ISSN-1201-2157            Volume 12, Number 2                 www.oqe.org               September 2003
 
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Thinking About Learning
(a research-based look at the pitfalls of hands-on learning)
Democracy Betrayed
Andrew Nikiforuk takes on rural school closures)
Certified Ineptitude
(two mysteries solved: if faculties of education will endure—and why!)
The Little School That Could
(a case study of a school that learned from its test results)
Hear No Evil, See No Evil
(chapter and verse on university students’ lack of preparedness)
Advocating for Children
(the profile of a former dyslexic who now champions younger dyslexics)
Comprehensive Problems
(not-so-surprising news about the drawbacks of big high schools)
Overcoming Dyslexia
(a diagnostic tool kit for the parents of young children)
If it Quacks, It’s Probably Baloney
(a BS detector courtesy of Martin Kozloff)
A Cure for Poverty
(the inspirational story of 15 schools that are working miracles)
The Bottomless Pit
(an exposé of the black hole of special education in Manitoba)
You’re in the Union Now
(a peek into the looking-glass world of the teachers’ unions)
The Myth of Ability
(amazing evidence that everyone can become good at math)
And lots more - Publications of Interest, What’s New?, OQE Stuff, Letters to the Editor, etc.

From the President
Creating an Activist
Why I joined OQE

When my youngest child started school, I expected that his experience would mirror the experiences of his older brother and sister. Both had adjusted to school routines and were doing well. Matthew had entered grade 1 already starting to read. Amy was well on her way by the end of grade 1.

James, however, was another story.

In kindergarten, he showed little interest in the reading area and always chose to spend his time in the more hands-on activity centres where physical activity was high. His teacher did point this out to me but did not re-direct him with any success.

By grade 1, I was starting to become concerned that James was not picking up any reading skills as yet. I conveyed my concerns to his teacher who immediately warned that I was unfairly comparing my youngest to his older siblings. “All children learn at their own pace”, I was told repeatedly. While conceding that this might be true, I still asked the teacher if he shouldn’t be picking up some words.

I was then instructed to surround my child with books and to read to him at every opportunity in order to foster a love of reading. This was certainly no problem. Matthew and Amy, then in grades 3 and 2, were voracious readers. Our house was full of books. James had the advantage of not only being read to by his parents every day, but also having stories read to him by his brother and sister.

James loved being read to. Problem was, he still couldn’t read at all on his own. His ability to identify even the simplest words out of the context of a story he had already memorized was not getting any better.

Throughout my child’s grade 1 year, I kept asking his teacher for assistance in teaching him to read. I requested teaching materials that I could use at home — simple readers that would allow my son to build his reading skills from the bottom up. Over and over, I was told that I was putting too much emphasis on reading ability. Finally, I gave up and backed off. I wasn’t getting anywhere anyway.

Two days before the end of the school year, I went to my son’s classroom to pick up his report card (we were heading for Prince Edward Island). The teacher informed me that the card was being mailed. Then, she pulled me aside and said that James’ report card might say “placed in” grade 2, rather than “promoted to” grade 2. After all, she informed me, James was having trouble reading.

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