Leadership is what we need. We have not seen that in DCPS for a long long time. What are they waiting for?

Anonymous wrote:It's not about money. It's about striking a balance between content and pedagogy.

Amen! Clearly it's not about money, the average salary of DCPS teachers is the highest in the nation.

Trying to make sense of this thread. Is the issue of magnet programs, or selective admission or whatever an issue of being equal versus fair?

It's not about money. It's about striking a balance between content and pedagogy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:09:57 You get ahead of yourself. Teach these kids how to read, write, speak in proper English and perform basic math tasks and then get back to me with Latin, geography, art and music.

Actually, teaching "these kids" how to read has a lot to do with background knowledge and vocabulary, which comes from knowledge and exposure to history, geography, science, literature, art, music, etc. I have actually taught this type of curriculum to DCPS students in SE, NE and even Upper Northwest. All students benefit from an enriched curriculum. Struggling students make gains in reading while high achieving and gifted students thrive on this type of program. The idea that low-performing students should be put on a strict diet of skill/drill basics while high achieving student should get the good stuff is not only inequitable, but also self-defeating. It simply doesn't work. How do we know? Because that's what we've been doing in DCPS for years.

Yes, I agree. In preparing students for careers and in teaching them to think critically as citizens, we should not take a narrow view in gauging what they need. I imagine that music and art would enhance creativity, so important in all professional contexts. I've read (no reference to cite, sorry) that music is helpful in giving children mathematical sense and in helping them think logically. My daughter had a wonderful art teacher last year who focused on media and materials; next thing I know, my daughter was examining her sandal, trying to figure out how to build one just like it. Given our increasingly global economy, and challenges posed by environmental degradation, some notion of geography is essential. Even Latin -- I would hate to subject anyone to that! But when I was growing up, it was considered crucial in learning and remembering English vocabulary words.

I graduated from a NYC magnet. But somehow DC's charter model appeals to me, providing we can develop more quality charters that meet the needs of DC's diverse student population. Yu Ying, IT and 2 Rivers are not exam schools. They offer enriched curricula to a(n at least somewhat) mixed-ability student body. That said, I'm also impressed by the environmental science program at a DCPS elementary school not far from where we live (not jklm), as well as by the student-centered pedagogical approach of another nearby DCPS. I do not think we should do away with magnets, but is there more we could do to foster academic programs that would engage students in neighborhood DCPS at the middle and high school level? Is it a matter of money? Of getting past our focus on testing? Do we need more inspired principals? Or do we simply lack inspiration regarding what information/experiences our middle schoolers would find interesting and useful to prepare for the future?

Anonymous wrote:

That's what advanced placement is for, not magnet schools. By far most "smart" students in high school are not smart in everything, and sports on top of that. Creating magnets for the "smart" and neighborhood schools for the whole rest of them indeed leaves us all worse off. I think that's what another poster meant to point to. It's not even the best solution for the smartest. I teach in a private university (granted not hard sciences so can't speak to that) and I can't tell you how much of an advantage those students have who are used to working with and in the presence of a broad range of capabilities and interests. All this said, there is no way wiping magnets off the map is practical. Reforming incentive structures and bringing schools in line yes, or maybe transforming those magnet schools into charter schools. That's a more realistic and useful approach.

Maybe that approach will work with 'soft' subjects, but for mathematics, and hard sciences, and foreign languages, AP requires a progression ...geometry starting in in eighth grade, followed by algebra 2/trig/precalc/calc....in the neighborhood setting, the likelihood of having enough students at that level to make a class viable is pretty low; unless the school is of significant size with each class >300 students. I had a conversation with the Banneker principal a few years back, asking why AP physics was not being offered that year, and she cited a lack of demand/prepared students...If a magnet had problems finding enough students to schedule an AP class, I can only imagine what the neighborhood school is up against. I don't know about DC's policies now, but I doubt that a class will run with only 2 or 3 students. Hence the need for decent sized magnets, where a quorum of students can be reached for AP. 'Soft' subjects probably run differently, but foreign languages, chemistry etc won't...

"ity (granted not hard sciences so can't speak to that) and I can't tell you how much of an advantage those students have who are used to working with and in the presence of a broad range of capabilities and interests"

This is an argument against an elite private school experience. It is hooey as far as putting a smart, motivated, academically ambitious kid into a public school system/school/class where the vast majority of kids struggle to reach even the minimum standards. Especially in a system that has no tracking or advanced study options.

Believe me, a magnet school in dc will still attract a wide range of abilities and interests that you finds valuable.