I don't understand the thinking, but it is very scary. I hope Missouri does not follow suit.
Deborah Lawson On Mon, Jan 23, 2012 at 12:48 PM, Mena <[email protected]> wrote: > > Does anyone understand the thinking behind this decision? ...From, Mena > > Middle schools to drop traditional reading classes > > > By Sara Toth, > January 20, 2012 > > > A new schedule is coming for county middle schools, and it will not > include traditional reading classes. > The Howard County Board of Education is scheduled to vote on the proposed > change Thursday, Jan. 26, and according to board Vice Chairman Frank > Aquino, "This is going to pass at some time or another, whether it's next > week or next year." > Under the new schedule, all Howard County middle schools would have a > 50-minute, seven-period schedule, as opposed to current variations on a > 45-minute, eight-period day. > > The changes have been roundly denounced by county teachers, who packed a > public hearing last week to voice their opposition. > The changes are being considered in the wake of a new state curriculum > that emphasizes infusing literacy instruction into all content areas, said > Clarissa Evans, executive director of school improvement and curricular > program. School officials say stand-alone reading class is inconsistent > with the new curriculum, which goes into effect for the 2012-13 academic > year. > On Thursday, Jan. 19, a four-hour long work session with the board and > central office staff members resulted in several scheduling options being > presented for consideration next week, all based around freeing involved > teachers from administrative duties or meetings during the implementation > period. > One possibility, said William Ryan, executive director of school > improvement and administration, is to have an every-other-day planning > period for those teachers, who already have one planning period devoted to > administrative duties like lunch supervision or collaborative planning > meetings. > Another option allowing the teachers a program planning period every day > is on the table, but that would require an additional teacher at each of > the middle schools, said Linda Wise, chief academic officer, and would cost > $1.3 million. > "It's staggering to me," she said. "We don't believe that's necessary." > Under the proposed changes, all students would have an English Language > Arts class and below-grade readers would also have a reading-specific class > during the school day. At- or above-level readers could take an "advanced > inquiry and innovation" course, like economic literacy. > . > The system would not eliminate explicit reading instruction for students > who need it, Evans said, and reading instruction in other classes would not > just be "tacked on at the end of the class." Rather, middle schools will > undergo a massive change in curriculum, and "content-area" teachers — like > those who teach science, social studies or math — would have lessons > several times a week that focus on critical reading and response skills. > "We're restructuring to an extent that I think is greater than people > understand in all classes to emphasize literacy skills," she said. > > > > Philomena Marinaccio-Eckel, Ph.D. > Florida Atlantic University > Dept. of Teaching and Learning > College of Education > 2912 College Ave. ES 214 > Davie, FL 33314 > Phone: 954-236-1070 > Fax: 954-236-1050 > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive
