Language arts new curriculumn for K-6th

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am all for it. While there are a lot of negatives such of lack of choice and teacher autonomy there are many pluses. The main one is that it will equalize the quality of teaching across the county. Your student will get the same reading instruction if they are being taught by a 30 year veteran teacher in a rich area or are be being taught by a teacher trainee or long term sub in a title one, the book literally tells you what to say. Right now there is reading “curriculum” but it is strongly suggested and many schools don’t even use the phonics lessons and use something else and the writing plans are minimal . The new curriculum is all inclusive and had reading comprehension , writing, grammar, and small group instruction.

T

That sounds kind of awful for teachers. But I will admit that my older DC was taught to read with "Good readers look at the pictures" three-cueing, while my younger DC has gotten a decent amount of phonics. And neither of them have a strong grasp of grammar and sentence structure, or have any grasp at all of formal writing. Lucy Calkins has a lot to answer for.

Unless there is an older teacher sneaking those methods in three cueing is unheard of now. Most new teachers wouldn’t even be able to tell you what that is because colleges don’t teach it anymore.

It was only 3 years ago. I know that FCPS has really changed their reading curriculum, for the better. If they change their writing curriculum, I'll be happy. I 'm not sure an entirely scripted all-inclusive reading and writing program is needed - I guess we'll see how it is. What our teachers need more of is autonomy, not more scripts.

100% agree with you. My current 5th grader was taught with the Lucy Calkins method and it took two years of tutoring to get her up to the appropriate reading level (one of those years was online due to Covid), but her writing is still atrocious and she doesn't know any grammar and she can't spell.

+1 with 6th grader. What is the plan to catch these kids up with grammar and spelling? Hopefully, outside help has brought people to read ok. But, grammar and spelling needs brought up. There seems to be several years of students who missed a lot because of no appropriate curriculum, just following the guess the word by looking at the picture method and told to write one Lucy Calkin’s ‘fun’ essay after another with no real writing training.

My 6th grader has had spelling assessments all year as well as grammar.

Because your 6th grader has a good teacher.

The difference in language arts teachers between my kids given the different teachers they have had has been shocking. My 4th grader is constantly teasing my 6th grader with the new words and word stems she's learned from her teacher's intensive use of Caesar's English that my 6th grader doesn't know - and they were both in 4th grade AAP at the same school, they just had different teachers. I imagine spelling and grammar would be the same.

Your fourth grader kind of sounds like a jerk. I’m an AAP teacher and we were told to stop using Caesar’s English in 2019. So your fourth grader’s teacher may still be using it against guidance, but don’t hold that against your sixth grader’s teacher who was doing what they were told to do.

Meh, she's not a jerk.

And at our center they advertised using Caesar's English at the overview night in 2020, so this cannot have been district-wide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am all for it. While there are a lot of negatives such of lack of choice and teacher autonomy there are many pluses. The main one is that it will equalize the quality of teaching across the county. Your student will get the same reading instruction if they are being taught by a 30 year veteran teacher in a rich area or are be being taught by a teacher trainee or long term sub in a title one, the book literally tells you what to say. Right now there is reading “curriculum” but it is strongly suggested and many schools don’t even use the phonics lessons and use something else and the writing plans are minimal . The new curriculum is all inclusive and had reading comprehension , writing, grammar, and small group instruction.

T

That sounds kind of awful for teachers. But I will admit that my older DC was taught to read with "Good readers look at the pictures" three-cueing, while my younger DC has gotten a decent amount of phonics. And neither of them have a strong grasp of grammar and sentence structure, or have any grasp at all of formal writing. Lucy Calkins has a lot to answer for.

Unless there is an older teacher sneaking those methods in three cueing is unheard of now. Most new teachers wouldn’t even be able to tell you what that is because colleges don’t teach it anymore.

It was only 3 years ago. I know that FCPS has really changed their reading curriculum, for the better. If they change their writing curriculum, I'll be happy. I 'm not sure an entirely scripted all-inclusive reading and writing program is needed - I guess we'll see how it is. What our teachers need more of is autonomy, not more scripts.

100% agree with you. My current 5th grader was taught with the Lucy Calkins method and it took two years of tutoring to get her up to the appropriate reading level (one of those years was online due to Covid), but her writing is still atrocious and she doesn't know any grammar and she can't spell.

+1 with 6th grader. What is the plan to catch these kids up with grammar and spelling? Hopefully, outside help has brought people to read ok. But, grammar and spelling needs brought up. There seems to be several years of students who missed a lot because of no appropriate curriculum, just following the guess the word by looking at the picture method and told to write one Lucy Calkin’s ‘fun’ essay after another with no real writing training.

My 6th grader has had spelling assessments all year as well as grammar.

Because your 6th grader has a good teacher.

The difference in language arts teachers between my kids given the different teachers they have had has been shocking. My 4th grader is constantly teasing my 6th grader with the new words and word stems she's learned from her teacher's intensive use of Caesar's English that my 6th grader doesn't know - and they were both in 4th grade AAP at the same school, they just had different teachers. I imagine spelling and grammar would be the same.

Your fourth grader kind of sounds like a jerk. I’m an AAP teacher and we were told to stop using Caesar’s English in 2019. So your fourth grader’s teacher may still be using it against guidance, but don’t hold that against your sixth grader’s teacher who was doing what they were told to do.

Meh, she's not a jerk.

And at our center they advertised using Caesar's English at the overview night in 2020, so this cannot have been district-wide.

Oh what, as a parent who saw one presentation you must be totally correct. My bad….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am all for it. While there are a lot of negatives such of lack of choice and teacher autonomy there are many pluses. The main one is that it will equalize the quality of teaching across the county. Your student will get the same reading instruction if they are being taught by a 30 year veteran teacher in a rich area or are be being taught by a teacher trainee or long term sub in a title one, the book literally tells you what to say. Right now there is reading “curriculum” but it is strongly suggested and many schools don’t even use the phonics lessons and use something else and the writing plans are minimal . The new curriculum is all inclusive and had reading comprehension , writing, grammar, and small group instruction.

T

That sounds kind of awful for teachers. But I will admit that my older DC was taught to read with "Good readers look at the pictures" three-cueing, while my younger DC has gotten a decent amount of phonics. And neither of them have a strong grasp of grammar and sentence structure, or have any grasp at all of formal writing. Lucy Calkins has a lot to answer for.

Unless there is an older teacher sneaking those methods in three cueing is unheard of now. Most new teachers wouldn’t even be able to tell you what that is because colleges don’t teach it anymore.

It was only 3 years ago. I know that FCPS has really changed their reading curriculum, for the better. If they change their writing curriculum, I'll be happy. I 'm not sure an entirely scripted all-inclusive reading and writing program is needed - I guess we'll see how it is. What our teachers need more of is autonomy, not more scripts.

100% agree with you. My current 5th grader was taught with the Lucy Calkins method and it took two years of tutoring to get her up to the appropriate reading level (one of those years was online due to Covid), but her writing is still atrocious and she doesn't know any grammar and she can't spell.

+1 with 6th grader. What is the plan to catch these kids up with grammar and spelling? Hopefully, outside help has brought people to read ok. But, grammar and spelling needs brought up. There seems to be several years of students who missed a lot because of no appropriate curriculum, just following the guess the word by looking at the picture method and told to write one Lucy Calkin’s ‘fun’ essay after another with no real writing training.

My 6th grader has had spelling assessments all year as well as grammar.

Because your 6th grader has a good teacher.

The difference in language arts teachers between my kids given the different teachers they have had has been shocking. My 4th grader is constantly teasing my 6th grader with the new words and word stems she's learned from her teacher's intensive use of Caesar's English that my 6th grader doesn't know - and they were both in 4th grade AAP at the same school, they just had different teachers. I imagine spelling and grammar would be the same.

Your fourth grader kind of sounds like a jerk. I’m an AAP teacher and we were told to stop using Caesar’s English in 2019. So your fourth grader’s teacher may still be using it against guidance, but don’t hold that against your sixth grader’s teacher who was doing what they were told to do.

Meh, she's not a jerk.

And at our center they advertised using Caesar's English at the overview night in 2020, so this cannot have been district-wide.

Oh what, as a parent who saw one presentation you must be totally correct. My bad….

DP. My 5th grader is learning Caesar's English this year. I hadn't heard that it had been phased out. I guess our school is just going against guidance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am all for it. While there are a lot of negatives such of lack of choice and teacher autonomy there are many pluses. The main one is that it will equalize the quality of teaching across the county. Your student will get the same reading instruction if they are being taught by a 30 year veteran teacher in a rich area or are be being taught by a teacher trainee or long term sub in a title one, the book literally tells you what to say. Right now there is reading “curriculum” but it is strongly suggested and many schools don’t even use the phonics lessons and use something else and the writing plans are minimal . The new curriculum is all inclusive and had reading comprehension , writing, grammar, and small group instruction.

T

That sounds kind of awful for teachers. But I will admit that my older DC was taught to read with "Good readers look at the pictures" three-cueing, while my younger DC has gotten a decent amount of phonics. And neither of them have a strong grasp of grammar and sentence structure, or have any grasp at all of formal writing. Lucy Calkins has a lot to answer for.

Unless there is an older teacher sneaking those methods in three cueing is unheard of now. Most new teachers wouldn’t even be able to tell you what that is because colleges don’t teach it anymore.

It was only 3 years ago. I know that FCPS has really changed their reading curriculum, for the better. If they change their writing curriculum, I'll be happy. I 'm not sure an entirely scripted all-inclusive reading and writing program is needed - I guess we'll see how it is. What our teachers need more of is autonomy, not more scripts.

100% agree with you. My current 5th grader was taught with the Lucy Calkins method and it took two years of tutoring to get her up to the appropriate reading level (one of those years was online due to Covid), but her writing is still atrocious and she doesn't know any grammar and she can't spell.

+1 with 6th grader. What is the plan to catch these kids up with grammar and spelling? Hopefully, outside help has brought people to read ok. But, grammar and spelling needs brought up. There seems to be several years of students who missed a lot because of no appropriate curriculum, just following the guess the word by looking at the picture method and told to write one Lucy Calkin’s ‘fun’ essay after another with no real writing training.

My 6th grader has had spelling assessments all year as well as grammar.

Because your 6th grader has a good teacher.

The difference in language arts teachers between my kids given the different teachers they have had has been shocking. My 4th grader is constantly teasing my 6th grader with the new words and word stems she's learned from her teacher's intensive use of Caesar's English that my 6th grader doesn't know - and they were both in 4th grade AAP at the same school, they just had different teachers. I imagine spelling and grammar would be the same.

Your fourth grader kind of sounds like a jerk. I’m an AAP teacher and we were told to stop using Caesar’s English in 2019. So your fourth grader’s teacher may still be using it against guidance, but don’t hold that against your sixth grader’s teacher who was doing what they were told to do.

Meh, she's not a jerk.

And at our center they advertised using Caesar's English at the overview night in 2020, so this cannot have been district-wide.

Oh what, as a parent who saw one presentation you must be totally correct. My bad….

FCPS is not exactly known for fidelity of implementation across the district and every school doing the exact same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am all for it. While there are a lot of negatives such of lack of choice and teacher autonomy there are many pluses. The main one is that it will equalize the quality of teaching across the county. Your student will get the same reading instruction if they are being taught by a 30 year veteran teacher in a rich area or are be being taught by a teacher trainee or long term sub in a title one, the book literally tells you what to say. Right now there is reading “curriculum” but it is strongly suggested and many schools don’t even use the phonics lessons and use something else and the writing plans are minimal . The new curriculum is all inclusive and had reading comprehension , writing, grammar, and small group instruction.

T

That sounds kind of awful for teachers. But I will admit that my older DC was taught to read with "Good readers look at the pictures" three-cueing, while my younger DC has gotten a decent amount of phonics. And neither of them have a strong grasp of grammar and sentence structure, or have any grasp at all of formal writing. Lucy Calkins has a lot to answer for.

Unless there is an older teacher sneaking those methods in three cueing is unheard of now. Most new teachers wouldn’t even be able to tell you what that is because colleges don’t teach it anymore.

It was only 3 years ago. I know that FCPS has really changed their reading curriculum, for the better. If they change their writing curriculum, I'll be happy. I 'm not sure an entirely scripted all-inclusive reading and writing program is needed - I guess we'll see how it is. What our teachers need more of is autonomy, not more scripts.

100% agree with you. My current 5th grader was taught with the Lucy Calkins method and it took two years of tutoring to get her up to the appropriate reading level (one of those years was online due to Covid), but her writing is still atrocious and she doesn't know any grammar and she can't spell.

+1 with 6th grader. What is the plan to catch these kids up with grammar and spelling? Hopefully, outside help has brought people to read ok. But, grammar and spelling needs brought up. There seems to be several years of students who missed a lot because of no appropriate curriculum, just following the guess the word by looking at the picture method and told to write one Lucy Calkin’s ‘fun’ essay after another with no real writing training.

My 6th grader has had spelling assessments all year as well as grammar.

Because your 6th grader has a good teacher.

The difference in language arts teachers between my kids given the different teachers they have had has been shocking. My 4th grader is constantly teasing my 6th grader with the new words and word stems she's learned from her teacher's intensive use of Caesar's English that my 6th grader doesn't know - and they were both in 4th grade AAP at the same school, they just had different teachers. I imagine spelling and grammar would be the same.

Your fourth grader kind of sounds like a jerk. I’m an AAP teacher and we were told to stop using Caesar’s English in 2019. So your fourth grader’s teacher may still be using it against guidance, but don’t hold that against your sixth grader’s teacher who was doing what they were told to do.

Why? It’s an excellent program. And for the record, my child used it in 2021-2022.

PP here, It was good and I rather enjoyed it. FCPS never tells us why they replace things, maybe it was money or licensing, who knows. I do recall there being an issue with not having enough workbooks and teachers having to photocopy all the pages. Ultimately, it was replaced with other activities in the AAP pacing guide.

But that isn't the point. The point isn't the elementary grade. It's the lack of learning in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every school district in Virginia is now mandated to have a literacy basal

That might bring me back to teaching. I taught in FCPS (make everything) and a private school (here’s a stack of textbooks.) My lessons were much better in the private school because the textbooks took a thousand tiny things off my plate. I’d need to see textbooks in math as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every school district in Virginia is now mandated to have a literacy basal

That might bring me back to teaching. I taught in FCPS (make everything) and a private school (here’s a stack of textbooks.) My lessons were much better in the private school because the textbooks took a thousand tiny things off my plate. I’d need to see textbooks in math as well.

+1 agree. If they got math textbooks back I’d feel a lot better about returning.

[Anonymous]

Is the return to a basal going to have kids move away from the awful digital push in schools? Usually LA is heavy on the computers. This basal series may steer us away from computers, which would be amazing!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the return to a basal going to have kids move away from the awful digital push in schools? Usually LA is heavy on the computers. This basal series may steer us away from computers, which would be amazing!!!

I hope FCPS can abandon Lexia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the return to a basal going to have kids move away from the awful digital push in schools? Usually LA is heavy on the computers. This basal series may steer us away from computers, which would be amazing!!!

Sure doesn't look like it, given that Benchmark Advance touts having digital versions of everything on the website...sadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the return to a basal going to have kids move away from the awful digital push in schools? Usually LA is heavy on the computers. This basal series may steer us away from computers, which would be amazing!!!

Sure doesn't look like it, given that Benchmark Advance touts having digital versions of everything on the website...sadly.

Ugh. That’s probably why they chose it.

[Anonymous]

If it’s textbook-based, I sure hope it isn’t one if those many publishers who cater their content to conform to the restrictions of TX and FL laws. It’s a real problem because the size of those states make publishers more likely to follow their laws.

[Anonymous]

We were told that everyone will be getting physical books with the curriculum however teachers will be able to access supplementary tools online like videos and anchor charts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were told that everyone will be getting physical books with the curriculum however teachers will be able to access supplementary tools online like videos and anchor charts

Love physical textbooks!

[Anonymous]

Lexia isn’t going away. There is a 5 (?) year commitment to that.