Markham Woods Middle School

"I am on this site and curiously & sadly, the other parent's review are my sentiments precisely. We disappointingly went through the 3 years of middle school. I did pose questions about the curriculum that was from 6th gr. advanced language arts an onslaught of work sheets. In all my 3 years I never got to speak to the Principals there. I did speak to the Vice P. and it still haunts me to this day. I asked why my child is being assigned a 1/4" thick rather obscure novel that would not interest most preteens and nothing else and is given a multiple choice vocabulary worksheet one time in the entire semester with words that are also somewhat irrelevant. I think, if I recall correctly, there was a word like toque, a kind of ethnic hat for example, that had no connection to anything they were doing or reading.... In replying to my inquiry about the importance I felt in reading a few novels to gain a well rounded vocabulary, to grasp the art of composition by some classic writer's genius , she said well "WE" found that reading novels does not get us the test results we are striving for. My child's experience in Science was almost as paltry-- the teacher was extremely lazy and bizarre and would not let my child bring home tests that they had done. She entered the wrong grade and we had to go through a lot of trouble to get that resolved. the worst part was she, unlike apparently the other science teachers did not do as many interactive experiments because it was too much effort on her part and they would do "experiments" on a worksheet!!! No better way to get your child excited about science then a worksheet, cuz organizing a lab would be to much of a hassle for her. He did have a great advanced math teacher for 6th gr. & 7th and then sadly the 7th gr. teacher left to teach at a different MS. His 8th gr. Algebra teacher was ineffective, somewhat disorganized and did not enjoy explaining algebraic problems to foster better understanding. So , my other child is in a charter school this year because it goes through 8th gr. and they claim they apparently do not teach to the test....I will agree with the parent above that worksheet driven education without creative interactive projects & more classical old fashioned arts,sciences & humanity curriculum is a problem in most public schools in central FL. /our country in general....(I have lived in Orange & Seminole so I have 1st hand experience) Maybe the dinner table has to be where a novel is read aloud , parents having to take matters into their own hands...."

"My son brings back multiple reports of kids being physically assaulted in the school and nothing being done about it. I am told the bathrooms are filthy with human waste on the walls and floors. Essentially these kids are not being supervised or given a safe environment. My son who loved school now consistently asks for a new place to go."

"I am on this site and curiously & sadly, the other parent's review are my sentiments precisely. We disappointingly went through the 3 years of middle school. I did pose questions about the curriculum that was from 6th gr. advanced language arts an onslaught of work sheets. In all my 3 years I never got to speak to the Principals there. I did speak to the Vice P. and it still haunts me to this day. I asked why my child is being assigned a 1/4" thick rather obscure novel that would not interest most preteens and nothing else and is given a multiple choice vocabulary worksheet one time in the entire semester with words that are also somewhat irrelevant. I think, if I recall correctly, there was a word like toque, a kind of ethnic hat for example, that had no connection to anything they were doing or reading.... In replying to my inquiry about the importance I felt in reading a few novels to gain a well rounded vocabulary, to grasp the art of composition by some classic writer's genius , she said well "WE" found that reading novels does not get us the test results we are striving for. My child's experience in Science was almost as paltry-- the teacher was extremely lazy and bizarre and would not let my child bring home tests that they had done. She entered the wrong grade and we had to go through a lot of trouble to get that resolved. the worst part was she, unlike apparently the other science teachers did not do as many interactive experiments because it was too much effort on her part and they would do "experiments" on a worksheet!!! No better way to get your child excited about science then a worksheet, cuz organizing a lab would be to much of a hassle for her. He did have a great advanced math teacher for 6th gr. & 7th and then sadly the 7th gr. teacher left to teach at a different MS. His 8th gr. Algebra teacher was ineffective, somewhat disorganized and did not enjoy explaining algebraic problems to foster better understanding. So , my other child is in a charter school this year because it goes through 8th gr. and they claim they apparently do not teach to the test....I will agree with the parent above that worksheet driven education without creative interactive projects & more classical old fashioned arts,sciences & humanity curriculum is a problem in most public schools in central FL. /our country in general....(I have lived in Orange & Seminole so I have 1st hand experience) Maybe the dinner table has to be where a novel is read aloud , parents having to take matters into their own hands...."

"My son brings back multiple reports of kids being physically assaulted in the school and nothing being done about it. I am told the bathrooms are filthy with human waste on the walls and floors. Essentially these kids are not being supervised or given a safe environment. My son who loved school now consistently asks for a new place to go."