Anonymous
10/18/2013 13:54
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:REading groups are a waste and the rest of the class is goofing off or doing bland busy work. It needs to end.
+1
What do you suggest they do instead?
Put the kids of similar reading ability in the same classroom, and teach them all simultaneously, all the time.
This seems to make the most sense. For everything. Math, reading, writing.
Why do we group by age? Seems so arbitrary.
Because there is evidence that tracking harms kids who aren't as strong. They benefit from being in a classroom with kids who are further ahead.
Anonymous
10/18/2013 13:34
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:REading groups are a waste and the rest of the class is goofing off or doing bland busy work. It needs to end.
+1
What do you suggest they do instead?
Put the kids of similar reading ability in the same classroom, and teach them all simultaneously, all the time.
This seems to make the most sense. For everything. Math, reading, writing.
Why do we group by age? Seems so arbitrary.
Sir Ken Robinson answers that in this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U?
Anonymous
10/18/2013 12:42
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:REading groups are a waste and the rest of the class is goofing off or doing bland busy work. It needs to end.
+1
What do you suggest they do instead?
Put the kids of similar reading ability in the same classroom, and teach them all simultaneously, all the time.
This seems to make the most sense. For everything. Math, reading, writing.
Why do we group by age? Seems so arbitrary.
Anonymous
10/18/2013 12:20
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
But you can't do that with a large group of students-you have to listen to each one read individually, provide them with cues or questions to guide them through their challenges as they read or to signal to them that they've made an error. You have to actually be able to hear each individual child read.
Anonymous
10/18/2013 11:50
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:REading groups are a waste and the rest of the class is goofing off or doing bland busy work. It needs to end.
+1
What do you suggest they do instead?
Put the kids of similar reading ability in the same classroom, and teach them all simultaneously, all the time.
Anonymous
10/18/2013 11:36
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:REading groups are a waste and the rest of the class is goofing off or doing bland busy work. It needs to end.
+1
+1
I have volunteered in the classroom for both kids (youngest is currently in K) and this is the case. The kids rest of the kids are usually supposed to be doing independent reading or writing, but are mostly goofing off. I don't blame the teacher because there is only so much she can do with 23 kids in the classroom. And maybe it's good that the kids get some 'free' time/down time?
Not sure what they could do instead. I'm not a teacher so I really have no good input.
Anonymous
10/18/2013 09:26
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:REading groups are a waste and the rest of the class is goofing off or doing bland busy work. It needs to end.
+1
What do you suggest they do instead?
Anonymous
10/17/2013 21:55
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
Anonymous wrote:REading groups are a waste and the rest of the class is goofing off or doing bland busy work. It needs to end.
+1
Anonymous
10/17/2013 20:51
Subject: Re:What do they do in reading groups?
It depends on the school. Our students used to bring home their books from their reading group but so many of them never returned the books, that the students no longer bring them home. They keep them in a pouch on the back of their chair to reread independently when the teacher is working with other reading groups. Depending on their level, the teacher has them learn the sight words in the guided reading book. They might also discuss text features, text structure, etc at higher levels in addition to answering comprehension questions. It is the time for the student to read a book slightly above their level so they can improve over time. Frequent reading also builds fluency. If your child is at that high of a level in 2nd grade, I am sure what they do in whole class instruction is basically below their level. Look for books at a slightly higher level for your child to check out of the library. Or read aloud a book that is higher than their level. If your child is at that level, her group may not meet as frequently as other lower groups. Her book is going to be longer and more complex anyway.
Anonymous
10/17/2013 18:52
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
REading groups are a waste and the rest of the class is goofing off or doing bland busy work. It needs to end.
Anonymous
10/17/2013 14:14
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
If she doesn't have a peer at her level in her class, the school should form a reading group with students from other classes who are at her level. That is what you should request.
Anonymous
10/17/2013 13:44
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
Anonymous wrote:IME, teachers really don't do much in reading groups. At the early ages(K-2) the groups meet daily or every other day. At the older ages 3+ they meet once or twice a week.
The teacher has a group of 4-8 students seated in a semi-circle and he/she listens while they all mumble out loud the words on the page. Then the teacher asks some questions about the book (reading comp. type questions). Then, the group is usually dismissed with some assignment to answer a question or write a journal entry about the section read.
My DC was having diffficulty reading but the teacher never noticed because he just mumbled along slightly behind the other kids and simply by listening to others picked up what he needed to know to appear to have understood.
There is virtually no teaching of phonics/decoding after K or 1st grade, which means that kids are left with only a basic understanding of the letter/sound correspondence. Many kids figure this out on their own as they hear and see words naturally in their environment, but many others do not and need explicit phonics instruction which is not provided in any MCPS school until a child falls behind 2 or more grade levels.
OP here. This is what it sounds like is going on in DD class. The frequency with which they meet is erratic and since there isn't anyone else at her level in class, she's "reviewing her reading' with the rest. Apparently that is what the teacher told her. The teacher says she is already rushed and this week when the group met DD didn't participate, because the book was too simple - essentially missing out on any guided reading in school.
I'm not optimistic that anything will change if I go in and advocate. We read at home but I could potentially find 15 mins to do guided reading sort of thing. Any suggestions for resources on how to do it at home when school can't address it?
Obviously the benefit of doing it in a group where you learn from your peers will be missing - but just silently reading yourself in class seems unproductive
Anonymous
10/17/2013 09:48
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
IME, teachers really don't do much in reading groups. At the early ages(K-2) the groups meet daily or every other day. At the older ages 3+ they meet once or twice a week.
The teacher has a group of 4-8 students seated in a semi-circle and he/she listens while they all mumble out loud the words on the page. Then the teacher asks some questions about the book (reading comp. type questions). Then, the group is usually dismissed with some assignment to answer a question or write a journal entry about the section read.
My DC was having diffficulty reading but the teacher never noticed because he just mumbled along slightly behind the other kids and simply by listening to others picked up what he needed to know to appear to have understood.
There is virtually no teaching of phonics/decoding after K or 1st grade, which means that kids are left with only a basic understanding of the letter/sound correspondence. Many kids figure this out on their own as they hear and see words naturally in their environment, but many others do not and need explicit phonics instruction which is not provided in any MCPS school until a child falls behind 2 or more grade levels.
The teacher has a group of 4-8 students seated in a semi-circle and he/she listens while they all mumble out loud the words on the page. Then the teacher asks some questions about the book (reading comp. type questions). Then, the group is usually dismissed with some assignment to answer a question or write a journal entry about the section read.
My DC was having diffficulty reading but the teacher never noticed because he just mumbled along slightly behind the other kids and simply by listening to others picked up what he needed to know to appear to have understood.
There is virtually no teaching of phonics/decoding after K or 1st grade, which means that kids are left with only a basic understanding of the letter/sound correspondence. Many kids figure this out on their own as they hear and see words naturally in their environment, but many others do not and need explicit phonics instruction which is not provided in any MCPS school until a child falls behind 2 or more grade levels.
Anonymous
10/17/2013 09:18
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
R is very high for second grade. I would ask for a conference to find out how the school is accommodating his/her needs.
Anonymous
10/16/2013 21:56
Subject: What do they do in reading groups?
My second grader was told by his teacher that her was an R and put in a reading group that meets 2 times a week. They supposedly read and write down words they don't understand. There is no writing or explaining. She is also reading fiction lower than his R level. She's never brought books home and when he goes to the library at school brings back very simple but fun books (Star Wars etc) and leaves it in her desk. Should she be encouraged to check out more appropriate reading material? Are books typically sent home?