High schoolers can’t write

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I hear you. Kid is at Whitman. I just hope she learns to write in college. I’m an editor. I do what I can to help, but it’s shocking how remedial her skills are. She’s a reader and loves to write, but I’ve had to teach her when to use a comma. I and me? It’s and its? They’re and their and there? When did schools stop teaching kids how to diagram sentences?

My kid (not McMS) never learned to diagram. Shameful. They have no clue what’s going on structurally in a sentence

Diagramming sentences started to fall out of favor in the 1980s.

I did it in high school in 2001-2005.

Anyway, kids need to learn grammar, regardless of whether it’s through diagramming sentences or some other way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I hear you. Kid is at Whitman. I just hope she learns to write in college. I’m an editor. I do what I can to help, but it’s shocking how remedial her skills are. She’s a reader and loves to write, but I’ve had to teach her when to use a comma. I and me? It’s and its? They’re and their and there? When did schools stop teaching kids how to diagram sentences?

My kid (not McMS) never learned to diagram. Shameful. They have no clue what’s going on structurally in a sentence

Diagramming sentences started to fall out of favor in the 1980s.

I did it in high school in 2001-2005.

Anyway, kids need to learn grammar, regardless of whether it’s through diagramming sentences or some other way.

They do, but if you want them to learn, as a parent you have to do it yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I hear you. Kid is at Whitman. I just hope she learns to write in college. I’m an editor. I do what I can to help, but it’s shocking how remedial her skills are. She’s a reader and loves to write, but I’ve had to teach her when to use a comma. I and me? It’s and its? They’re and their and there? When did schools stop teaching kids how to diagram sentences?

My kid (not McMS) never learned to diagram. Shameful. They have no clue what’s going on structurally in a sentence

Diagramming sentences started to fall out of favor in the 1980s.

I did it in high school in 2001-2005.

Anyway, kids need to learn grammar, regardless of whether it’s through diagramming sentences or some other way.

They do, but if you want them to learn, as a parent you have to do it yourself.

That’s inexcusable. What a dereliction of their basic duty as a school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I hear you. Kid is at Whitman. I just hope she learns to write in college. I’m an editor. I do what I can to help, but it’s shocking how remedial her skills are. She’s a reader and loves to write, but I’ve had to teach her when to use a comma. I and me? It’s and its? They’re and their and there? When did schools stop teaching kids how to diagram sentences?

My kid (not McMS) never learned to diagram. Shameful. They have no clue what’s going on structurally in a sentence

Diagramming sentences started to fall out of favor in the 1980s.

I did it in high school in 2001-2005.

Anyway, kids need to learn grammar, regardless of whether it’s through diagramming sentences or some other way.

They do, but if you want them to learn, as a parent you have to do it yourself.

That’s inexcusable. What a dereliction of their basic duty as a school district.

It would be nice if MCPS had a better curriculum but they don't so if you want your kids to get these skills, you have to do it. Its been this way for 15+ years Nothing new. Take it up with the BOE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I hear you. Kid is at Whitman. I just hope she learns to write in college. I’m an editor. I do what I can to help, but it’s shocking how remedial her skills are. She’s a reader and loves to write, but I’ve had to teach her when to use a comma. I and me? It’s and its? They’re and their and there? When did schools stop teaching kids how to diagram sentences?

My kid (not McMS) never learned to diagram. Shameful. They have no clue what’s going on structurally in a sentence

Diagramming sentences started to fall out of favor in the 1980s.

I did it in high school in 2001-2005.

Anyway, kids need to learn grammar, regardless of whether it’s through diagramming sentences or some other way.

I taught my MCPS kids sentence diagramming in middle school as a way to teach grammar. Google Grammar revolution .I then often point out paragraphs in the newspaper, etc. that have a mistake and ask them to find it. They enjoyed finding the mistakes in adults’ work. I also got them writing tutors (despite their all As). It worked. Kid 1 is a great writer/editor in college. Kid 2 in high school at least has the tools and vocab so that he can understand my critiques.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I hear you. Kid is at Whitman. I just hope she learns to write in college. I’m an editor. I do what I can to help, but it’s shocking how remedial her skills are. She’s a reader and loves to write, but I’ve had to teach her when to use a comma. I and me? It’s and its? They’re and their and there? When did schools stop teaching kids how to diagram sentences?

My kid (not McMS) never learned to diagram. Shameful. They have no clue what’s going on structurally in a sentence

Diagramming sentences started to fall out of favor in the 1980s.

I did it in high school in 2001-2005.

Anyway, kids need to learn grammar, regardless of whether it’s through diagramming sentences or some other way.

I taught my MCPS kids sentence diagramming in middle school as a way to teach grammar. Google Grammar revolution .I then often point out paragraphs in the newspaper, etc. that have a mistake and ask them to find it. They enjoyed finding the mistakes in adults’ work. I also got them writing tutors (despite their all As). It worked. Kid 1 is a great writer/editor in college. Kid 2 in high school at least has the tools and vocab so that he can understand my critiques.

I would rather just send my kid to private school. That way she can get better instruction across the board and spend her time outside of school on other things, rather than having to piece together basic skills that school doesn’t cover.

[Anonymous]

At Back to School Night, the AP Lang teacher included these two bullet points in their slides:

-Your child WILL know how to correctly use a comma by the end of this year. That’s a promise.

-Your child WILL learn how to correctly spell words this year. That’s another promise.

While I do wish this had been communicated by a teacher sooner than 11th grade, I am relieved that this content will finally be taught.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At Back to School Night, the AP Lang teacher included these two bullet points in their slides:

-Your child WILL know how to correctly use a comma by the end of this year. That’s a promise.

-Your child WILL learn how to correctly spell words this year. That’s another promise.

While I do wish this had been communicated by a teacher sooner than 11th grade, I am relieved that this content will finally be taught.

Wow, that is a very low bar and emblematic of what is wrong with MCPS. I will say though that our ES was having them identify and correct comma splices in 5th grade. That should not be teacher- or school-specific, though. MCPS needs to do a better job with basic grammatical skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I hear you. Kid is at Whitman. I just hope she learns to write in college. I’m an editor. I do what I can to help, but it’s shocking how remedial her skills are. She’s a reader and loves to write, but I’ve had to teach her when to use a comma. I and me? It’s and its? They’re and their and there? When did schools stop teaching kids how to diagram sentences?

My kid (not McMS) never learned to diagram. Shameful. They have no clue what’s going on structurally in a sentence

Diagramming sentences started to fall out of favor in the 1980s.

I did it in high school in 2001-2005.

Anyway, kids need to learn grammar, regardless of whether it’s through diagramming sentences or some other way.

I taught my MCPS kids sentence diagramming in middle school as a way to teach grammar. Google Grammar revolution .I then often point out paragraphs in the newspaper, etc. that have a mistake and ask them to find it. They enjoyed finding the mistakes in adults’ work. I also got them writing tutors (despite their all As). It worked. Kid 1 is a great writer/editor in college. Kid 2 in high school at least has the tools and vocab so that he can understand my critiques.

I would rather just send my kid to private school. That way she can get better instruction across the board and spend her time outside of school on other things, rather than having to piece together basic skills that school doesn’t cover.

Good for you. The rest of us are here because we are in MCPS and are trying to find ways to make it work.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like the only answer that is being suggested here consistently is private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I hear you. Kid is at Whitman. I just hope she learns to write in college. I’m an editor. I do what I can to help, but it’s shocking how remedial her skills are. She’s a reader and loves to write, but I’ve had to teach her when to use a comma. I and me? It’s and its? They’re and their and there? When did schools stop teaching kids how to diagram sentences?

My kid (not McMS) never learned to diagram. Shameful. They have no clue what’s going on structurally in a sentence

Diagramming sentences started to fall out of favor in the 1980s.

I did it in high school in 2001-2005.

Anyway, kids need to learn grammar, regardless of whether it’s through diagramming sentences or some other way.

I taught my MCPS kids sentence diagramming in middle school as a way to teach grammar. Google Grammar revolution .I then often point out paragraphs in the newspaper, etc. that have a mistake and ask them to find it. They enjoyed finding the mistakes in adults’ work. I also got them writing tutors (despite their all As). It worked. Kid 1 is a great writer/editor in college. Kid 2 in high school at least has the tools and vocab so that he can understand my critiques.

I would rather just send my kid to private school. That way she can get better instruction across the board and spend her time outside of school on other things, rather than having to piece together basic skills that school doesn’t cover.

Better is subjective. I wasn't impressed with the privates I looked at. But, then again I'm an involved parent. Why are you posting here? To justify your decisions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like the only answer that is being suggested here consistently is private school.

Its wealthy private school parents trying to justify their decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like the only answer that is being suggested here consistently is private school.

Its wealthy private school parents trying to justify their decisions.

So you think the writing skills of the average wealthy private school kid are the same as that of our MCPS students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like the only answer that is being suggested here consistently is private school.

Its wealthy private school parents trying to justify their decisions.

Ding, dind, ding, ding
We have a winner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like the only answer that is being suggested here consistently is private school.

Its wealthy private school parents trying to justify their decisions.

So you think the writing skills of the average wealthy private school kid are the same as that of our MCPS students?

Yes, I think that both groups are similar when you look at high acieving kids. Privates self-select so they don't have the diversity or learning or other disabilities or issues but if you took the top MCPS students, they are probably more advanced than the privates. Mine is a great writer. Had a few good teachers and we worked on it at home.