At Wake Up Call NJ, we’re lifelong learners. That’s why we’re excited to join you all in our “Summer School” Series, where we’ll hear from notable advocates for New Jersey students. In this guest essay Connie Schmidt Kirman, Director of the Kumon Center of Howell, shares perspective from her many years of experience. Happy reading and remember your sunscreen.
As a person who has always been passionate about education, I took over a Kumon Learning Center in my community 18 years ago. Kumon is designed as an enrichment program but it is very successful at remediation, which is fortunate since most of the students I test are woefully behind in math and reading.
The placement tests I have given since the pandemic have resulted in drastically lower placements. It is not unusual for 2nd-4th grade students to place in basic decoding due to choppy reading fluency, inability to sound out more complex words, and a lack in the foundational skills to become a great reader.
Why does this keep me up at night? This means they are losing the content of their schooling. This means their vocabulary is grossly deficient, which will hinder their reading comprehension, writing, and conversational skills. So many students should not have to struggle through all of their schooling because they are weak readers.
From my perspective, schools have lowered the bar. Compounding the effect of this deterioration of standards is an awareness gap. The unfortunate fact is that administrators are reluctant to communicate honestly with parents and families about where their student’s academic progress stands. Similarly, the delay in return of state-mandated standardized test scores hides the reality of lagging reading skills. This all adds up to report cards that aim to keep parents happy rather than reflect reality.
The children are in a similar position, but eventually they get blindsided by the truth, and then the gold stars and easy As feel like a betrayal. Students have asked me why they are the top of their class in reading when by Kumon’s evaluation they are just at grade level. I am thrilled they are seeing success in the classroom, but it emphasizes that the mismatch in assessing reading abilities is not only impacting weak readers.
My experience has shown me that the earlier we intervene, the better, and that we can all work together to elevate the student’s reading level. Education is a team sport: parents, teachers, and outside support. If we commit to sharing the information that helps students, rather than wishful thinking, we can overcome the short-term pain of facing up to the truth. And in the long run, we’ll accomplish the true goal of education thanks to the shared understanding we’ll create.
Connie Schmidt Kirman is the Director of the Kumon Math and Reading Center of Howell, NJ.
