Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When my kid was in APS elementary up to a couple years ago, they only had 20 min. assigned reading per night of any book of their choice, and mine was still reading comic books for their selection. I was surprised because I remember specifically reading several novels in my sub-par public 5th grade class 30 years ago.

Same. This is baffling.

It is not baffling to me any longer after being in APS for many years. There is no push or even desire for excellence. So while when you were growing up, in a small town, in a poor community, what have you, they tried their best to teach kids as best they could with the resources available to them, it is very different now. Now there is a decided goal of regression to the mean, largely in support of “equity”. In addition, for a variety of reasons, traditional and classical methods and content, like literature and grammar and math facts, are viewed as outdated dinosaurs. It’s really sad for the kids and will over time not improve equity by any meaningful measure. Will just hurt everyone.

My 5th grader has mentioned reading one novel during book club time. Since we are near the halfway point, I’m guessing the total will be 2. My kid is a big reader, so I don’t worry about that. I do worry about a lack of real writing, outside of the ubiquitous personal narrative assignment.

Anonymous wrote:When my kid was in APS elementary up to a couple years ago, they only had 20 min. assigned reading per night of any book of their choice, and mine was still reading comic books for their selection. I was surprised because I remember specifically reading several novels in my sub-par public 5th grade class 30 years ago.

Same. This is baffling.

When my kid was in APS elementary up to a couple years ago, they only had 20 min. assigned reading per night of any book of their choice, and mine was still reading comic books for their selection. I was surprised because I remember specifically reading several novels in my sub-par public 5th grade class 30 years ago.

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Anonymous wrote:Our kid didn't have any novels they read at home. At home reading was all for pleasure. They did read novels together at school. I think it was Wonder and Because of Win Dixie.

In 5th grade? They are reading books aloud in class?

My oldest continued to read aloud in class throughout middle school, kid you not. Thank goodness she was a voracious reader at home. Younger kid is likely heading to private school for 6th grade, mostly because of the lack of reading and writing expectations in public. It’s ridiculous.

Are you sure they weren’t reading a play? Shakespeare for example is best read aloud.

Shakespeare! Hahaha! Good one. Yes, I’m sure.

Dont they have english differentiation in middle school? At least de facto, as the kids who go to advanced math likely have english together?

Yep. This is honors English.

Which APS middle school has honors English?

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kid didn't have any novels they read at home. At home reading was all for pleasure. They did read novels together at school. I think it was Wonder and Because of Win Dixie.

In 5th grade? They are reading books aloud in class?

My oldest continued to read aloud in class throughout middle school, kid you not. Thank goodness she was a voracious reader at home. Younger kid is likely heading to private school for 6th grade, mostly because of the lack of reading and writing expectations in public. It’s ridiculous.

Are you sure they weren’t reading a play? Shakespeare for example is best read aloud.

Shakespeare! Hahaha! Good one. Yes, I’m sure.

Dont they have english differentiation in middle school? At least de facto, as the kids who go to advanced math likely have english together?

Yep. This is honors English.

Wait, they are reading ALOUD novels in class in honors English? Or just like a passage, and then discussion the themes, word choice, grammar, etc?

My AP literature junior is reading aloud Macbeth in her class right now.

My 5th grader in APS has read one novel independently in a book club this year. They always have a read aloud they are doing, they’ve probably read 2-3 different novels aloud this year related to their reading and writing units.

She is an avid reader so I don’t have to push her. Do you read aloud to her at home? Have you tried you read a page, she reads a page?

I’m also an APS upper elementary teacher and we do continuous read alouds in class. Finish one, start the next. We’ve read about 4 so far this year and just started a new one. In 4th, we do book clubs in the spring where every student must read a novel. We differentiate depending on reading level for that unit and put like readers together.

As APS moves to science of reading there is less time and emphasis on independent reading in elementary school. If your daughter struggles with reading I’d get her a tutor now because in middle and high school they read much more on their own for assignments.

Teachers who read aloud to the students, to start class as a warm up for example, are setting a nice example for pleasure reading.

Students reading aloud to each other, in class for whole class novels or lit circle novels can be problematic for kids who aren't comfortable reading aloud (for whatever reason).

Do you enjoy audio books? Then you too might like a teacher reading aloud in 5th grade, MS or even HS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kid didn't have any novels they read at home. At home reading was all for pleasure. They did read novels together at school. I think it was Wonder and Because of Win Dixie.

In 5th grade? They are reading books aloud in class?

My oldest continued to read aloud in class throughout middle school, kid you not. Thank goodness she was a voracious reader at home. Younger kid is likely heading to private school for 6th grade, mostly because of the lack of reading and writing expectations in public. It’s ridiculous.

Are you sure they weren’t reading a play? Shakespeare for example is best read aloud.

Shakespeare! Hahaha! Good one. Yes, I’m sure.

Dont they have english differentiation in middle school? At least de facto, as the kids who go to advanced math likely have english together?

Yep. This is honors English.

Wait, they are reading ALOUD novels in class in honors English? Or just like a passage, and then discussion the themes, word choice, grammar, etc?

Yes, students were actually instructed not to read ahead on their own so they could all stay together.

I was just talking with my fifth grader about this. Last year he (read we) read 3 books in 4th grade. This year:none.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kid didn't have any novels they read at home. At home reading was all for pleasure. They did read novels together at school. I think it was Wonder and Because of Win Dixie.

In 5th grade? They are reading books aloud in class?

My oldest continued to read aloud in class throughout middle school, kid you not. Thank goodness she was a voracious reader at home. Younger kid is likely heading to private school for 6th grade, mostly because of the lack of reading and writing expectations in public. It’s ridiculous.

Are you sure they weren’t reading a play? Shakespeare for example is best read aloud.

Shakespeare! Hahaha! Good one. Yes, I’m sure.

Dont they have english differentiation in middle school? At least de facto, as the kids who go to advanced math likely have english together?

Yep. This is honors English.

Wait, they are reading ALOUD novels in class in honors English? Or just like a passage, and then discussion the themes, word choice, grammar, etc?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kid didn't have any novels they read at home. At home reading was all for pleasure. They did read novels together at school. I think it was Wonder and Because of Win Dixie.

In 5th grade? They are reading books aloud in class?

My oldest continued to read aloud in class throughout middle school, kid you not. Thank goodness she was a voracious reader at home. Younger kid is likely heading to private school for 6th grade, mostly because of the lack of reading and writing expectations in public. It’s ridiculous.

Are you sure they weren’t reading a play? Shakespeare for example is best read aloud.

Shakespeare! Hahaha! Good one. Yes, I’m sure.

Dont they have english differentiation in middle school? At least de facto, as the kids who go to advanced math likely have english together?

Yep. This is honors English.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kid didn't have any novels they read at home. At home reading was all for pleasure. They did read novels together at school. I think it was Wonder and Because of Win Dixie.

In 5th grade? They are reading books aloud in class?

My oldest continued to read aloud in class throughout middle school, kid you not. Thank goodness she was a voracious reader at home. Younger kid is likely heading to private school for 6th grade, mostly because of the lack of reading and writing expectations in public. It’s ridiculous.

Are you sure they weren’t reading a play? Shakespeare for example is best read aloud.

Shakespeare! Hahaha! Good one. Yes, I’m sure.

Dont they have english differentiation in middle school? At least de facto, as the kids who go to advanced math likely have english together?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kid didn't have any novels they read at home. At home reading was all for pleasure. They did read novels together at school. I think it was Wonder and Because of Win Dixie.

In 5th grade? They are reading books aloud in class?

My oldest continued to read aloud in class throughout middle school, kid you not. Thank goodness she was a voracious reader at home. Younger kid is likely heading to private school for 6th grade, mostly because of the lack of reading and writing expectations in public. It’s ridiculous.

Are you sure they weren’t reading a play? Shakespeare for example is best read aloud.

Shakespeare! Hahaha! Good one. Yes, I’m sure.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kid didn't have any novels they read at home. At home reading was all for pleasure. They did read novels together at school. I think it was Wonder and Because of Win Dixie.

In 5th grade? They are reading books aloud in class?

My oldest continued to read aloud in class throughout middle school, kid you not. Thank goodness she was a voracious reader at home. Younger kid is likely heading to private school for 6th grade, mostly because of the lack of reading and writing expectations in public. It’s ridiculous.

Are you sure they weren’t reading a play? Shakespeare for example is best read aloud.