He is in 5th grade. I went to the principal and asked if I could tutor him. The response was extremely enthusiastic and a done deal within minutes. The principal and the teacher were glad this boy was getting some attention. My impression was that they thought attention would keep him out of trouble and, from the teacher, out of the classroom where he clearly did not belong.
He cannot read a word. His class has been studying the Civil War for over 20 pages in the textbook, which was given to me to use with him. I asked him what war he was studying. He thought and thought and finally answered, “It has something to do with a hill.”
I scrapped the textbook after one night of trying to read it. I swear textbooks destroy brain cells. I told the boy that I didn’t like the book. He looked surprised and then pleased. He said, “It’s boring, isn’t it?”
This boy thinks he is stupid because he cannot read and the kids give him a hard time about it. I have seen many instances where kids who cannot read at all are required to read out loud in front of their peers. I can’t for life of me figure out why that is considered acceptable behavior. But, he is not stupid. He is very smart which I am trying to get across to him.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Children Learn from Living
Ha, ha. Yes, children learn from living before they go to school. But, in school, it is assumed they learn from the 1)teacher talking, 2) worksheets and 3)textbooks. All three are the worst ways to learn.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Diagnostic Teaching/NEA
I have a booklet published in 1966 by the National Education Association titled "Diagnostic Teaching" by someone with the initials D.M.L. This book is full of enlightened prose on the ways children learn and, even more amazing, ways to teach within that understanding without subjugating children's natural intellectual growth and wonder.
According this N.E.A. booklet,
Beliefs: Children learn from living
Children differ in many ways
The school has an obligation to children
Learning conditions determine effectiveness of learning
Where did these beliefs go? Now,children learn from textbooks and lectures. Life has little or nothing to do with it. Now, all children are taught as if they all came from the exact same background and experiences. (Even those who receive extra help, get the same work and technique-just slower.) Now, children have an obligation to the school, not the other way around. Now, learning is determined to be effective in relationship to how good the learner is at repeating right answers.
Why did the N.E.A. publish and then ignore this work?
According this N.E.A. booklet,
Beliefs: Children learn from living
Children differ in many ways
The school has an obligation to children
Learning conditions determine effectiveness of learning
Where did these beliefs go? Now,children learn from textbooks and lectures. Life has little or nothing to do with it. Now, all children are taught as if they all came from the exact same background and experiences. (Even those who receive extra help, get the same work and technique-just slower.) Now, children have an obligation to the school, not the other way around. Now, learning is determined to be effective in relationship to how good the learner is at repeating right answers.
Why did the N.E.A. publish and then ignore this work?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
John Holt
It has been over 40 years since John Holt wrote his books on the the disastrous state of schools in this country. The people who are in charge of educating our children have yet to listen to any of his insightful and profound observations. So, generations and generations of children have gone to school to be told what to learn, when to learn it and how to learn it. Understanding, intellectual development and processing of any kind are not part of our schools' curriculums.
For example:
I have been in many schools and there are still classes of 20 plus children reading the same page in a social studies book, one at a time, out loud while the other 19 plus children are pretending to listen. How many are interested? How many read ahead? How many can even read? How many have any background so as to understand the material? I was in one primary class reading about the West and there was a sentence about a stagecoach. They had no idea what that was. A minor point, true, but the days of these children are made up of details they do not understand.
Idea: Spend a few minutes telling the children what they are expected to know that day about social studies. Then assign the pages in the text (if you must have a text) pertaining to the knowledge they are to know. Let THEM learn; be there for questions. Some will read the material on their own. Some students will read to each other in pairs or small groups; their choice. Have pictures and/or games for the ones who have trouble reading. Ask the readers to discuss the material with the ones who do not want (as opposed to cannot)to read it. After approximately 20 minutes, call the class together and talk about what they have learned.
Result: More than a handful of students will learn what is expected and all will learn something. All will feel empowered in their own abilities.
For example:
I have been in many schools and there are still classes of 20 plus children reading the same page in a social studies book, one at a time, out loud while the other 19 plus children are pretending to listen. How many are interested? How many read ahead? How many can even read? How many have any background so as to understand the material? I was in one primary class reading about the West and there was a sentence about a stagecoach. They had no idea what that was. A minor point, true, but the days of these children are made up of details they do not understand.
Idea: Spend a few minutes telling the children what they are expected to know that day about social studies. Then assign the pages in the text (if you must have a text) pertaining to the knowledge they are to know. Let THEM learn; be there for questions. Some will read the material on their own. Some students will read to each other in pairs or small groups; their choice. Have pictures and/or games for the ones who have trouble reading. Ask the readers to discuss the material with the ones who do not want (as opposed to cannot)to read it. After approximately 20 minutes, call the class together and talk about what they have learned.
Result: More than a handful of students will learn what is expected and all will learn something. All will feel empowered in their own abilities.
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