You've heard of the Great Debate? The highly emotional war between those who feel there is only one way to teach kids to read?
The characters change, but it's the same old story!
Main Character: An adjunct professor on Spring Break
Setting: Monday morning. Up early to finish work on syllabus for the Summer.
Problem: Types in "Reading Teacher" to bring up journal articles. Link pops up
http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16204797 Professor reads the article due to its catchy title.
Story Details:
1. At first professor is relieved that Sky News is from the UK
2. She is angered that article depicts beginning reading as pure decoding
3. She stops and ponders about the ageless debate again rearing its ugly head.
Solution / Ending: Must find some compelling reads that contain research-based theoretical foundations for teaching reading in an age where politicians and parents alike do not trust teachers.
About the Author: The author values and teaches phonics in systematic and multi sensory ways every day. She is a certified Wilson Phonics teacher; however, she is KEENLY aware that reading is a meaning making process and focusing of synthetic phonics will not support the formation of lifelong readers. Kids need a strong foundation in meaningful and engaging reading and writing. She is reminded that the The Great Debate is not going away anytime soon and wants teachers to know how to answer concerns and teach children effective reading strategies.
The characters change, but it's the same old story!
Main Character: An adjunct professor on Spring Break
Setting: Monday morning. Up early to finish work on syllabus for the Summer.
Problem: Types in "Reading Teacher" to bring up journal articles. Link pops up
http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16204797 Professor reads the article due to its catchy title.
Story Details:
1. At first professor is relieved that Sky News is from the UK
2. She is angered that article depicts beginning reading as pure decoding
3. She stops and ponders about the ageless debate again rearing its ugly head.
Solution / Ending: Must find some compelling reads that contain research-based theoretical foundations for teaching reading in an age where politicians and parents alike do not trust teachers.
About the Author: The author values and teaches phonics in systematic and multi sensory ways every day. She is a certified Wilson Phonics teacher; however, she is KEENLY aware that reading is a meaning making process and focusing of synthetic phonics will not support the formation of lifelong readers. Kids need a strong foundation in meaningful and engaging reading and writing. She is reminded that the The Great Debate is not going away anytime soon and wants teachers to know how to answer concerns and teach children effective reading strategies.
6 comments:
Why is it so hard for parents and politicians to trust teachers?
Is there a good solution? We can provide good reasonable research based answers, but will these be heard?
Anita,
I read the article on the NUT, and the scanned the Marie Carbo article-the debate isn't going away-you're right!
I think the reason teachers can't be trusted is because of the way they are usually painted by the mainstream media-usually bad stories (not the millions of good that occur everyday)...and so this makes me wonder, what can we do to boost public confidence of the hard work teachers do everyday-how can we share these stories with the public?
PS I also like the format of your post-very creative approach! :)
She is reminded that the The Great Debate is not going away anytime soon and wants teachers to know how to answer concerns and teach children effective reading strategies.
...and how often do we need to say this until people start listening???????????????
The Great Debate...I can hardly breathe with the pain of it all in my lower primary world. I am even going to say it aloud...what I've thought forever...most of them can decode by the end of second grade, regardless of the intervention....the problem has really become- do they make sense of what they decode. Did you find a good article?
I like the way you created the problem as an outrageous news story, Anita. It seems that many think there is one right way & if only teachers knew this, everything would be okay. Perhaps school systems do themselves, & their teachers, an injustice by announcing whatever 'latest' phonics program is being used at any one time to the parents, thereby communicating that it is "the" answer. They don't realize all the other, broader curriculum that teachers use to teach reading, & everything else. Just sayin'
Such a clever way to show us your thoughts and feelings about this important topic! I enjoyed the tone immensely -- much more fun than complaining, but you got all the same ideas across! I just wish that everyone who criticizes teachers could come into a school and experience everything we do every day for our students.
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