This started out as the next homework post, but I realized that I needed to explain another concept before diving into Homework Part Three. If you’re new to my site, you may want to read Part One and Part Two. We’re going to take a quick look at reading instruction in schools.
There’s an urgency for educators to ensure that all children be fluent readers by third grade. The reason for this is because at this point, the classroom changes from a place where children are learning to read to now reading to learn. Students may fall seriously “behind” and be unable to do the independent work typically required from 3rd grade on if they’re not fluent readers. You can imagine how difficult and stressful this is for teachers who have a full class of kiddos they need to keep “on track.”
When it comes to learning to read, just like with any skill or knowledge acquisition, there’s a very wide spectrum among children when it comes to ability and readiness. Educators are made to believe that all children should be reading fluently by the age of seven, and if we just find the right approach and spend enough time on the skill, then we can get them all there—unless there’s some learning disability. Let’s examine this educational philosophy through the lens of a 2nd grade classroom.
Now, the 2nd grade classroom teacher is likely to have a small number of very fluent readers who picked reading up easily and as early as 3 or 4 years of age, with little if any instruction. These same kids also tend to be the ones who love to read. They’re independently reading chapter books with engaging stories or using their skill to learn about topics they love by reading non-fiction, informative materials. Imagine these precocious children in a classroom during reading instruction.
This is also an age where we have lots of emerging readers. It’s a relatively new skill for these kiddos and fluency is not yet mastered. In a typical classroom, not taking socio-economic status of the school population into account, this will be the majority of the class. And, of course, within this group, there will still be a wide range of ability and investment in developing the skill.
The invested child is enjoying how reading is opening up her world and giving her access to this new form of information. She’s likely unable to even turn it off, reading every street sign while in the car with her parents and trying to sound out words on product labels.
Is this because her teachers have done a good job of educating her on this new skill? I would argue against that and say, it’s just her time. She was READY to pick up this skill and would have, if not now then very soon, with or without formal instruction. Is she feeling successful right now in school? What about her teacher? There’s a large enough number of children who resemble this girl that we can pat ourselves on the back and say reading instruction works.
Now, let’s take a look at another emerging reader. He’s not so invested. Sounding out words is effortful, and the decodables (which focus on repeated sound patterns) he’s made to read in class are storyless and uninspiring. He’s bored as a result and likely consuming a good amount of his teacher’s limited energy to keep him from distracting his nearby classmates.
What’s his teacher to do? This kid is at serious risk of being recommended for ADHD medication, and I would argue, the main reason being that he was not inspired to learn to read. This kid is more driven to physical activity right now but was forced through instruction that went totally against his learning instinct. Plus, of course, the fact that his child body is screaming at him to keep moving and this option is not available to him.
Now let’s look at another type of child. I can bring many faces to mind of 2nd grade learners who were highly engaged in classroom style learning and could thoughtfully converse on sophisticated topics, who struggled to “learn” to read. These kids were actually very invested, but their brains just would not cooperate. These kids were NOT READY to be forced through reading instruction and would likely pick up the skill very efficiently when their brains were ready for it.
Unfortunatley, these children were often pulled from those subjects considered less valuable such as art and music where they excelled, to practice those boring decodables. They had high-level thinking skills and used these to contrast themselves with the other “smart” kids in class. What do you think was the typical conclusion? And so begins the systematic dismantling of authentic self-esteem.
I encourage all educators and parents to read this article about how wrong and damaging it is for us to create educational models and pacing guides around the concept of “average.” Here’s an excerpt:
Up until 2002, Rose reports that brain scientists believed that in brain imaging—the use of various techniques to directly or indirectly image brain structure—there was such a thing as an “average brain.”
But Michael Miller, a UC Santa Barbara professor, began to study how the human brain retrieves memory and realized there was no single brain that looked like this mythical average. “We each have unique ways that our brains retrieve information and create memory,” Rose reported.
This has not just played out in neuroscience, but in every advancement and every field, he adds. In education, this is particularly harmful to students because it affects pacing guides, textbooks and how states measure who achieves—and who fails.
You can draw your own conclusions about how damaging it is to the individual to be forced into a one-size-fits-all box. How for teachers this leads to a focus on classroom management rather than relationship with each unique student. I know most educators have the best intentions and are just trying to level the playing field , but by doing so, we’re harming the delicate psyche of so many of our children.
Though it’s already been proven that “average” doesn’t exist, it seems we’re determined to create it. Is this really what we want? Is this really how we create a better world? Through the mediocrity of average? By trying to make sure everyone learns the same thing at the same time instead of appreciating and nurturing the endless nuances of the human population and the beautiful diversity of contributions we have the potential for?
We’re social creatures that rely on each other for survival. I believe we each come wired for a unique contribution to reinforce this interdependence. Is there a way to offer education so that it enhances and encourages individuality? Yes. And it’s far more efficient both in creating effective learning outcomes and use of resources.
Unfortunately, we’d be toppling a bureaucratic beast and cornerstone of our current economy to make the switch. Not to mention demanding a complete cultural shift, which is usually slow and cumbersome. Doesn’t mean you can’t choose a better way for your family. Visit the Alliance for Self-Directed Education if you’re ready to explore approaches that will actually honor your unique child’s strengths and help them develop authentic confidence in their real world skills.
Restoring Justis 