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From: "PUBYAC: PUBlic librarians serving Young Adults and Children" <pubyac@prairienet.org>
To: "PUBYAC: PUBlic librarians serving Young Adults and Children" <pubyac@prairienet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 1:38 PM
Subject: PUBYAC digest 1027
PUBYAC Digest 1027
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) Parents and children (Re: Career Day)
by "Richard Quiring" <richard_quiring@hotmail.com>
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From: "Richard Quiring" <richard_quiring@hotmail.com>
To: pubyac@prairienet.org
Subject: Parents and children (Re: Career Day)
Mime-Version: 1.0
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Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2003 12:13:00 CST
I'm making a wild guess, but I'd estimate that 80% of parents think their
child is above average. This, of course, is a statistical impossibility.
Really I don't know what percentage this would be, but I frequently receive
similar comments. It happens all to often. Yes, the children are pushed to
limits beyond their abilities by these well-meaning parents, and at the same
time these children are led to believe that they are superior-a dangerous
security buried in a false self-concept.
If appropriate (meaning that I deliberately make attempts not to humiliate
either the parents or the child) I'll pick up a book at the reading level
with which the child is supposedly identified by the parents and have the
youngster read a portion to me. Usually, and not surprisingly, the poor
child stumbles through the vocabulary. Then I quietly talk to the parents
about the appropriate level of the material for the child and reinforce the
importance of this to assist the child in his or her development.
However, there are times when the child's reading vocabulary is rather
fluent. I usually then ask the child to tell me what certain words mean.
If they are able to define these terms adequately, I congratulate the
parents on the abilities of the child, but still attempt to reinforce with
them that certain books the child selects are healthy for their emotional
and social development as well. Future reading development relies on many
facets, but a large element is simply enjoyment.
Still there are children who read fluently but are not able to express the
meaning associated with the vocabulary. At this point I need to express
concern and possible solutions with the parents. Again it falls on age
appropriate books and the natural development of understanding more complex
terms and context.
Many of the negative reading conditions imposed by adults turn an
enthusiastic reader into a reluctant reader. Not that these children lack
the capability of reading, but they simply choose not to read. It is no
longer enjoyable.
It saddens me when I see parents pushing children beyond their levels. It
saddens me when I see children discouraged from reading material they find
interesting. It saddens me when I think how this will affect the their
future.
Richard Quiring, Teacher-Librarian
Greendale Elementary School
46361 Yale Road
Chilliwack, BC
V2P 2P9
Phone: (604) 823-6738
Fax: (604) 823-4582
Email: richard_quiring@hotmail.com
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"Anita Palladino" wrote:
>I'm sorry - I apologize in advance if I offend anyone -but..I see this as
>just so much more in the race to push kids to be older than they are. Can't
>they just be kids a little longer?
>Every day I have parents come in with a burned out kids, who, I am told are
>in 2nd or 3rd or whatever grade but "reads WELL ABOVE LEVEL," all
the
>appropriate material you suggest the parent sniffs at & says, you don't
>want
>that BABY stuff do you. Of course, the kid would love to be able to read a
>funny story for his real age, but the parents push..gotta start young, work
>on vocab, get ready for college..bla bla. So the kid ends up with books
>they
>can 'read' -as in decode the letters- but the real meanings are lost on
>them.
>In truth, the careers available to present 3rd graders probably aren't even
>known yet.
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End of PUBYAC Digest 1027
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