tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post2051163466656464865..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education News RoundupMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-58300785968227462782017-08-11T12:22:31.623-07:002017-08-11T12:22:31.623-07:00Reading news about what is going on in the educati...Reading news about what is going on in the educational field gives you the opportunity to make your mind what to do next. Preschool classroom is a place where your kid can get ready for the school year. Knowing the challenges that the students are going to deal with, the parents can better prepare and bond with their kids while teaching them at home. The only thing I wanted to know is whether there will be a program that will allow to <a href="http://essayonlinestore.org/" rel="nofollow">buy an essay online</a> for students of all ages. Paulina Cameronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14798621223206656852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-55967909694127324462017-07-18T12:24:45.230-07:002017-07-18T12:24:45.230-07:00@ Mr. Rice,
I'd be interested in hearing mor...@ Mr. Rice, <br /><br />I'd be interested in hearing more on your thoughts re: AP vs Running Start classes. One thing that struck me in your comments above was that AP Stats is better because you have more time and can work through the material more slowly, whereas the North Seattle CC intro stats class (Math 146) is too fast-moving to go into as much depth and/or "do more activities that make the topics real...to really help the students with understanding."<br /><br />That makes sense on some level, but I'm trying to reconcile that with the complaints I've heard that intro level college classes move too slowly for many students. I've heard that re: UW undergraduate classes, and assume it's even more the case with community college classes. If these "fast-moving" 12-week classes are too easy for many students, is it really true that a year-long AP class is going to be a better fit? Even if a college course doesn't go as in-depth, you get to take three times as many classes (since there are 3 quarters per year), so theoretically you'd cover a lot more material than what you'd cover in an AP Stats class. <br /><br />Is it partly that high school students are busier, so they can't spend as much time on the classes and need something a little less labor-intensive, so drawing it out over a longer period makes sense--and as a bonus, allows time for more practice and activities?<br /><br />How do the needs of highly gifted learners factor into your analysis? Highly gifted students tend to learn much more quickly and require much less repetition and practice than other students, and also tend to more easily see connections and how to apply information/methods to other situations. Since AP classes are designed to be accessible to anyone, do you feel they move at the right pace for all types of students, or are they more appropriate to some and not others? I know my HCC student has been incredibly frustrated by the pace and shallowness of HCC classes in the past, and "honors" courses often don't seem to provide much challenge. Are AP classes really the answer to the rigor and speed some students desire? Or would students who want more challenge be better off with Running Start classes, which will, as a bonus, allow them to bypass many of those boring, too easy undergrad classes when they ultimately do make it to college?<br /><br />Your further insights on this would be helpful as we consider our future options... Thank you!<br /><br />HS soonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54643331305302435382017-07-18T10:21:52.140-07:002017-07-18T10:21:52.140-07:00This discussion underscores why the erosion of pro... This discussion underscores why the erosion of professionalism in the SPS is so destructive. Teachers should be paid and trained like the professionals they are, and this involves freedom to specialize and a degree of autonomy. The best teachers should be paid more than administrators and their methods should serve as a model for other teachers. You might ask: how to you determine who the best teachers are? Student test scores? Well, lucky for us, you don't have to use any baroque methods like test scores - everyone already seems to know exactly who the great teachers are!! By the time you've spent a few years in the district it is obvious. <br /> The SPS model for teaching that I have seen from afar, as a parent, seems to involve increased homogenization (for example, the policy that all teachers should teach all learning styles, from struggling students to advanced). Conversely, the poor teachers (and we've had a few) tend to remain in the district because they do not make trouble for the central administration (IMO) - at least those we've seen just tread water and do what they are told. It could be that they are burnt out or it could be that they are in over their heads regarding the course material (we've observed this as well) as the district seeks to stretch limited numbers of teachers over greater breadth of material. Regardless, the district is not interested, as I can see, in rewarding the fantastic dedication, skill, experience and professionalism the we've observed in the best SPS teachers (a group that includes Mr Rice).<br /><br />-SPSParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-12727928233760438962017-07-18T08:59:32.529-07:002017-07-18T08:59:32.529-07:00Mr. Rice, while you may follow the IB and AP sylla...Mr. Rice, while you may follow the IB and AP syllabi, which puts students in a better position to do well on the IB and AP exams and assessments, this is unfortunately not true of all teachers, even at Ingraham. Students just receiving their scores can probably attest to that (scores most likely reflect the shell shock experienced during exams, or in other cases, confidence from being prepared, either through class or through hours of self study). It truly varies by teacher. Thank you to those teachers who do their job well and whose teaching both promotes learning and provides solid preparation for external exams. <br /><br />mixed experienceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34156153050150211992017-07-17T18:45:31.919-07:002017-07-17T18:45:31.919-07:00Fun how the high school article says that the want...Fun how the high school article says that the want to choose what to learn and at what pace... and then the college article points out that freshman find out they are not prepared for college coursework. This is exactly why high school or elementary cannot pander to student led education. Students just don't know what they need to know until it is to late. "You don't know what you don't know."- it's still true. That is why we have courses, curriculum, and instructors.<br /><br />WestAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-45521134081975021092017-07-17T17:08:21.025-07:002017-07-17T17:08:21.025-07:00Jet City mom, I was wondering about that gap year ...Jet City mom, I was wondering about that gap year timing. Thought wow she must have been the coolest mom on the block with her kids taking a year off after 8th grade.Po3noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22926483869311663192017-07-17T16:49:52.795-07:002017-07-17T16:49:52.795-07:00It's all dependent on the individual teacher a...It's all dependent on the individual teacher and class. I had a stellar AP US History teacher who wanted us to pass, but also wanted us to think critically, make connections, etc. Her pass rates were still great. I attended a small college with small, discussion-based classes and you know what? My freshman politics class was still boring and students were just learning to pass the course. The teacher knew it was a course of non-majors and didn't bring much passion to it. Very similar subjects and level, and the AP class was far superior. <br /><br />-PollyannaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-11000042057318724332017-07-17T16:02:11.868-07:002017-07-17T16:02:11.868-07:00gah- before college not before high school.gah- before college not before high school.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69189543604521620292017-07-17T15:32:24.152-07:002017-07-17T15:32:24.152-07:00HP wrote: Michael Rice, if you get the chance to t...HP wrote: Michael Rice, if you get the chance to teach your kids MiniTAB too that would cover all the bases for statistical software. More companies use MiniTAB than JMP in my experience. I've found MiniTAB to be easier to use than JMP. <br /><br />This is true. However, I was able to get an unlimited 5-year site license for $500 for JMP. Minitab was way more expensive.Michael Ricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18231362823419529183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-31055343720136979352017-07-17T15:07:39.544-07:002017-07-17T15:07:39.544-07:00Michael Rice, if you get the chance to teach your ...Michael Rice, if you get the chance to teach your kids MiniTAB too that would cover all the bases for statistical software. More companies use MiniTAB than JMP in my experience. I've found MiniTAB to be easier to use than JMP. <br /><br />HPAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53553500567987045602017-07-17T14:31:37.651-07:002017-07-17T14:31:37.651-07:00I think you are an anomaly Michael Rice. What you ...I think you are an anomaly Michael Rice. What you describe has not been our families experience in AP classes and as such we favor Running Start over AP classes.Po3noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-42620069706993756212017-07-17T14:24:15.758-07:002017-07-17T14:24:15.758-07:00Po3 wrote:Running Start classes are taught to lear...Po3 wrote:Running Start classes are taught to learn; AP classes are taught to test.<br />And the 4-6 weeks after the AP test can be a huge waste of time, unless you get a teacher who cares about learning, not just testing.<br /><br />Well, the AP and IB classes at Ingraham are taught to learn. We follow the course syllabus (just like in a college class) and that prepares the students for the exam in May. But beyond that, the students learn to think and write critically. those are life long skills that will serve any student well.<br /><br />I have been teaching both IB and AP for 6 years. The weeks after the exam are some of the best parts of the year. I have the AP Stats students do a project where they take everything they have learned over the year and apply it. In addition, I teach them a statistical software package (JMP) because this is a skill they will need if they take any quantitative class in college. In IB Math Studies, I give the students an intro to inferential statistics (something they will get in greater depth in AP Stats). They then do a project where they make a hypothesis, gather some data, run a test and draw a conclusion. <br /><br />I don't think this makes me unusual that I care about learning rather than testing. One thing I say to my students in AP Stats over and over again is that why I would love it if they all took the AP Exam and scored a 5, what I want more than anything else for the students is to leave the class a more sophisticated and savvy consumer of data and information.Michael Ricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18231362823419529183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-36823445866642982102017-07-17T13:25:20.261-07:002017-07-17T13:25:20.261-07:00Enjoy school, mine didnt take Running Start, but t...Enjoy school, mine didnt take Running Start, but they did both take a gap year before high school.<br />I encouraged them both to do so, feeling that they would make better use of their time once they got there.<br />CityYear programs are set up for this, especially for those students who did not start to apply themselves until the last couple yrs of high school.<br />It is fairly structured, which can be very helpful for some, as being successful in college csn be much harder than getting good grades in high school.<br />It also comes with money attached, a living stipend while you are participating and an education voucher at completion which can be used either for tuition or for education loans.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-66829880340514223982017-07-17T12:22:10.029-07:002017-07-17T12:22:10.029-07:00Running Start classes are taught to learn; AP clas...Running Start classes are taught to learn; AP classes are taught to test.<br />And the 4-6 weeks after the AP test can be a huge waste of time, unless you get a teacher who cares about learning, not just testing.<br /><br />It's no wonder students flock to Running Start. High schools don't care about the quality of the AP class, just the number of students signing up for them. And that is unfortunate because students miss out on the high school experience.Po3noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47589984529723058782017-07-17T12:10:00.569-07:002017-07-17T12:10:00.569-07:00I took off my senior year for running start and st...I took off my senior year for running start and still regret missing the social time with my friends who FINALLY made it and won the state volley ball tournament and had various opportunities to lead the class and school organizations. Looking back, I wish I didn't rush off to college. It took me until my fifth year to find a major I really liked, and that was short lived.<br /><br />Enjoy SchoolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-25520001363444406782017-07-17T12:09:38.024-07:002017-07-17T12:09:38.024-07:00Combined with Running Start and attending an insta...Combined with Running Start and attending an instate college, I do not think it is unreasonable for students to assume some debt in exchange for a college education.<br />I would like to see programs expanded that reduce the debt of graduates when they go into careers that contribute to the community.<br /><br /><br />I also think that people assign greater value towards something when they have some buy in.<br />Direct loans are meant to be paid back within 10 years.<br />People take out loans for practically that long to buy cars, surely a college education which is yours for a lifetime, has more value than a depreciating asset.<br />I realize some families think it's horrific that their children have loans, and so they give them the gift of paying them off at their graduation.<br />Then I hear them complaining because their kids still live at home and are underemployed.<br /><br />My kids are first gen college, and they haven't lived at home since jr yr. They are also both working in their field, more or less.<br />They also worked throughout high school and college, which perhaps enabled them to get a better job at graduation.<br />( Neither one did Running Start, it just wasnt a good fit unfortunately given our location and public transportation)<br />Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-42329772800239994622017-07-17T11:56:56.198-07:002017-07-17T11:56:56.198-07:00Ivan does make a good point about Running Start. ...Ivan does make a good point about Running Start. It is a good option for some, but not most high school students. Most of them are not ready for the pace of a college course at age 16 or 17. As an example, I have taught at North Seattle CC the past 6 years. On more than one occasion, I have taught Math 146, which is the Intro Statistics class. With the exception of one minor topic (combinations & permutations), AP Statistics is any exact match for Math 146. The big difference is that Math 146 is 12 weeks and AP Statistics is a whole school year. AP Stats is a much better class. We are able to go more in-depth, do more activities that make the topics real and able to really help the students with understanding. You don't get that in Math 146, time just does not allow it.<br /><br />If you are ready to be 100% responsible for your own learning, then Running Start can be an option. If you are heavily involved in your school, say student government, or clubs or on a team, Running Start might not be your best option.Michael Ricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18231362823419529183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-2410487499684124882017-07-17T10:54:30.699-07:002017-07-17T10:54:30.699-07:00Sounds like the New York Times article is suggesti...Sounds like the New York Times article is suggesting Universal Running Start. I'm for it. Running Start not only saved me two years of college tuition, it got my daughter a full-paid scholarship to UW. In our experience (and I don't mean to speak for others), Running Start was of more value than all the HCC, AP, and IB programs put together that any high school offers. They aren't "college equivalent" or "college credit" courses. They are college courses, period. I get that this isn't necessarily the best option for everybody.<br /><br />As to the comment above, with DeVos on the job, I wonder how much "aid" a government-backed loan, provided by a predatory lender, that saddles recipients with years of spiraling debt, really is.<br /><br />-- Ivan WeissAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-83932177603128524082017-07-17T10:33:23.299-07:002017-07-17T10:33:23.299-07:00All families actually qualify for financial aid, i...All families actually qualify for financial aid, if you consider that government backed loans provide much of the aid for many students.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.com