Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 12:59     Subject: You need to have your kids read outside of school
Anonymous wrote:My first grader can't read on her own. She may recognizes a few words here and there, and it is so painful.


Have you worked with her and gotten books that fit her interests? If she is still lagging despite putting in the time/effort, you really might want to have her checked for dyslexia. I have two friends whose kids were diagnosed in 1st/2nd grade, after they just were struggling a lot. It was enormously helpful to get the diagnosis so they could adjust the methods of instruction. I think undiagnosed dyslexia is one of the biggest reasons that kids turn off school and decide "I must just be dumb." I had a friend in college who had a History degree from a Ivy and became a professional writer, so don't feel like it's a judgment of intelligence or ability -- it's just a different way of reading that needs to be taught in a different way. Good luck!
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 12:55     Subject: You need to have your kids read outside of school
I'm a big proponent of reading. We went to the library weekly as a family. I picked out some books I thought my kids would like from the classic or recommended lists, and they picked out books themselves. Typically they would read about 3-10 real books per week (one read basically a book a day, although I don't think his level of consumption was healthy either).

It's all fallen apart in teen years. They do read, but it's mostly crap. One of them is reading some online book that has like a thousand chapters. I can't believe it's any good but he really likes it. The other one reads fantasy romance crap. I even tried to pay them over the summer to read something better, but they declined. Part of it is their level of exhaustion as teens -- they are just beat, pretty much all the time.

I really really wish that MCPS would assign some of hte classics in their HS honors classes. That might take some of the burden off and they'd see they actually enjoy some of this stuff again. They are really frustrated with reading kiddie books that they read in ES for their HS classes, but then they shrug it off -- they aren't going to go out and decide to read Pride and Prejudice or Grapes of Wrath on their own. I'm hoping that AP Lit in 12th grade is at least something. It's especially frustrating because I feel like it's now also difficult to add those college level lit classes in college...plus most kids now don't even have the basis to know if they'd enjoy 19th Century Russian Lit or Renaissance English Literature or Modern American Lit or what. They need to get the survey stuff in HS to know what they might like to pursue more.

The disaster that is English from grades 6 to 10 is my biggest problem with MCPS. It's the one thing that I think they really do terribly (in addition to maybe lunch/recess but at least that one doesn't have an easy fix). The English thing would be pretty easy to fix - it's maddening that they refuse to do it.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 12:21     Subject: You need to have your kids read outside of school
My first grader can't read on her own. She may recognizes a few words here and there, and it is so painful.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 12:20     Subject: Re:You need to have your kids read outside of school
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm going to give a piece of advice about raising readers based on my experience:

You need to read to your kids way more, and way longer, than most people do. You also need to start reading them novel length books earlier.

Most MC and UMC parents read to their kids nightly until school age. But they mostly read picture books, and the tendency is to stop reading on e kids can read a picture book themselves, around K. They might still "read together" but the focus will be on encouraging the child to read to them. I actually think pushing kids to read aloud to parents is when many kids stop enjoying books, because reading aloud is much harder than just reading, and especially for a new reader, it can feel like a chore.

Instead, I would encourage parents to continue to read to their kids, and to start reading chapter books as soon as their kid can tolerate it (choose extremely engaging books so that the lack of pictures will bother them less, and the excitement will sustain interest over multiple nights as you read).

And then keep reading. If you read good, engaging novels to kids, they will develop an interest in reading no matter what. Yes you also separately have to support reading skills. If they aren't getting proper phonics instruction in school, do a program like Hooked on Phonics at home. They need 10-15 minutes a day, minimum, of phonics instruction until it clicks. But that's different from reading for pleasure, and if you want your kids to read independently for pleasure, you have to read to them in a way that shows them how mature, more advanced books can be pleasurable.

I would read TO your kids as long as possible, all the way through elementary ideally. Even after you stop reading to them, I'd suggest keeping up the habit of reading together, and spending 20-30 minutes each evening as a family reading in the same room, even if you are all reading different books. No screens except a e-book reader.

This is what it takes.


NP - no, that's not what it takes. There's research on this stuff. I'm not discouraging anyone from reading to or with their kids, but this level of investment in reading isn't necessary for most kids to become strong readers. They don't need to love reading for pleasure, because reading for pleasure isn't a virtue. Good for you, glad all this worked for your kids, but for all the parents of young kids who read this and think, there's no way I could do all that, you don't have to.

You DO need to pay attention to how well your kids are reading and if they're struggling still in first grade, do something about that.


There is value to setting your kid up to be labeled a top reader in early grades. Once they're identified by their teachers as high-achieving or gifted, they get better opportunities and have more confidence in their intellect. It carries forward, or did for my kids.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 12:16     Subject: You need to have your kids read outside of school
Many of us knew this intuitively. I learned to read at home with my mom before kindergarten, so I did the same with my kids. My mom wasn't following the "science of reading" at the time; she taugth us to read in whatever method she thought would work, and reinforced it over the years, first with read alouds, then silent reading. Doing the same with my kids. I never expected school would be enough - we've always done outside educational enrichment, summer school, tutors, reading, flashcards, and games at home.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 12:11     Subject: Re:You need to have your kids read outside of school
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm going to give a piece of advice about raising readers based on my experience:

You need to read to your kids way more, and way longer, than most people do. You also need to start reading them novel length books earlier.

Most MC and UMC parents read to their kids nightly until school age. But they mostly read picture books, and the tendency is to stop reading on e kids can read a picture book themselves, around K. They might still "read together" but the focus will be on encouraging the child to read to them. I actually think pushing kids to read aloud to parents is when many kids stop enjoying books, because reading aloud is much harder than just reading, and especially for a new reader, it can feel like a chore.

Instead, I would encourage parents to continue to read to their kids, and to start reading chapter books as soon as their kid can tolerate it (choose extremely engaging books so that the lack of pictures will bother them less, and the excitement will sustain interest over multiple nights as you read).

And then keep reading. If you read good, engaging novels to kids, they will develop an interest in reading no matter what. Yes you also separately have to support reading skills. If they aren't getting proper phonics instruction in school, do a program like Hooked on Phonics at home. They need 10-15 minutes a day, minimum, of phonics instruction until it clicks. But that's different from reading for pleasure, and if you want your kids to read independently for pleasure, you have to read to them in a way that shows them how mature, more advanced books can be pleasurable.

I would read TO your kids as long as possible, all the way through elementary ideally. Even after you stop reading to them, I'd suggest keeping up the habit of reading together, and spending 20-30 minutes each evening as a family reading in the same room, even if you are all reading different books. No screens except a e-book reader.

This is what it takes.


NP - no, that's not what it takes. There's research on this stuff. I'm not discouraging anyone from reading to or with their kids, but this level of investment in reading isn't necessary for most kids to become strong readers. They don't need to love reading for pleasure, because reading for pleasure isn't a virtue. Good for you, glad all this worked for your kids, but for all the parents of young kids who read this and think, there's no way I could do all that, you don't have to.

You DO need to pay attention to how well your kids are reading and if they're struggling still in first grade, do something about that.


Reading for pleasure may not be a virtue, but it sure is a good way for them to accelerate their reading ability.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 12:04     Subject: Re:You need to have your kids read outside of school
I’m not surprised at the amount of pushback you’re getting on this, given the absolutely dreadful writing I see on DCUM all the time. There’s clearly a ton of non-readers on the site.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 11:56     Subject: Re:You need to have your kids read outside of school
Anonymous wrote:I'm going to give a piece of advice about raising readers based on my experience:

You need to read to your kids way more, and way longer, than most people do. You also need to start reading them novel length books earlier.

Most MC and UMC parents read to their kids nightly until school age. But they mostly read picture books, and the tendency is to stop reading on e kids can read a picture book themselves, around K. They might still "read together" but the focus will be on encouraging the child to read to them. I actually think pushing kids to read aloud to parents is when many kids stop enjoying books, because reading aloud is much harder than just reading, and especially for a new reader, it can feel like a chore.

Instead, I would encourage parents to continue to read to their kids, and to start reading chapter books as soon as their kid can tolerate it (choose extremely engaging books so that the lack of pictures will bother them less, and the excitement will sustain interest over multiple nights as you read).

And then keep reading. If you read good, engaging novels to kids, they will develop an interest in reading no matter what. Yes you also separately have to support reading skills. If they aren't getting proper phonics instruction in school, do a program like Hooked on Phonics at home. They need 10-15 minutes a day, minimum, of phonics instruction until it clicks. But that's different from reading for pleasure, and if you want your kids to read independently for pleasure, you have to read to them in a way that shows them how mature, more advanced books can be pleasurable.

I would read TO your kids as long as possible, all the way through elementary ideally. Even after you stop reading to them, I'd suggest keeping up the habit of reading together, and spending 20-30 minutes each evening as a family reading in the same room, even if you are all reading different books. No screens except a e-book reader.

This is what it takes.


My oldest is in second grade and I guess I’m surprised if what you describe isn’t typical (maybe except the part about reading as a family in the same room when they are older).
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 11:53     Subject: You need to have your kids read outside of school
Shouldn’t they be reading outside of school anyway?
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 09:45     Subject: You need to have your kids read outside of school
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:P.S. The real problems now in English are in H.S. That's by far the weakest link. They are reading books in the 9th grade MCPS-written "honors" curriculum that are part of the 4th grade CKLA curriculum.


4th grade ckla uses The Outsiders and Of Mice and Men? That seems…questionable at best.


No, House on Mango Street.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 09:16     Subject: Re:You need to have your kids read outside of school
Anonymous wrote:I'm going to give a piece of advice about raising readers based on my experience:

You need to read to your kids way more, and way longer, than most people do. You also need to start reading them novel length books earlier.

Most MC and UMC parents read to their kids nightly until school age. But they mostly read picture books, and the tendency is to stop reading on e kids can read a picture book themselves, around K. They might still "read together" but the focus will be on encouraging the child to read to them. I actually think pushing kids to read aloud to parents is when many kids stop enjoying books, because reading aloud is much harder than just reading, and especially for a new reader, it can feel like a chore.

Instead, I would encourage parents to continue to read to their kids, and to start reading chapter books as soon as their kid can tolerate it (choose extremely engaging books so that the lack of pictures will bother them less, and the excitement will sustain interest over multiple nights as you read).

And then keep reading. If you read good, engaging novels to kids, they will develop an interest in reading no matter what. Yes you also separately have to support reading skills. If they aren't getting proper phonics instruction in school, do a program like Hooked on Phonics at home. They need 10-15 minutes a day, minimum, of phonics instruction until it clicks. But that's different from reading for pleasure, and if you want your kids to read independently for pleasure, you have to read to them in a way that shows them how mature, more advanced books can be pleasurable.

I would read TO your kids as long as possible, all the way through elementary ideally. Even after you stop reading to them, I'd suggest keeping up the habit of reading together, and spending 20-30 minutes each evening as a family reading in the same room, even if you are all reading different books. No screens except a e-book reader.

This is what it takes.


NP - no, that's not what it takes. There's research on this stuff. I'm not discouraging anyone from reading to or with their kids, but this level of investment in reading isn't necessary for most kids to become strong readers. They don't need to love reading for pleasure, because reading for pleasure isn't a virtue. Good for you, glad all this worked for your kids, but for all the parents of young kids who read this and think, there's no way I could do all that, you don't have to.

You DO need to pay attention to how well your kids are reading and if they're struggling still in first grade, do something about that.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 09:02     Subject: Re:You need to have your kids read outside of school
https://www.pearson.com/international-schools/british-curriculum/Subjects/English.html

I go to various websites to check out what is being taught internationally. I also have family around the world and access to textbooks, assignment etc.

All the information is available to parents, students, teachers, tutors. If you are willing to pay for this...
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 08:58     Subject: You need to have your kids read outside of school
Important post - thank you!
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 08:48     Subject: You need to have your kids read outside of school
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It is so much better now in ES and MS that they have CKLA. We endured C2.0, Benchmark, and Study Sync -- they were all awful. But there is a marked difference with a strong curriculum. But of course, it doesn't mean that kids shouldn't read on their own -- they aboslutely should.


+1. Getting my oldest to read at home in early ES was so painful and frustrating because he was not learning to read in school. He's a much better reader now but it wasn't as simple as "have your kids read," I had to supplement to teach him HOW. My youngest is actually learning to read in school so she can practice those skills at home. Night and day.


Why didn't your kid start to learn to read before kindergarten? The home has words all over.


Good one- zing!
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 08:42     Subject: You need to have your kids read outside of school
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:P.S. The real problems now in English are in H.S. That's by far the weakest link. They are reading books in the 9th grade MCPS-written "honors" curriculum that are part of the 4th grade CKLA curriculum.


4th grade ckla uses The Outsiders and Of Mice and Men? That seems…questionable at best.

My kid in a CES also had an enriched ELA curriculum and read “Funny in Farsi” in elementary school.