Early Elementary reading level progression

[Anonymous]

In the early grades, should a child's reading level progress level by level over the school year? How would you interpret it if the instructional level keeps jumping 3 or 4 levels at a time? I ask because DS's instructional level at the beginning of the year seemed low compared to where he was last year and his general ability. He is in first grade. I questioned it at the teacher conference, and next thing i knew, he had jumped 3 levels. He stayed at that level until I volunteered in class and questioned the teacher about her spending only about 5 minutes with his reading group. Next thing I knew, his level jumped 3 more levels. More recently, he went from a level K to a level N. I discussed this with a friend who is in DCC, and she said a similar thing happened with her daughter. In her case, the teacher was focusing her energies on the lower level reading groups, and only assessing her daughter every once in awhile. I don't want to criticize the teacher if this is a normal practice. But something about it doesn't feel right to me.

[Anonymous]

I have a MoCo kindergardener and only get assessments quarterly-- so yes-- they have had big jumps. They're not assessing their reading level weekely for goodness sake. And would you want them to? They skip weeks of of reading instruction so they can assess each child quarterly. I don't see how a big jump in a quarter can be anything but good. I think you need to take a breath, check your competitive spirit and trust the system a bit. I know getting used to the public school system is a big adjustment to preschool when you had a lot of constant feedback.

I also know that we high achieving parents tend to look for evidence that our kid is "keeping up with Susie etc." You need to back off the teacher or you will quickly earn a reputation as a meddling parent. This reputation will follow your child throughout their E.S. I am a bit floored that you were compelled to ask the teacher about why your child only had five minutes in reading group. Your job is to support, not second-guess the teacher. It it is for exactly this type of reason that my kid's school, Wyngagte ES, doesn't permit parents to volunteer in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

I am an MCPS teacher-teachers should actually be assessing each student's reading level on a weekly basis, 12:55. Not through extensive mClass testing like I think you are thinking of, but by using daily running records with reading groups (if you take a running record, which takes about one minute, on one student per group per day, you can probably assess each of your kids once per week).

I have a feeling that the jumps that the OP described are exactly what she thought they were--the teacher finally taking a running record on her kid after she asked about it.

[Anonymous]

The reading level isn't based on observation. It's based on a formal assessment. As PP mentioned, it's only done periodically throughout the year, so you will likely see big jumps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an MCPS teacher-teachers should actually be assessing each student's reading level on a weekly basis, 12:55. Not through extensive mClass testing like I think you are thinking of, but by using daily running records with reading groups (if you take a running record, which takes about one minute, on one student per group per day, you can probably assess each of your kids once per week).

I have a feeling that the jumps that the OP described are exactly what she thought they were--the teacher finally taking a running record on her kid after she asked about it.

OP here, and thanks for this response. I guess my question is, should I consider this a problem? Clearly DS is learning and progressing, so perhaps no harm no foul. OTOH, we worry that maybe the teacher isn't doing something she should be doing.

[Anonymous]

OP--if your first grader is reading at a level N, it seems like you should have no concerns? My 3rd grade child was reading at a level N this September and was on-grade level. So, it seems like your 1st grader is two grades above grade level in reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP--if your first grader is reading at a level N, it seems like you should have no concerns? My 3rd grade child was reading at a level N this September and was on-grade level. So, it seems like your 1st grader is two grades above grade level in reading.

I don't think OP is questioning whether her son is doing well in reading. I think she Ian's asking if he is doing well because of or in spite of the level of classroom instruction he is receiving. If it is the latter, should she say something or just keep quiet as long as he is progressing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a MoCo kindergardener and only get assessments quarterly-- so yes-- they have had big jumps. They're not assessing their reading level weekely for goodness sake. And would you want them to? They skip weeks of of reading instruction so they can assess each child quarterly. I don't see how a big jump in a quarter can be anything but good. I think you need to take a breath, check your competitive spirit and trust the system a bit. I know getting used to the public school system is a big adjustment to preschool when you had a lot of constant feedback.

I also know that we high achieving parents tend to look for evidence that our kid is "keeping up with Susie etc." You need to back off the teacher or you will quickly earn a reputation as a meddling parent. This reputation will follow your child throughout their E.S. I am a bit floored that you were compelled to ask the teacher about why your child only had five minutes in reading group. Your job is to support, not second-guess the teacher. It it is for exactly this type of reason that my kid's school, Wyngagte ES, doesn't permit parents to volunteer in the classroom.

I'm not OP, but settle down poster. OP was just asking a question. I think it's pretty common in MCPS for higher reading groups to get much less instruction and I personally find that ridiculous. Five minutes in reading group is insufficient and I don't doubt OP's claim on that as it is the same as our experience.

[Anonymous]

Just curious. Until what grade does the guided reading sesssions continue?

[Anonymous]

MCPS teacher here again-guided reading should be happening for at least 60 minutes per day throughout elementary school (up through fifth grade).

[Anonymous]

After letter K, they typically advance 1 letter a quarter and they are supposed to be writing on that level too..so your child advanced a whole years worth of reading and writing in that period of time. Unusually fast! I would be interested to know if his whole reading group has met this advanced pace or if he is on his own at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After letter K, they typically advance 1 letter a quarter and they are supposed to be writing on that level too..so your child advanced a whole years worth of reading and writing in that period of time. Unusually fast! I would be interested to know if his whole reading group has met this advanced pace or if he is on his own at this point.

OP here. It is his reading group, which consists of him and one other child. Two weeks ago, he was bringing home thin readers with K on the back. Last week, all those readers disappeared from his reading folder, and he had a chapter book that had a sticker on it saying "grade 2 to 4". I looked up the book on a leveled book list, and it was rated N/3.0.

[Anonymous]

To the PP who is a teacher in MCPS. My children are at a well regarded Bethesda-area elementary school. After reading "clicked" for them around 1st/2nd grade, there went the reading group time. By 2nd grade, they met with their teachers for reading group maybe once every other week. By 3rd grade, maybe monthly. Honestly. Is this just my children's school (again, well regarded) or is what you state as a requirement actually not followed. (60 minutes per day.) Frankly, I don't even know if they had 60 minutes per day small group instruction when they were in 1st grade. Maybe in Kindergarten. Anyway you cut it, this is way far off from what we have experienced at our MCPS school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the PP who is a teacher in MCPS. My children are at a well regarded Bethesda-area elementary school. After reading "clicked" for them around 1st/2nd grade, there went the reading group time. By 2nd grade, they met with their teachers for reading group maybe once every other week. By 3rd grade, maybe monthly. Honestly. Is this just my children's school (again, well regarded) or is what you state as a requirement actually not followed. (60 minutes per day.) Frankly, I don't even know if they had 60 minutes per day small group instruction when they were in 1st grade. Maybe in Kindergarten. Anyway you cut it, this is way far off from what we have experienced at our MCPS school.

I completely agree with this. I have a 2nd grader and they didn't meet in reading groups for months. Now they are meeting again, occasionally. I also find that writing is not emphasized at all. So how is writing supposed to keep pace with reading? Not possible unless parents work on it at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the PP who is a teacher in MCPS. My children are at a well regarded Bethesda-area elementary school. After reading "clicked" for them around 1st/2nd grade, there went the reading group time. By 2nd grade, they met with their teachers for reading group maybe once every other week. By 3rd grade, maybe monthly. Honestly. Is this just my children's school (again, well regarded) or is what you state as a requirement actually not followed. (60 minutes per day.) Frankly, I don't even know if they had 60 minutes per day small group instruction when they were in 1st grade. Maybe in Kindergarten. Anyway you cut it, this is way far off from what we have experienced at our MCPS school.

I completely agree with this. I have a 2nd grader and they didn't meet in reading groups for months. Now they are meeting again, occasionally. I also find that writing is not emphasized at all. So how is writing supposed to keep pace with reading? Not possible unless parents work on it at home.

And I have a kindergardner and we get a reading book home once or rarely twice a week. Their reading group doesn't even work with the teacher every day most certainly not 60 minutes per day. I think the figure the teacher cites must be including all reading instruction (work at centers etc). MCPS teacher poster-- what gives???