frustrated

Posted on 11/07/09

I teach in a very poor area w/little to no parent
involvment (this has shifted drastically in the past
several years). We used to have parents who might be poor,
but would sit w/their children and read their little books
with them and ensure they were looking/matching/etc and so
when they were independently reading in class they were
looking/matching/etc most of the time because they were
having practice outside reading groups. Now, so many just
make things up when on their own (even later in the year
when they can actually read at higher levels in group and
testing and they are reading in books at their level at
this time and are still inventin) and still seem to have
this idea left somewhere in their heads that you make it up
on your own no matter how much I model and teach them. I
know they need time to read to themselves at their own
level and it's developmental, but it bothers me to let them
practice this as I feel like they would be stronger/higher
readers if they weren't allowed to do this but of course
there are no resources for anyone to come in and provide
this. We do an excellent job with the kind of children we
have and where they begin (it's pretty frightening lately-
but transfers during the year or new kids in first don't
often touch our lowest kids even and they are coming from
similar areas), but it's just not enough and find that only
when we get them to reading recovery level 6 or beyond are
they proficient or advanced down the road (not always as
there are a slim few in levels 3-5 eventually getting there
but few). I realize we are only one part of the puzzle and
there's only so much growth kids can make in a year, but I
hear people on here boasting of thes incredible scores and
I just wonder about those in very poor areas w/little to no
support getting these amazing scores, if they don't allow
them to practice on their own till much later? Or at all
because last year my lowest ones (who had processing or
developmental delays) were still making things up on their
own.

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