Schools rush into change (To raise reading scores, CosmoGIRL is in, grammar is out)

Baltimore Sun ^ | December 4, 2005 | Sara Neufeld

[moog]

Geez, don't put those quotes and make it look like I said it:).

[cricket]

And partly I think they WANT to do better, but have such preconceived notions, they can't fathom the approach that's actually best.

. . .well, sure they want to do better. The problem is. . .their 'better'. . .in our world. . .is the 'worst'. . .

[ThanhPhero]

What is the point of teaching illiteracy? Cannot children learn that on their own?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Of course, I'd like to select them, from time to time.

[moog]

Of course, I'd like to select them, from time to time.

The kids or the books? or both?

[moog]

What is the point of teaching illiteracy? Cannot children learn that on their own?

Yes, too many teenagers are having babies. :)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

(private industry) Not in any company I've worked for in the past 25 years. The discipline for profits in pretty tough now. Take a look at the executives at the oil and gas companies, Wal Mart, Lowes, Goldman Sachs, etc. Any company that hasn't strapped itself to a series of stupid moves (that's GM in a nutshell) has executives that make the company money or they're gone.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I'd start with stories from Field and Stream.

[Tired of Taxes]

Home Educators Ping!

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Looking to share advice with and offer support to other homeschoolers? Looking for advice or support? Click on the link below for our Home Educators Year 2005-2006 thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1461375/posts?page=1,50

[metmom]

Sounds like you're pretty successful. I'd consider getting stuff like that right 75% of the time pretty good for first graders especially considering how non-abstract that age can be. Good for you.

I remember learning to read at that age and being overwhelmed at the thought of having to memorize all those words. I guess I was never taught phonics, now that I look back on it.

[moog]

I'd start with stories from Field and Stream. Not a bad choice at all. Magazine reading (other than the ones described here) actually isn't bad and is a good extension of reading, but learning JUST from them is not.

I'd love to have more retired people around here like you. We have a good population here of them, but need to find some way to utilize the resource. Some have the attitude "I'm too old to do that" (more of a reference to complaints I've heard about them in regards to serving in the churches from younger members of local churches here, not in regards to school). I hope to find that way some day. When the community is involved in and supportive of education, it helps out in a lot of ways.

Thanks for your efforts.

[moog]

Sounds like you're pretty successful. I'd consider getting stuff like that right 75% of the time pretty good for first graders especially considering how non-abstract that age can be. Good for you. I remember learning to read at that age and being overwhelmed at the thought of having to memorize all those words. I guess I was never taught phonics, now that I look back on it.

Coming from someone like you (that's a compliment:), I can only say thank you very much. Maybe back then, they used whole language, not sure. I can't remember whether or not I was taught phonics, but I do know that my brothers and sisters and I did learn how to read early on and loved it. I read books like crazy when I was younger.

Nowadays around here, at least, I don't know of a school that does not teach phonics. It is an essential part of reading.

Thank you for being such a real and genuine person.

[Conservativehomeschoolmama]

Okay...I am going to go out on a limb here, and suggest maybe they should try...."Institute for Excellence in Writing" and "Shurley English"...slam dunk, kids will learn....oh wait....they can't do that! The children will then become educated...AND Republicans!

[gakrak]

"Some of my brothers and sisters learned how to read using scriptures. I encourage the parents of my students to read them together as a family because of that."

Amen to that, we do that each day as a family, and try to raise our children up in the ways of the Lord, Amen.

[hellinahandcart]

This is the thread I meant to ping you to the other day.

Better late than never.

[moog]

---Some of my brothers and sisters learned how to read using scriptures. I encourage the parents of my students to read them together as a family because of that." ----

Amen to that, we do that each day as a family, and try to raise our children up in the ways of the Lord, Amen. Kudos to you. My family did likewise. I just tested one of my students. He barely was at a first grade level a little over a month ago. Now he is on a second grade level. Guess what? He and his family read scriptures together every day. His mom said at first he could only read a word or two, but now reads pretty much everything. I told the mom to not stop reading at all.