Question about middle school English differentiation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are two issues here, and they might need to be tackled separately.

1) Curriculum: MCPS has decided that all MS-aged kids would have access to the "Advanced English" curriculum. However, within that curriculum, there are massive disparities across schools. Some MS-ers never read a book in "Advanced English," while others read several per year.

Why the huge swing? MCPS has never said and the only reason folks know it exists is people speaking across schools.

2) Tracking: Back when MCPS introduced "local norming" to the middle school magnet process, there was an explicit promise that those kids would be cohorted. I'm not sure if they ever followed through, but parents should put pressure on to hold them to that promise.

My middle school kid had to do several book reports last year. What are other schools doing if kids aren't doing book reports or reading assigned books?

Good question. They just do passages. My kid is in 8th grade and has not had any novels assigned in English. The novels she read were for HIGH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are two issues here, and they might need to be tackled separately.

1) Curriculum: MCPS has decided that all MS-aged kids would have access to the "Advanced English" curriculum. However, within that curriculum, there are massive disparities across schools. Some MS-ers never read a book in "Advanced English," while others read several per year.

Why the huge swing? MCPS has never said and the only reason folks know it exists is people speaking across schools.

2) Tracking: Back when MCPS introduced "local norming" to the middle school magnet process, there was an explicit promise that those kids would be cohorted. I'm not sure if they ever followed through, but parents should put pressure on to hold them to that promise.

My middle school kid had to do several book reports last year. What are other schools doing if kids aren't doing book reports or reading assigned books?

They are still doing book reports on books the child chooses, but in terms of assigned reading, they are only getting excerpts.

DP. My 8th grader has already been assigned a whole book to read.

Which book? And is it for English class or for History?

The only entire book my kid has read in MS is The Pact about the three black doctors from Newark. Interesting story, but very poorly written.

https://www.amazon.com/Pact-Three-Young-Promise-Fulfill/dp/157322989X

Otherwise, just random selections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there are two issues here, and they might need to be tackled separately.

1) Curriculum: MCPS has decided that all MS-aged kids would have access to the "Advanced English" curriculum. However, within that curriculum, there are massive disparities across schools. Some MS-ers never read a book in "Advanced English," while others read several per year.

Why the huge swing? MCPS has never said and the only reason folks know it exists is people speaking across schools.

2) Tracking: Back when MCPS introduced "local norming" to the middle school magnet process, there was an explicit promise that those kids would be cohorted. I'm not sure if they ever followed through, but parents should put pressure on to hold them to that promise.

+1. There was a whole thread a week or so ago about no novels being read in MS, which was a real surprise to some of us as novels are assigned each quarter. Just to verify I asked about it at back to school night this year and English teacher’s response was last year due to Covid they read less novels but this year the plan was to go back to 1-2 per quarter with some of those being choice novels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are two issues here, and they might need to be tackled separately.

1) Curriculum: MCPS has decided that all MS-aged kids would have access to the "Advanced English" curriculum. However, within that curriculum, there are massive disparities across schools. Some MS-ers never read a book in "Advanced English," while others read several per year.

Why the huge swing? MCPS has never said and the only reason folks know it exists is people speaking across schools.

2) Tracking: Back when MCPS introduced "local norming" to the middle school magnet process, there was an explicit promise that those kids would be cohorted. I'm not sure if they ever followed through, but parents should put pressure on to hold them to that promise.

+1. There was a whole thread a week or so ago about no novels being read in MS, which was a real surprise to some of us as novels are assigned each quarter. Just to verify I asked about it at back to school night this year and English teacher’s response was last year due to Covid they read less novels but this year the plan was to go back to 1-2 per quarter with some of those being choice novels.

I'm the PP and as far as I can tell there is no rhyme or reason to which schools are having kids read novels and which are not. It's not rich vs. poor schools, or geographically concentrated. The ability to engage with an entire book is an age-appropriate skill for MS-aged kids and it is deeply unfortunate that MCPS is not enforcing some sort of uniform standard across the district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are two issues here, and they might need to be tackled separately.

1) Curriculum: MCPS has decided that all MS-aged kids would have access to the "Advanced English" curriculum. However, within that curriculum, there are massive disparities across schools. Some MS-ers never read a book in "Advanced English," while others read several per year.

Why the huge swing? MCPS has never said and the only reason folks know it exists is people speaking across schools.

2) Tracking: Back when MCPS introduced "local norming" to the middle school magnet process, there was an explicit promise that those kids would be cohorted. I'm not sure if they ever followed through, but parents should put pressure on to hold them to that promise.

+1. There was a whole thread a week or so ago about no novels being read in MS, which was a real surprise to some of us as novels are assigned each quarter. Just to verify I asked about it at back to school night this year and English teacher’s response was last year due to Covid they read less novels but this year the plan was to go back to 1-2 per quarter with some of those being choice novels.

I'm the PP and as far as I can tell there is no rhyme or reason to which schools are having kids read novels and which are not. It's not rich vs. poor schools, or geographically concentrated. The ability to engage with an entire book is an age-appropriate skill for MS-aged kids and it is deeply unfortunate that MCPS is not enforcing some sort of uniform standard across the district.

DD is in 8th and has never read an entire book for school and gets almost no feedback on the limited writings they do. But, she’s been part of Book Wars, where they read a bunch of books through the year and then compete in a quiz bowl type thing. But they don’t get into deep discussions or write anything about the books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are two issues here, and they might need to be tackled separately.

1) Curriculum: MCPS has decided that all MS-aged kids would have access to the "Advanced English" curriculum. However, within that curriculum, there are massive disparities across schools. Some MS-ers never read a book in "Advanced English," while others read several per year.

Why the huge swing? MCPS has never said and the only reason folks know it exists is people speaking across schools.

2) Tracking: Back when MCPS introduced "local norming" to the middle school magnet process, there was an explicit promise that those kids would be cohorted. I'm not sure if they ever followed through, but parents should put pressure on to hold them to that promise.

+1. There was a whole thread a week or so ago about no novels being read in MS, which was a real surprise to some of us as novels are assigned each quarter. Just to verify I asked about it at back to school night this year and English teacher’s response was last year due to Covid they read less novels but this year the plan was to go back to 1-2 per quarter with some of those being choice novels.

I'm the PP and as far as I can tell there is no rhyme or reason to which schools are having kids read novels and which are not. It's not rich vs. poor schools, or geographically concentrated. The ability to engage with an entire book is an age-appropriate skill for MS-aged kids and it is deeply unfortunate that MCPS is not enforcing some sort of uniform standard across the district.

It’s really strange. Not sure why some schools are not assigning or doing choice novels at least 2 times a year. They can use Studysync the remainder of the time to focus on specific skills. But engaging with a text and having class discussions is helpful.

[Anonymous]

My kid took AP lit last year and only read one book.

Spark Notes for the win!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are two issues here, and they might need to be tackled separately.

1) Curriculum: MCPS has decided that all MS-aged kids would have access to the "Advanced English" curriculum. However, within that curriculum, there are massive disparities across schools. Some MS-ers never read a book in "Advanced English," while others read several per year.

Why the huge swing? MCPS has never said and the only reason folks know it exists is people speaking across schools.

2) Tracking: Back when MCPS introduced "local norming" to the middle school magnet process, there was an explicit promise that those kids would be cohorted. I'm not sure if they ever followed through, but parents should put pressure on to hold them to that promise.

My middle school kid had to do several book reports last year. What are other schools doing if kids aren't doing book reports or reading assigned books?

They are still doing book reports on books the child chooses, but in terms of assigned reading, they are only getting excerpts.

DP. My 8th grader has already been assigned a whole book to read.

Which book? And is it for English class or for History?

The only entire book my kid has read in MS is The Pact about the three black doctors from Newark. Interesting story, but very poorly written.

https://www.amazon.com/Pact-Three-Young-Promise-Fulfill/dp/157322989X

Otherwise, just random selections.

Monster by Walter Dean Myers, for English

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are two issues here, and they might need to be tackled separately.

1) Curriculum: MCPS has decided that all MS-aged kids would have access to the "Advanced English" curriculum. However, within that curriculum, there are massive disparities across schools. Some MS-ers never read a book in "Advanced English," while others read several per year.

Why the huge swing? MCPS has never said and the only reason folks know it exists is people speaking across schools.

2) Tracking: Back when MCPS introduced "local norming" to the middle school magnet process, there was an explicit promise that those kids would be cohorted. I'm not sure if they ever followed through, but parents should put pressure on to hold them to that promise.

+1. There was a whole thread a week or so ago about no novels being read in MS, which was a real surprise to some of us as novels are assigned each quarter. Just to verify I asked about it at back to school night this year and English teacher’s response was last year due to Covid they read less novels but this year the plan was to go back to 1-2 per quarter with some of those being choice novels.

I'm the PP and as far as I can tell there is no rhyme or reason to which schools are having kids read novels and which are not. It's not rich vs. poor schools, or geographically concentrated. The ability to engage with an entire book is an age-appropriate skill for MS-aged kids and it is deeply unfortunate that MCPS is not enforcing some sort of uniform standard across the district.

It’s really strange. Not sure why some schools are not assigning or doing choice novels at least 2 times a year. They can use Studysync the remainder of the time to focus on specific skills. But engaging with a text and having class discussions is helpful.

I believe StudySync includes access to some novels and other complete works of nonfiction and drama.

[Anonymous]

My 10th grader definitely read novels in 8th grade. I remember The Outsiders and a science fiction one that was later made into a movie but I’m blanking on the name. They also definitely read some of the classic short stories like stuff by Ray brad Ury and shirley Jackson. They might have read Fahrenheit 451 or 1984 or both.
I was figuring my 7th grader would get novels next year, if not next. My 5th grader reads novels in ELC so ridiculous the Ms kids don’t all do that.

[Anonymous]

In 6th last year, no novels. Same with 4/5. We have yet to see anything this year either.

[Anonymous]

Aren't they reading A Separate Peace?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The classes are mixed ability. But our school had a presentation at some point about how they can differentiate individual students' assignments within StudySync so they are reading at the appropriate levels.

We were told that, but it is BS.

Not only is there no differentiation, there is also very little feedback. My kid is in 8th and has never gotten a writing assignment back with so strict I’ve feedback.

She gets As for completion, basically. Turn in something, even with craptastic writing? It gets an A.

Not my kid’s 6th grade experience last year. He got reams of feedback - three lengthy paragraphs regularly and strict grading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The classes are mixed ability. But our school had a presentation at some point about how they can differentiate individual students' assignments within StudySync so they are reading at the appropriate levels.

We were told that, but it is BS.

Not only is there no differentiation, there is also very little feedback. My kid is in 8th and has never gotten a writing assignment back with so strict I’ve feedback.

She gets As for completion, basically. Turn in something, even with craptastic writing? It gets an A.

Not my kid’s 6th grade experience last year. He got reams of feedback - three lengthy paragraphs regularly and strict grading.

Is this at one of the W feeder schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren't they reading A Separate Peace?

No. I have an 8th grader and my kid has not read A Separate Peace. Are other kids reason that?