While reading this section, there were many things that I found myself wanting to comment on right then. I even talked to my husband a little about what I was reading just to be able to say it out loud (granted he was not so interested). :)
I am amazed by the thoughts and ideas that have come out during this course for me--things that I hadn't quite thought of before (or at least not in that way). As I read Laurie's story, I found myself tracing back through my own "girlhood" and thinking about the things that have influenced me over the years.
One thing that was in the forefront of my mind is how thankful I am that schools have changed (some of them) and how different my life and my sister's life might have been different now. My sister and I have very different literary situations. I was reading before I turned three. She still struggles to read fluently and comprehend at about a fifth grade level in her mid thirties. It's sad for me that she hasn't been able to develop the love for books that I did as a kid. I was drawn to the more risque books as an adolescent and even before. I wanted to read the books about abuse and hardships. I think the biggest reason was that I dealt with those things and needed it to be okay somehow. Due to the fact that I had this escape, I was able to work through and overcome some things. Children like Laurie (and my sister) had medication shoved in them quickly and struggled with "game" that was school. With the hardships that they had, they were not afforded the same escapes. I know from personal experience the struggles that my sister had trying to please teachers and other people and be able to fit in to the classroom. I listen to those same struggles today when she reads to her children or tries to help with homework. I see her face when I look at students who, despite giving it their all, still can't keep up. It really makes me want to understand how reading works and how to support these children. After all, we all deserve to love a good book!
Christy Laws
Comments (4)
Often, I think, these kinds of children like your sister just need a teacher to really take an interest in them. I say that knowing how hard it is, but with my student, I spent time during the second half of the year just reading with her sitting on a pillow or sitting on a couch. More than anything these "intimate" moments seemed to help her to open up and trust me while helping her to love a good story.
Posted by christy findley | June 24, 2010 11:48 PM
Posted on June 24, 2010 23:48
Laurie was using literary aspects in order to escape or get through many hardships of her life. I realize that many people also use reading and writing as an outlet for their hardships, like you mentioned you did as you grew up. I think we all have those struggling readers and writers in our rooms who are also struggling with hardships at home. I am wondering what we do for those kids to give them their escape. Do we then let them show what they know through art, technology, or other forms? I feel that we need to give these students some sort of outlet, and if literacy doesn't work for them, where do we go from there?
Posted by Angie Sigmon | June 25, 2010 2:21 PM
Posted on June 25, 2010 14:21
Christy,
When I see a parent/adult struggling academically I too feel for them. I justthink where in school did we let that person down. Was it one bad teacher they had early on that cramped their literacy learning? Was it years of blending in and being neglected? Behavior problems, medications, homelife? I realize it could be many factors, but I still wonder how did it happen. Then I think about students I have had in my career and wonder how they are now, or how will they be in the future? There have been some they were passed on they were not completly ready for the next grade, but weren't canidates for retention. Have they cintinued to grow or are they struggling young adults? I am not sur eof the exact answer, but schools do need to do a better job of building relationships with students. Through these relationships a greater insight into they life would be found that may spark a way to enage them in academic work.
Michael Lemke
Posted by Michael Lemke | June 25, 2010 4:52 PM
Posted on June 25, 2010 16:52
I see that same look in the eyes of some of my students too. Some that are medicated have struggled enough and have a tough time. Building better relationships with kids would happen if some things changed. I think that there are many of these kids with the same kinds of problems as Laurie, and maybe if we as teachers didn't have 25 or more kids to really care for and reach, we might be able to get all of our kids loving education and reading! I know I am preaching to the choir, but why do we continue down the road that isn't leading our future children to success? I just don't get it.
Posted by Abby Boughton | June 25, 2010 8:20 PM
Posted on June 25, 2010 20:20