APS MS Writing and Projects

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is in sixth at HB and has had only two, both for her history class. I think that really rigorous writing feedback is pretty rare and just depends on how good the teacher wants to be about it. It has got to be really hard with students at so many different levels. I am tutoring my own kids in writing using a book called The Writing Revolution.

My 6th grader at HB writes ALL the time, so I’m surprised to hear this about your DD’s experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an APS 7th grader. His writing skills are quite poor and he’s an excellent reader and a smart kid. He did nothing in 6th grade, not even a 5-paragraph essay. This year he’s had a couple of those (with these organizers/matrices along the way) but still isn’t good at writing. No specific feedback, which I’ve been told is because of covid (ie the teacher can’t mark up and return an essay). But idk whether that would have happened regardless.

Our experience of APS MS pre-covid was that the teaching/learning are very heavy on apps and iPads and as a result my kid types with his thumbs and relies on autocorrect which I think is part of the issue.

Having had at least one kid in APS for 8+ years now I can say I think the lack of a writing curriculum is a huge issue. But I also have friends with kids in public schools elsewhere and it doesn’t seem unique to APS. However, both DH and I use writing skills constantly in our careers and I think it’s a real shame to forsake this.

This is a copout on the part of the teacher or school. Some teachers absolutely are marking up electronically submitted projects and essays.[/quote

My 6th grader (not at HB) just finished a 5 paragraph essay. Plenty of teacher feedback.

[Anonymous]

APS MS writing/grammar instruction is awful. They hardly write. They don’t teach punctuation or grammar.

It’s a major reason we left APS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an APS 7th grader. His writing skills are quite poor and he’s an excellent reader and a smart kid. He did nothing in 6th grade, not even a 5-paragraph essay. This year he’s had a couple of those (with these organizers/matrices along the way) but still isn’t good at writing. No specific feedback, which I’ve been told is because of covid (ie the teacher can’t mark up and return an essay). But idk whether that would have happened regardless.

Our experience of APS MS pre-covid was that the teaching/learning are very heavy on apps and iPads and as a result my kid types with his thumbs and relies on autocorrect which I think is part of the issue.

Having had at least one kid in APS for 8+ years now I can say I think the lack of a writing curriculum is a huge issue. But I also have friends with kids in public schools elsewhere and it doesn’t seem unique to APS. However, both DH and I use writing skills constantly in our careers and I think it’s a real shame to forsake this.

These kids are going to be in trouble when they get to college. I hear more and more students are ill prepared for writing by college.

[Anonymous]

APS MS writing/grammar instruction is awful. They hardly write. They don’t teach punctuation or grammar.

It’s a major reason we left APS.

Note that this was posted by someone who doesn't even have a student in an APS MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD is in sixth at HB and has had only two, both for her history class. I think that really rigorous writing feedback is pretty rare and just depends on how good the teacher wants to be about it. It has got to be really hard with students at so many different levels. I am tutoring my own kids in writing using a book called The Writing Revolution.

My 6th grader at HB writes ALL the time, so I’m surprised to hear this about your DD’s experience.

She writes all the time, but it isn’t rigorous with lots of feedback. It’s easy stuff. And that’s fine, but i don’t get the impression that is the kind of writing that OP is talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least 2 long term papers in 7th so far. I'm not really keeping track though. They used extensive organizers though.

Really? That's fantastic. Just checking over here since FCPS is now its own separate forum and this was never offered to my advanced student. Either the long paper or the organizers. What system of organizers do they use? We need to get our own since FCPS doesn't provide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

APS MS writing/grammar instruction is awful. They hardly write. They don’t teach punctuation or grammar.

It’s a major reason we left APS.

Note that this was posted by someone who doesn't even have a student in an APS MS.

My oldest was in APS K-8 and now in private HS.

I currently have a 7th grader in APS.

[Anonymous]

Not much. We were very lucky to get a spot in a private school this year and my 7th grade son has been in person all year. The writing expectations have been a shock to his system. He's had to work with a tutor 2xs a week to bring him up to the school's ELA standards.
I'm actually grateful for the pandemic. We would.have never gone to private otherwise and would have blindly thought our kids were getting an good education on APS. I have to say though the writing is abysmal, but he's right on track with math. That was an easy transition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least 2 long term papers in 7th so far. I'm not really keeping track though. They used extensive organizers though.

Really? That's fantastic. Just checking over here since FCPS is now its own separate forum and this was never offered to my advanced student. Either the long paper or the organizers. What system of organizers do they use? We need to get our own since FCPS doesn't provide.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/955182.page#19442535

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

APS MS writing/grammar instruction is awful. They hardly write. They don’t teach punctuation or grammar.

It’s a major reason we left APS.

Note that this was posted by someone who doesn't even have a student in an APS MS.

My oldest was in APS K-8 and now in private HS.

I currently have a 7th grader in APS.

Are you going to send your 7th grader to private?

[Anonymous]

My kid reads a lot, fairly smart, but writing sucks. Only had 1 5 paragraph writing assignment since starting 6th grade. Everything else is short answers. Which he also sucks at as I'm trying to help him improve. My 3rd grader has more writing assignments than my 6th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD is in sixth at HB and has had only two, both for her history class. I think that really rigorous writing feedback is pretty rare and just depends on how good the teacher wants to be about it. It has got to be really hard with students at so many different levels. I am tutoring my own kids in writing using a book called The Writing Revolution.

My 6th grader at HB writes ALL the time, so I’m surprised to hear this about your DD’s experience.

She writes all the time, but it isn’t rigorous with lots of feedback. It’s easy stuff. And that’s fine, but i don’t get the impression that is the kind of writing that OP is talking about.

HB 6th grade here as well. I'm also disappointed at the lack of emphasis on writing this year. The little writing that has been assigned has not been graded properly with regard to grammar, composition, and general feedback. I wish that the kids were being taught how to effectively write with a purpose (thesis statement, 5 paragraphs, proper citation, no plagiarism, multiple drafts, etc.) since this alone would make life easier in most classes throughout the rest of their academic lives. (Yes, I know they went through the motions of doing this a couple of times but not having properly learned it will only end up hurting many kids in the long run.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

APS MS writing/grammar instruction is awful. They hardly write. They don’t teach punctuation or grammar.

It’s a major reason we left APS.

Note that this was posted by someone who doesn't even have a student in an APS MS.

My oldest was in APS K-8 and now in private HS.

I currently have a 7th grader in APS.

Are you going to send your 7th grader to private?

Yes.