Dan Triplett On (02 Oct 96) was overheard to say to Bob Moylan
BM> appears that you and I, at least, will have to agree to disagree.
 DT> No....I don't think we can leave it at that.  I don't think we simply
 DT> disagree....I think we just don't fully understand each other's point
 DT> of view.
 Okay.
 Since this thread started you have provide a LOT of additional
 information on what you do in your classroom.  What you say you are
 doing is not what I have seen.  You have said, or implied, that
 creative spelling leads to acquisition of spelling skills and that
 you'd rather not stifle the child's creativity when making these
 exploratory attempts. (ok so far?)
 DT> At least I didn't get the connection you were trying to
 DT> make.
 I don't see that there is a connection between creative spelling and
 teaching spelling.  I don't agree that simply exposing a child to
 something means that they are going to learn anything about it.
 I am basing my opinion (and that's all it is really) on what I have
 seen taking place locally and what 1st and 2nd grade teachers
 locally are saying.
 I don't think you can convince me that no matter how "language rich"
 a classroom is that any child is going to pick it up just because it's
 there - yes I know this not the way you say WL is supposed to work and
 isn't what you do.
 In this school system's 52 elementary schools with 2 or 3 half-day
 classes of 20 - 23 kids each very little of what you describe takes
 place. Have I visited each of these 67 schools - no I haven't.  What
 I did was read and re-read the K curriculum, discuss it with teachers
 and other parents.  The only ones even half heartedly defending it were
 mostly K teachers.  I've heard kindergarten teachers brag about
 one or two kids they have that are really taking off and just flying
 through everything.  Much like you did in one of your posts.  I think
 that is just great but what about the others who aren't getting it,
 who may be just as confused in June as they were in September?  These
 are the kids the 1st grade teachers are most concerned about and the
 ones they have to work the hardest with to bring up to speed.
 Chuck has said it best...kids are sent to school to learn.  All the
 high sounding educational theory in the world isn't worth a hill of
 beans if it isn't applied in such a way that all kids learn.  I once
 had an undergrad prof (with over 30 years experience in public
 school classrooms) present to us what she called the "potato theory"
 of education.  It goes something like this...you can send a potato to
 school and "expose" it to all manner of things bright and beautiful.
 Exposure isn't going to change that potato, it's still going to be
 just what it started out as - a potato.  You can send a child to
 school and expose it to all manner of things bright and beautiful but
 if you are not actively teaching that child it might just as well be
 the potato.
 DT> I thought Chuck was saying ... until they have some grasp of the
 DT> fundamentals.  He likened it to learning a sport ... although the
 DT> analogy is interesting, it doesn't fit here.  At least it doesn't
 DT> fit for me.
 Chuck speaks from a middle school perspective, I speak from a
 parent and teacher's perspective.  I understood his analogy and
 thought it fit quite well.  Drill and practice isn't very fashionable
 any more but it worked way back when and it still works now.
 Children need to be made to understand that their only reason for
 being in school is to learn, not to be "socialized" or have their egos
 stroked or learn how to "feel good about themselves".  They get all
 the socialization they need during the 17 - 18 hours a day they are
 not in school Mon - Fri (not to mention weekends, holidays and
 summer); let Mom and Dad do the ego stroking when needed.  If the kid
 is learning and progressing in school they will feel "good" about it,
 if they are not then what can schools possibly be teaching them to
 feel good about??  I could easily get into a rant on THIS one.
 Bob
... He who is not prepared today will be less so tomorrow
--- PPoint 2.02
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