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DISTRICT 186 WAS SOLD A STORY
I highly recommend everybody listen to "Sold a Story," the podcast mentioned in the cover story ("When kids can't read," Feb. 29). I couldn't believe schools were still using this thoroughly-debunked method and leaving some otherwise ahead-of-track children completely unable to read several years into elementary school. I had no idea it was being used in schools that my toddlers will attend in a few years.
Sounds like District 186 was yet another sucker of a greedy educational publishing company selling a product they absolutely know does not work. And our kids and community will suffer as a result.
Matt Allen
Via Facebook/illinoistimes.com
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KIDS LOST OUT
Closing schools for no reason (during the pandemic) didn't help, or spending a fortune on computers that disappeared and depending on parents to educate children. District 186 graduated seniors that can't read and moved children to the next grade level that lost out on their education.
Pamela Meyer
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
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IMPACT OF COVID-19
I am an elementary teacher in Waukegan and can appreciate what is happening in Springfield schools.
First off, this is happening nationwide – it's not one school district or even one state. Secondly, current fourth-graders were in second-grade remote learning. Teaching phonics remotely was not the best way to do it.
This year, for the first time, we have adopted a phonics program designed for third, fourth and fifth grades along with our K-2 phonics program. We also are making sure the students at all levels are doing phonemic awareness (identifying sounds by sound – not using print), then adding phonics, which is associating sounds to print.
This is a battle we will be facing in school for years to come. COVID-19 impacted schools and learning in more ways than anyone was prepared for.
Shirley Snyder, reading specialist Waukegan
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HELP THE TEACHERS
Hopefully people will read this and see this as an opportunity to join hands with teachers and help the children in our community. Every school could use more volunteers to help struggling readers or just provide support and encouragement in general. Educating our youth is hard, hard work. I'm thankful for the staff, parents, volunteers and community members in our school district.
Natalie Grosboll Mitchell
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
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DON'T BLAME TEACHERS
It's a community effort, and it begins at home. Teachers are overworked, underpaid and underappreciated. There's only one of them, and usually 20 or more kids.
I get there are a few bad apples in the bunch, but communication with your child's teacher is imperative, and it's up to the parent or guardian to instill basic reading concepts and comprehension at home. The blame cannot be based solely on teachers.
Lindsay Anne Spoonmore
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
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TEACH KIDS AT HOME
I was a stay-at-home dad for a few years. I read hundreds of books to my kids a week. We had library day every Friday. We read chapter books aloud – I finished the entire Little House on the Prairie series with my 5-year-old and 3-year-old listening to every word. I taught my 5-year-old phonics and he learned how to read in six months. He's turning 6 and he's at a second or third-grade reading level at this point.
Ditch the iPad and the TV. Read to your kids. Homeschool your kids.
Kirk Donley
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
