What's the best way to advocate for improved English curriculum in MS and HS?

[Anonymous]

What's the best way to advocate for improved English curriculum in MS and HS? Feels like coming from ES, that English is the weak link in MS.
MCCPTA, local PTA, both, neither? TIA!

[Anonymous]

MCCPTA either gifted and talented committee or curriculum committee.

[Anonymous]

I agree English is the weak point.

I think there’s one easy fix which is to assign more books and better book. Basically everything my kids read was written after 1950 and most of t was written after 2000. They don’t read Shakespeare, dickens, Britney, Steinbeck, Hawthorne, Wharton, Austen etc.

The second one, which is probably impossible to solve, is more feedback on their writing. They just aren’t staffed for that. They would need to give all the English teachers at least one or two more additional planning periods to give them time to really read and edit and provide substantive feedback on writing. Or give them TAs or something. (Although it’s not even clear to me that the new graduates are capable of that.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCCPTA either gifted and talented committee or curriculum committee.

Out of curiosity, is this where the global humanities course originated? Or was that teacher initiated?

[Anonymous]

MS English curriculum will be new next school year. Co is vetting different options now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree English is the weak point.

I think there’s one easy fix which is to assign more books and better book. Basically everything my kids read was written after 1950 and most of t was written after 2000. They don’t read Shakespeare, dickens, Britney, Steinbeck, Hawthorne, Wharton, Austen etc.

The second one, which is probably impossible to solve, is more feedback on their writing. They just aren’t staffed for that. They would need to give all the English teachers at least one or two more additional planning periods to give them time to really read and edit and provide substantive feedback on writing. Or give them TAs or something. (Although it’s not even clear to me that the new graduates are capable of that.)

Both of my kids have read Shakespeare and Steinbeck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCCPTA either gifted and talented committee or curriculum committee.

They are a waste of time and put up a show vs. doing anything. They've been advocating for years. They only care if it benefits their kids and what their wants are.

Go directly to the BOE and testify at each and every meeting. BOE doesn't care but at least you tried.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree English is the weak point.

I think there’s one easy fix which is to assign more books and better book. Basically everything my kids read was written after 1950 and most of t was written after 2000. They don’t read Shakespeare, dickens, Britney, Steinbeck, Hawthorne, Wharton, Austen etc.

The second one, which is probably impossible to solve, is more feedback on their writing. They just aren’t staffed for that. They would need to give all the English teachers at least one or two more additional planning periods to give them time to really read and edit and provide substantive feedback on writing. Or give them TAs or something. (Although it’s not even clear to me that the new graduates are capable of that.)

Both of my kids have read Shakespeare and Steinbeck.

Not in MCPS. Ours watched a video of Romeo and Juliet but never actually read it (ours techincally did as I bought the book to help them undestand it).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCCPTA either gifted and talented committee or curriculum committee.

They are a waste of time and put up a show vs. doing anything. They've been advocating for years. They only care if it benefits their kids and what their wants are.

Go directly to the BOE and testify at each and every meeting. BOE doesn't care but at least you tried.

Sigh.
Trying and getting no results. Another sigh.

[Anonymous]

Shift the budget to hire more English teachers so English classes are smaller.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree English is the weak point.

I think there’s one easy fix which is to assign more books and better book. Basically everything my kids read was written after 1950 and most of t was written after 2000. They don’t read Shakespeare, dickens, Britney, Steinbeck, Hawthorne, Wharton, Austen etc.

The second one, which is probably impossible to solve, is more feedback on their writing. They just aren’t staffed for that. They would need to give all the English teachers at least one or two more additional planning periods to give them time to really read and edit and provide substantive feedback on writing. Or give them TAs or something. (Although it’s not even clear to me that the new graduates are capable of that.)

Both of my kids have read Shakespeare and Steinbeck.

Steinbeck had great themes, but was not the best writer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree English is the weak point.

I think there’s one easy fix which is to assign more books and better book. Basically everything my kids read was written after 1950 and most of t was written after 2000. They don’t read Shakespeare, dickens, Britney, Steinbeck, Hawthorne, Wharton, Austen etc.

The second one, which is probably impossible to solve, is more feedback on their writing. They just aren’t staffed for that. They would need to give all the English teachers at least one or two more additional planning periods to give them time to really read and edit and provide substantive feedback on writing. Or give them TAs or something. (Although it’s not even clear to me that the new graduates are capable of that.)

Both of my kids have read Shakespeare and Steinbeck.

Not in MCPS. Ours watched a video of Romeo and Juliet but never actually read it (ours techincally did as I bought the book to help them undestand it).

Yes in MCPS, middle and high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCCPTA either gifted and talented committee or curriculum committee.

Out of curiosity, is this where the global humanities course originated? Or was that teacher initiated?

This is lost to the sands of time but global humanities started as a spin-off from the MS humanities magnet curriculum. When MCPS changed the formula for MS magnet admissions, they simultaneously rolled out HIGH (social studies) and AIM (math) with the promise that kids who didn't make it into the magnets would have the option for an equivalent education alongside academic peers in the home schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MS English curriculum will be new next school year. Co is vetting different options now.

Are you sure this is really happening? I saw that they had talked about doing it but the RFP doesn't appear to ever have been posted...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCCPTA either gifted and talented committee or curriculum committee.

They are a waste of time and put up a show vs. doing anything. They've been advocating for years. They only care if it benefits their kids and what their wants are.

Go directly to the BOE and testify at each and every meeting. BOE doesn't care but at least you tried.

They are the reason we now know the "tiers" of poverty that are used for local norming, and the reason ELC was rolled out across the district. They also specifically put out a call last year to get more volunteers willing to work on MS and HS ELA advocacy. Did you volunteer?