Anonymous wrote:
Sigh.

My son is in all advanced classes (AP, Honors). As a 9th grader, he has 10th, 11th or 12th graders in some of his classes. They're all at different points in their high school careers. It's all FINE.

My point is this: you have to stop comparing yourself to other people!!! Just do your work as best as possible and it will pay off.

Is it stupid that there seems to be an "arms race" with the nomenclature of the classes and everybody taking them? Sure. Just like vanity sizing in clothes. Lots of people will end up fitting in a size 0.

I refer you to Shakespeare:
"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

Sigh.

I don't think anybody has argued against high schoolers taking classes at whatever level they choose.

Rather, people seem to be arguing that middle schoolers are being pushed into advanced classes that are too challenging, which then may result in the advanced classes being watered down so that those who need more challenging material aren't getting it.

I guess the Shakespearean equivalent would be something along the lines of: calling a pile of manure a rose doesn't sweeten the scent. (Clearly, I'm no Shakespeare and my poetic phrasing stinks.)

Sigh.

My son is in all advanced classes (AP, Honors). As a 9th grader, he has 10th, 11th or 12th graders in some of his classes. They're all at different points in their high school careers. It's all FINE.

My point is this: you have to stop comparing yourself to other people!!! Just do your work as best as possible and it will pay off.

Is it stupid that there seems to be an "arms race" with the nomenclature of the classes and everybody taking them? Sure. Just like vanity sizing in clothes. Lots of people will end up fitting in a size 0.

I refer you to Shakespeare:
"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

"Advanced" is just branding.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Advanced English is basically regular English in MCPS at this point. As someone else said earlier, regular English is mostly for kids who are working below grade level. End of story.

That is correct.

My kid in 7th grade is in Algebra 1 which I took in 9th grade because I was not in advanced math and things have shifted.

Also my kid is in a super advanced version of history because he did well on the magnet test and the school decided to split the teaching to allow for this.

honestly I don't know what difference it really makes at the end of the day. Why worry what class other kids are in, just concern yourself with the health and well being of your own child.

Is this the same super advanced version that some middle schools are now offering to all students?

It absolutely is. PP just thought her kid was super advanced when really he’s just at a school that knows how to keep parents happy. On DCUM, being able to brag that your kid is super advanced is bliss.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Can you inform me of a school that is decreasing and not increasing their compact math kids? They are all increasing per county requests. Lowering the MAP scores to who gets in. Whether one school went from half to all, or one went from a handful to a quarter, they are all increasing due the county lowering requirements and slowing the curriculum.

And we know MCPS had tracked math and it absolutely was not compacted math. They were taught in grading levels. Nothing went faster.

When only a few kids were in compacted math, DCUM complained. When more kids were put in compacted math, DCUM complained. If everyone goes into compacted math, DCUM will complain. The only constant here is DCUM's complaining.

Oh I don’t know. How about it actually fluctuate each year based on the abilities of each specific grade.

I'm a long-time complainer about MCPS, but I am not a determined complainer. Here's what I want:

1. A strong curriculum. I am hopeful that with MCPS finally agreeing to purchase one, we may finally get one, or at least one that's better than what the MCPS curriculum department produced.

2. Ability grouping:

On the middle school level I would suggest something similar to the High school model where kids select the level they want. I don't think there should be gatekeeping. I don't think courses should be watered down.

On the elementary school level I favor a model of flexible ability grouping where kids are separated according to ability, but with the intention of helping children reach higher ability groups. Here's an article about one school that seems to have done this effectively:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/03/AR2007110301167.html?sid=ST2007110301386&noredirect=on

3. A grading system that is more transparent and meaningful. Over the years I have seen changes which seem designed to obfuscate a student's academic weaknesses which also obscured the weaknesses of the school system. I would suggest the following changes, but think a larger discussion would be helpful:

* Every assignment would be graded for correctness and not just checked for completion.

* There would be no minimum grades.

* There would not be automatic retesting, but students could be given the opportunity to do extra credit work at their teachers' discretion.

* Classes at the middle school and high school levels would have cumulative finals.

I do commend MCPS for dropping the P/I/ES/N elementary grading system on report cards. It was not clearly defined and was inconsistently applied.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Advanced English is basically regular English in MCPS at this point. As someone else said earlier, regular English is mostly for kids who are working below grade level. End of story.

That is correct.

My kid in 7th grade is in Algebra 1 which I took in 9th grade because I was not in advanced math and things have shifted.

Also my kid is in a super advanced version of history because he did well on the magnet test and the school decided to split the teaching to allow for this.

honestly I don't know what difference it really makes at the end of the day. Why worry what class other kids are in, just concern yourself with the health and well being of your own child.

The HIGH social studies classes are not super advanced, but it’s cute that you think they are. Many schools are only offering HIGH due to parents’ pushing. There’s a few new extra lessons each marking period. Otherwise, it’s the old advanced.

you can stick that cute in your fat ass.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Can you inform me of a school that is decreasing and not increasing their compact math kids? They are all increasing per county requests. Lowering the MAP scores to who gets in. Whether one school went from half to all, or one went from a handful to a quarter, they are all increasing due the county lowering requirements and slowing the curriculum.

And we know MCPS had tracked math and it absolutely was not compacted math. They were taught in grading levels. Nothing went faster.

When only a few kids were in compacted math, DCUM complained. When more kids were put in compacted math, DCUM complained. If everyone goes into compacted math, DCUM will complain. The only constant here is DCUM's complaining.

Could not have said it any better

Anonymous wrote:

Can you inform me of a school that is decreasing and not increasing their compact math kids? They are all increasing per county requests. Lowering the MAP scores to who gets in. Whether one school went from half to all, or one went from a handful to a quarter, they are all increasing due the county lowering requirements and slowing the curriculum.

And we know MCPS had tracked math and it absolutely was not compacted math. They were taught in grading levels. Nothing went faster.

When only a few kids were in compacted math, DCUM complained. When more kids were put in compacted math, DCUM complained. If everyone goes into compacted math, DCUM will complain. The only constant here is DCUM's complaining.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Not the PP, but did you not see the previous comments that county administrators said their goal is to put ALL kids in compact math. This is NOT a school decision. It is not a teacher decision. It is a county decision that is being highly encouraged and implemented.

The main problem with this compact math scenario, is if you have 75 kids and 35 kids are able to take compact math. Do they have a class of one with 35 students? Do they bump more kids not ready and make it 2 classes and then the non compact math class is too big, which isn't right. Do they drop some kids to make it just one class and put kids into easier math classes. It is not a class friendly format and the county realizes once again it messed up. So not their decision to just start adding everyone slowly is a joke.

I too miss the tracked math. Have the bottom kids in very small groups with extra math help to bump them up starting in 1st grade. But it is not politically correct anymore. We rather the classrooms look right by gender, color, and nationality. So the kids needing extra help aren't getting enough help. The average kids are being ignored. And the advanced kids are being used as mini teacher aides in the classroom to help the kids that need help. Or they sit and do busy work. They hardly are taught anything extra. I see it every time I volunteer.

But it actually was a school decision. Some schools did it this way, some didn't.

MCPS actually had tracked math in elementary school, in the form of compacted math. DCUM yelled its head off.

That is not true.

There has been a push from the County to our more and more kids in Compacted Math.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Agree with this.

At our ES, they decided to put ALL kids in Compacted Math. It was ridiculous. Sure, some kids could handle it. But, some kids can't.

Teach the kids AT THEIR LEVEL. Really, it shouldn't be that hard. Instead, MCPS cares more about optics and showing how many kids are in 'advanced' classes.

At our MS, some parents asked about the Advance English option, because they actually felt their kids were not ready for 'advanced' English. They were told that there is no other option for English in 6th grade. ALL kids have to take 'Advanced' English. In which case, why not just name it English 6.

Ridiculous.

That's not MCPS. That's your elementary school's decision.

Not the PP, but did you not see the previous comments that county administrators said their goal is to put ALL kids in compact math. This is NOT a school decision. It is not a teacher decision. It is a county decision that is being highly encouraged and implemented.

The main problem with this compact math scenario, is if you have 75 kids and 35 kids are able to take compact math. Do they have a class of one with 35 students? Do they bump more kids not ready and make it 2 classes and then the non compact math class is too big, which isn't right. Do they drop some kids to make it just one class and put kids into easier math classes. It is not a class friendly format and the county realizes once again it messed up. So not their decision to just start adding everyone slowly is a joke.

I too miss the tracked math. Have the bottom kids in very small groups with extra math help to bump them up starting in 1st grade. But it is not politically correct anymore. We rather the classrooms look right by gender, color, and nationality. So the kids needing extra help aren't getting enough help. The average kids are being ignored. And the advanced kids are being used as mini teacher aides in the classroom to help the kids that need help. Or they sit and do busy work. They hardly are taught anything extra. I see it every time I volunteer.

Agree with all of this.

Last year, our ES actually had 35 kids in one of the multiple Compacted Math classes. They brought in another teacher, but they didn’t have an additional classroom to actually split the kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Not the PP, but did you not see the previous comments that county administrators said their goal is to put ALL kids in compact math. This is NOT a school decision. It is not a teacher decision. It is a county decision that is being highly encouraged and implemented.

The main problem with this compact math scenario, is if you have 75 kids and 35 kids are able to take compact math. Do they have a class of one with 35 students? Do they bump more kids not ready and make it 2 classes and then the non compact math class is too big, which isn't right. Do they drop some kids to make it just one class and put kids into easier math classes. It is not a class friendly format and the county realizes once again it messed up. So not their decision to just start adding everyone slowly is a joke.

I too miss the tracked math. Have the bottom kids in very small groups with extra math help to bump them up starting in 1st grade. But it is not politically correct anymore. We rather the classrooms look right by gender, color, and nationality. So the kids needing extra help aren't getting enough help. The average kids are being ignored. And the advanced kids are being used as mini teacher aides in the classroom to help the kids that need help. Or they sit and do busy work. They hardly are taught anything extra. I see it every time I volunteer.

But it actually was a school decision. Some schools did it this way, some didn't.

MCPS actually had tracked math in elementary school, in the form of compacted math. DCUM yelled its head off.

Can you inform me of a school that is decreasing and not increasing their compact math kids? They are all increasing per county requests. Lowering the MAP scores to who gets in. Whether one school went from half to all, or one went from a handful to a quarter, they are all increasing due the county lowering requirements and slowing the curriculum.

And we know MCPS had tracked math and it absolutely was not compacted math. They were taught in grading levels. Nothing went faster.