Using students as tutors is a bad idea From: Kramer_N To: education-consumers@tricon.net, Chark2@ix.netcom.com Subject: RE: TECA: Students correct teachers' failures? Date sent: Wed, 7 Jan 1998 16:35:37 -0500 Hey, the only form of reading instruction my son's classmates received in second grade was having my son read out loud in class to those who could not read (I guess it was a form of whole language!). The funny thing is, with this method, some of them are still not reading in fifth grade. I guess it's time to get a high school student involved. Natalie ---------- From: Chark2@ix.netcom.com [SMTP:Chark2@ix.netcom.com] Sent: mercredi 7 janvier 1998 15:38 To: education-consumers@tricon.net Subject: Re: TECA: Students correct teachers' failures? Jeanne- thanks for the report. Several of our High Schools here in Williamson County are doing the same thing- almost exactly. It even has a formal title, but that escapes me now. At Brentwood HS the students sign up for this "course" and are bussed to the elementary school one afternoon a week ,12:30 pm till 2:30 pm to be reading buddies and mentors. Where do the schools get these ideas!!? There must be a central "well" somewhere sprewing forth all of these senseless, wellmeaning but essentially non-academic hairbrained schemes called "educational reform". I thought I had heard it all until today! A very good friend of mine has a son with minor CP- it only seems to be affecting his hands, and specifically fine motor control. He is in 4th grade. For the last 2 years she has been fighting the school over grading him for "penmanship"...it is impossible for most people to read his writing. He tries so hard, but just can't do it. Printing was better than cursive....But of course, by 4th grade they are into cursive. This makes test-taking, and reading his creative writing, difficult . Anyway, now to the relevant part: This whole semester "C" was supposed to be getting exposed to the keyboard at school. This was written into his m-team ( what they call the IEP here in Tennesseee) plan. He needs this skill to continue in school as it is obvious he will have to be very dependent on a computer or typewriter to complete his school work. Anyway, the school got a 5th GRADE BOY to tutor him in "keyboarding". This was supposedly 15 minutes a day every day. I was also supposed to be voluntary , on the child's recess time, but somehow the school was finding a way to "compensate the child". My friend never could find out what they meant by "compensate". Anyway, "C" did not seem to be making any progress so last week my friend pinned down her son as to exactly what was going on???? "C" told her that the tutor stopped coming in early November, and nothing had been done since then...and anyway, it didn't matter "because all we did was sit around and play games anyway." Turns out, no one has yet tutored him in keyboarding. This family now has an appointment with the principal....I think they have a major beef. I cannot imagine the school actually using a 5th grader this way. Our schools have lost their minds! On 01/07/98 12:04:49 you wrote: > >Nothing like a bit of free, untrained labor to fill the gaps left by >teachers. The students deserve credit for caring, but . . . > >Jeanne >======================================================================= == > >Updated: Monday, Jan. 5, 1998 at 22:43 CST > > >Teens brush up on mentoring skills > >By Ellena Fortner >Special to the Star-Telegram > >Teen-agers are often used to having mentors. But a group of Richland High >School students are working at being mentors. > >About 15 members of the school's Health Occupation Student Association are >tutoring Birdville Elementary School students once a week as part of the >student- organized Dino Step Reading program. > >"The students look up to us and see us as mentors," said Richland High >senior Anilia Nanji, who heads the program. "The kids think teen-agers are >so very cool, so they like working with us." > >The high school students prepare lesson plans, grab children's books and >visit the elementary school at 4 p.m. Mondays. While they are there, they >read and listen to the younger students. > >About 15 first-, second- and third-graders participate in the program, >which helps children who are considered "at-risk readers" by their >teachers. Parents must give permission for their children to participate. > >"The high school students have already realized the importance behind being >able to read," said Sally Duke, Richland High School's health occupations >teacher and the group's adviser. "They understand how rough it will be for >the younger students if they do not master this skill. This understanding >makes them want to really help." > >The younger students look forward to the program and take it seriously, >Birdville Elementary School Principal Marta White said. > >"I think at the end of the year, we're going to see some results >academically as well as socially," White said. > >Besides reading, the group also sings at the beginning and end of the >afternoon. > >"These are kids who are already behind in school," Nanji said. "We want to >do everything we can to make them feel good and let them know they are >important." > >Although this message is aimed at the younger students, the high school >students also receive the same message, Nanji said. > >"It makes you feel good when a young child looks up at you and thanks you >for helping them," she said. "It makes you feel like you have done >something." > >Although the program has been successful, its participants still have one >major obstacle. > >"We need more books desperately," Duke said. "We have a very limited >library and a wide range of reading tastes." > >Books can be donated by calling Duke at Richland High at 581- 5400. > > > © 1998 Star-Telegram >-- Terms and Conditions -- Send us your Feedback. > >The most important education we do is that which we do first at the primary >and secondary level - N. Donovan > > >EDUCATION CONSUMERS CLEARINGHOUSE > > Charlene Kimmel "Education costs money....but then, so does ignorance." 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