Anonymous
02/07/2022 20:36
Subject: Re:elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Read Natalie Wexler, The Knowledge Gap. It describes how schools teach reading "strategies" like finding the main idea and identifying text features. Reading it was a light bulb moment when I totally identified exactly what my kids did in APS "book club," spending precious little time on actually building the knowledge base that underpins true reading comprehension. Instead it was like worksheet after worksheet of random practice passages and questions to prepare for the SOLs.
Anonymous
02/07/2022 20:28
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I have been looking for a place to post this as we are starting to look for homes in Arlington in what many on DCUM describe as "good" school pyramids.
On Friday, I saw a note from a colleague's daughter about selling Girl Scout cookies. The colleague lives in a very nice house in Arlington and both she and her spouse seem well educated. The child said that she was 7 years old and the note was handwritten. The writing was very difficult to read and the child even spelled the word "Girl" in "Girl Scouts" incorrectly. The note also made no sense and was understandable only because a cookie order form was attached to it.
At 7 years old, a child would be in the second grade and should be able to write a one sentence coherent note.
I casually asked the mother if her daughter liked school, and the mother said she loved it and was a top student.
I know kids use computers and that handwriting, spelling, and punctuation are not considered important, but is that what Arlington schools produce?
As the parent of a 7 year old in an Arlington public school, my experience is that handwriting at this age varies wildly by child and by level of effort. My own DC's can be atrocious or pretty good (to a different poster's point, I feel for the kid who receives the 23rd valentine she wrote this weekend). Meanwhile, the many notes she brings home from friends range from adult-like handwriting to a scrawl. They do seem less focused on spelling than I was a kid (no spelling lists/tests), but they teach literacy/understanding language much more deliberately than I recall and I suppose that's supposed to carry over in to spelling at some point.
....but it doesn't.
Exactly! My kid's 4th grade teacher was like, "He reads so well, I can't figure out why his spelling is so bad!" I said, "Are you teaching him spelling?" She literally said, "We haven't been emphasizing spelling, grammar, and punctuation so far because we just want kids to get their epressions down on paper and not get bogged down worrying about that stuff. But we're starting a spelling unit soon!"
We left and went private.
Anonymous
02/07/2022 18:12
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I have been looking for a place to post this as we are starting to look for homes in Arlington in what many on DCUM describe as "good" school pyramids.
On Friday, I saw a note from a colleague's daughter about selling Girl Scout cookies. The colleague lives in a very nice house in Arlington and both she and her spouse seem well educated. The child said that she was 7 years old and the note was handwritten. The writing was very difficult to read and the child even spelled the word "Girl" in "Girl Scouts" incorrectly. The note also made no sense and was understandable only because a cookie order form was attached to it.
At 7 years old, a child would be in the second grade and should be able to write a one sentence coherent note.
I casually asked the mother if her daughter liked school, and the mother said she loved it and was a top student.
I know kids use computers and that handwriting, spelling, and punctuation are not considered important, but is that what Arlington schools produce?
As the parent of a 7 year old in an Arlington public school, my experience is that handwriting at this age varies wildly by child and by level of effort. My own DC's can be atrocious or pretty good (to a different poster's point, I feel for the kid who receives the 23rd valentine she wrote this weekend). Meanwhile, the many notes she brings home from friends range from adult-like handwriting to a scrawl. They do seem less focused on spelling than I was a kid (no spelling lists/tests), but they teach literacy/understanding language much more deliberately than I recall and I suppose that's supposed to carry over in to spelling at some point.
....but it doesn't.
Anonymous
02/07/2022 15:14
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I have been looking for a place to post this as we are starting to look for homes in Arlington in what many on DCUM describe as "good" school pyramids.
On Friday, I saw a note from a colleague's daughter about selling Girl Scout cookies. The colleague lives in a very nice house in Arlington and both she and her spouse seem well educated. The child said that she was 7 years old and the note was handwritten. The writing was very difficult to read and the child even spelled the word "Girl" in "Girl Scouts" incorrectly. The note also made no sense and was understandable only because a cookie order form was attached to it.
At 7 years old, a child would be in the second grade and should be able to write a one sentence coherent note.
I casually asked the mother if her daughter liked school, and the mother said she loved it and was a top student.
I know kids use computers and that handwriting, spelling, and punctuation are not considered important, but is that what Arlington schools produce?
As the parent of a 7 year old in an Arlington public school, my experience is that handwriting at this age varies wildly by child and by level of effort. My own DC's can be atrocious or pretty good (to a different poster's point, I feel for the kid who receives the 23rd valentine she wrote this weekend). Meanwhile, the many notes she brings home from friends range from adult-like handwriting to a scrawl. They do seem less focused on spelling than I was a kid (no spelling lists/tests), but they teach literacy/understanding language much more deliberately than I recall and I suppose that's supposed to carry over in to spelling at some point.
My first grader brings home graded spelling tests every week. Maybe it varies by school?
Our school starts spelling tests in 2nd.
Anonymous
02/07/2022 15:09
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I have been looking for a place to post this as we are starting to look for homes in Arlington in what many on DCUM describe as "good" school pyramids.
On Friday, I saw a note from a colleague's daughter about selling Girl Scout cookies. The colleague lives in a very nice house in Arlington and both she and her spouse seem well educated. The child said that she was 7 years old and the note was handwritten. The writing was very difficult to read and the child even spelled the word "Girl" in "Girl Scouts" incorrectly. The note also made no sense and was understandable only because a cookie order form was attached to it.
At 7 years old, a child would be in the second grade and should be able to write a one sentence coherent note.
I casually asked the mother if her daughter liked school, and the mother said she loved it and was a top student.
I know kids use computers and that handwriting, spelling, and punctuation are not considered important, but is that what Arlington schools produce?
As the parent of a 7 year old in an Arlington public school, my experience is that handwriting at this age varies wildly by child and by level of effort. My own DC's can be atrocious or pretty good (to a different poster's point, I feel for the kid who receives the 23rd valentine she wrote this weekend). Meanwhile, the many notes she brings home from friends range from adult-like handwriting to a scrawl. They do seem less focused on spelling than I was a kid (no spelling lists/tests), but they teach literacy/understanding language much more deliberately than I recall and I suppose that's supposed to carry over in to spelling at some point.
My first grader brings home graded spelling tests every week. Maybe it varies by school?
Anonymous
02/07/2022 14:56
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Anonymous wrote:I have been looking for a place to post this as we are starting to look for homes in Arlington in what many on DCUM describe as "good" school pyramids.
On Friday, I saw a note from a colleague's daughter about selling Girl Scout cookies. The colleague lives in a very nice house in Arlington and both she and her spouse seem well educated. The child said that she was 7 years old and the note was handwritten. The writing was very difficult to read and the child even spelled the word "Girl" in "Girl Scouts" incorrectly. The note also made no sense and was understandable only because a cookie order form was attached to it.
At 7 years old, a child would be in the second grade and should be able to write a one sentence coherent note.
I casually asked the mother if her daughter liked school, and the mother said she loved it and was a top student.
I know kids use computers and that handwriting, spelling, and punctuation are not considered important, but is that what Arlington schools produce?
You choose to indict an entire school system on the basis of one note written by one 7-year-old child. Perhaps it is your education and critical thinking skills that deserve scrutiny here.
Anonymous
02/07/2022 14:46
Subject: Re:elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Anonymous wrote:My kid went to one of these schools and his writing was absolutely atrocious. I just don't think he got much writing instruction/practice, or rather, the emphasis was on putting thoughts to paper without any correction. Spelling, grammar, handwriting - all terrible. Switched to private and finally there is actual writing instruction, criticism, and correction.
Previously at one of these schools and had the same experience….. and went private. Not sure my friends at north Arlington schools see better though….I think it’s more an APS issue than S Arlington issue.
Anonymous
02/07/2022 14:31
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Anonymous wrote:I have been looking for a place to post this as we are starting to look for homes in Arlington in what many on DCUM describe as "good" school pyramids.
On Friday, I saw a note from a colleague's daughter about selling Girl Scout cookies. The colleague lives in a very nice house in Arlington and both she and her spouse seem well educated. The child said that she was 7 years old and the note was handwritten. The writing was very difficult to read and the child even spelled the word "Girl" in "Girl Scouts" incorrectly. The note also made no sense and was understandable only because a cookie order form was attached to it.
At 7 years old, a child would be in the second grade and should be able to write a one sentence coherent note.
I casually asked the mother if her daughter liked school, and the mother said she loved it and was a top student.
I know kids use computers and that handwriting, spelling, and punctuation are not considered important, but is that what Arlington schools produce?
As the parent of a 7 year old in an Arlington public school, my experience is that handwriting at this age varies wildly by child and by level of effort. My own DC's can be atrocious or pretty good (to a different poster's point, I feel for the kid who receives the 23rd valentine she wrote this weekend). Meanwhile, the many notes she brings home from friends range from adult-like handwriting to a scrawl. They do seem less focused on spelling than I was a kid (no spelling lists/tests), but they teach literacy/understanding language much more deliberately than I recall and I suppose that's supposed to carry over in to spelling at some point.
Anonymous
02/06/2022 23:38
Subject: Re:elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
My kid went to one of these schools and his writing was absolutely atrocious. I just don't think he got much writing instruction/practice, or rather, the emphasis was on putting thoughts to paper without any correction. Spelling, grammar, handwriting - all terrible. Switched to private and finally there is actual writing instruction, criticism, and correction.
Anonymous
02/06/2022 20:28
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
We have two kiddos that were at Claremont and we pulled them at the start of the school year to go to our neighborhood school, Drew. We live in a new townhome development S of Columbia Pike. Option schools can be amazing, but, are not always the best choice. 
Anonymous
02/06/2022 20:14
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Anonymous wrote:I have been looking for a place to post this as we are starting to look for homes in Arlington in what many on DCUM describe as "good" school pyramids.
On Friday, I saw a note from a colleague's daughter about selling Girl Scout cookies. The colleague lives in a very nice house in Arlington and both she and her spouse seem well educated. The child said that she was 7 years old and the note was handwritten. The writing was very difficult to read and the child even spelled the word "Girl" in "Girl Scouts" incorrectly. The note also made no sense and was understandable only because a cookie order form was attached to it.
At 7 years old, a child would be in the second grade and should be able to write a one sentence coherent note.
I casually asked the mother if her daughter liked school, and the mother said she loved it and was a top student.
I know kids use computers and that handwriting, spelling, and punctuation are not considered important, but is that what Arlington schools produce?
7 is just as often first grade. As you know last year was a bit chaotic for the entire year. Don’t worry, you will fit in to the North Arlington neighborhood perfectly!
Anonymous
02/06/2022 20:10
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Anonymous wrote:I have been looking for a place to post this as we are starting to look for homes in Arlington in what many on DCUM describe as "good" school pyramids.
On Friday, I saw a note from a colleague's daughter about selling Girl Scout cookies. The colleague lives in a very nice house in Arlington and both she and her spouse seem well educated. The child said that she was 7 years old and the note was handwritten. The writing was very difficult to read and the child even spelled the word "Girl" in "Girl Scouts" incorrectly. The note also made no sense and was understandable only because a cookie order form was attached to it.
At 7 years old, a child would be in the second grade and should be able to write a one sentence coherent note.
I casually asked the mother if her daughter liked school, and the mother said she loved it and was a top student.
I know kids use computers and that handwriting, spelling, and punctuation are not considered important, but is that what Arlington schools produce?
My 7 year old's writing is also illegible when he is forced to do a lot of writing he doesn't want to do. Yours was probably the 10th copy of that note and the child was just going through to motions because mom said she had to.
Anonymous
02/06/2022 19:37
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Anonymous wrote:I have been looking for a place to post this as we are starting to look for homes in Arlington in what many on DCUM describe as "good" school pyramids.
On Friday, I saw a note from a colleague's daughter about selling Girl Scout cookies. The colleague lives in a very nice house in Arlington and both she and her spouse seem well educated. The child said that she was 7 years old and the note was handwritten. The writing was very difficult to read and the child even spelled the word "Girl" in "Girl Scouts" incorrectly. The note also made no sense and was understandable only because a cookie order form was attached to it.
At 7 years old, a child would be in the second grade and should be able to write a one sentence coherent note.
I casually asked the mother if her daughter liked school, and the mother said she loved it and was a top student.
I know kids use computers and that handwriting, spelling, and punctuation are not considered important, but is that what Arlington schools produce?
She could have been in first grade and was virtual for the two years you learn handwriting, spelling, and basic writing skills. She learned on a computer, but that doesn't mean your kid will.
My kid is in a lower ranked school. He uses his tablet, but does a lot of writing, phonics, and sentence structure
Anonymous
02/06/2022 19:29
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
I have been looking for a place to post this as we are starting to look for homes in Arlington in what many on DCUM describe as "good" school pyramids.
On Friday, I saw a note from a colleague's daughter about selling Girl Scout cookies. The colleague lives in a very nice house in Arlington and both she and her spouse seem well educated. The child said that she was 7 years old and the note was handwritten. The writing was very difficult to read and the child even spelled the word "Girl" in "Girl Scouts" incorrectly. The note also made no sense and was understandable only because a cookie order form was attached to it.
At 7 years old, a child would be in the second grade and should be able to write a one sentence coherent note.
I casually asked the mother if her daughter liked school, and the mother said she loved it and was a top student.
I know kids use computers and that handwriting, spelling, and punctuation are not considered important, but is that what Arlington schools produce?
On Friday, I saw a note from a colleague's daughter about selling Girl Scout cookies. The colleague lives in a very nice house in Arlington and both she and her spouse seem well educated. The child said that she was 7 years old and the note was handwritten. The writing was very difficult to read and the child even spelled the word "Girl" in "Girl Scouts" incorrectly. The note also made no sense and was understandable only because a cookie order form was attached to it.
At 7 years old, a child would be in the second grade and should be able to write a one sentence coherent note.
I casually asked the mother if her daughter liked school, and the mother said she loved it and was a top student.
I know kids use computers and that handwriting, spelling, and punctuation are not considered important, but is that what Arlington schools produce?
Anonymous
02/04/2022 20:37
Subject: elementary schools for Arlington Heights, Penrose, Arlington View, Douglas park, etc
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So the insinuation is that nice houses are out of place in those areas and thus, they must be making non-local school choices the down-trodden areas?
Pretty snobby.
That’s the entire reason the option elementary schools exist.
Haaa!!! So true. People think they are too good for the places they live but think they are populist by sending their kids to public.