WIN time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this the same as FIT time?

Yes

[Anonymous]

I clicked on this not knowing what WIN is -- my kids are now all in HS. It sounds like amazingly MCPS has managed to make the advanced reading even worse than it used to be?
It would be better to just give the kids the time to read, and give them a curated list of appropriate advanced books from the library. Worksheets are the worst. My advanced reader would have refused to do that. They should just tell the kids -- when you finish a book, write me a paragraph about what the book was about, and whether you liked it and why/why not. Then get another book off the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I clicked on this not knowing what WIN is -- my kids are now all in HS. It sounds like amazingly MCPS has managed to make the advanced reading even worse than it used to be?
It would be better to just give the kids the time to read, and give them a curated list of appropriate advanced books from the library. Worksheets are the worst. My advanced reader would have refused to do that. They should just tell the kids -- when you finish a book, write me a paragraph about what the book was about, and whether you liked it and why/why not. Then get another book off the list.

Yes. OP of the thread here and I would honestly prefer more recess or an option to move around or something rather than performative “enrichment”. It’s the computer time I object to most. They already get to play computer games if they finish math early, which my child always does. So adding on 30 minutes in a separate block is a really significant part of the school day. I find it insulting to call this what my kid “needs”. No kid needs to play on a computer for 30 minutes in lower elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I clicked on this not knowing what WIN is -- my kids are now all in HS. It sounds like amazingly MCPS has managed to make the advanced reading even worse than it used to be?
It would be better to just give the kids the time to read, and give them a curated list of appropriate advanced books from the library. Worksheets are the worst. My advanced reader would have refused to do that. They should just tell the kids -- when you finish a book, write me a paragraph about what the book was about, and whether you liked it and why/why not. Then get another book off the list.

I know right? We gave up a slot at CES because they said the advanced reading at the homeschool will be just as good or better with this new WIN. No!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I clicked on this not knowing what WIN is -- my kids are now all in HS. It sounds like amazingly MCPS has managed to make the advanced reading even worse than it used to be?
It would be better to just give the kids the time to read, and give them a curated list of appropriate advanced books from the library. Worksheets are the worst. My advanced reader would have refused to do that. They should just tell the kids -- when you finish a book, write me a paragraph about what the book was about, and whether you liked it and why/why not. Then get another book off the list.

Yes. OP of the thread here and I would honestly prefer more recess or an option to move around or something rather than performative “enrichment”. It’s the computer time I object to most. They already get to play computer games if they finish math early, which my child always does. So adding on 30 minutes in a separate block is a really significant part of the school day. I find it insulting to call this what my kid “needs”. No kid needs to play on a computer for 30 minutes in lower elementary school.

Guess what, my elder kid played computer for every math class entirely for the whole 3rd grade year. He was saved by entering a CES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I clicked on this not knowing what WIN is -- my kids are now all in HS. It sounds like amazingly MCPS has managed to make the advanced reading even worse than it used to be?
It would be better to just give the kids the time to read, and give them a curated list of appropriate advanced books from the library. Worksheets are the worst. My advanced reader would have refused to do that. They should just tell the kids -- when you finish a book, write me a paragraph about what the book was about, and whether you liked it and why/why not. Then get another book off the list.

At our school, WIN is the only time that kids who are above-grade level get enrichment, particularly in ELA. I would be very upset if they got rid of it.

[Anonymous]

My school's WIN groups are created based on DIBELS and MAP data. Students are placed in one of five or six groups across the grade-level based on student need. Each teacher then selects one of the groups to teach and the kids all go their class for that WIN time. We have an enrichment group in every grade level. From second grade and up, that enrichment group is primarily focused on novel studies, literature circles, and writing skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My school's WIN groups are created based on DIBELS and MAP data. Students are placed in one of five or six groups across the grade-level based on student need. Each teacher then selects one of the groups to teach and the kids all go their class for that WIN time. We have an enrichment group in every grade level. From second grade and up, that enrichment group is primarily focused on novel studies, literature circles, and writing skills.

Reading your post and several others in this thread, I can see the experience is really school-dependent. I'm happy some schools take the lead to make it more structured. It's not at my DC's school yet unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My school's WIN groups are created based on DIBELS and MAP data. Students are placed in one of five or six groups across the grade-level based on student need. Each teacher then selects one of the groups to teach and the kids all go their class for that WIN time. We have an enrichment group in every grade level. From second grade and up, that enrichment group is primarily focused on novel studies, literature circles, and writing skills.

Reading your post and several others in this thread, I can see the experience is really school-dependent. I'm happy some schools take the lead to make it more structured. It's not at my DC's school yet unfortunately.

Our reading specialist and staff development teacher work very hard to help us analyze our data and create these groups. While I wish I could keep all of my kids during WIN time, I know that they receive more targeted support by going to the class working on their specific needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does your school offer any transparency into how kids are put into groups or what they are getting to address their “needs”? My kid was told they were in a “fast reader” group last year but this year seems to play computer games and do online modules while their teacher focuses on the kids who need extra help. We received no information about how they were grouped and are confused if they are somehow now in a remedial group (which would surprise w) or there are multiple groups in their classroom during WIN time or basically what is going on. I really don’t love that they are getting plopped in front of a screen for so long.

This is because MCPS really doesn't do reading instruction after K or 1st grade. They just keep putting the kids in groups to read with each other or let them read alone. The teacher isn't an expert in reading, so she doesn't even know what their "need" is. She just knows if they can read at grade level or not. If they can't read at grade level, the teacher just assumes the student isn't very bright, but there's no "reading instruction" or "remedial instruction" that matches the student's actual reading difficulty. That's why only 57% of MCPS 3rd graders meet or exceed ELA standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your school offer any transparency into how kids are put into groups or what they are getting to address their “needs”? My kid was told they were in a “fast reader” group last year but this year seems to play computer games and do online modules while their teacher focuses on the kids who need extra help. We received no information about how they were grouped and are confused if they are somehow now in a remedial group (which would surprise w) or there are multiple groups in their classroom during WIN time or basically what is going on. I really don’t love that they are getting plopped in front of a screen for so long.

This is because MCPS really doesn't do reading instruction after K or 1st grade. They just keep putting the kids in groups to read with each other or let them read alone. The teacher isn't an expert in reading, so she doesn't even know what their "need" is. She just knows if they can read at grade level or not. If they can't read at grade level, the teacher just assumes the student isn't very bright, but there's no "reading instruction" or "remedial instruction" that matches the student's actual reading difficulty. That's why only 57% of MCPS 3rd graders meet or exceed ELA standards.

Huh? This doesn't sound like the way MCPS has been doing ELA the last couple of years. Most instruction is whole-class (more than I'd like, honestly) and they are constantly doing DIBELS tests that tell you and the teacher whether the kid is behind, at, or ahead of grade level on various specific reading-related skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your school offer any transparency into how kids are put into groups or what they are getting to address their “needs”? My kid was told they were in a “fast reader” group last year but this year seems to play computer games and do online modules while their teacher focuses on the kids who need extra help. We received no information about how they were grouped and are confused if they are somehow now in a remedial group (which would surprise w) or there are multiple groups in their classroom during WIN time or basically what is going on. I really don’t love that they are getting plopped in front of a screen for so long.

This is because MCPS really doesn't do reading instruction after K or 1st grade. They just keep putting the kids in groups to read with each other or let them read alone. The teacher isn't an expert in reading, so she doesn't even know what their "need" is. She just knows if they can read at grade level or not. If they can't read at grade level, the teacher just assumes the student isn't very bright, but there's no "reading instruction" or "remedial instruction" that matches the student's actual reading difficulty. That's why only 57% of MCPS 3rd graders meet or exceed ELA standards.

Huh? This doesn't sound like the way MCPS has been doing ELA the last couple of years. Most instruction is whole-class (more than I'd like, honestly) and they are constantly doing DIBELS tests that tell you and the teacher whether the kid is behind, at, or ahead of grade level on various specific reading-related skills.

Dibels is 3 times per year for kids meeting standards — hardly constant. It is more often for those who are struggling readers. It takes a minute to administer, and this seems like time well spent.

[Anonymous]

When 3/4 or more of your class is below grade level, it takes quite a long time to progress monitor every few weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My school's WIN groups are created based on DIBELS and MAP data. Students are placed in one of five or six groups across the grade-level based on student need. Each teacher then selects one of the groups to teach and the kids all go their class for that WIN time. We have an enrichment group in every grade level. From second grade and up, that enrichment group is primarily focused on novel studies, literature circles, and writing skills.

OP here and what I’m trying to convey is that’s what it was like at our school last year. This is a change, at least grade wide for both my kids grades. I would be careful assuming that you will keep ANYTHING for above level kids in MCPS.

We also turned down a CES spot, and felt good about it last year for my older one. Jokes on us because this year is so so much worse. Won’t make that mistake again for my youngest if we get the chance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I clicked on this not knowing what WIN is -- my kids are now all in HS. It sounds like amazingly MCPS has managed to make the advanced reading even worse than it used to be?
It would be better to just give the kids the time to read, and give them a curated list of appropriate advanced books from the library. Worksheets are the worst. My advanced reader would have refused to do that. They should just tell the kids -- when you finish a book, write me a paragraph about what the book was about, and whether you liked it and why/why not. Then get another book off the list.

Yes. OP of the thread here and I would honestly prefer more recess or an option to move around or something rather than performative “enrichment”. It’s the computer time I object to most. They already get to play computer games if they finish math early, which my child always does. So adding on 30 minutes in a separate block is a really significant part of the school day. I find it insulting to call this what my kid “needs”. No kid needs to play on a computer for 30 minutes in lower elementary school.

Guess what, my elder kid played computer for every math class entirely for the whole 3rd grade year. He was saved by entering a CES.

The entirety of every math class??? Really? I know it happens. But just plopping kids in front of a computer so they can focus on the others and calling it “enrichment” sucks. It just does.