do not know cursive.

Nobody likes mayonnaise. [I know this because] I don't like mayonnaise.

I think the PP as accutate. MCPS does not have cursive as part of their curriculum. The fact that certain teachers or schools might decide to change/augment the MCPS curriculum does not mean that MCPS teaches it.

Anonymous wrote:

Cool, what is wood acres and Bannockburn?

You can look up all of the schools here: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/glance/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The elementary schools in bethesda have mainly teachers under age 25. Principal claims thisbiabbecasuenolder teachers live far out and prefer schools closer to them. Thus it makes sense that a 40-55 yo teacher is able to teach better, teach more, and incorporate more of the former curricula into his or her coursework. They probably also know what is best and useful. Less sticking to the c2.0 rubric only.

Bethesda ES, 25% of teachers have 5-15 years professional experience, 42% have more than 15 years
Wyngate ES, 35% and 33%
Burning Tree ES, 36% and 55%

(Those are the first three Bethesda elementary schools I thought of. But you can look this information up too. It's on the at-a-glance sheets.)

Maybe the teachers at these schools started teaching when they were in elementary school themselves? Or maybe your assertion is factually incorrect.

Cool, what is wood acres and Bannockburn?

They also count the teacher assistant hours you rack up in School if Ed at Uni as 2 years.

Anonymous wrote:

The elementary schools in bethesda have mainly teachers under age 25. Principal claims thisbiabbecasuenolder teachers live far out and prefer schools closer to them. Thus it makes sense that a 40-55 yo teacher is able to teach better, teach more, and incorporate more of the former curricula into his or her coursework. They probably also know what is best and useful. Less sticking to the c2.0 rubric only.

Bethesda ES, 25% of teachers have 5-15 years professional experience, 42% have more than 15 years
Wyngate ES, 35% and 33%
Burning Tree ES, 36% and 55%

(Those are the first three Bethesda elementary schools I thought of. But you can look this information up too. It's on the at-a-glance sheets.)

Maybe the teachers at these schools started teaching when they were in elementary school themselves? Or maybe your assertion is factually incorrect.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My daughter is in 3rd and has yet to have any test except for MAPs. My older child used to have math facts quizzes, spelling tests, vocabulary match quizzes, spelling bees, geography bees..... Now they just play games on chromebooks

From which you can conclude that there are no longer any spelling tests in the lower grades that your daughter has been in, at your daughter's school. But it would be an absurd generalization to conclude from this that there are no longer any spelling tests in any lower grade at any school in MCPS.

I remember reading "MCPS doesn't teach cursive anymore!" on DCUM the year my kid was in third grade in MCPS being taught cursive.

But you are the outlier. Most schools do not teach cursive. Many classes don't formally teach spelling. My pre-2.0 kid learned phonics and had weekly spelling tests with homework using the words. He's the best speller out of my kids.

You know this, how?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My daughter is in 3rd and has yet to have any test except for MAPs. My older child used to have math facts quizzes, spelling tests, vocabulary match quizzes, spelling bees, geography bees..... Now they just play games on chromebooks

From which you can conclude that there are no longer any spelling tests in the lower grades that your daughter has been in, at your daughter's school. But it would be an absurd generalization to conclude from this that there are no longer any spelling tests in any lower grade at any school in MCPS.

I remember reading "MCPS doesn't teach cursive anymore!" on DCUM the year my kid was in third grade in MCPS being taught cursive.

But you are the outlier. Most schools do not teach cursive. Many classes don't formally teach spelling. My pre-2.0 kid learned phonics and had weekly spelling tests with homework using the words. He's the best speller out of my kids.

Anonymous wrote:Some of the savvier principals figure out how to get around the system. When we ended up as a tier two ES, ours, for example, managed to build in time for an extra recess.

The same could be said for cursive. If a principal thinks it's an important skill, the schedule will be adjusted to work it in. While autonomy is basically dead in the MCPS system, experienced leaders and teachers manage to work around some of the obstacles.

FWIW, I paid to have my son learn cursive b/c his fine motor skills were poor. Cursive increased his speed and improved his outlook.

Agree wholeheartedly.