English Curriculum at Middle School

I'm sorry to hear about your Father. I'm in a similar situation with my Mother. We could do this via email.  

First, let me clarify the testing aspect. I am one of the few parents who likes to know how well my student is doing by viewing the standardized test scores. My concern is rooted in something that happened several years ago. I felt that my daughter wasn’t learning and I requested test results every time she took an assessment (I found out about the 10-20 min. computerized tests from my daughter when she came home asking me what words/math questions meant). I requested and received her evaluation scores. Each time her I viewed her scores her percentile dropped. It was around that time I got involved.  The following year, when the teacher differentiated the class by ability, her assessment scores always went up.  The state test scores mirrored the 20 min. assessment scores. Whereas, I don’t like many things about the state tests, I do believe we can learn what is missing from the student’s education.  

With that said, I noticed that last year’s Middle School state test scores weren't that great. I’m told that many of the better students at Middle School opted out in protest. I don’t know about the other district elementary schools, but last year at L Elementary there were more 5^th grade students who scored level 4 than they did when they were in 4^th grade - same students, higher scores.

I know that in my daughter’s 5^th grade class last year, she came home with short stories and writing assignments several times a week. These were not graded on the “ridiculous rubric” the Middle School teachers are forced to track. Students didn’t get detention or suspension if they didn’t do the work. It was simply thinking and writing practice. It was the teacher telling the students they will do well on the state test if they did their work. About 20% of her class did not take the state test, but I’m sure everyone who did take the test scored higher than the previous year, giving them a personal best. IMO these simple consistent assignments, that don’t count, make students think and write better. I’ve heard of teachers/classrooms that have a quote on the blackboard and the students are supposed to write freely for ten minutes about the quote – not graded on a rubric -- but sometimes shared with classmates as something to think about.

My Concern
I don’t believe my daughter is on track to perform as well as she did last year on the state test. I believe it’s partially rooted in the curriculum - the artificial rubric, the speed the material is being covered, and the lack of writing in class. I’m also concerned the class has students that read on very different levels. It’s very slow. The higher-level readers will not be able to compete with students in schools that do differentiate classes. In fact, I think the mixed environment we have now will lower the scores of higher-level reader while the slower learner scores will go up. That’s what I meant by the comment. I believe that closing the achievement gap by slowing down the fast learners is not how our English department should operate.  Our focus should be on personal best.

If you think we need to meet, let me know. Otherwise just take these thoughts into consideration when putting together the curriculum. I don’t want to see my daughter’s standardized test scores go down. I feel it’s going to happen unless a change is made.

Take care of your father.

Regards,