So sounds like we have established that 3 MS 7th grade classes read 4 books last year. Anyone here from SH, Wells or Francis Stevens who can report?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an abomination! I know this may be difficult for some, but parents need to take a more active role in their child’s education because we cannot rely on the schools anymore. For example, we had our son read Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, etc. …All the books were read when we were in school!

Things Fall Apart is legit literature. It's more of an 11th/12th grade than 10th book and should be taught concurrently with Yeats but make no mistake, it's a high level and important novel.

The Namesake is the only book on that list that doesn't belong. The real problem is that there are very few books assigned and that the thematic progression is identity based and dumbed down

The Namesake is excellent literary fiction (by a Pulitzer Prize winner!) and also allows the class to tie in Russian literature/Gogol in particular. The kids should be reading more novels, but this choice is completely grade appropriate.

Agree namesake is really good. Now add in 3 more books. I don't care if it the units are identity based. There is lots of stuff teachers and students can and will talk about that isn't self-identity.

I think it’s all about the quality of the book. My cynical white son was riveted by the autobiography of one of the Little Rock students.

Hardy is also 3-4 books/year, plus summer reading.

I want to understand DCpS's future plans for this because it will definitely impact our high school choices.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is an improvement over the previous curriculum though. I think people are missing just how bad and devalued ELA had gotten.

Improved how?

They're now reading fiction, at least one whole book and the books are mostly grade level.

Deal was doing way more than this before. At least two entire novels, a full play, and a novel in poem form. All grade level.

In 8th grade my kidread Call of the Wild, Raisin in the Sun, Lord of the Flies, and one other complete book I can't think of right now.

In 7th grade he read Animal Farm and three other books I can't think of right now.

This is a downgrade!

My kid at EH read 4 books in 7th - two autobiographies, one novel, and book assigned by the teacher to each kid individually. I can’t believe they are going to roll that back?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is an improvement over the previous curriculum though. I think people are missing just how bad and devalued ELA had gotten.

Improved how?

They're now reading fiction, at least one whole book and the books are mostly grade level.

Deal was doing way more than this before. At least two entire novels, a full play, and a novel in poem form. All grade level.

In 8th grade my kidread Call of the Wild, Raisin in the Sun, Lord of the Flies, and one other complete book I can't think of right now.

In 7th grade he read Animal Farm and three other books I can't think of right now.

This is a downgrade!

I think the thing is schools that were doing more will keep doing more. That wasn't the DCPS standard curriculum to my understanding. It's Deal's curriculum.

I agree one book seems like nothing. I'm just not sure it'll really change the high performers.

My 7th grader is NOT doing more at deal this year. 7th graders are reading one book, brown girl dreaming. Gone are the 4 books 7th grades read last year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is an improvement over the previous curriculum though. I think people are missing just how bad and devalued ELA had gotten.

Improved how?

They're now reading fiction, at least one whole book and the books are mostly grade level.

Deal was doing way more than this before. At least two entire novels, a full play, and a novel in poem form. All grade level.

In 8th grade my kidread Call of the Wild, Raisin in the Sun, Lord of the Flies, and one other complete book I can't think of right now.

In 7th grade he read Animal Farm and three other books I can't think of right now.

This is a downgrade!

I think the thing is schools that were doing more will keep doing more. That wasn't the DCPS standard curriculum to my understanding. It's Deal's curriculum.

I agree one book seems like nothing. I'm just not sure it'll really change the high performers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an abomination! I know this may be difficult for some, but parents need to take a more active role in their child’s education because we cannot rely on the schools anymore. For example, we had our son read Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, etc. …All the books were read when we were in school!

Things Fall Apart is legit literature. It's more of an 11th/12th grade than 10th book and should be taught concurrently with Yeats but make no mistake, it's a high level and important novel.

The Namesake is the only book on that list that doesn't belong. The real problem is that there are very few books assigned and that the thematic progression is identity based and dumbed down

The Namesake is excellent literary fiction (by a Pulitzer Prize winner!) and also allows the class to tie in Russian literature/Gogol in particular. The kids should be reading more novels, but this choice is completely grade appropriate.

Agree namesake is really good. Now add in 3 more books. I don't care if it the units are identity based. There is lots of stuff teachers and students can and will talk about that isn't self-identity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an abomination! I know this may be difficult for some, but parents need to take a more active role in their child’s education because we cannot rely on the schools anymore. For example, we had our son read Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, etc. …All the books were read when we were in school!

Things Fall Apart is legit literature. It's more of an 11th/12th grade than 10th book and should be taught concurrently with Yeats but make no mistake, it's a high level and important novel.

The Namesake is the only book on that list that doesn't belong. The real problem is that there are very few books assigned and that the thematic progression is identity based and dumbed down

The Namesake is excellent literary fiction (by a Pulitzer Prize winner!) and also allows the class to tie in Russian literature/Gogol in particular. The kids should be reading more novels, but this choice is completely grade appropriate.

I have an email drafted. Who do I send it to beyond that chancellor and principal?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is an improvement over the previous curriculum though. I think people are missing just how bad and devalued ELA had gotten.

Improved how?

They're now reading fiction, at least one whole book and the books are mostly grade level.

Deal was doing way more than this before. At least two entire novels, a full play, and a novel in poem form. All grade level.

In 8th grade my kidread Call of the Wild, Raisin in the Sun, Lord of the Flies, and one other complete book I can't think of right now.

In 7th grade he read Animal Farm and three other books I can't think of right now.

This is a downgrade!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is an improvement over the previous curriculum though. I think people are missing just how bad and devalued ELA had gotten.

Improved how?

They're now reading fiction, at least one whole book and the books are mostly grade level.

Anonymous wrote:It is an improvement over the previous curriculum though. I think people are missing just how bad and devalued ELA had gotten.

Improved how?

It is an improvement over the previous curriculum though. I think people are missing just how bad and devalued ELA had gotten.

I also have a kid who won't read sad books (or watch sad movies)... but my kid has LD and actually only reads at all if bribed!

I looked in the curriculum, and it's not *all* bad. For instance, they read Poe's 'Tell Tale Heart' in 8th grade, I read that back in the 80s in English class. And 7th grade's unit 4 on the harms of social media for teens might be more helpful to kids than reading Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry (which my 7th grader is reading at her charter school this year).

But I agree, it's strange to think kids will go from reading one novel or play in 9th and 10th to many in 11th and 12th.

I have great sympathy for the ELA teachers in DCPS (and charters) because the range of abilities is so vast.

Does anyone know the rollout plans beyond the pilot?