Readicide Chapter 2, again... a little more

So, after re-reading Chapter 2 for this week's assignment, I was amazed at what I didn't see before.

What is all this information about word poverty? It appears actual poverty and word poverty go hand in hand. Of course, I totally agree. It does make sense for a less-educated person to remain in poverty, and as a result, for their child to enter school less-educated. Of course, I realize there are exceptions to the rule.

I do love the quotation on page 32, It is simply not a matter of the number of words unheard and unlearned. When words are not heard, concepts are not learned. When syntactic forms are never encountered, there is less knowledge about the relationship of events in a story. When story forms are never known, there is less ability to infer and predict. When cultural traditions and the feelings of others are never experienced, there is less understanding of what people feel. Yet, despite the research that indicates impoverished children are already behind in school, we still expect these students to learn, maintain, and establish the same information as their more well-off counterparts. Basically, we expect students to start off at different levels and to all learn the same amount. In other words, we want and expect the students who are behind to learn twice as much of the material that is already more difficult to them. And, then, we get mad when they cannot perform. We expect Title 1 schools to perform at the same levels at the same times as those with more well-off, better prepared students. Is that fair? I don't think so.

And, then, we punish schools when students cannot perform - even though they are making progress. Yes, word poverty is a problem. But, I venture to say that word poverty without help is an even greater problem. We need to recognize progress and not belittle it. We need to commend schools who help students that are behind... and not punish them when they cannot meet AYP because they have greater challenges to start with.

Readicide - Chapters 2 and Class 3

At our last class, we had a heated discussion regarding the educational system. Some folks favor the idea of narrowing the educational realm - letting people study what they are good at. Others believe high school students are too young to decide on a life pathway. I, of course, argue that no one truly know what they want to do when they grow up... until they do. And, oftentimes, people change their minds - after all, didn't we? Isn't that why we are ALL in the MAT program?

Then, I read Chapter 2 of Readicide. And, within the first two pages - I became more convinced that students NEED education. Yes, I believe students need different levels of education (it is completely unnecessary for a student who struggles in math to learn trigonometry and for a student who excels in English to sit in a regular classroom). But, I do think students NEED to be educated. After all, we just simply need to know whats going on around us so that we can make knowledgeable decisions.

And, here is where chapter 2 comes in. Page 28, "only one of my ninth graders could name the sitting vice president of the United States..." I don't know about you, but I find this unnerving - in the words of Kelly Gallagher, "there is something seriously wrong with this picture!"

Could it be that our students are lazy? Could it be that our students simply do not care? Or, could it be that we are teaching incorrectly? Whatever the reason - "can we afford to graduate students who are so intensely geared toward reading exams that they leave our schools never having had the opportunity to look out the other reading windows?" (p. 29). Could it be that we need to EDUCATE our students to help them find and interest? Could it be that we need to connect school to our students' lives? Could it be that we need to teach our students so they can be knowledgeable contributing citizens with a complete picture of the world rather than a partial picture? Could it be that our education system, although deeply flawed, had one thing correct - we need to educate students and help them become educated, knowledgeable members of society... so they, in turn, can affect society for the better?!?! If it is so - let's jump on it. Our students need the help we can provide.

We are Already Behind... an Add-On

So, I found this article regarding the New Math Curriculum (click on the link to view). It appears the Atlanta Journal and Constitution has a small glimpse of how stressful teaching the test can be on both students and teachers.

I personally love the quotation, from Aker, co-president of the Gwinnet County Association of Educators, she writes, "You have to cover everything. It’s a lesson a day...There is no time to get them to master each section.” To me, this statement sums up "teaching the test" perfectly. What do you think?