Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities 6 is listed in the SSIMS bulletin for next year. It is offered at all MCPS middle schools.

Yes, but this used to be an honors/in-depth course for a designated cohort. Now it is an everybody course, which is good in one sense but not great for the kids who really have the curiosity and want more. It is kind of like declaring that everyone would be in the same math course: everyone understands why that doesn't serve students well.

It is still an enriched class by cohort. It is only for those whom central office identifies. From the SSIMS course bulletin:

Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities 6 This course is built around the core Grade 6 social studies curriculum, Historical Inquiry in World Studies 6, that includes historical content from early civilizations, the empires of Greece and Rome, the dynasties of China, and civilizations of the first millennium. Cohort students will go beyond this core as they learn additional content, explore deeper connections to today, engage in investigative inquiry to strengthen their writing through Document Based Questions, and enhance their learning through relevant literature connections. They will also participate in a culminating Model UN simulation at the end of the year. Students eligible to register for this course are identified by MCPS Central Office. Schools may not identify students for this course.

Students not identified take this course:

Historical Inquiry in World Studies 6 Students learn about the rich culture and history from the earliest human settlements of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and China to great civilizations of the year 1000 CE. Students are challenged to analyze archeological evidence, ask questions to further their knowledge, and understand history as an ongoing investigation. They are introduced to historical thinking skills including sourcing, close reading, corroboration, and research as they analyze primary and secondary documents. This course lays a foundation for students to understand key principles of cultural, political, economic and geographic systems both in the past and today.

It is the same as other MCPS MS.

Anonymous wrote:You can go to class request on the left hand side of ParentVue and it had SSIMS loaded there. There were classes listed that you get no choice in and then the one math class.

They said the teachers had through today to recommend classes, but some had already done it.

I wish the advanced humanities was also teacher recommend. There's got to be a lot of kids who are just below that magnet eligibility who could use the extra challenge in writing/reading. They offer this with math -- but not writing -- it makes no sense.

Thanks. We will be at Silver Creek and all I see when I click on course request is the graduation summary checklist, not the classes for next year. Sounds like schools vary in when the load the courses to ParentVue.

You can go to class request on the left hand side of ParentVue and it had SSIMS loaded there. There were classes listed that you get no choice in and then the one math class.

They said the teachers had through today to recommend classes, but some had already done it.

I wish the advanced humanities was also teacher recommend. There's got to be a lot of kids who are just below that magnet eligibility who could use the extra challenge in writing/reading. They offer this with math -- but not writing -- it makes no sense.

Anonymous wrote:I was at the SSIMS meeting too and what I understood was that they have the advanced placement for Global Humanities, but you have to be placed into it by the county's central office. It's like the very highest math class -- the kids are only assigned to that one by the county. So, maybe these are the magnet eligible students who don't get selected in the lottery?

On Parentvue, my son was recommended for a math class by his current teacher, but nothing else.

That's also what they told us at Silver Creek. Placement is done for both AIM and HIGH by central office.

Where on parentvue does it show what math class your child was recommended for?

I was at the SSIMS meeting too and what I understood was that they have the advanced placement for Global Humanities, but you have to be placed into it by the county's central office. It's like the very highest math class -- the kids are only assigned to that one by the county. So, maybe these are the magnet eligible students who don't get selected in the lottery?

On Parentvue, my son was recommended for a math class by his current teacher, but nothing else.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities 6 is listed in the SSIMS bulletin for next year. It is offered at all MCPS middle schools.

That’s not what OP is saying. OP is saying that SSIMS said that would no longer be truly an enhanced course because everyone will take it.

They list both courses and say HIGH is by MCPS placement only.

It would seem the course catalog is wrong, then. Unless you think OP is lying?

I certainly trust an official source more than an anonymous internet source.

OP. Me too, except I asked the humans directly. The ones who are doing the teaching. I wouldn't make this up, and I would really like to be wrong. There are plenty of inconsistencies and discrepancies in the course catalog to begin with. I guess this is one of them.

DP.. I believe you. The HS course catalog has "regular" and "honors" but there is only "honors" in reality.

Example:

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/SchoolCourseCatalogs/School/04201/EN

It has English 9A and English 9A Honors, but when you go to sign up for classes, there is just English 9 Honors course.

And even WaPo picked it up.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/honors-classes-for-all-leave-some-parents-asking-is-it-really-honors/2019/08/03/f3adef36-a1a6-11e9-b8c8-75dae2607e60_story.html

Not long ago, students at Richard Montgomery High School in Maryland had a choice in ninth grade: They could take a regular English class or an honors version considered more challenging.

This fall, it’s advanced classes for everyone.

The change is part of a broader trend in suburban Montgomery County, with a high-performing school system that is the state’s largest. In some high schools, standard classes in health, social studies, science or English have disappeared.
...
On the other side, supporters of the trend say too many students of color have been steered away from higher-level classes over the years, and that the honors experience is an important steppingstone as students look toward college.

The problem with this approach is that it puts below level students in the same class as above level kids. So, MCPS would have to either accept that many kids would struggle or dumb it down. Guess which option they picked?

Except that what SSIMS posted the list of courses they are offering next year, not the bulletin that central office puts out.

So, there's a disconnect with central office, which is just as bad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities 6 is listed in the SSIMS bulletin for next year. It is offered at all MCPS middle schools.

That’s not what OP is saying. OP is saying that SSIMS said that would no longer be truly an enhanced course because everyone will take it.

They list both courses and say HIGH is by MCPS placement only.

It would seem the course catalog is wrong, then. Unless you think OP is lying?

I certainly trust an official source more than an anonymous internet source.

OP. Me too, except I asked the humans directly. The ones who are doing the teaching. I wouldn't make this up, and I would really like to be wrong. There are plenty of inconsistencies and discrepancies in the course catalog to begin with. I guess this is one of them.

DP.. I believe you. The HS course catalog has "regular" and "honors" but there is only "honors" in reality.

Example:

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/SchoolCourseCatalogs/School/04201/EN

It has English 9A and English 9A Honors, but when you go to sign up for classes, there is just English 9 Honors course.

And even WaPo picked it up.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/honors-classes-for-all-leave-some-parents-asking-is-it-really-honors/2019/08/03/f3adef36-a1a6-11e9-b8c8-75dae2607e60_story.html

Not long ago, students at Richard Montgomery High School in Maryland had a choice in ninth grade: They could take a regular English class or an honors version considered more challenging.

This fall, it’s advanced classes for everyone.

The change is part of a broader trend in suburban Montgomery County, with a high-performing school system that is the state’s largest. In some high schools, standard classes in health, social studies, science or English have disappeared.
...
On the other side, supporters of the trend say too many students of color have been steered away from higher-level classes over the years, and that the honors experience is an important steppingstone as students look toward college.

The problem with this approach is that it puts below level students in the same class as above level kids. So, MCPS would have to either accept that many kids would struggle or dumb it down. Guess which option they picked?

Except that what SSIMS posted the list of courses they are offering next year, not the bulletin that central office puts out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities 6 is listed in the SSIMS bulletin for next year. It is offered at all MCPS middle schools.

That’s not what OP is saying. OP is saying that SSIMS said that would no longer be truly an enhanced course because everyone will take it.

They list both courses and say HIGH is by MCPS placement only.

It would seem the course catalog is wrong, then. Unless you think OP is lying?

I certainly trust an official source more than an anonymous internet source.

OP. Me too, except I asked the humans directly. The ones who are doing the teaching. I wouldn't make this up, and I would really like to be wrong. There are plenty of inconsistencies and discrepancies in the course catalog to begin with. I guess this is one of them.

DP.. I believe you. The HS course catalog has "regular" and "honors" but there is only "honors" in reality.

Example:

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/SchoolCourseCatalogs/School/04201/EN

It has English 9A and English 9A Honors, but when you go to sign up for classes, there is just English 9 Honors course.

And even WaPo picked it up.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/honors-classes-for-all-leave-some-parents-asking-is-it-really-honors/2019/08/03/f3adef36-a1a6-11e9-b8c8-75dae2607e60_story.html

Not long ago, students at Richard Montgomery High School in Maryland had a choice in ninth grade: They could take a regular English class or an honors version considered more challenging.

This fall, it’s advanced classes for everyone.

The change is part of a broader trend in suburban Montgomery County, with a high-performing school system that is the state’s largest. In some high schools, standard classes in health, social studies, science or English have disappeared.
...
On the other side, supporters of the trend say too many students of color have been steered away from higher-level classes over the years, and that the honors experience is an important steppingstone as students look toward college.

The problem with this approach is that it puts below level students in the same class as above level kids. So, MCPS would have to either accept that many kids would struggle or dumb it down. Guess which option they picked?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities 6 is listed in the SSIMS bulletin for next year. It is offered at all MCPS middle schools.

Yes, but this used to be an honors/in-depth course for a designated cohort. Now it is an everybody course, which is good in one sense but not great for the kids who really have the curiosity and want more. It is kind of like declaring that everyone would be in the same math course: everyone understands why that doesn't serve students well.

Except for they list the world studies course too, not just HIGH.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities 6 is listed in the SSIMS bulletin for next year. It is offered at all MCPS middle schools.

That’s not what OP is saying. OP is saying that SSIMS said that would no longer be truly an enhanced course because everyone will take it.

They list both courses and say HIGH is by MCPS placement only.

It would seem the course catalog is wrong, then. Unless you think OP is lying?

I certainly trust an official source more than an anonymous internet source.

OP. Me too, except I asked the humans directly. The ones who are doing the teaching. I wouldn't make this up, and I would really like to be wrong. There are plenty of inconsistencies and discrepancies in the course catalog to begin with. I guess this is one of them.

I would call over to AEI and ask to get clarification.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/enriched/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the direction of MCPS. HS "honors" is basically for below level, on level and slightly above level.

Some people in MCPS decided that the "regular" classes demographics didn't look good so shoved everyone into "honors". Tada.. achievement gap closed. NOT.

The same thing is now happening in MS.

Even if your kid decides to take AP classes in HS, they won't have been prepared by the MS, which is now solely focused on social/emotional learning.

It sucks.

This was our MS experience at a different MS.

Basically zero academic challenge, except for the one advanced Math class. English was SO unbearably bad.

They do focus on Social/Emotional learning, but that basically entailed random r discussions about BLM and reading books by Kendi during advisory.

yes, and my DC told me that nobody cares or pays attention to the social emotional crap they talk about in class. Have these administrators ever deal with MSers? No MSer wants to talk about their feelings in class. DC told me they'd get laughed at and bullied.

Oh yes. Luckily DC has a pretty chill teacher who would mostly not make them do the Community Circles and other nonsense. Sometimes they'd just do homework, sometimes they'd play cards, but mostly they'd just play on their phones all period.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the direction of MCPS. HS "honors" is basically for below level, on level and slightly above level.

Some people in MCPS decided that the "regular" classes demographics didn't look good so shoved everyone into "honors". Tada.. achievement gap closed. NOT.

The same thing is now happening in MS.

Even if your kid decides to take AP classes in HS, they won't have been prepared by the MS, which is now solely focused on social/emotional learning.

It sucks.

This was our MS experience at a different MS.

Basically zero academic challenge, except for the one advanced Math class. English was SO unbearably bad.

They do focus on Social/Emotional learning, but that basically entailed random r discussions about BLM and reading books by Kendi during advisory.

yes, and my DC told me that nobody cares or pays attention to the social emotional crap they talk about in class. Have these administrators ever deal with MSers? No MSer wants to talk about their feelings in class. DC told me they'd get laughed at and bullied.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities 6 is listed in the SSIMS bulletin for next year. It is offered at all MCPS middle schools.

That’s not what OP is saying. OP is saying that SSIMS said that would no longer be truly an enhanced course because everyone will take it.

They list both courses and say HIGH is by MCPS placement only.

It would seem the course catalog is wrong, then. Unless you think OP is lying?

I certainly trust an official source more than an anonymous internet source.

OP. Me too, except I asked the humans directly. The ones who are doing the teaching. I wouldn't make this up, and I would really like to be wrong. There are plenty of inconsistencies and discrepancies in the course catalog to begin with. I guess this is one of them.

Anonymous wrote:OP, Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities 6 is listed in the SSIMS bulletin for next year. It is offered at all MCPS middle schools.

Yes, but this used to be an honors/in-depth course for a designated cohort. Now it is an everybody course, which is good in one sense but not great for the kids who really have the curiosity and want more. It is kind of like declaring that everyone would be in the same math course: everyone understands why that doesn't serve students well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities 6 is listed in the SSIMS bulletin for next year. It is offered at all MCPS middle schools.

DP

Interesting, thanks. We are not at SSIMS, but just got registration for our 6th grader at a different middle school.

There are two classes -

Historical Inquiry in World Studies 6

Global Humanities 6

No option for HIGH.

HIGH=Historical Inquiry into Global Humanities--that's the second class you mentioned.