Hi,
I've agreed to take over moderating this blog along with Julie as a backup. So I thought a quick introduction would be in order. First, I'd like to thank Greg for all the work he's done maintaining the site. I've found it invaluable over the last few years and I volunteered in order to maintain it as a resource for the community. I think its extremely important at times to have a censorship free forum to discuss news and make connections.
I've been involved with HCC program for the last two years. I have a 3rd grader at Lincoln and my main (elementary school related) passion is mathematics. As of this year, I started volunteering and running the after school Math Club for fourth and fifth graders. So if you have a rising third or fourth grader feel free to shoot me an email if you're interested. Julie is the mother of a student at Thurgood Marshall. So we'll have a representative of both programs.
Moving forward, I don't really plan to change any of the policies or type of posts that already are occurring. I've always posted under an authenticated identity myself and I would put out one plea that if you feel comfortable to do so as well or at least use a consistent pseudonym. At the same time, if there is anything you'd like done differently, feel free to comment below. I'm open to suggestions.
Thanks and I hope to make some new contacts in this process.
10 comments:
Would it be appropriate to open a general discussion on HCC/APP at Hamilton?
While my son (now in high school) had a pretty good experience with APP at HIMS, my daughter (now in 6th grade at the school) seems to be having quite a different experience. She has been pretty bored all year, there's little homework, and my general sense is that the program is not as strong as it was 3 years ago. In part it seems like more and more is taught to standard curricula that aren't very good (just two years further along).
I wonder what other parents at HIMS are experiencing, and what can be done about it. Otherwise it's going to be a long 3 years.
Welcome, Ben! Thank you for taking this on!
I have a Lincoln kid too, and am a frequent reader of this blog. It feels like every thread has the exact same theme, eventually (unless it's about appeals or testing): the lack of rigor and curricula in the HCC program at middle school -- usually HIMS but now JAMS as well.
I really wish there was a way to focus these threads and ideas about what is apparently a massive source of frustration. I wish I had a suggestion to help but my kids are several years away from MS. We've already considered that we may need to take what we've learned (about working hard, learning at school, self-motivation, positive learning) at Lincoln -- which in our experience has been largely great, compared to our neighborhood school and just go to our neighborhood MS, bailing on the middle school HCC program altogether. I feel bad for parents who say they are waiting until middle school to join HCC, thinking they are going to get something "more."
TC
Thanks, Ben, for doing this! Much appreciated!
Thank you both!!!
The quality of the middle school program has come up repeatedly including in recent open threads. My view is that blogs like this are great for information exchange but less so for creating advocacy. What I've been thinking might be helpful is to setup a permanent thread to track the curriculum. People could post objective posts there with a grade, school, subject and what was occurring. Once we've accumulated some more data especially across the programs we might have a more interesting conversation.
Welcome, Benjamin. I've enjoyed your comments over the years. I think it's great to have a moderator from both elementary schools.
Thanks for relieving Greg and taking up the moderation duties.
Thanks to Greg for all the years he put into this. Thanks to Julie and Benjamin for taking over.
The first IBx cohort is graduating from Ingraham on June 8. I would like to hear from the parents about how they feel about their and their child's experience. This cohort took a chance and I want to say that I appreciate the students and the amount of support I have received from the parents.
Ben-- Great idea (at 5:09). I would be happy to participate in that information share (have a current 6th grader at HIMS)
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