Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For what it worth, OP, I think a lot of kids are going to be in the same boat. The first time they get ABC grades will be a rude awakening. I think it is fine to not grade the real little kids. But by 3rd, 4th, 5th grade, they should be getting grades that reflects performance. This way, a lot of middle schoolers are going to realize that they are behind and it will take a lot of efforts to catch up or they may never catch up.

Do you actually know that this will happen, or are you just assuming that it will happen?

My daughter is in sixth grade. She got the standards-based report card last year. She hasn't had any problems with ABC grades this year. I'd like to hear from other parents of sixth-graders about their adjustments.

I absolutely know kids whose parents discovered later on there were holes in their education during the early years. For example, one of my friends was shocked to find out that their son's math was not up to par. Standard based grading absolutely made it hard to know where your kids are. This is even a bigger problem for private school kids. In the public school, the standard testing at least gives some clue.

Of course, if your dd is a good student then there is nothing to be shocked at at 6th grade. Some kids absolutely will fall through the crack.

Disagree here. Even private school kids take standardized tests, although there isn't the kind of emphasis on how well they do like there is in public school. And unlike MoCo, our private school gives grades that are actually somewhat meaningful and highlight the specific areas where the students need more work. Of course, we have to pay for the privilege of these things, which is kind of absurd, but I can definitely see how a report card of all P's would be TOTALLY meaningless to my 4th grader and she would lose motivation to really do her best.

Anonymous wrote:The HGC and MS magnets are well aware of the inconsistent use of ES grades. I heard someone on the HGC committee explains they treat P and ES grades the same.

Well then I give the Admissions Committee an ES! They have proven that they have a deeper understanding of the failed Curriculum 2.0 grading system!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The HGC and MS magnets are well aware of the inconsistent use of ES grades. I heard someone on the HGC committee explains they treat P and ES grades the same.

Really? Then why did my DC get ESs in some of the areas in a category, but a P in other areas in the same category?

The ADMISSIONS committee. (I'm not the PP, but I've heard the same thing.)

Right, I meant the selection committee.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The HGC and MS magnets are well aware of the inconsistent use of ES grades. I heard someone on the HGC committee explains they treat P and ES grades the same.

Really? Then why did my DC get ESs in some of the areas in a category, but a P in other areas in the same category?

The ADMISSIONS committee. (I'm not the PP, but I've heard the same thing.)

Anonymous wrote:The HGC and MS magnets are well aware of the inconsistent use of ES grades. I heard someone on the HGC committee explains they treat P and ES grades the same.

Really? Then why did my DC get ESs in some of the areas in a category, but a P in other areas in the same category?

The HGC and MS magnets are well aware of the inconsistent use of ES grades. I heard someone on the HGC committee explains they treat P and ES grades the same.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:16:59 I take it you the regular obtuse, idiotic poster. Every village needs a town idiot but really, enough is enough.

I'm not 16:59. I am wondering which parts of 16:59's statements you disagree with. Are you

1. Not happy that your child is learning, retaining, learning how to think? (If so, why? Do you want your child to not learn and not learn how to think, or do you think that your child is not learning?)
2. Very interested in the competition with other kids to get into something? (If so, why?)
3. Disbelieving of the idea that if a kid loves to learn and knows how to get information and think critically and analytically, then they can do anything? (If so, why? Do love of learning, etc., reduce a child's ability to do things? Or are love of learning, etc., insufficient for being able to do anything?)

I know that responding to these questions with answers is more difficult than responding with insults, but nonetheless I am hoping for answers instead of more insults.

I'm not 17:29 but let me give it a shot:

Q: Do you want your child to not learn and not learn how to think, or do you think that your child is not learning?
A: Why does my child deserve to learn when there are so many less fortunate children who may not have the same opportunities. If my child needs to stop learning so that just one of these less fortunate DC rises up than it's my duty to limit my child's learning.

Q: Why are you interested in the competition with other kids to get into something?
A: Because in competition 2.0, every kid is a winner!

Q: Why don't you believe that kids love to learn and that if they think critically and analytically, then they can do anything?
A: Because I would rather focus on world peace, do you not believe in world peace? If not, why?

Thanks for the quiz. I guess every town also needs a spokesmodel.... to ask the hard questions!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was told that a perfect spelling test or a perfect math quiz is considered a P. I kept pushing our school's "specialist" to get an answer on how an ES is determined. I got the runaround for 1/2 hour then was told this:

Just think of your child's teacher as a doctor. If you take your child in to see a doctor they have been trained so that they can just look at your child and *know* what the problem is. Our teachers are the same way. They just *know* whether a child deserves an ES.

After that, I gave up because I realized what I was up against. I was done wasting my time.

My kid gets perfect spelling test
I could give two f*** that she only gets a P
I just happy as hell that she is a great speller
In our world, the education is the goal, the learning

Agreed. Especially since grades are not used in the selection process to determine whether a child gets into the HGC or MSM..... Wait.... http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedfiles/curriculum/specialprograms/elementary/elementaryhighlygiftedcentersbrochure.pdf

Still happy that my child is LEARNING, RETAINING, KEARNING HOW TO THINK.
I am not interested in the competition with other kids to get into anything.
If my kids love to learn and know how to get information and think critically and analytically than he can do anything.

What exactly is your point?

If your kid was getting traditional A/B/C grades, would that somehow make him think critically and analytically?

Anonymous wrote:16:59 I take it you the regular obtuse, idiotic poster. Every village needs a town idiot but really, enough is enough.

I'm not 16:59. I am wondering which parts of 16:59's statements you disagree with. Are you

1. Not happy that your child is learning, retaining, learning how to think? (If so, why? Do you want your child to not learn and not learn how to think, or do you think that your child is not learning?)
2. Very interested in the competition with other kids to get into something? (If so, why?)
3. Disbelieving of the idea that if a kid loves to learn and knows how to get information and think critically and analytically, then they can do anything? (If so, why? Do love of learning, etc., reduce a child's ability to do things? Or are love of learning, etc., insufficient for being able to do anything?)

I know that responding to these questions with answers is more difficult than responding with insults, but nonetheless I am hoping for answers instead of more insults.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was told that a perfect spelling test or a perfect math quiz is considered a P. I kept pushing our school's "specialist" to get an answer on how an ES is determined. I got the runaround for 1/2 hour then was told this:

Just think of your child's teacher as a doctor. If you take your child in to see a doctor they have been trained so that they can just look at your child and *know* what the problem is. Our teachers are the same way. They just *know* whether a child deserves an ES.

After that, I gave up because I realized what I was up against. I was done wasting my time.

My kid gets perfect spelling test
I could give two f*** that she only gets a P
I just happy as hell that she is a great speller
In our world, the education is the goal, the learning

Agreed. Especially since grades are not used in the selection process to determine whether a child gets into the HGC or MSM..... Wait.... http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedfiles/curriculum/specialprograms/elementary/elementaryhighlygiftedcentersbrochure.pdf

Still happy that my child is LEARNING, RETAINING, KEARNING HOW TO THINK.
I am not interested in the competition with other kids to get into anything.
If my kids love to learn and know how to get information and think critically and analytically than he can do anything.

It sounds like you are a well adjusted Curriculum 2.0 parent.

+1. Every village needs one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was told that a perfect spelling test or a perfect math quiz is considered a P. I kept pushing our school's "specialist" to get an answer on how an ES is determined. I got the runaround for 1/2 hour then was told this:

Just think of your child's teacher as a doctor. If you take your child in to see a doctor they have been trained so that they can just look at your child and *know* what the problem is. Our teachers are the same way. They just *know* whether a child deserves an ES.

After that, I gave up because I realized what I was up against. I was done wasting my time.

My kid gets perfect spelling test
I could give two f*** that she only gets a P
I just happy as hell that she is a great speller
In our world, the education is the goal, the learning

Agreed. Especially since grades are not used in the selection process to determine whether a child gets into the HGC or MSM..... Wait.... http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedfiles/curriculum/specialprograms/elementary/elementaryhighlygiftedcentersbrochure.pdf

Still happy that my child is LEARNING, RETAINING, KEARNING HOW TO THINK.
I am not interested in the competition with other kids to get into anything.
If my kids love to learn and know how to get information and think critically and analytically than he can do anything.

It sounds like you are a well adjusted Curriculum 2.0 parent.

16:59 I take it you the regular obtuse, idiotic poster. Every village needs a town idiot but really, enough is enough.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was told that a perfect spelling test or a perfect math quiz is considered a P. I kept pushing our school's "specialist" to get an answer on how an ES is determined. I got the runaround for 1/2 hour then was told this:

Just think of your child's teacher as a doctor. If you take your child in to see a doctor they have been trained so that they can just look at your child and *know* what the problem is. Our teachers are the same way. They just *know* whether a child deserves an ES.

After that, I gave up because I realized what I was up against. I was done wasting my time.

My kid gets perfect spelling test
I could give two f*** that she only gets a P
I just happy as hell that she is a great speller
In our world, the education is the goal, the learning

Agreed. Especially since grades are not used in the selection process to determine whether a child gets into the HGC or MSM..... Wait.... http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedfiles/curriculum/specialprograms/elementary/elementaryhighlygiftedcentersbrochure.pdf

Still happy that my child is LEARNING, RETAINING, KEARNING HOW TO THINK.
I am not interested in the competition with other kids to get into anything.
If my kids love to learn and know how to get information and think critically and analytically than he can do anything.

Anonymous wrote:Look MCPS does not give one shit about the type of student who is capable of making As and has parents who care enough to intervene if they see a B or C. Its better for the shrinking achievement gap if you child is a B or C student and doesn't ever reach or try for an A.

MCPS is ONLY is worried about the kids who are failing and have no parental support. If these kids see Cs in upper elementary school, their parents will do nothing. The kid just accepts he is a C student. In middle school they may start getting Ds. Again, they don't care. It turns to an F and they drop out. The thinking goes that if you keep telling them they are performing as well as everyone else, even when its completely false, as long as possible they won't give up as soon.

Parents who expect MCPS to be a good educational system and reward kids who reach their potential are just kidding themselves. This is not what MCPS is about at all.

I'm sorry that you've had such a bad experience. I've been very happy with my children's experiences in the schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was told that a perfect spelling test or a perfect math quiz is considered a P. I kept pushing our school's "specialist" to get an answer on how an ES is determined. I got the runaround for 1/2 hour then was told this:

Just think of your child's teacher as a doctor. If you take your child in to see a doctor they have been trained so that they can just look at your child and *know* what the problem is. Our teachers are the same way. They just *know* whether a child deserves an ES.

After that, I gave up because I realized what I was up against. I was done wasting my time.

My child's teacher gave the following analogy to baking a cake:

N - most ingredients assembled, cake not baked
I - cake baked, but not completely, and some ingredients missing
P - cake completely baked, all ingredients included
ES - triple-layer genoise with pastry cream and strawberry jam filling and marzipan roses and violets on top

I love this analogy
it's great

From what a teacher has told me, in order to get an ES, the child has to demonstrate understanding and connections of a concept not yet taught to a concept they are still learning. This might be a poor example, but let's say in math, the kids are learning how to add (so, this would be a Ker). They learn 3+1 = 4. Then a child realizes that there is a relationship with those three numbers: 4 take away 1 is 3, and 4 take away 3 is 1 before they have learned this in class. The child writes this on the HW/CW without prompting. If the child makes this connection on his/her own, that would constitute an ES. However, I think to get that ES on a report card, the child would have to consistently demonstrate this kind of thinking for the entire quarter in that subject. That's why it's hard to get an ES on a report card -- it's really hard for a young child to demonstrate such leaps in thinking for the entire quarter. Some kids can do it because they are naturally smart (or maybe tutored at home).