Children are severely behind in reading.

Rastafarai

Well-Known Member
As someone who grew up outside of the USA and was then integrated into the US public and private school system, I will say this:

The education system in the USA was lacking for YEARS. Not just in Reading/Writing but Math, Geography, Social Sciences, etc. There were subjects I learned in primary school that is not even mentioned or discussed until junior high school here in the USA.

I grew up in the Caribbean, and was exposed to intensive reading/writing outside of ABCs where we had to learn the differences and proper use of verbs, adjectives, pronouns, prepositions, etc. Book reports were the standard. Reading Shakespeare was the standard before I turned age 10. I mostly remember the book reports, which we had to write by hand. I do believe the advent of social media has had a negative impact on how children are taught now, but social media can now be leveraged to make intensive reading/writing fun and exciting.

I always believe in immersing children in their studies, and bringing words they may read to life. For my own children I intend to incorporate study abroad English training, summer book reports and supplemental training from teachers who are not recent college graduates. I think the US education system relies too much on teachers, many of whom are not equipped to teach anyone. Just my .02 cents.
 

OmbreLune

Well-Known Member
This is very eye opening for me, didn't realize schools were getting that bad. My son is currently in a Montessori preschool and will continue next year for kindergarten. We have the option to keep him there until the sixth grade but cost is a factor that I've been going back and forth with in my head. The other day DH said the phrase "keepin it one hunnit" and DS replied "no Dad, it's one hundred, huh- huh- un- un- dra- dra- ed- ed- You have to sound it out! Ok? Try again" :giggle: I think we'll keep him at this school as long as possible
 
Last edited:

naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
The thing is schools that had the technology and devices, were utilizing those things in the classroom daily. Especially in grades 3rd-12th. From personal experience during the pandemic, you could tell which teachers were prepared, able to transition smoothly, and were comfortable/knowledgeable with how to use technology and implement it into to their teaching and lesson plans. You could clearly see certain parents’ lack of involvement, classroom management styles, etc… You could see the different learning styles of the students and the lack of accommodations for those learning styles. Teachers just couldn’t assign busy work anymore, and the structure came from children moving throughout the school during the day. Children can only sit still and take in information for a limited amount of time. The fact they would try to take up 6-8 hours like a normal in-person learning day was ridiculous. They kept that ridiculous for monetary purposes, due to the education/learning minutes states require.
And let’s not even talk about the special education department…

As far as kindergartens not knowing their phonics, some schools and districts may only push learning sight words, and not work enough on phonics, or use a more effective methodology. It’s all about testing too. Teachers are made to teach to prepare for standardized assessments, which makes them unable to teach lessons for mastery.
The bolded...especially the underlined. My daughter finished Kindergarten at home from March to June. Then the first grade teacher, who was older, was a gem. She had everything well-oiled. I could tell she was already better than great with technology and the canvas platform. It was easy to follow and she was prepared. It still wasn't perfect but then when I listened to other parents from other local schools and my friends state-wide...I knew we were very fortunate.

But its shame kids get more or less depending on that teacher's skills and interest.
 

naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
We know that there is a problem.. What are some things that we can do as parents to help our kids and ensure that they don't get left behind?
We are being super patient and leaning in. Our oldest is finishing 2nd grade and its been piling up as far as intensity. Its literally part of our everyday routine. DH orders all these workbooks all the time. And we do things repetitively to help her remember things that don't come naturally--like some math concepts. She, like her mom has ADHD...so I figured out her learning style is much like mine.
1. Learning your child's learning style.
2. Accommodate your child's learning style and create similar conditions from school at home....Like... We time her for tests. We walk away, let her work independently. That was HARD for DH, but that's how she needed to practice at home. And it paid off.
3. Don't assume the teacher is covering everything. Email that teacher weekly. Ask questions. Cause kids DO misinterpret things.
4. Did I mention that kids misinterpret things?
5. Don't be afraid to Google certain language arts or math rules so you can reinforce concepts.
6. Make sure you ASK your kid how THEY interpret what was taught. Ask and ask again so you can understand how the teacher expects them to learn it. Cause its not always how YOU were taught.
 

Evolving78

Well-Known Member
The bolded...especially the underlined. My daughter finished Kindergarten at home from March to June. Then the first grade teacher, who was older, was a gem. She had everything well-oiled. I could tell she was already better than great with technology and the canvas platform. It was easy to follow and she was prepared. It still wasn't perfect but then when I listened to other parents from other local schools and my friends state-wide...I knew we were very fortunate.

But its shame kids get more or less depending on that teacher's skills and interest.
Same experience from March to June and the summer. But the next year, with the new teacher was just…
 
Last edited:

naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
I don’t understand the sight word reading process. I’m not saying it may not be useful but how do you learn new more complex words without a fundamental basis of utilizing phonetics? I was taught under a private school method that utilized the abeka method of teaching. Yes, it was private Christian school but the quality of education was very high. It allowed me to started kindergarten at age four and I started reading at that age. Otherwise, I would have had to repeat preschool and wait for kindergarten at age five.

https://www.abeka.com/
I started Kinder when I was 4 as well. The downside was being mistaken for a high schooler lost on campus or doing dual enrollment. I could have waited a year based on social skills and maturity alone.
 

naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
I agree,

10 years ago we were talking about kids being behind coming into pre-k, kinder and didn't know the basics especially black kids. This has been at least a decade or more in the making.

A few black people I know think it is ok for their child to come into Kindergarten to learn Letters and the sounds when the Whites and Asians kids are already reading! Let kids be kids and let them play is what they tell me!"
The bolded said by people nowadays really aggravate me....especially when the stakes are so high...This would be nice but like real estate, the current trends set the market. Kids reading already in Kinder set the tone for expectations.

You can't just push them up a grade (I was...and academically I was fine but socially---nah) So, it seems to me, it would take a teacher MORE ENERGY and effort to catch a kid up to a set of Kindergarteners who are already reading, vs finding stuff slightly more challenging for the readers to do.
 
Last edited:

naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
Her kid will be 4 in a couple of months and she still goes to the same daycare. It definitely paid off. She already knows her alphabet and spelling and writing of little words. I know they read to her every night too though. My bff complains of the cost of the daycare but she wouldn’t ever think of switching. She is about to have another child and will send to the same daycare if there is a spot available.
In these conditions, its really good.

Bringing it all together--the big picture:

Daycare is about to become premium and really, access for the low income is becoming less and less available. Due to the pandemic Daycares have continued to have difficulty in keeping teachers on staff and the waiting lists are long. My youngest's daycare is only holding space for siblings about to be born of current children who attend for the infant room. Then you have the issues of staff being out with COVID or other. I myself have been telling pregnant women to get themselves on a waiting list in the 1st trimester and if they are really convinced and eager, put down money.

States like NY are about to move to 3 YR old preschool subsidy for all (I think specifically NYC). Sounds good bc this is what some European countries like France does and the research supports it. HOWEVER-based on the current model its not good. Daycares actually make money to sustain on the older kids (ages 3-5) who attend daycare. Thats because its cheaper to staff older kids than it is in the infant rooms. Baby rooms require more staff due to ratio laws and despite the cost being higher, the margins are really thin. So having 3 YOs no longer attend daycare would sink and close many. The ELITE and well doing of the country would be able to continue paying what will eventually be a premium cost because the demand would be there. Or daycares will be normalized to 0-3 and private schools would also start at age 3.

That being said--I see 3 YO public school for the near future.

Similar programs do exist in FL for preschoolers who at age 4 who have a diagnosed developmental delay--it can be as minor as speech....but they can start Elem school (K-4) in Florida and they have class, go through the cafeteria lunch line and get a big leap on learning. Plus free speech and occupational. Many many parents don't know. Doctors don't always know, yet black kids and a few whites DO take advantage of this. We also have voluntary Pre-K and daycare is discounted for 4 hours. We just pay the difference for the remainder of the day. But its literally FREE and you have to sign up, but its 4 hours of school instruction--free for all Florida kiddies.
 
Last edited:

naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
As someone who grew up outside of the USA and was then integrated into the US public and private school system, I will say this:

The education system in the USA was lacking for YEARS. Not just in Reading/Writing but Math, Geography, Social Sciences, etc. There were subjects I learned in primary school that is not even mentioned or discussed until junior high school here in the USA.

I grew up in the Caribbean, and was exposed to intensive reading/writing outside of ABCs where we had to learn the differences and proper use of verbs, adjectives, pronouns, prepositions, etc. Book reports were the standard. Reading Shakespeare was the standard before I turned age 10. I mostly remember the book reports, which we had to write by hand. I do believe the advent of social media has had a negative impact on how children are taught now, but social media can now be leveraged to make intensive reading/writing fun and exciting.

I always believe in immersing children in their studies, and bringing words they may read to life. For my own children I intend to incorporate study abroad English training, summer book reports and supplemental training from teachers who are not recent college graduates. I think the US education system relies too much on teachers, many of whom are not equipped to teach anyone. Just my .02 cents.
Every single child I grew up with who was born in the Caribbean and emigrated to the US was always no less than 2 grade levels ahead of us. They all graduated at age 15/16 and scored well above average on the ACT and SAT for college entrance.

I graduated at age 17. The typical age of graduation is 17.5/18 yrs old.
 

Rastafarai

Well-Known Member
Every single child I grew up with who was born in the Caribbean and emigrated to the US was always no less than 2 grade levels ahead of us. They all graduated at age 15/16 and scored well above average on the ACT and SAT for college entrance.

I graduated at age 17. The typical age of graduation is 17.5/18 yrs old.

Yes, the same happened with me. I skipped two grade levels when I emigrated. Given my age I was to start in 3rd grade but was testing at 6th grade level. They bumped me down to 5th grade as they thought I was too young for junior high school.

For reading and writing, I highly recommend a book series called Nelson's West Indian Readers. It has the Introductory, First Primer, Book 2, 3, 4 and 5. Its for early elementary but the sooner you start the better. It's all available on Amazon.

My parents also invested Math/Reading training from the E.D. Hirsch series of "What your ________ Needs to Know". He has a series for all grade-levels (first-grader, second grader, third, etc.). Those were INTENSE, but it sure did help push me to challenge myself and served as a foundation for my doing well enough to get into Honors Programs/AP courses in junior high and high school.
 
Last edited:

Everything Zen

Well-Known Member
I started Kinder when I was 4 as well. The downside was being mistaken for a high schooler lost on campus or doing dual enrollment. I could have waited a year based on social skills and maturity alone.
I could have benefited from an academic/career mentor in undergrad- but that’s just par for the course. Universities stay failing students- especially the black ones. We’re maligned at worst and tolerated at best. Purdue came around in the past year with a mea culpa on that mess and it was like PTSD.

I don’t think there’s much difference waiting one year if you’re academically prepared and with access to online programs there’s no reason to hold anyone back except keeping a less mature child home for a while before sending them away. Granted, the on-campus experience is going to increasingly become a luxury for the average American. It would make no sense for me to repeat preschool. I’m more concerned with the maturity gap stories of these wunderkind kids earning degrees at increasingly younger ages before they graduate high school. You earned a PhD at 10? Cool what are you gonna do now? Go to the trampoline park or launch a new start-up company? Kids need to be allowed to be kids.

I’m still mistaken for being younger than I am at 40- that’s not my fault. I tell people when they question my age- What age are YOU comfortable with? :look:
 
Last edited:

madamdot

Well-Known Member
Many families still think school starts at kindergarten. It doesn’t. Preschool is a must. Kindergartners work on academics all day, with some play.
Kids can learn to read before kindergarten. They are sponges! Give them something to soak up.

OK, so we've have to be careful with this thought. Lots of studies have been done on the universal pre-school and have shown that the way we do it here is actually detrimental to a lot of kids. We think if kids learn to read etc early (as pre-k) then they will be better off. They are in the years immediately after but in the long term its the opposite. Universal pre-k is vitally important but to stimulate children in play etc. You can absolutely learn while you play but its cannot be based the premised that learning reading and writing early is better. The creche system in Europe adopts the play model and they have better results.

I think there is a lot of theatre here in the US. Learning theatre is definitely one of them. We have some of the best universities in the world but education before that level is inconsistent.

Edited for whatever coding error that was.
 
Last edited:

Evolving78

Well-Known Member
OK, so we've have to be careful with this thought. Lots of studies have been done on the universal pre-school and have shown that the way we do it here is actually detrimental to a lot of kids. We think if kids learn to read etc early (as pre-k) then they will be better off. They are in the years immediately after but in the long term its the opposite. Universal pre-k is vitally important but to stimulate children in play etc. You can absolutely learn while you play but its cannot be based the premised that learning reading and writing early is better. The creche system in Europe adopts the play model and they have better results.

I think there is a lot of theatre here in the US. Learning theatre is definitely one of them. We have some of the best universities in the world but education before that level is inconsistent.

Edited for whatever coding error that was.
Totally agree!
 

Everything Zen

Well-Known Member
It’s so crazy that my Aunt found an old newspaper article about me winning a summer library reading contest at age 7 in her drawer the other day and sent the picture to me. I think about how my kindergarten teacher and parents cultivated a love of reading and knowledge and how it’s carried me so far in life and the contrast for kids like my stepdaughter and I’m truly thankful.

I’m also faux-woke now with the anti-work Reddit subsection and I’m mad as hell that I read 192 books in one summer and all I got was a damn stuffed animal.

“it was at that moment, that I realized I would never be fairly compensated my labor and I descended into madness…”

0E48F55B-E353-4680-AEFD-C089BDEE7B28.jpeg
 

dancinstallion

Well-Known Member
OK, so we've have to be careful with this thought. Lots of studies have been done on the universal pre-school and have shown that the way we do it here is actually detrimental to a lot of kids. We think if kids learn to read etc early (as pre-k) then they will be better off. They are in the years immediately after but in the long term its the opposite. Universal pre-k is vitally important but to stimulate children in play etc. You can absolutely learn while you play but its cannot be based the premised that learning reading and writing early is better. The creche system in Europe adopts the play model and they have better results.

I think there is a lot of theatre here in the US. Learning theatre is definitely one of them. We have some of the best universities in the world but education before that level is inconsistent.

Edited for whatever coding error that was.

The only problem with this comparison is that US kids don't learn to read or write in PreK. They barely learn how to do it in Kindergarten.

What I have seen is the few kids that learned how to read in PreK are advanced readers and writers and in the top of their class in the following years as well as in high school. We have kids testing into college level for reading and writing by 8th grade. But again those are the few because most kids don't learn how to read that early and aren't at proper reading level. The kids that were taught to read in PreK were taught at home and not in school. So the US kids get all the play based learning they need.

I have to brag a little bit because DD learned to read in PreK and she has always tested above everyone else in her grade and the grade above. Plus she skipped a grade. I am basing this off of experience. I still keep in touch with another mom whose dd learned to read in prek and she is still doing very well. Again most kids don't learn to read before 1st grade and we see where it has gotten the US.
 
Last edited:

naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
It’s so crazy that my Aunt found an old newspaper article about me winning a summer library reading contest at age 7 in her drawer the other day and sent the picture to me. I think about how my kindergarten teacher and parents cultivated a love of reading and knowledge and how it’s carried me so far in life and the contrast for kids like my stepdaughter and I’m truly thankful.

I’m also faux-woke now with the anti-work Reddit subsection and I’m mad as hell that I read 192 books in one summer and all I got was a damn stuffed animal.

“it was at that moment, that I realized I would never be fairly compensated my labor and I descended into madness…”

View attachment 479569
My 7 YO read over 150 last summer but going out for pizza was enough for her. But this is the same child who settled for stickers as a treat for potty training rather than candy..... :drunk:

And you look absolutely precious in that picture. My 8 YO wears glasses and is into stuffed animals right now. Pandas are her thing
 

naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
I’m not surprised children in the U.S. are behind in reading after the lockdowns. They were behind before Covid happened. Americans don’t value education and have an infatuation with ignorance.
I feel like there is an intentional plan to let the bottom fall out.

Our school district is $2M short in funding (but will have to use Pandemic money to cover it) bc the republicans in FL changed the rules for scholarship funds (tax payer funded). One is for special needs kids an the other is for low income kids--both scholarships pay for private school. Now they have increased the number of scholarships for low income kids and increased the income threshold, initially due to COVID but its not being reverted. No one has a problem with these scholarships but this is tax payer money funding PRIVATE schools. Its then taking away from the kids and families who are committed to the public school system. And its unfair. I still have to shell over $25-30/month on cleaning supplies for my kid's classroom. Its like they are eating away and stuff little by little until there is almost nothing for public schools.

I believe they want education to go the way of other countries where families pay to send their kids to school---it creates an elite class and a truly uneducated class of citizens.

Academic freedom is on the chopping block too. Texas is proposing to remove tenure to professors who teach CRT. This will set a precedent but basically forces kids attending public universities to be taught what the government wants them to teach.

Meanwhile the Democrats are fighting about respectability politics and social issues.
 

LivingInPeace

Well-Known Member
I feel like there is an intentional plan to let the bottom fall out.

Our school district is $2M short in funding (but will have to use Pandemic money to cover it) bc the republicans in FL changed the rules for scholarship funds (tax payer funded). One is for special needs kids an the other is for low income kids--both scholarships pay for private school. Now they have increased the number of scholarships for low income kids and increased the income threshold, initially due to COVID but its not being reverted. No one has a problem with these scholarships but this is tax payer money funding PRIVATE schools. Its then taking away from the kids and families who are committed to the public school system. And its unfair. I still have to shell over $25-30/month on cleaning supplies for my kid's classroom. Its like they are eating away and stuff little by little until there is almost nothing for public schools.

I believe they want education to go the way of other countries where families pay to send their kids to school---it creates an elite class and a truly uneducated class of citizens.

Academic freedom is on the chopping block too. Texas is proposing to remove tenure to professors who teach CRT. This will set a precedent but basically forces kids attending public universities to be taught what the government wants them to teach.

Meanwhile the Democrats are fighting about respectability politics and social issues.
Thank you for this. Education in the U. S. Is being openly dismantled. Unfortunately we’re not doing anything to stop it. With the way we’re going, in fifty years there will be no public schools. If you want your child educated you will have to pay for it. If you can’t afford to educate your children, you will send them to work when they’re about seven or eight because the GOP will get rid of child labor laws. Those laws will disappear because people will keep believing that there’s no difference between democrats and republicans and won’t vote. We’re in the new version of The Gilded Age.
Let me add this: If you think for one moment that the GOP is anti-abortion because they care about "babies" you're delusional. They want to control women and make sure that they have enough babies being born to become low income wage slaves. We'll have poor children working in factories again just like they were in 1900.
 
Last edited:

shasha8685

Well-Known Member
I feel like there is an intentional plan to let the bottom fall out.

Our school district is $2M short in funding (but will have to use Pandemic money to cover it) bc the republicans in FL changed the rules for scholarship funds (tax payer funded). One is for special needs kids an the other is for low income kids--both scholarships pay for private school. Now they have increased the number of scholarships for low income kids and increased the income threshold, initially due to COVID but its not being reverted. No one has a problem with these scholarships but this is tax payer money funding PRIVATE schools. Its then taking away from the kids and families who are committed to the public school system. And its unfair. I still have to shell over $25-30/month on cleaning supplies for my kid's classroom. Its like they are eating away and stuff little by little until there is almost nothing for public schools.

I believe they want education to go the way of other countries where families pay to send their kids to school---it creates an elite class and a truly uneducated class of citizens.

Academic freedom is on the chopping block too. Texas is proposing to remove tenure to professors who teach CRT. This will set a precedent but basically forces kids attending public universities to be taught what the government wants them to teach.

Meanwhile the Democrats are fighting about respectability politics and social issues.

This reminds me of something that has been stuck in my head and I always find myself repeating. Way back when, just going to high school (never mind college) was something that rich folks did- that's why high school classes were created to focus more on academic/theoretical intelligence vs. practical skills- and these rich folks were going to go on a run the world. However, over time, education became accessible to all but the model of how students are taught and what they are taught has not changed. I think that was done intentionally and we know have people who don't see the value of education because what they were taught isn't applicable to their lives. As a result, the elite class is still maintained.

That's just what I think though.
 

naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
This reminds me of something that has been stuck in my head and I always find myself repeating. Way back when, just going to high school (never mind college) was something that rich folks did- that's why high school classes were created to focus more on academic/theoretical intelligence vs. practical skills- and these rich folks were going to go on a run the world. However, over time, education became accessible to all but the model of how students are taught and what they are taught has not changed. I think that was done intentionally and we know have people who don't see the value of education because what they were taught isn't applicable to their lives. As a result, the elite class is still maintained.

That's just what I think though.
You're definitely on to something.
 

naturalgyrl5199

Well-Known Member
Thank you for this. Education in the U. S. Is being openly dismantled. Unfortunately we’re not doing anything to stop it. With the way we’re going, in fifty years there will be no public schools. If you want your child educated you will have to pay for it. If you can’t afford to educate your children, you will send them to work when they’re about seven or eight because the GOP will get rid of child labor laws. Those laws will disappear because people will keep believing that there’s no difference between democrats and republicans and won’t vote. We’re in the new version of The Gilded Age.
Let me add this: If you think for one moment that the GOP is anti-abortion because they care about "babies" you're delusional. They want to control women and make sure that they have enough babies being born to become low income wage slaves. We'll have poor children working in factories again just like they were in 1900.
Exactly.
Education is a gold mine for black and brown people. We have to continue to foster it. I feel like the "Idiocracy" is coming.
 

Evolving78

Well-Known Member
Thank you for this. Education in the U. S. Is being openly dismantled. Unfortunately we’re not doing anything to stop it. With the way we’re going, in fifty years there will be no public schools. If you want your child educated you will have to pay for it. If you can’t afford to educate your children, you will send them to work when they’re about seven or eight because the GOP will get rid of child labor laws. Those laws will disappear because people will keep believing that there’s no difference between democrats and republicans and won’t vote. We’re in the new version of The Gilded Age.
Let me add this: If you think for one moment that the GOP is anti-abortion because they care about "babies" you're delusional. They want to control women and make sure that they have enough babies being born to become low income wage slaves. We'll have poor children working in factories again just like they were in 1900.
I feel the same way.
 
Top