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By Judith Burdack
This article, which was published in the Tampa Tribune on 6 September 2003, is reproduced by her permission. She is a retired school teacher and a 2nd cousin 2x removed. - C. S.
His teacher called his group to the reading circle. When it was his turn, he read, "Sally was a horse." It was pointed out to him that the sentence said, "Sally saw a house." To add insult to injury, he was reminded that he was in the "dumb group" and that "he still couldn't read" and further he'd probably "never make it to third grade."
A Terrible Day
My thanks to author Patricia Reilly Giff. Her Ronald, in "Today Was A Terrible Day," brought home the tragedy of being a washed-up learner and labeled a failure, practically at the starting point of school. Failure comes fast. Teachers and researchers recognize that by third grade, too many youngsters have fallen behind in their ability to read. Even more tragic is the child's sense of failure at the task that is of paramount importance for success in school and for a lifetime of learning, enhancement and enjoyment.
I challenge each of my colleagues to read this 26-page book to his or her students and then talk with them about their thoughts and memories of elementary school. I have, and it was enlightening. These students - enrolled in the Youth Services Program - are youthful offenders, placed in locked facilities. They gave unanimous thumbs up when they talked about their kindergarten-to-second-grade experience. From that point on, the stories of growing disenchantment with school increased.
Why? Simple. Many weren't able to keep up with the reading skills of their peers, thus the disintegration of interest in school, the boredom, the tedium and the downward spiral of behavior. Some of these youth expressed their sense that they weren't worth the time or effort to engage them in learning the skill of reading that is required - regardless of the subject matter.
You might ask: What happened before the child entered school and where was the support once these youngsters began the learning journey? Good question - certainly a rightful one to ask, and you probably have some answers. But the bottom line is that we cannot continue to blame the past; the past must be put to rest. Yes, it is a tremendous challenge to begin with the now - perhaps a 16-year- old whose successful reading level is at a second-grade level - but the skill of reading is first. So begin we must.
The inability to read a wide variety of materials has been recognized by researchers as the common denominator shared by juvenile offenders, regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds. Interestingly enough, the improvement of reading skills has been identified as a primary factor in the reduction of juvenile recidivism.
Yes, it will take time and money - lots of both - but it seems to me that there is no time like the present to put the recognized researched-based best practices of instruction to work in each classroom, regardless of curriculum, and begin recovering our youth from the edge of risking their futures and becoming a part of the adult prison population. For, ultimately, crime is more costly than education.
The national No Child Left Behind initiative must mean just that to all of us. Youth Services Programs provides the educational program to incarcerated youth. The vast majority of these youth need extensive remediation in reading and writing. We are an eclectic group of educators from a wide variety of disciplines. But we have embarked on the journey of learning, practicing and applying the best practices of teaching youngsters how to read. The elements of reading and the research-based instructional strategies in the reading classes and in the specific curriculum classes are our focus. Our extensive training, practice, investigation of the research, peer modeling and collaboration will combine to make this endeavor happen. It's a huge undertaking, long and at times frustrating, but when you see that 16-year-old return to his community reading two or even three grade levels above his entry scores, you know he is leaving with the "I can read" belief embedded in his very soul.
So, just like the kids, you want to know the ending of the story and you are wondering, what happens to Ronald? Well, Giff gives Ronald a happy ending. His teacher writes him a letter that she knows he can read on his own, without help. Ronald is able to call his best friend and tell him, "I just found out that I can read."
His teacher gives him a serving of success - the early beginning of that which is foundational to long-term success - the path that leads students to the first necessary connection: the printed page - reading! For this is the springboard, transferring knowledge, thoughts and dreams to a student's writing, and to his or her ability to converse with logic and the mastery of language.
A Happy Ending
Through the leadership of our principal, Maria Tudela, partnered with the skilled guidance of Dr. Anne Chatfield, supervisor of reading, and the dedicated effort of every member of the Youth Services Programs, we are serving up many opportunities of success to our students. We know the skill of reading is significant to the reduction of juvenile recidivism. It gives these youngsters participatory membership in lifelong learning.
The first priority of the school district is reading as a foundation to academic achievement. Each student reaches his or her academic potential through the collection of knowledge and skills. Without the first skill - reading - reaching one's potential eludes the learner. As the belief that all teachers are reading teachers becomes reality, through application of the best practices, then and only then can those who are the stakeholders in education be assured that no child will be left behind.
Judith Burdack is a reading resource specialist for Youth Services Programs in Hillsborough County schools.
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