COLUMN: Inventive spelling’ another educrat outrage
A fellow newspaper publisher in Blackshear, Ga., Robert Williams, recently printed an interesting letter to the editor in his newspaper with a response from a local school official.
The letter and the school’s response were instructive as to why many have grown to distrust public education in the state.
In the letter, a woman in Blackshear questioned if spelling is being taught in the local elementary school. She said her second-grade grandson couldn’t spell even simple words and she was concerned that no spelling tests were being given to second grade students.
The principal of Blackshear Elementary School responded. He probably shouldn’t have. His long, rambling response was the usual educrat-speak school officials employ when they want to avoid giving a real answer to a real question.
This was his first sentence: “In an effort to increase overall learning, the state has made a movement from studying information in isolation (such as pure memorization) to focusing on applying skills to show mastery of the content.”
What the heck does that mean?
The translation is this: “We don’t make kids memorize spelling words anymore.”
The principal then goes on to employ more double-speak in an attempt to justify that by discussing the theory of learning “patterns.”
Said the principal: “To become more effective spellers the students are now expected to study spelling patterns used in reading and writing as opposed to studying a word listing in isolation of what they are being taught in reading.”
Huh?
Further down in his response, the principal finally admits that in effect, the school doesn’t really care about correct spelling. He says the school does do “Spelling/Phonics Assessments,” part of which are multiple choice questions and part is to have students write words using the “patterns” they had been taught. Then he drops the bombshell:
“However, for written expression activities students are allowed to use inventive spelling (spelling words by how they sound) to help get their thoughts on paper and avoid spending too much time on asking how to spell words.”
“Inventive spelling?”
In other words, second-graders at Blackshear Elementary School don’t really have to know how to spell words correctly, they can “invent” their own way of spelling.
So why bother to teach spelling at all? If a school is going to let kids spell any way they want to, no instruction should be necessary in the first place.
You have to wonder if this principal has ever heard of a book called a “dictionary.” Instead of allowing students to “invent” spelling, why not have them look up the correct way to spell?
Alas, this is just one example of how public education is going farther away from the traditional ways of teaching that have been used for the last 100 years. It’s a sop to the academic world where education academics spin out new theories about how teaching should be done; not that they know what they’re talking about, but by creating flakey new teaching theories, academics can publish new textbooks and the pinheads can continue to exist in their little educrat bubbles.
The result is a constantly changing curriculum that confuses teachers, parents and students. The “new-new” math curriculum is another example of how teaching theories have gone off-kilter. In “new-new” math, students learn several ways to add, subtract and multiply. The result is a bunch of confused kids who can’t do any kind of math well. (Most teachers have learned to adapt to this crazy curriculum by “supplementing” instruction, that is, teach it the way they want to despite what the book says.)
A lot of schools, not just Blackshear, have gotten caught up in these half-baked teaching methods. Most parents are totally unaware of just how poorly their children are being instructed in some schools in the state. Teachers are being forced to teach unproven methods just because it’s the “hot” theory of the day.
In his final sentence, the principal of Blackshear admitted that his school “tries to rely on the most current research based strategies.”
That’s educratic bunk, Mr. Principal. The result of your “research based strategies” will be a bunch of little kids from Blackshear who can’t spell worth a darn and who will struggle throughout their academic careers.
“Inventive spelling” is a cop out. Why not teach “real” spelling?
Mike Buffington is editor of The Jackson Herald. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.
In the letter, a woman in Blackshear questioned if spelling is being taught in the local elementary school. She said her second-grade grandson couldn’t spell even simple words and she was concerned that no spelling tests were being given to second grade students.
The principal of Blackshear Elementary School responded. He probably shouldn’t have. His long, rambling response was the usual educrat-speak school officials employ when they want to avoid giving a real answer to a real question.
This was his first sentence: “In an effort to increase overall learning, the state has made a movement from studying information in isolation (such as pure memorization) to focusing on applying skills to show mastery of the content.”
What the heck does that mean?
The translation is this: “We don’t make kids memorize spelling words anymore.”
The principal then goes on to employ more double-speak in an attempt to justify that by discussing the theory of learning “patterns.”
Said the principal: “To become more effective spellers the students are now expected to study spelling patterns used in reading and writing as opposed to studying a word listing in isolation of what they are being taught in reading.”
Huh?
Further down in his response, the principal finally admits that in effect, the school doesn’t really care about correct spelling. He says the school does do “Spelling/Phonics Assessments,” part of which are multiple choice questions and part is to have students write words using the “patterns” they had been taught. Then he drops the bombshell:
“However, for written expression activities students are allowed to use inventive spelling (spelling words by how they sound) to help get their thoughts on paper and avoid spending too much time on asking how to spell words.”
“Inventive spelling?”
In other words, second-graders at Blackshear Elementary School don’t really have to know how to spell words correctly, they can “invent” their own way of spelling.
So why bother to teach spelling at all? If a school is going to let kids spell any way they want to, no instruction should be necessary in the first place.
You have to wonder if this principal has ever heard of a book called a “dictionary.” Instead of allowing students to “invent” spelling, why not have them look up the correct way to spell?
Alas, this is just one example of how public education is going farther away from the traditional ways of teaching that have been used for the last 100 years. It’s a sop to the academic world where education academics spin out new theories about how teaching should be done; not that they know what they’re talking about, but by creating flakey new teaching theories, academics can publish new textbooks and the pinheads can continue to exist in their little educrat bubbles.
The result is a constantly changing curriculum that confuses teachers, parents and students. The “new-new” math curriculum is another example of how teaching theories have gone off-kilter. In “new-new” math, students learn several ways to add, subtract and multiply. The result is a bunch of confused kids who can’t do any kind of math well. (Most teachers have learned to adapt to this crazy curriculum by “supplementing” instruction, that is, teach it the way they want to despite what the book says.)
A lot of schools, not just Blackshear, have gotten caught up in these half-baked teaching methods. Most parents are totally unaware of just how poorly their children are being instructed in some schools in the state. Teachers are being forced to teach unproven methods just because it’s the “hot” theory of the day.
In his final sentence, the principal of Blackshear admitted that his school “tries to rely on the most current research based strategies.”
That’s educratic bunk, Mr. Principal. The result of your “research based strategies” will be a bunch of little kids from Blackshear who can’t spell worth a darn and who will struggle throughout their academic careers.
“Inventive spelling” is a cop out. Why not teach “real” spelling?
Mike Buffington is editor of The Jackson Herald. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.
I like the way you call a spade a spade, M.B., and I couldn't help but get a chuckle from it, because that's just about what I was thinking by the time I made it that far into the editorial. And a bunch of pinheads teaching kids is sure to result in more generations of pinheads.
Aye no, let us leed bi xampill and mayk up wahs to spell wurdz, too!
(By the way, Merry Christmas!)
This country is in big trouble because of this and other social experiments gone awry.
We should ask ourselves the following questions:
1. Why do blacks score lower on standardized tests than whites?
2. Why do Asians score higher on the same tests than whites?
Identifying the causes of the differences and correcting them will certainly lead to better education and hopefully America will not go silently into the night.
Thank you, Mike, for addressing this sad sign of the times. It's been a pet peeve of mine, for a very long time, that people just don't seem to care anymore whether or not they are spelling correctly. As if it doesn't matter. It does matter! If you cannot read and write, how in the world are you going to learn?
Yes, if you spell phonetically I can figure out what you mean, but I ask, just how lazy are we going to get?
How many of you complain about people coming to the United States but not learning to speak English? Well, if WE are not going to bother, why should they?
Webster's. If your school doesn't have one, buy one for yourself. Five bucks at Walmart.
Thanks again, Mike.
***
After reading the published comments to most of the Jackson Herald opinion pieces, it's obvious that spelling does not matter that much in Jackson County. This is not news. Many writers here actually defend their poor grasp of grammar and sloppy writing.
You did a wonderful job of explaining this methodology and I sincerely hope it is understood, but don't count on it.
Here is a thought make people responsible for paying for the education of their children and more students would come prepared for school. If students don't put forth effort, America needs some 50 cent an hour workers to compete with China, Korea, etc in the manufacturing and clothing making marketplaces.
If more people had to be self sufficient the government wouldn't and couldn't get away with what they do now. Self sufficient means learning how to pull yourself up instead of letting others do the work for you.
So teachers, fail those kids untill they decide failure isn't fun. Government school officials, when the kids fail make the parents pay the $9000 for the next year. Things will change.
To the teachers: I know that it is painful to think that community members do not appreciate the work you do, nor the effort most of you go through to provide the best information for your students.
Sometimes it is much better to reserve your comments and soon you will be able to hear the wind whistling through the pine trees rather than the noise of discontented lives.
As far as teachers not teaching, Me, I would be interested in specifics. What evidence do you have that your children are bored and are not learning? What is going on in the classroom that is hindering their progress? Are there some subjects that are more boring than others? Is this boredom because they are already know the material, or is it that they are having academic struggles with a particular area? I would suggest that you visit your children's school during the school day. Meet with the teachers and administration to address your concerns. Visit in the classroom. See what you can do at home to support learning in the classroom. But, it is very unfair to imply that all teachers are not teaching without giving evidence to support you statement.
Home schoolers and private schools have ALWAYS produced better students than the public schools. But the teachers' lobbyists prevent any legislation as there are thousdands of teachers on the public dole voting against politicians who would dare try to change things.
I don't blame public education for what they try to do but competition has never been tried and after spending, literally, billions of dollars, we are getting nothing for our money. (judging by the objective results per dollar) It's time to try something new. It's amazing to me that 100 years ago one room school houses could do better than the schools of today.
Many homeschooled children lack the interactive skills necessary to do business later. I think that declaring that either / or is better or superior in quality is inaccurate. I personally believe a child who is ambitious to learn and achieve will do so, despite the environment by which the information comes to them. I do agree that the parent controls more influence on that outcome and acknowledge the point made by "Elementary Teacher" in the regard.
I believe problem solving skills come from interactive involvement with peers. You can take a group of kids and subject them all to a similar environment, some will fall prey to the negative influences, while others will not. Some will be influenced to smoke, cuss aelieve however that for many, and use drugs. Many of course take in these same influences and seem to possess a filter or resistor that clearly weeds out these behaviors as things they would not do. It was my intention to tie this to parental involvement.
Personally I believe homeschooling is wonderful for the right child. I also believe that for many, only public education can allow them to reach their full potential. It really isn't an either / or case of black white or on off. Many children, will use the personal interaction of peers and their friends to achieve, resist the bad habits and achieve because they are intelligent, eager to learn children who are parented well.
What I said about many home shooled children being ill prepared for business and further learning does sometimes apply however. I have seen many who come into post secondary edcation levels not able to handle the temptations and peer pressure suddenly thrust upon them because they lacked throuogh interactive skills.
It is up to us as parents to care enough to make the right decisions for each child and not just narrow minded more personally motivated decisions about whether we believe or don;t believe in a certain system of public education. There are exceptions to every rule.
We need an option in this county so the parents that DO care can make a better choice for there children, homeschooling and private school is just not option financially for some. Can we start a charter school?????
Your attack on Mike's website shows that you take a lot of interest in a website that's not very good. Why do you do that?
As for the educator in 10.2, I do not lump all teachers into one bunch but it's a well-known fact that the public school teachers' associations and unions ALWAYS oppose public funding of private education. Why is that?
When we can choose where our children go to school without financial penalty, that is when our complaints will stop. You have a monopoly. We have no choice but to blame you and other educators for the poor outcomes.
Did I spell that right? LOL
PhD, you are certainly correct. Spelling is not an indicator of achievement. Memorization does not always equal retention. Oh, if I could only remember what I memorized in high school English!
Teacher, too is absolutely correct. Not everything in life (or school) can be fun and games. The school system is not solely responsible for the education of our children. We as parents have tremendous responsibility to see that our children complete homework, study for tests, and are disciplined students. Without a positive home-school connection, it is difficult for our students to excel. Instead of working against teachers and school, wouldn't it be better to work with us?
But to suggest the public school system is the answer is to laugh in the face of the evidence. If problem children are holding back the rest of the kids then what do you suggest we do. Bring everyone down to the lowest common denominator or educate our children.
When parents have the money to move their children to another, better school, I believe we will see positive results. Until then the child mills will continue to produce what we have seen over the last few decades. Aren't the children worth trying privatization?
We are falling further and further behind the rest of the world in education but we spend more than anyone else on education. What is wrong with this equation teacher?
Emmett Delaney - "Many homeschooled children lack the interactive skills necessary to do business later" HOGWASH ! We ;live in a time of facebook and texting all the social interacting crap is nothing more then psycho babble. I employ 2 former home schooled and there my best employees!!
I did extensive research before pulling my kids out of public schools and comments like the ones on this blog do MORE to reinforce my belief that the majority of are public schools are lacking in quality teachers.
Jackson County schools are well known for there distaste of the home school concept so the above comments just add to that history.
To Elementary Teacher and all the other educators my tax dollars pay your wages so if you can't take a little constructive criticism from Mike B.. I have an opening that is if you can work with for a homeschooled boss who earned an MBA !
I am a HUGE believer in home schooling! With that said however I have a grand daughter who has come up in Jackson County schools. She is a well adjusted example of scholastic achievement, whom I believe has recieved thus far a good education experience in our system. I credit this mostly to the fine teachers she has had during this time. To note some of the other points made in this thread, yes, she is a product of a two parent household where there there is a genuine interest in her studies and a standard set by her very involved parents.
I am certainly not opposed to home schooling if it is done right. But, not all students who are home schooled are fortunate enough to have parents who have the necessary knowledge or resources to teach trig, calculus, biology, English lit, physics, etc. Although I have 3 degrees from UGA, I would feel inadequate to teach my children these subjects to the extent that would be necessary. I would be doing my daughters an injustice. My concern is not with the students who have educated, capable parents, but rather those students whose parents lack the necessary skills themselves.
We are all taxpayers. (Yes, my tax dollars help pay my wages as well as Looneytune's money.) We do need to provide the best in education for all children. As I have said before, we are not fortunate enough to pick and choose which children we will teach. We have to teach them all. The public schools do need changes, but I do not think that any of us have the perfect solutions. We are dealing with human beings and not a commodity. You cannot just look at numbers as you might do in business, and use that to solely determine the proper directions to go in. Education is much more complex than that.
I was troubled to read from Elementary Teacher that "Although I have 3 degrees from UGA, I would feel inadequate to teach my children these subjects to the extent that would be necessary". I believe with 3 degrees, that is an insult to the terrific UGA. Disturbing, indeed.
See, the problem is still apparent in your comment.
Your first argument, "spell checkers work really well" is a good thought. But you have to use them or they don't work at all.
Of course, maybe you just have a "pittiful" spell checker.
To Elementary Teacher you make some very good points and you appear to have a great head on your shoulders but I know several teachers who admit that they have coworkers that really should not be in the teaching profession which is troublesome to me.
I also think that we spend too much on football stadiums and gyms not enough on computers and academics.