Berkeley Heights Public School BTC Parent Survey Results-Preliminary

This is a preliminary reporting of results on BHCW’s parent survey of BTC. WE are still collecting responses. If you have not yet completed the survey and have a child in a BTC Class, you may do so here.

Update 11/23/2022 on data as of 8:51am

100 responses for 126 Children

78 Parents (78%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“My child has expressed feeling more confused in math classes.”

78 Parents (78%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has maintained or improved their math grade without having to complete extra assignments since being in a BTC classroom.”

73 Parents (73%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“My child has experienced a decline in their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

76 Parents (76%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has maintained their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

84 Parents (84%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has improved their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

65 Parents (65%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class we have had to pay for tutoring for my child.”

69 Parents (69%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class my child has expressed enjoying math less.”

80 Parents (80%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class my child has expressed enjoying math more.”

64 Parents (64%) Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Board of Education has been receptive to my concerns on BTC.”

64 Parents (64%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Superintendent has been receptive to my concerns on BTC.”

66 Parents (66%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Math Supervisor has been receptive to my concerns about BTC”

52 Parents (52%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child’s teacher has been receptive to my concerns on BTC”

82 Parents (82%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“I feel the District should stop implementation of BTC”

Parent Comments:

“My son just said math is fun. He’s suffered from math anxiety in the past so was happy to hear this (honestly haven’t been paying much attention to the controversy surrounding this). I was very impressed with his math teacher’s enthusiasm for teaching at back to school night.”

“I spoke to a few parents. seems no one is happy. It could be a good model on paper but as it’s is true for anything and everything, implementation and adaptation are key. Communication was missing from superintendent and math supoabout the rollout. I don’t want to think like this but I feel as though this is the way to get teachers off the hook and put all or most burdens on students and parents.”

“This method of students teaching students with NO direct instruction by teachers is unacceptable.”

“The district needs to switch back to traditional direct instruction immediately.”

“Stop this thinking classroom ASAP! This isn’t the year right after pandemic to be experimenting with students grades. How can there be NO direct instruction?”

“The program has been rolled out prematurely without proper teacher oversight – my son had a teacher last year that was well versed in the teaching of this math however this year his teacher is not and the class is paying for it – as juniors in an honors class they should not be hurt because the teacher is not teaching – they need the ability to resubmit the homework’s for those topics that were not properly instructed and they should have the ability to have their grades changed – and the district needs to provide better oversight of the teachers and this program”

“Luckily an adult in our household is capable of tutoring our kids. The idea that teachers aren’t teaching, helping or correcting in MATH is absurd. Schools are for instruction with the goal of learning. Seriously, what is the purpose of letting kids teach each other- It’s social hour and kids are failing, do better…”

“Schools should go back to traditional way of teaching math until they can provide a thorough training for the teachers. This is not the time to experiment but try to make up lost teaching time during the pandemic.
Stop this thinking classroom and switch back to traditional instruction!”

“Stop this thinking classroom, our children not Guinea pigs!”

“Playing with how Math is taught in public schools is not a joke. For high school students it’s a graduation requirement.”

“After the pandemic learning loss this is NOT the year to be experimenting with a new Math program. No communication before the rollout and being reactive is not the best way to approach children’s education this year. Please stop BTC.”

“Where are the MATH. Textbooks Mr.Ziobro said are available for students?”

“Why are there no math textbooks?”

“The district needs to pause the implementation of the Thinking Classroom model and evaluate if it is successful.”

Update on 11/21/2022 on data as of 1:20pm

87 responses for 108 Children

70 Parents (80%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“My child has expressed feeling more confused in math classes.”

68 Parents (78%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has maintained or improved their math grade without having to complete extra assignments since being in a BTC classroom.”

65 Parents (74%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“My child has experienced a decline in their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

67 Parents (77%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has maintained their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

74 Parents (85%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has improved their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

57 Parents (65%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class we have had to pay for tutoring for my child.”

61 Parents (70%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class my child has expressed enjoying math less.”

71 Parents (81%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class my child has expressed enjoying math more.”

54 Parents (62%) Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Board of Education has been receptive to my concerns on BTC.”

54 Parents (62%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Superintendent has been receptive to my concerns on BTC.”

56 Parents (64%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Math Supervisor has been receptive to my concerns about BTC”

44 Parents (50%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child’s teacher has been receptive to my concerns on BTC”

72 Parents (82%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“I feel the District should stop implementation of BTC”

Parent Comments:

“My son just said math is fun. He’s suffered from math anxiety in the past so was happy to hear this (honestly haven’t been paying much attention to the controversy surrounding this). I was very impressed with his math teacher’s enthusiasm for teaching at back to school night.”

“I spoke to a few parents. seems no one is happy. It could be a good model on paper but as it’s is true for anything and everything, implementation and adaptation are key. Communication was missing from superintendent and math supoabout the rollout. I don’t want to think like this but I feel as though this is the way to get teachers off the hook and put all or most burdens on students and parents.”

“This method of students teaching students with NO direct instruction by teachers is unacceptable.”

“The district needs to switch back to traditional direct instruction immediately.”

“Stop this thinking classroom ASAP! This isn’t the year right after pandemic to be experimenting with students grades. How can there be NO direct instruction?”

“The program has been rolled out prematurely without proper teacher oversight – my son had a teacher last year that was well versed in the teaching of this math however this year his teacher is not and the class is paying for it – as juniors in an honors class they should not be hurt because the teacher is not teaching – they need the ability to resubmit the homework’s for those topics that were not properly instructed and they should have the ability to have their grades changed – and the district needs to provide better oversight of the teachers and this program”

“Luckily an adult in our household is capable of tutoring our kids. The idea that teachers aren’t teaching, helping or correcting in MATH is absurd. Schools are for instruction with the goal of learning. Seriously, what is the purpose of letting kids teach each other- It’s social hour and kids are failing, do better…”

“Schools should go back to traditional way of teaching math until they can provide a thorough training for the teachers. This is not the time to experiment but try to make up lost teaching time during the pandemic.”

“Stop this thinking classroom and switch back to traditional instruction!”

“Stop this thinking classroom, our children not Guinea pigs!”

“Playing with how Math is taught in public schools is not a joke. For high school students it’s a graduation requirement.”

“After the pandemic learning loss this is NOT the year to be experimenting with a new Math program. No communication before the rollout and being reactive is not the best way to approach children’s education this year. Please stop BTC.”

“Where are the MATH. Textbooks Mr.Ziobro said are available for students?”

Update 11/20/2022 on data as of 09:23pm

75 responses for 90 Children

59 Parents (78%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“My child has expressed feeling more confused in math classes.”

57 Parents (76%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has maintained or improved their math grade without having to complete extra assignments since being in a BTC classroom.”

54 Parents (72%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“My child has experienced a decline in their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

56 Parents (74%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has maintained their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

63 Parents (84%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has improved their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

48 Parents (64%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class we have had to pay for tutoring for my child.”

51 Parents (68%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class my child has expressed enjoying math less.”

60 Parents (80%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class my child has expressed enjoying math more.”

44 Parents (58%) Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Board of Education has been receptive to my concerns on BTC.”

44 Parents (58%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Superintendent has been receptive to my concerns on BTC.”

46 Parents (61%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Math Supervisor has been receptive to my concerns about BTC”

35 Parents (46%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child’s teacher has been receptive to my concerns on BTC”

61 Parents (81%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“I feel the District should stop implementation of BTC”

Update 11/20/2022 on data as of 03:24pm

63 responses for 72 Children

47 Parents(75%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“My child has expressed feeling more confused in math classes.”

47 Parents (75%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has maintained or improved their math grade without having to complete extra assignments since being in a BTC classroom.”

44 Parents (70%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“My child has experienced a decline in their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

46 Parents (73%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has maintained their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

52 Parents (82%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has improved their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

38 Parents (60%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class we have had to pay for tutoring for my child.”

41 Parents (65%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class my child has expressed enjoying math less.”

49 Parents (77%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class my child has expressed enjoying math more.”

35 Parents (55%) Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Board of Education has been receptive to my concerns on BTC.”

36 Parents (57%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Superintendent has been receptive to my concerns on BTC.”

38 Parents (60%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Math Supervisor has been receptive to my concerns about BTC”

27 Parents (42%) Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child’s teacher has been receptive to my concerns on BTC”

51 Parents (81%) Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“I feel the District should stop implementation of BTC”

Update On responses as of 12:56pm

52 responses for 58 Children

38 Parents Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“My child has expressed feeling more confused in math classes.”

40 Parents Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has maintained or improved their math grade without having to complete extra assignments since being in a BTC classroom.”

37 Parents Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“My child has experienced a decline in their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

39 Parents Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has maintained their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

44 Parents Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child has improved their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

34 Parents Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class we have had to pay for tutoring for my child.”

33 Parents Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class my child has expressed enjoying math less.”

41 Parents Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“Since being in a BTC Math Class my child has expressed enjoying math more.”

29 Parents Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Board of Education has been receptive to my concerns on BTC.”

29 Parents Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Superintendent has been receptive to my concerns on BTC.”

31 Parents Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“The Math Supervisor has been receptive to my concerns about BTC”

22 Parents Disagreed or Completely Disagreed with the Statement:
“My child’s teacher has been receptive to my concerns on BTC”

42 Parents Agreed or Completely Agreed with the Statement:
“I feel the District should stop implementation of BTC”

Update on 11/20/2022 (44 Responses):

Update 11/20/2022:

The District is now claiming that only 25 students are struggling. This is NOT True. Based on a new run of the data (38 responses representing 42 Students) the following is true:

Here is updated information with more responses representing 38 Parents and 42 students.

On JUST THIS SMALL SAMPLE ALONE:

25 Parents reported their child has expressed more confusion. ONLY 7 parents disagreed with the statement. The remainder is neutral.

27 disagreed with the statement “My child has maintained or improved their math grade without having to complete extra assignments since being in a BTC classroom.”

21 Agreed with the statement, “My child has experienced a decline in their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.” (and consider the reports of grade inflation with this measure).

26 Parents Disagreed with the Statement “My child has maintained their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

31 Parents Disagreed with the Statement “My child has improved their Math Grade since being in a BTC Classroom.”

19 Parents have had to pay for tutoring.

24 Parents report their child is enjoying math less.

28 Parents disagree with the statement “Since being in a BTC Math Class my child has expressed enjoying math more.”

30 Parents feel the District should STOP it’s implementation of BTC.

This is ONLY on a sample of 38 responses. Compare this with the claims now being made by the District that “only 25 students are struggling”.

Original Article:

34 Students were represented by 30 Parents and there was an even split between Middle School and High School. (Updated to 63 responses-see updates at end of this article)

22 of 30 Parents either “Agreed” or “Completely Agreed” with the Statement that their child has expressed more confusion about Math since being in a BTC Class.

3 of the 30 parents reported maintained or improved grades without the need for additional work for children in a BTC Class.

21 of the 30 Parents reported their children’s grades have declined since being in a BTC classroom.

1 of 30 Parents reported their children experienced improved grades since being in a BTC Classroom (qualifier on additional work removed).

18 of 30 Parents report having paid for tutoring services since their child started a BTC Classroom.

21 of 30 Parents report their child has expressed enjoying Math less since being in a BTC Class.

2 of 30 Parents report their child has expressed enjoying Math more since being in a BTC Class.

17 of 30 Parents Disagree/Completely Disagree with the statement that the BOE has been receptive to their concerns.

17 of 30 Parents Disagree/Completely Disagree with the statement that the Superintendent has been receptive to their concerns.

18 of 30 Parents Disagree/Completely Disagree with the statement that the Math Supervisor has been receptive to their concerns.

10 of 30 Parents Disagree/Completely Disagree with the statement that their child’s teacher has been receptive to their concerns.

25 of 30 Parents believe the District should stop its’ implementation of BTC.

If you have not yet completed the survey and have a child in a BTC Class you may do so here.

Related Articles:

TISHA’S COMMENTS TO THE BOE ON BTC

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE CURRENT THINKING CLASSROOM MODEL

THINKING CLASSROOMS AND PARENT CONCERNS

THINKING CLASSROOM OR SINKING CLASSROOM

MY THOUGHTS ON THE THINKING CLASSROOM INFORMATION SESSION

ONE MORE REALLY LONG ARTICLE ABOUT PROFICIENCIES AND METRICS