Reading, kids and a whole lot else

The first thing you need to know about me is, I teach reading. I am a Reading Therapist, not a tutor. Although if I were to call myself a tutor I would be the BEST TUTOR IN TOWN. Teaching reading is my passion and my vocation and I love it. What I don't love, however, is knowing the majority of my students who struggle to read wouldn't be doing so if they were just taught to read properly in the first place.

Now if you are a teacher in the education system you might want to start reading another blog somewhere else because I can guarantee you're not going to like what you read here. I have been teaching people to read for sixteen years and throughout those sixteen years I have become more and more aware of the failings of the education system in North America. Basically there are only two methods of teaching reading in the land of academia: phonics and whole language. If perchance neither of those methods works for a child it is automatically assumed that there is something wrong with the student. He or she is then subjected to a battery of tests which are guaranteed to convince the student that not only is there a difficulty with reading, but he/ she is the "dumbest person on the planet". Please parents if you are reading this stop submitting your kids to this kind of academic torture. Nine times out of ten you will receive a report that is six inches thick rife with psycho babble, which is to quote the bard, "full of sound and fury but signifying nothing". It is designed to let the parent know that the education system is the only entity on the planet who can help your son or daughter. Despite the fact that they are the ones who couldn't teach the student to read in the first place.

If you doubt the validity of my claim let me tell you about one of my students. She was twelve years old when I met her and her mother had been assured by the Education Psychologist that her daughter was completely incapable of learning to read and it would only cause her severe frustration if she tried. Fortunately for Lisa (name has been changed) her mother recognized psycho babble when she heard it and decided to bring her to me. Lisa was in grade seven at the time and when I tested her it becamce evident that she was only reading at a kindergarten level. Lisa attended two one hour classes with me each week. In 81 hours she was reading at a grade 8 level and won "The Most Improved Student of the Year" award. Four years later I received an invitation to attend her graduation. Not only was she graduating, but she was an honour student. Please ask yourself what would have happened if her mother had heeded the words of the Educational Psychologist?

So this is an introduction to who I am, what I love and what frustrates me to the nth degree. If you are interested in education, reading, kids, and a whole range of topics please come on back.