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I'v considered it, but dont' think it's right for our family for many reasons.
Actually, this is my first quarter ever in any public school system. Both my husband and I attended catholic schools from k-12. Our kids have only been to private schools (Montessori, catholic parochial schools and currently my son attends an all-boys catholic prep school located in MD....I'm willing to sacrifice alot for a quality education).
It's not that I dislike FCPS....it's more accurate to say that, so far, the curriculum, instruction and teachers' standard in the GT program has failed to impress us whatsoever.
My middle child was found eligible for FCPS GT program, which we expected to be challenging, and thus a wondeful opportunity (plus, it's free) So far, it has been a huge disappointment. The standard seems very low. It is extremely SOL driven, very basic and lacks any acceleration, depth and/or enrichment. Basically, everything we were told about the program by school staff (administration, principal and teachers) has not been what we have experienced. I am not the only parent to recognize this, btw.
What is thoroughly frustrating is that the academic challenge (or lack of) was the primary reason why we moved her from the catholic school to FCPS GT program. If the acadmics were not any better, we never would have moved her. I feel like I've been "duped" by false advertizing promising, yet not delivering.
If there are so many "good" schools here, I don't know how to explain the fact that our GT class was given only ONE vocab/spelling test the entire quarter. Or, having only three loose leaf papers in the folder for daily "writers workshop". I think those would be considered sub-standard, even in a general ed class in any school in Ffx co, let alone for the supposedly "gifted" program.
But, unfortunatly, in school politics, as well as in this forum, when someone questions standards, it is met with an extremely defensive posture. God forbid, the teachers/administration/principals, etc actually be held accountable for challenging students to perform to their best ability.
Why not check out some of FCPS's magnet programs? Usually the magnets attract the best of the best.
I went to Potomac in McLean. I am sure things are different now, I was there 1979-1989, lots of white kids, not much else. But with the DC area the way it is now, I am sure every school is diversified.
I knew a lot of Catholic families that sent their kids to OLGC too and loved it, another Catholic option if FCPS does not work out for you.
Good luck, I think with your involvement in your kids education, they will be fine no matter where they are. I worked with a LOT of kids in FCPS high schools that were born and bred FCPS and they were very smart, well-educated kids. So, if you do decide to stay, I think you will be please overall. Hopefully you will get through this rough spot.
The SOLs suck, there is no denying that!!
You know, I never considered quitting my job as a teacher until lately. All of this discussion (not just this thread) about what a waste we are doing is making me pretty depressed.
Anyone know what else a guy can do with and M.Ed.?
You know, I never considered quitting my job as a teacher until lately. All of this discussion (not just this thread) about what a waste we are doing is making me pretty depressed.
Anyone know what else a guy can do with and M.Ed.?
It is rather depressing to come to the sad realization, that despite some wonderful teachers out there (I'm sure you're one of them 9/9), the US education system is overall, lacking and insufficient.
I never dreamed in a million years that the biggest challenge in parenting would be to find a productive and satisfactory school (aside from a few outstanding schools with a 20k-30k price tag...)
Don't lose hope 9/9....we obvious NEED you....it appears that you're a dying breed.
This brings me to a pet peeve. I have found that someone with a teaching degree, at least in my state, will be cleared to teach a subject of which they have never even taken a class, whereas a person with a degree in the subject will not be able to teach it for lack of a degree in education.
Sorry beth ann as this is off topic. I'm only half-way through reading this thread but "need" to respond to this side issue. I have a graduate degree in physics, have served on White House and National Academy of Science committees, have written books, have received cabinet-level awards, have an international reputation in science, and had taught for years at the college level. And when I resigned my $150,000 a year job ( not counting bonuses ) to become a high school science teacher, at $30,000 a year, they wouldn't give me credit for having a graduate degree because "only a degree in education counts." The school system treated me like a one-legged pumpkin. And forced me to take graduate courses at my own expense and on my own time, some in subjects I was qualified to teach at the college level.
I got along very well with the other teachers because I knew they had experience that I didn't have, and they were continually asking me to help with the science ( I helped them understand the science and they helped me understand "teaching" at the h.s. level ). I admired their professionalism, and I learned from them. Indeed, I was even more inspired by these $30,000 a year teachers than with the world-class scientists I was accustomed to working with for years.
In my experience, most of the teachers I encountered were talented, conscientious, highly qualified in education, not necessarily in their subjects, and very dedicated. My biggest problem was with the principal and the school system ( lack of support for teachers ) ( and lack of meaningful consequences for student's continual disrespectful and disruptive behavior ). That said, and from reading half of this thread, I am beginning to appreciate even more the difficulties that teachers face, AND the frustrations of parents who really care about their children's education.
Now finished reading all the posts of this thread. Not much I can add, except how much I appreciate all of you who teach and care as much as you do. And how much I appreciate parents who care enough to get as involved as beth ann is in this process. And how much I appreciate what everyone has contributed to this thread. It has been very helpful to me.
God forbid your third grader finds her classes to be unchallenging.
Wait it out a couple years until they are actually learning anything. That should hit at right about fifth, and continue to go up from there. K-4 is a joke, always has been a joke. You learn the foundations, the basics. Everything I learned or needed to know about science I didn't start learning until the sixth grade. And really I didn't start learning until 9th grade biology.
You know, you couldn't have learned anything in 5th grade if you didn't learn how to read in 1st! This is one of the craziest comments I have seen in a long time!
And when I resigned my $150,000 a year job ( not counting bonuses ) to become a high school science teacher, at $30,000 a year, they wouldn't give me credit for having a graduate degree because "only a degree in education counts." The school system treated me like a one-legged pumpkin. And forced me to take graduate courses at my own expense and on my own time, some in subjects I was qualified to teach at the college level.
I hear you. I have an M.A. in English from a highly selective university (which I'm mentioning not to brag, but to point out that you'd think that they'd cut me some slack here...) and my local school district made me take "History of English" despite the fact that I'd taken classes in Old English (i.e., learned to read Beowulf in the original without seeing naked Angelina Jolie), Chaucer (in Middle English, no translation), Shakespeare, Jacobean drama, and so on -- basically Beowulf to Virginia Woolf.
The first day of class, the professor of the History of English class, which was largely for education majors, asked us if we knew what a "noun" was.
Let's see....190 work days...schools closed in the summertime....extended holiday vacations (Thanksgvg, Christmas, etc).
Yeah teaching is definitely a gravy train. Why don't you climb aboard? Kind of reminds me of a movie quote about the Army.
"I thought to myself, Join the army. It's free. So I figured while I'm here I'll lose a few pounds." John Candy.
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) So far, it has been a huge disappointment. The standard seems very low. It is extremely SOL driven, very basic and lacks any acceleration, depth and/or enrichment. Basically, everything we were told about the program by school staff (administration, principal and teachers) has not been what we have experienced. I am not the only parent to recognize this, btw.
(aside from a few outstanding schools with a 20k-30k price tag...)
Mine Too
And forced me to take graduate courses at my own expense and on my own time, some in subjects I was qualified to teach at the college level.
