Anonymous
03/09/2023 14:23
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yup. Definitely writing assignments. By fifth, they are writing 5 paragraph essays.
And before that they write poems, some schools even have them present them for a Mother’s Day tea. They re-search non-fiction Topics and write a book about it; they write their own myths. In fifth grade, they take a side on an issue like should school serve chocolate milk, and present their persuasive essays to the principal.
This sounds like the old curriculum. The new curriculum is knowledge-based with very specific readings and topics. My 4th grader's first writing assignment this year was an essay about polio. No more chocolate milk essays.
Polio???😱
My fifth grader a persuasive essay last year to the principal.
As was stated in the first response, there's a new curriculum. Last year isn't relevant.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 12:39
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yup. Definitely writing assignments. By fifth, they are writing 5 paragraph essays.
And before that they write poems, some schools even have them present them for a Mother’s Day tea. They re-search non-fiction Topics and write a book about it; they write their own myths. In fifth grade, they take a side on an issue like should school serve chocolate milk, and present their persuasive essays to the principal.
This sounds like the old curriculum. The new curriculum is knowledge-based with very specific readings and topics. My 4th grader's first writing assignment this year was an essay about polio. No more chocolate milk essays.
Polio???😱
My fifth grader a persuasive essay last year to the principal.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 12:39
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yup. Definitely writing assignments. By fifth, they are writing 5 paragraph essays.
And before that they write poems, some schools even have them present them for a Mother’s Day tea. They re-search non-fiction Topics and write a book about it; they write their own myths. In fifth grade, they take a side on an issue like should school serve chocolate milk, and present their persuasive essays to the principal.
This sounds like the old curriculum. The new curriculum is knowledge-based with very specific readings and topics. My 4th grader's first writing assignment this year was an essay about polio. No more chocolate milk essays.
Indeed, and thank goodness.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 12:37
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yup. Definitely writing assignments. By fifth, they are writing 5 paragraph essays.
And before that they write poems, some schools even have them present them for a Mother’s Day tea. They re-search non-fiction Topics and write a book about it; they write their own myths. In fifth grade, they take a side on an issue like should school serve chocolate milk, and present their persuasive essays to the principal.
This sounds like the old curriculum. The new curriculum is knowledge-based with very specific readings and topics. My 4th grader's first writing assignment this year was an essay about polio. No more chocolate milk essays.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 12:33
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
Anonymous wrote:Yup. Definitely writing assignments. By fifth, they are writing 5 paragraph essays.
And before that they write poems, some schools even have them present them for a Mother’s Day tea. They re-search non-fiction Topics and write a book about it; they write their own myths. In fifth grade, they take a side on an issue like should school serve chocolate milk, and present their persuasive essays to the principal.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 10:11
Subject: Re:APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
Thank you for these replies (including the poster where I could here the “Duh” in his or her reply 🤣).
It’s nice to see a thread about APS that’s not all doom and gloom.
It’s nice to see a thread about APS that’s not all doom and gloom.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 08:39
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
Anonymous wrote:OP, I think you'll find that the curriculum is the same across APS. So you won't find one school that's doing something drastically different. There may be teachers who are stronger spread out through the county, but I wouldn't pick a school based solely on one terrific teacher somewhere.
Also be aware of who is writing the comments. There are a few that love to pretend like Randolph or Drew are terrible schools to be avoided simply because they draw more heavily from a few enormous subsidized housing complexes. The families I know at these schools are all REALLY happy with the teachers and the school community. They run the gamut from Hispanic families living in apartments, to upper/middle class white families living in SFHs. So if you really want to know about a school, ask the people attending the school. Not the people hiding behind anonymous posting on DCUM (including me!).
I don’t know if you’re referencing a comment of mine but I really wish my kid was in Drew (I don’t know much about Randolph). We are zoned for a school with a pretty low FARMS population and it’s way worse than Drew based on my experience substituting in each school. The behavior of the kids is better and they are also doing a much better job bouncing back from the pandemic as far as test scores go.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 08:37
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
I "think" most schools are the same, yes writing, yes reading, yes music. Teachers are different, but both my kids had book clubs, and both had to do public speaking at some point. We had afterschool drama at our school. All kids take music classes, but extras like drama are afterschool options.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 08:30
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
Yup. Definitely writing assignments. By fifth, they are writing 5 paragraph essays.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 08:03
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
OP, I think you'll find that the curriculum is the same across APS. So you won't find one school that's doing something drastically different. There may be teachers who are stronger spread out through the county, but I wouldn't pick a school based solely on one terrific teacher somewhere.
Also be aware of who is writing the comments. There are a few that love to pretend like Randolph or Drew are terrible schools to be avoided simply because they draw more heavily from a few enormous subsidized housing complexes. The families I know at these schools are all REALLY happy with the teachers and the school community. They run the gamut from Hispanic families living in apartments, to upper/middle class white families living in SFHs. So if you really want to know about a school, ask the people attending the school. Not the people hiding behind anonymous posting on DCUM (including me!).
Also be aware of who is writing the comments. There are a few that love to pretend like Randolph or Drew are terrible schools to be avoided simply because they draw more heavily from a few enormous subsidized housing complexes. The families I know at these schools are all REALLY happy with the teachers and the school community. They run the gamut from Hispanic families living in apartments, to upper/middle class white families living in SFHs. So if you really want to know about a school, ask the people attending the school. Not the people hiding behind anonymous posting on DCUM (including me!).
Anonymous
03/09/2023 07:59
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
Anonymous wrote:Are there any school writing assignments? Of course there are.
One thing pretty cool that they do in third grade in our school is they get an assignment of a topic, they spent weeks researching it, and then create several rough drafts before they “publish” their books. They illustrate it, add table of contents and dedication , etc. They even do a “red carpet” event, where they dress up to present their books and read them to the parents.
Our 3rd grader is doing this as well. But without the red carpet dress up/presentation.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 07:54
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
Are there any school writing assignments? Of course there are.
One thing pretty cool that they do in third grade in our school is they get an assignment of a topic, they spent weeks researching it, and then create several rough drafts before they “publish” their books. They illustrate it, add table of contents and dedication , etc. They even do a “red carpet” event, where they dress up to present their books and read them to the parents.
One thing pretty cool that they do in third grade in our school is they get an assignment of a topic, they spent weeks researching it, and then create several rough drafts before they “publish” their books. They illustrate it, add table of contents and dedication , etc. They even do a “red carpet” event, where they dress up to present their books and read them to the parents.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 07:42
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
As far a as a comparison to when I was in elementary school, they actually require more writing at my son’s school. The fifth graders are taking a standardized test that requires them to write a five-paragraph essay, and I think that the curriculum in the younger grades has them building in skills that scaffold the five-paragraph essay, like food paragraphs with topic sentences in content areas. So that’s cool.
The problem is that whether or not the kids are actually taught these things depends on the teacher and the class. The behavior problems in our son’s school are just so bad that I highly doubt the kids can actually learn how to do these things.
The problem is that whether or not the kids are actually taught these things depends on the teacher and the class. The behavior problems in our son’s school are just so bad that I highly doubt the kids can actually learn how to do these things.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 07:35
Subject: Re:APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
There's a new language arts curriculum this year that's being rolled out across APS. Answers from prior years won't be applicable at all.
My 4th grader's experience with the new curriculum is that they work on new subject matter (e.g., geology, middle ages, etc) and a new type of writing (e.g., persuasive essay, brochure, poems) and different skills (paraphrasing, meter/rhyme, topic sentences) each unit. It seems well thought out.
At here school there are book clubs and chances to perform in theatre productions.
My 4th grader's experience with the new curriculum is that they work on new subject matter (e.g., geology, middle ages, etc) and a new type of writing (e.g., persuasive essay, brochure, poems) and different skills (paraphrasing, meter/rhyme, topic sentences) each unit. It seems well thought out.
At here school there are book clubs and chances to perform in theatre productions.
Anonymous
03/09/2023 06:52
Subject: APS Neighborhood Elementary School- writing assignments and presentations
I’m trying to learn about the neighborhood elementary schools in Arlington. I’ve been browsing this forum and I gather that there are generally no textbooks or homework (other than light reading) and that it can vary quite a bit from there.
Can anyone describe what kind of writing your child is doing in elementary school? Are there in-school writing assignments? Do they have clubs like student newspaper or book clubs? Are there book reports? Are there drama classes or other opportunities for public speaking or presentations?
It sounds like it’s a whole new world compared to when I went to school! Grateful for any feedback. Most of what I see on this forum are complaints.
Can anyone describe what kind of writing your child is doing in elementary school? Are there in-school writing assignments? Do they have clubs like student newspaper or book clubs? Are there book reports? Are there drama classes or other opportunities for public speaking or presentations?
It sounds like it’s a whole new world compared to when I went to school! Grateful for any feedback. Most of what I see on this forum are complaints.