Benchmark is awful - what can be done

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a kindergartener with a background in education. I don’t understand why MCPS is using such an awful curriculum like Benchmark?
It seems like they are just teaching kids to read by guessing words based on pictures. And repetitive stories that just change one word that the child can guess. I have finally just decided to teach my kid phonics myself since it’s not being taught and he cannot sound out words to save his life, he just keeps guessing, but I am really frustrated that the school is not teaching phonics. I have talked with other parents who are in a similar boat—if the kids did not enter kindergarten reading already, they are not learning from the instruction. Yet somehow all their math worksheets and reading assignments require a high degree of reading fluency - at least 2nd grade I would guess. What can be done here as an engaged parent? It is so sad to me to see how these kids who are already not reading are just getting left behind unless their parents are super engaged and able to basically homeschool.

OP what are you using for phonics instruction?

We’ve been doing Reading Eggs with kindergarten DS. I don’t really know where it falls in the spectrum of supplement/homeschool reading programs but he can sit and do the lessons himself on the computer and enjoys it. My previous attempts trying to work with him were always met with resistance. But I don’t have an education background myself.

[Anonymous]

Both of my kids (3rd and 1st grade) did plenty of phonics in MCPS starting in K. They are great readers and I have no complaints. (They did have the same K teacher but different 1st grade teachers).

[Anonymous]

Does it make sense to teach my kid to read at age 4.5 before she starts in K at MCPS using the book people cite above? I'm worried that my kid will not learn phonics otherwise. Or is that too early?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does it make sense to teach my kid to read at age 4.5 before she starts in K at MCPS using the book people cite above? I'm worried that my kid will not learn phonics otherwise. Or is that too early?

I wish I had. We sent ours to a play based daycare/preschool, which overall was great, but because there was so much play I think they would have been more amenable to working with me at home. Kindergarten has been a huge adjustment in the relative amount of “work” and now when they get home the last thing they want to do is anything that they perceive as More Work. They already have nightly math homework. They just want to play. This would be fine if they were learning enough during the school hours, but they’re not. I was foolish to trust the system and the advice that your-kid-will-be bored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does it make sense to teach my kid to read at age 4.5 before she starts in K at MCPS using the book people cite above? I'm worried that my kid will not learn phonics otherwise. Or is that too early?

I wish I had. We sent ours to a play based daycare/preschool, which overall was great, but because there was so much play I think they would have been more amenable to working with me at home. Kindergarten has been a huge adjustment in the relative amount of “work” and now when they get home the last thing they want to do is anything that they perceive as More Work. They already have nightly math homework. They just want to play. This would be fine if they were learning enough during the school hours, but they’re not. I was foolish to trust the system and the advice that your-kid-will-be bored.

PP you responded to--thank you! We are send our PK kid to a play-basd program, and while she loves it, it really does not emphasize academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is moving slowly towards Science of Reading.
Staff is being trained in LETRS now and elementary teachers are getting structured literacy training this summer.
Hopefully the tide will shift in a big way.

That doesn’t help the kids who need the instruction now. It’s not like current kindergarteners can go back and do K when MCPS finally figures out how to teach kids to read properly.

+1 It's great if it's true mcps is finally trying to use phonics instruction, but the lack of ability to read in some second graders right now thanks to their years of 'whole words' instruction is truly alarming. I take it Benchmark is whole words-based. Regardless, the online reading of subpar materials is awful.

My poor DD has to sit through very remedial reading instruction while the rest of the class is learning the very basics of how to read. Such a waste of time.

I’ve got one of those second graders. Granted no one helped by 1.5 years of Zoom school that started for current 2nd graders in K, but the curriculum is no help. My DC now struggling to catch up and has tutoring four times a week using OG to learn phonics and decipher words. My advice to parents is supplement if you notice your child not “getting it” with Benchmark and do so pronto. Our child’s teachers were somewhat dismissive of our concerns and said the curriculum works - it doesn’t for all kids.

Also recommend the book, PP noted above. We used it this year and it was helpful. Wish I’d used on when DC was in K and 1st.

+1 I'm the PP ... my DD was in a similar position - her kindergarten teacher was dismissive also about her not reading or writing. You're doing the right things and your child will definitely catch up. Just wish kindergarten and first grade teachers didn't tell parents they have nothing to worry about if their children aren't able to read, because that's not true for all students.

[Anonymous]

I attended a joint webinar hosted by Decoding Dyslexia MoCo chapter and the MCPS ELA Elem Director. MCPS has several more years left on their contract with Benchmark. So no matter how terrible it is, it can’t go away. It’s sad how far behind the science of reading we are. Even the ELA director said MCPS had been teaching kids to read incorrectly for “at least 15 years”. States like Mississippi and Texas are light years ahead of Maryland. And in Maryland, MCPS is using Frederick and PG counties as models for how to switch from balanced literacy to structured literacy.

There needs to be more accountable at the state level. The Ready to Read Act isn’t enough. So much of our tax dollars are funding these terrible curriculums.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attended a joint webinar hosted by Decoding Dyslexia MoCo chapter and the MCPS ELA Elem Director. MCPS has several more years left on their contract with Benchmark. So no matter how terrible it is, it can’t go away. It’s sad how far behind the science of reading we are. Even the ELA director said MCPS had been teaching kids to read incorrectly for “at least 15 years”. States like Mississippi and Texas are light years ahead of Maryland. And in Maryland, MCPS is using Frederick and PG counties as models for how to switch from balanced literacy to structured literacy.

There needs to be more accountable at the state level. The Ready to Read Act isn’t enough. So much of our tax dollars are funding these terrible curriculums.

Its sad how MCPS even seems to recognize how bad the problem is but keeps digging in with bad curriculums. It makes me really suspicious of the people making these decisions that fail our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does it make sense to teach my kid to read at age 4.5 before she starts in K at MCPS using the book people cite above? I'm worried that my kid will not learn phonics otherwise. Or is that too early?

I wish I had. We sent ours to a play based daycare/preschool, which overall was great, but because there was so much play I think they would have been more amenable to working with me at home. Kindergarten has been a huge adjustment in the relative amount of “work” and now when they get home the last thing they want to do is anything that they perceive as More Work. They already have nightly math homework. They just want to play. This would be fine if they were learning enough during the school hours, but they’re not. I was foolish to trust the system and the advice that your-kid-will-be bored.

PP you responded to--thank you! We are send our PK kid to a play-basd program, and while she loves it, it really does not emphasize academics.

My kid was a really early reader No secret magic she just got it. Kindergarten was so boring for her when they started with the words A and I after she used to conduct her own reading circles in daycare. I would not go out of my way to teach reading before K. If they are interested and want it fine but otherwise they will be bored in school till around 2nd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does it make sense to teach my kid to read at age 4.5 before she starts in K at MCPS using the book people cite above? I'm worried that my kid will not learn phonics otherwise. Or is that too early?

I wish I had. We sent ours to a play based daycare/preschool, which overall was great, but because there was so much play I think they would have been more amenable to working with me at home. Kindergarten has been a huge adjustment in the relative amount of “work” and now when they get home the last thing they want to do is anything that they perceive as More Work. They already have nightly math homework. They just want to play. This would be fine if they were learning enough during the school hours, but they’re not. I was foolish to trust the system and the advice that your-kid-will-be bored.

PP you responded to--thank you! We are send our PK kid to a play-basd program, and while she loves it, it really does not emphasize academics.

My kid was a really early reader No secret magic she just got it. Kindergarten was so boring for her when they started with the words A and I after she used to conduct her own reading circles in daycare. I would not go out of my way to teach reading before K. If they are interested and want it fine but otherwise they will be bored in school till around 2nd.

I think the problem is there are other kids who DON’T get it and still cannot read by the end of second grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attended a joint webinar hosted by Decoding Dyslexia MoCo chapter and the MCPS ELA Elem Director. MCPS has several more years left on their contract with Benchmark. So no matter how terrible it is, it can’t go away. It’s sad how far behind the science of reading we are. Even the ELA director said MCPS had been teaching kids to read incorrectly for “at least 15 years”. States like Mississippi and Texas are light years ahead of Maryland. And in Maryland, MCPS is using Frederick and PG counties as models for how to switch from balanced literacy to structured literacy.

There needs to be more accountable at the state level. The Ready to Read Act isn’t enough. So much of our tax dollars are funding these terrible curriculums.

Op here. This is just awful and the kind of crap that really bothers me. I have the resources, support and education level to work one on one with my child to ensure he will learn to read at home when the school curriculum is failing. But what about the thousands of other kids who do not have this privilege? They are being punished by a badly selected curriculum. The teachers using phonics are doing so because they are working outside of the Benchmark curriculum. But new and inexperienced teachers will not have the experience or background to feel comfortable doing this and we are literally failing kids. Children who don’t learn to read are being set up for educational failure and it makes my blood boil. If the district is concerned with equity and serving all children they need a better quality curriculum and they need it now. I find it unacceptable to keep using a curriculum not based on science and evidence because of a contract. What can we do to advocate on behalf of all our kids for better curriculum? Talk to the BOE? I really would like to do something about this.

[Anonymous]

My child learned phonics at daycare, so he can read. I see his kindergarten worksheet that brought home sometimes with some misspellings and no teacher corrects the grammar, word spelling, sentence structure or whatsoever. It is always good, wonderful etc.

Should I as parents the one doing any correction, point out that it is grammatically incorrect, misspelled or something? To teach learn the correct way of a word spelling, how should I approach this?

And, I want to nag that I don't see any improvement in any reading level since my kid go to kindergarten because teachers target to work on kids with learning behind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child learned phonics at daycare, so he can read. I see his kindergarten worksheet that brought home sometimes with some misspellings and no teacher corrects the grammar, word spelling, sentence structure or whatsoever. It is always good, wonderful etc.

Should I as parents the one doing any correction, point out that it is grammatically incorrect, misspelled or something? To teach learn the correct way of a word spelling, how should I approach this?

And, I want to nag that I don't see any improvement in any reading level since my kid go to kindergarten because teachers target to work on kids with learning behind.

There is a real lack of grammar instruction. Prepare for this to be the norm through the 8th grade. I moved my kids to private for HS, so I don't know what happens once kids hit HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended a joint webinar hosted by Decoding Dyslexia MoCo chapter and the MCPS ELA Elem Director. MCPS has several more years left on their contract with Benchmark. So no matter how terrible it is, it can’t go away. It’s sad how far behind the science of reading we are. Even the ELA director said MCPS had been teaching kids to read incorrectly for “at least 15 years”. States like Mississippi and Texas are light years ahead of Maryland. And in Maryland, MCPS is using Frederick and PG counties as models for how to switch from balanced literacy to structured literacy.

There needs to be more accountable at the state level. The Ready to Read Act isn’t enough. So much of our tax dollars are funding these terrible curriculums.

Op here. This is just awful and the kind of crap that really bothers me. I have the resources, support and education level to work one on one with my child to ensure he will learn to read at home when the school curriculum is failing. But what about the thousands of other kids who do not have this privilege? They are being punished by a badly selected curriculum. The teachers using phonics are doing so because they are working outside of the Benchmark curriculum. But new and inexperienced teachers will not have the experience or background to feel comfortable doing this and we are literally failing kids. Children who don’t learn to read are being set up for educational failure and it makes my blood boil. If the district is concerned with equity and serving all children they need a better quality curriculum and they need it now. I find it unacceptable to keep using a curriculum not based on science and evidence because of a contract. What can we do to advocate on behalf of all our kids for better curriculum? Talk to the BOE? I really would like to do something about this.

I think the report on Curriculum 2.0 said that the ELA curriculum completely failed students. That was put into place around 2011/2012? Then they chose benchmark? This county has a $3 billion budget. A lot of the Curriculum 2.0 cronies somehow ended up on staff at Discovery Ed. Who owns Benchmark?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attended a joint webinar hosted by Decoding Dyslexia MoCo chapter and the MCPS ELA Elem Director. MCPS has several more years left on their contract with Benchmark. So no matter how terrible it is, it can’t go away. It’s sad how far behind the science of reading we are. Even the ELA director said MCPS had been teaching kids to read incorrectly for “at least 15 years”. States like Mississippi and Texas are light years ahead of Maryland. And in Maryland, MCPS is using Frederick and PG counties as models for how to switch from balanced literacy to structured literacy.

There needs to be more accountable at the state level. The Ready to Read Act isn’t enough. So much of our tax dollars are funding these terrible curriculums.

Op here. This is just awful and the kind of crap that really bothers me. I have the resources, support and education level to work one on one with my child to ensure he will learn to read at home when the school curriculum is failing. But what about the thousands of other kids who do not have this privilege? They are being punished by a badly selected curriculum. The teachers using phonics are doing so because they are working outside of the Benchmark curriculum. But new and inexperienced teachers will not have the experience or background to feel comfortable doing this and we are literally failing kids. Children who don’t learn to read are being set up for educational failure and it makes my blood boil. If the district is concerned with equity and serving all children they need a better quality curriculum and they need it now. I find it unacceptable to keep using a curriculum not based on science and evidence because of a contract. What can we do to advocate on behalf of all our kids for better curriculum? Talk to the BOE? I really would like to do something about this.

Certainly bring it up to the BOR as well as your school AP/Principal. Note that the BOE is already in the process of working with Benchmark to bring in more phonics based instruction, LETRS training for teachers, and ensuring that every ES has a full-time reading specialist. I’d also advocate for greater para support in the lower ES grades where small grouo and 1:1 time is important in helping kids learn to read.