Anonymous
09/23/2025 13:10
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All American Boys
But they will also be reading Of Mice and Men
Of Mice & Men is a choice in MP2. And it's super short. Why couldn't they read both of these in MP1?
Totally agree. My HS English class in 1986 probably read twice as many books. I remember we read Great Expectations, catcher in the rye, Frankenstein, a Shakespeare play, the Iliad, and I’m sure there were a couple more I’m forgetting now (maybe Huck Finn?) And I went to public school in a random state so I feel like it’s achievable for McPS.
Sorry to those of you who don't know this, but...these kids DO NOT READ! The vast majority of them, including your precious IB Magnet students, are not doing the reading. They are overwhelmed and/or do not have the stamina to read books the way you think they can.
I teach 9th grade right now. I've also taught AP Lang in the past. Their reading stamina, as previously stated, is in the garbage and has been for some time. I struggle to get them to retain information when we read books together, in class, using an audio book. It takes insane amounts of contextualization to get them to understand any text, so I've come to learn if it's going to to be challenging for them, it better be interesting too.
This year, we will do All American Boys (in Q1 - mind you, we have had significantly fewer instructional days this quarter because of various interruptions and non-instructional days), MARCH Book 3 in Quarter 2, Flowers for Algernon in Quarter 2, A Raisin in the Sun in Quarter 3, The Poet X in Quarter 4, and probably a literature circle book somewhere in there.
For anyone complaining that their kid isn't reading enough or isn't reading any "classics" - get a library card! No one is stopping you! As a matter of fact, it would be great if you and your kid read those "classics" together, and then they can have a discussion with you about the differences between those "classics" and the books they're reading in class
My kids do what your suggest. But they are stuck in school with your remedial lessons and homework. (Not your fault! Curriculum's fault.)
It's the curriculum forced by "Honors" For All, regardless of ability or interest.
Anonymous
09/23/2025 13:08
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
It's actually hard to find classics in the library. That's not what they stock.
Anonymous
09/23/2025 13:07
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All American Boys
But they will also be reading Of Mice and Men
Of Mice & Men is a choice in MP2. And it's super short. Why couldn't they read both of these in MP1?
Totally agree. My HS English class in 1986 probably read twice as many books. I remember we read Great Expectations, catcher in the rye, Frankenstein, a Shakespeare play, the Iliad, and I’m sure there were a couple more I’m forgetting now (maybe Huck Finn?) And I went to public school in a random state so I feel like it’s achievable for McPS.
Sorry to those of you who don't know this, but...these kids DO NOT READ! The vast majority of them, including your precious IB Magnet students, are not doing the reading. They are overwhelmed and/or do not have the stamina to read books the way you think they can.
I teach 9th grade right now. I've also taught AP Lang in the past. Their reading stamina, as previously stated, is in the garbage and has been for some time. I struggle to get them to retain information when we read books together, in class, using an audio book. It takes insane amounts of contextualization to get them to understand any text, so I've come to learn if it's going to to be challenging for them, it better be interesting too.
This year, we will do All American Boys (in Q1 - mind you, we have had significantly fewer instructional days this quarter because of various interruptions and non-instructional days), MARCH Book 3 in Quarter 2, Flowers for Algernon in Quarter 2, A Raisin in the Sun in Quarter 3, The Poet X in Quarter 4, and probably a literature circle book somewhere in there.
For anyone complaining that their kid isn't reading enough or isn't reading any "classics" - get a library card! No one is stopping you! As a matter of fact, it would be great if you and your kid read those "classics" together, and then they can have a discussion with you about the differences between those "classics" and the books they're reading in class
My kids do what your suggest. But they are stuck in school with your remedial lessons and homework. (Not your fault! Curriculum's fault.)
Anonymous
09/23/2025 13:05
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Maybe they'd have the stamina to read books if they had actually been assigned them throughout their schooling and held accountable for demonstrating mastery of the content.
It's a chicken-egg situation.
I can agree with that but would add that we would also have to reinstate academic consequences at the earlier grade levels. Assigning appropriate novels for middle schoolers is great but when you auto promote them even if they don't crack open the book completely negates any benefit you are trying to achieve.
Auto promote is probably fine for on level. But honors should be for the kids that actually read the books. My kids did read all the books, definitely. Often the first day or days the books was assigned — not one chapter per week like they were assigned (who reads like that?!). Because the books are so easy, they are often ones they read in ES though.
No, because the books now are mostly political activism books for older students with low literacy, not classic kids' books
Your ES kids didn't read
the modern school canon of novels about about police brutality and high school sex in ES. These aren't best sellers for kids outside of school.
Anonymous
09/23/2025 13:02
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Wow. I was frustrated when my kid's "Advanced" English 6 class was reading Magic Fish. Now I can wait to be infuriated AGAIN when they get it as a high schooler.
My child went to private MS followed by MCPS HS, let me tell you...
I haven't heard of Magic Fish, but he read All American Boys in MS. Animal Farm was a repeat for him.
What were your child’s thoughts on the parallels between Animal Farm and early 20th century Russia? Was the Russian Revolution studied in Social Studies before or after?
World History is usually taken in 11th.
DP. You do not have to get that in history class when reading Animal Farm. You should be getting it in English class by through context readings so that you understand what the allegory and its relevance.
Allegory is killed by serving it backwards, explaining what everything means instead of relying on the reader's knowledge when they read.
Anonymous
09/23/2025 12:59
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Maybe they'd have the stamina to read books if they had actually been assigned them throughout their schooling and held accountable for demonstrating mastery of the content.
It's a chicken-egg situation.
I can agree with that but would add that we would also have to reinstate academic consequences at the earlier grade levels. Assigning appropriate novels for middle schoolers is great but when you auto promote them even if they don't crack open the book completely negates any benefit you are trying to achieve.
Auto promote is probably fine for on level. But honors should be for the kids that actually read the books. My kids did read all the books, definitely. Often the first day or days the books was assigned — not one chapter per week like they were assigned (who reads like that?!). Because the books are so easy, they are often ones they read in ES though.
Anonymous
09/23/2025 12:58
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I teach 9th grade honors english at a HS. Half my classes are reading The Magic Fish. The other half All American Boys
Is this just because there are too few copies of the book for every student to get the same one?
It may be due to English Learners in their class. If you are just learning English, the Magic Fish would be appropriate. All American Boy isn't honors reading level. Consider that this teacher has to divide their time between two student cohorts in one class.
Do tell - what makes AAB not an honors reading level book? Because it's contemporary and focuses on police brutality against African Americans? Seems pretty finger on the pulse of the nation to me. But I'd love to hear your opinion, PP. Do tell.
DP. Its lexile is 770HL -- high interest book for struggling readers who are below grade level. The 9th grade fall median Lexile level is 1195L. It's not even at grade level -- let alone at honors.
To me, it sounds like AAB would be a good pick for on level. For honors, combine it with something more challenging on a related theme — Beloved, invisible Man, even something like a day in the life of Ivan denisovich (which I read on 9th grade in the 80s) if you want to take about misuse of government power. There’s just so, so much missed opportunity with this supposedly honors curriculum. This is the perfect age to read all sorts of stuff — once you are in college and have a full time job it’s so much harder, especially if you haven’t developed the habit. It’s just such a shame.
Social Studies class is great place to investigate government issues using easily accessible simplistic writing, to enable social studies learning in student with weak literacy. And MCPS does this
English class needs to focus on language development composition, skills, and literatary criticism and creation skills.
Anonymous
09/23/2025 12:55
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All American Boys
But they will also be reading Of Mice and Men
Of Mice & Men is a choice in MP2. And it's super short. Why couldn't they read both of these in MP1?
Totally agree. My HS English class in 1986 probably read twice as many books. I remember we read Great Expectations, catcher in the rye, Frankenstein, a Shakespeare play, the Iliad, and I’m sure there were a couple more I’m forgetting now (maybe Huck Finn?) And I went to public school in a random state so I feel like it’s achievable for McPS.
Sorry to those of you who don't know this, but...these kids DO NOT READ! The vast majority of them, including your precious IB Magnet students, are not doing the reading. They are overwhelmed and/or do not have the stamina to read books the way you think they can.
I teach 9th grade right now. I've also taught AP Lang in the past. Their reading stamina, as previously stated, is in the garbage and has been for some time. I struggle to get them to retain information when we read books together, in class, using an audio book. It takes insane amounts of contextualization to get them to understand any text, so I've come to learn if it's going to to be challenging for them, it better be interesting too.
This year, we will do All American Boys (in Q1 - mind you, we have had significantly fewer instructional days this quarter because of various interruptions and non-instructional days), MARCH Book 3 in Quarter 2, Flowers for Algernon in Quarter 2, A Raisin in the Sun in Quarter 3, The Poet X in Quarter 4, and probably a literature circle book somewhere in there.
For anyone complaining that their kid isn't reading enough or isn't reading any "classics" - get a library card! No one is stopping you! As a matter of fact, it would be great if you and your kid read those "classics" together, and then they can have a discussion with you about the differences between those "classics" and the books they're reading in class
I wonder if this is part of honors for all. My kids have reading stamina. They regularly read books that are multiple hundred pages, and they often complain about the stupid filler stuff in English class. But they aren’t gojng to go to the library and get dickens or Steinbeck or Wharton. They are reading stuff like Dune or Ready Player One or the Leigh Bardugo stuff. Yes, I could force my kids to read something more canonical — but I guess I could also just homeschool them. It doesn’t seem unreasonable to ask the schools to teach them some of this stuff, particularly considering that’s what was done in school for many decades.
Anonymous
09/23/2025 12:50
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I teach 9th grade honors english at a HS. Half my classes are reading The Magic Fish. The other half All American Boys
Is this just because there are too few copies of the book for every student to get the same one?
It may be due to English Learners in their class. If you are just learning English, the Magic Fish would be appropriate. All American Boy isn't honors reading level. Consider that this teacher has to divide their time between two student cohorts in one class.
Do tell - what makes AAB not an honors reading level book? Because it's contemporary and focuses on police brutality against African Americans? Seems pretty finger on the pulse of the nation to me. But I'd love to hear your opinion, PP. Do tell.
DP. Its lexile is 770HL -- high interest book for struggling readers who are below grade level. The 9th grade fall median Lexile level is 1195L. It's not even at grade level -- let alone at honors.
To me, it sounds like AAB would be a good pick for on level. For honors, combine it with something more challenging on a related theme — Beloved, invisible Man, even something like a day in the life of Ivan denisovich (which I read on 9th grade in the 80s) if you want to take about misuse of government power. There’s just so, so much missed opportunity with this supposedly honors curriculum. This is the perfect age to read all sorts of stuff — once you are in college and have a full time job it’s so much harder, especially if you haven’t developed the habit. It’s just such a shame.
Anonymous
09/23/2025 12:39
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
My apologies, I essentially quoted and repeated your exact post. That's what I get for doing this while driving.
Anonymous
09/23/2025 12:36
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Maybe they'd have the stamina to read books if they had actually been assigned them throughout their schooling and held accountable for demonstrating mastery of the content.
It's a chicken-egg situation.
I can agree with that but would add that we would also have to reinstate academic consequences at the earlier grade levels. Assigning appropriate novels for middle schoolers is great but when you auto promote them even if they don't crack open the book completely negates any benefit you are trying to achieve.
Anonymous
09/23/2025 12:18
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Maybe they'd have the stamina to read books if they had actually been assigned them throughout their schooling and held accountable for demonstrating mastery of the content.
It's a chicken-egg situation.
It's a chicken-egg situation.
Anonymous
09/22/2025 22:27
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All American Boys
But they will also be reading Of Mice and Men
Of Mice & Men is a choice in MP2. And it's super short. Why couldn't they read both of these in MP1?
Totally agree. My HS English class in 1986 probably read twice as many books. I remember we read Great Expectations, catcher in the rye, Frankenstein, a Shakespeare play, the Iliad, and I’m sure there were a couple more I’m forgetting now (maybe Huck Finn?) And I went to public school in a random state so I feel like it’s achievable for McPS.
Sorry to those of you who don't know this, but...these kids DO NOT READ! The vast majority of them, including your precious IB Magnet students, are not doing the reading. They are overwhelmed and/or do not have the stamina to read books the way you think they can.
I teach 9th grade right now. I've also taught AP Lang in the past. Their reading stamina, as previously stated, is in the garbage and has been for some time. I struggle to get them to retain information when we read books together, in class, using an audio book. It takes insane amounts of contextualization to get them to understand any text, so I've come to learn if it's going to to be challenging for them, it better be interesting too.
This year, we will do All American Boys (in Q1 - mind you, we have had significantly fewer instructional days this quarter because of various interruptions and non-instructional days), MARCH Book 3 in Quarter 2, Flowers for Algernon in Quarter 2, A Raisin in the Sun in Quarter 3, The Poet X in Quarter 4, and probably a literature circle book somewhere in there.
For anyone complaining that their kid isn't reading enough or isn't reading any "classics" - get a library card! No one is stopping you! As a matter of fact, it would be great if you and your kid read those "classics" together, and then they can have a discussion with you about the differences between those "classics" and the books they're reading in class
Yea
Anonymous
09/22/2025 22:19
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Wait a gosh darn minute.
They only read ONE of those?
I read the refrigerator curriculum handout and it was not at all clear that the teacher only picks one. I already thought it was a light lift with two below grade level and A Separate Peace (which is a quick read).
Good lord, MCPS is shortchanging our kids.
MCPS has been short-changing kids in English for a long time. It's such a shame, and also a pattern. They got rid of differentiated English in MS about ten years ago, I think? Then got rid of differentiated English in high school three years ago. Then got rid of ELC this year. Now they are seeking to make the Humanities magnets interest-based rather than criteria-based.
They literally show no interest in kids if their gifts are in ELA/Humanities rather than STEM, and it is an enormous shame.
They have shortchanged students who are capable in math too. Just because a student doesn't live in Potomac shouldnt mean they can't get a chance to be in higher level math.
Anonymous
09/22/2025 22:02
Subject: Honors English 9A, MP1: What is your child reading?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All American Boys
But they will also be reading Of Mice and Men
Of Mice & Men is a choice in MP2. And it's super short. Why couldn't they read both of these in MP1?
Totally agree. My HS English class in 1986 probably read twice as many books. I remember we read Great Expectations, catcher in the rye, Frankenstein, a Shakespeare play, the Iliad, and I’m sure there were a couple more I’m forgetting now (maybe Huck Finn?) And I went to public school in a random state so I feel like it’s achievable for McPS.
Sorry to those of you who don't know this, but...these kids DO NOT READ! The vast majority of them, including your precious IB Magnet students, are not doing the reading. They are overwhelmed and/or do not have the stamina to read books the way you think they can.
I teach 9th grade right now. I've also taught AP Lang in the past. Their reading stamina, as previously stated, is in the garbage and has been for some time. I struggle to get them to retain information when we read books together, in class, using an audio book. It takes insane amounts of contextualization to get them to understand any text, so I've come to learn if it's going to to be challenging for them, it better be interesting too.
This year, we will do All American Boys (in Q1 - mind you, we have had significantly fewer instructional days this quarter because of various interruptions and non-instructional days), MARCH Book 3 in Quarter 2, Flowers for Algernon in Quarter 2, A Raisin in the Sun in Quarter 3, The Poet X in Quarter 4, and probably a literature circle book somewhere in there.
For anyone complaining that their kid isn't reading enough or isn't reading any "classics" - get a library card! No one is stopping you! As a matter of fact, it would be great if you and your kid read those "classics" together, and then they can have a discussion with you about the differences between those "classics" and the books they're reading in class
A Raisin in the Sun is only a choice for MP4. The Poet X isn’t a choice in any marking period.
https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/14XsG7HxnXcr5tO7u7HpE7I28XTur-dKuQmAkJ1T0z_I/mobilebasic