Ramping Down

As most of you know, I was hired last year to teach reading-based English courses, in D.C. Public Schools, using the America's Choice model (RampUp to Literacy). If you know anything about this program, and you are an educator, you probably feel the same way I do in terms of relativity to education. D.C.P.S., for some reason, chose to use only the ninth-grade curricula system-wide, meaning that all middle school students enrolled in a RU course will take the same course in both eighth and ninth grades.

Whose bright idea was that?!

The curricula uses three different subject areas in its one-size-fits-all reading program: Dilemmas of Youth, Migration Stories and Endangered Species. In my opinion, the first unit was interesting -- it offered stories and novels to which the students in my school could relate. The lessons, however, were not really applicable to what ninth grade students should be learning. Sure, there are KWL charts and Venn diagrams in their text books that are useful for students of any age; however, these lessons are to be taught in such a way that is insulting to the children.

RampUp was originally thought to be the "miracle" program that was going to raise reading scores for students who are two-to-three years below reading level. Last year, in my three sections of RU, I had maybe a handful of students who only fell two-to-three years below reading level; the rest of my students were significantly lower than that. Although my students have difficulty reading, they understand the level at which these books are written -- cartoon characters depict reading strategies! Trying to explain to students that they are not stupid, despite their childish texts is a very daunting job, I must say.

This year, when school began, I more or less decided that I was not going to RampUp unless I absolutely had to. I played the game of securing a classroom (which I am losing tomorrow while they make repairs to it) on the second floor, away from all of the chaos and most administrators. I, then, went through all resources I have access to and devised a reading list for my students. This reading list did not include any of the RU texts like A Family Apart, Wolves, When I was Young in the Mountains, Monster, etc. We started off the year reading the John Steinbeck novel, The Pearl and are about to start Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart.

I use the novels in correlation with the Elements of Literature text and find that the short stories in those books, as well as the novels provide students with an adequate education. At least reading these things makes me feel like I'm actually teaching ninth graders instead of babysitting children at a public library round-circle read. I have incorporated reading projects that include books like Our America, The Last Thing First, The Pact/We Beat the Street, Monster, Living up the Street, and all of the Bluford Series books. These projects allow students to read additional novels independently and complete writing-based projects on what they read. I give all of my students a packet with character charts, plot charts, character interaction questionnaires and setting charts. Then, they use the information gathered for their packets to either write a book report, create a new character and re-write a chapter in the text, or alter the ending of the story.

Comparing this year to last, I see a very big difference in how interested the students are in their assignments. I still use the structure of the RU program, as that is the only good thing I could salvage from RampUp. In my opinion, it is vital that teachers use texts being used across the country, and incorporate as many reading strategies as possible when teaching those texts. Otherwise, the students suffer by completing high school level courses reading elementary and middle school level books.

This year, D.C.'s new chancellor did not resign the contract with America's Choice, thus giving teachers who want to teach more opportunity to do so. We are no longer in the intensive RU model, which means I actually have the freedom to do what I please in my classes. I think it's vital that teachers who work with struggling readers work hard to incorporate as many reading strategies into their lessons as possible.

As educators, we should think about how to impact students to the highest capacity without discouraging them.

Any suggestions in regard to texts, assignments or anything education related are certainly welcome!