Class size + homework load -- Dickerson, Dodgen (home, middle schools)

[atlmomoftwo]

Hello! Wondering if any current Dickerson and Dodgen parents can tell me what class sizes look like this year, particularly on the advanced/honors track. Also, on that advanced track, what is the average time per evening your child spends doing homework?

Many thanks. We're arranging tours, but I want to poll parents as well.

[atlmomoftwo]

Hi, I'm trying to bump this message in case any E Cobb parents happen to be reading today. Anyone have any feedback for me on class size at the middle schools this year? Thanks!

[deacongirl]

Hmmmm...I am thinking maybe around 25-30? I would guess there is not that big of a difference at the two schools. Test scores etc. are virtually identical. My daughter is in 8th grade, all AC classes. She is happy and learning. (Although she LOVED her 7th grade AC teachers and is slightly less enthuiastic this year...except for Spanish, that teacher is a hit) She does not have an excessive amt. of homework--I would be suprised if it was more than an hour, and often it seems closer to 45 minutes. Or less. Of course if it happens that she has 2 tests on the same day or something it could increase. I have heard from parents who went from Mt. Bethel to Dodgen, (most Mt. Bethel kids go to Dickerson so they are friends with lots of Dickerson parents) that the atmosphere and administration at Dodgen is more approachable and less intense. For whatever that is worth. I honestly don't think there is too much difference between the schools, but we have been very happy with Dodgen. Good luck!

[atlantabound2012]

I've been happily surprised at the workload my 6th grader is bringing home from Dickerson. I had nightmares of 4 hour a night homework - athons. His teachers seem to be in the less is more mentality so far. He's in all AC classes and seems to like all of his teachers. The only class he has consistent nightly homework in is math. His classes were pretty large initially but they hired 2 more AC teachers and shuffled things around. He probably has 25-30? We have friends at both schools and I don't think you can go wrong either way.

[deacongirl]

Wanted to add--while I think the amt. of hw is reasonable, there may be exceptions. There was one 6th grade AC math teacher at Dodgen who gave 90 minutes of hw. (It even took our neighbor, who got the math award and is in science olympiad, 90 minutes. And his engineer father who tried it to see if his son was dawdling.) But the next year in 7th the well-loved math teacher gave ,<10 problems. He felt that was enough for practice and IMO he was right. So over all, it does not seem to be an insane amt. of hw. I am apprehensive about high school however--I think the volume will be overwhelming, and am attempting to dissuade my daughter from the highest math and science track since that isn't her passion anyway and I want her to have a life outside of hw.

[atlmomoftwo]

Thanks, you two. Much appreciated. I am so with you, DeaconGirl, on the workload issue, and thrilled to hear that in general (with usual exceptions) the workloads are not as huge as one might worry. High school definitely is another story, having witnessed the workload firsthand. It is a terrible tightrope these teens walk between taking challenging-enough courseloads for college admissions and maintaining a childhood/quality of life, and it is no wonder anxiety levels are at all-time highs. But that is a post for another day!