SPALDING WRITING ROAD TO READING AND JOHN WINSTON OF PARKS ELEMENTARY NATCHITOCHES, LOUISIANA
SPALDING WRITING ROAD TO READING PROPOSAL
I know it is hard for people to understand, but there are those among us who really want excellent academic opportunities for our children. Not just our children. But all children. And we are willing to step out and advocate for what WE KNOW WORKS! For a true academic education that opens doors and opportunities.
And so, in Dothan, years ago, my husband and I got involved with a group of like-minded, dedicated people and really tried.
Motivated by the students in my Henry County, Alabama classrooms who could not read their textbooks, I set out to find out why?
I tried to share what I saw with the elementary teachers. After talking about the large number of my seventh and eighth grade students' inability to sound out words, the principal walked in, after having missed hearing anything else I said, and announced, "If we were to tell them not to say ain't out on the playground they would laugh us off the field."
When I could finally pick my jaw up off the ground at the inanity of his comment, I realized how hopeless my efforts were. Well, first of all, that is grammar. It had nothing to do with their inability to read. Secondly, we ARE teachers. That is what we get paid for. Obviously, my concerns were being dismissed. As I was at the end of the year, supposedly due to proration.But, then who could stay in a place where when you tell the administrators that children cannot read; the Assistant Superintendent tells you "Well, just read the test to him."
That was the same stupidity that reigned when I went to the Director of Instruction at Dothan City Schools to tell him that the Computer Assisted Instruction program the IBM Writing to Read Program was ineffective and showed him the research. He told me they had too much invested to change now. (I wonder if he got any kickbacks on putting all those computers in the schools. (forgive my cynicism). I saw too much of what else happened in those schools to doubt anything.
The authentic program Spalding Writing Road to Reading is cheap and effective. The pretender, The IBM Writing to Read Program, is a dud according to Dr. Robert Slavin.
But, back to our proposal. I had read a publication by the Republican Platform Committee that reported on Charter Schools in Arizona that used the Spalding Writing Road to Reading to great effect with children learning to read the first time, English as a second language and for remedial reading. Somehow we were directed to John Winston, principal of Parks Elementary Natchitoches Parish School Board
In one year, Mr. Winston had brought his first grade students from three housing projects up from the 25th to the 80th percentile of reading. From 40 identified dyslexics the number fell to about 2 or 3. And because the students were successful, discipline problems also disappeared. Pretty good record, we thought.
We paid for Mr. Winston to come and speak to our administrators and school board. But the powers that be at Troy University Dothan sent out the call and those students under professor Dr. Patty Fritche showed up in full battle gear to defend their Progressive Agenda -- the Whole Language Method that Dean Kunkel of Auburn told me was "current wisdom" when I asked for research to support it.
They won. The children lost. And now we have the most academically bankrupt, morally depraved curriculum of all -- COMMON CORE.
The rudeness of that school board to those we invited to address them on this method was appalling!
Again I heard that my husband and I were out to profit from this. (NOT!) Indeed, we invested in bringing this gentleman to our town to bring a better curriculum there for ALL children! And look how cheap it is!
JOHN WINSTON, Natchitoches, Louisiana, PARKS ELEMENTARY, INVITED TO VISIT AND SHARE THIS EFFECTIVE PROGRAM
I cannot help but wonder how many of our students would have had better jobs and opportunities, stayed out of crime, had these narrow-minded, self-centered, self-righteous soldiers of Progressive Education opened their eyes to something that REALLY WORKED TO EDUCATE CHILDREN!
I hope that fine man is doing well. He made a difference in many lives. I only wish Dothan and Henry county could have benefitted.
Of course, if you buck the system and really try to make a difference with effective academic curriculum, you will be:OstracizedFiredLabeled disgruntled ex-teacherKu Klux Klan (that's a hard one to understand since those that would benefit most would be the same minority group that John Winston helped!Condemned as not being a "team player"Accused of profitingOr you can just chalk it up to doing what the good Lord put you here for. He did not put us here to take up space, go along to get along, or you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. He put us here for some purpose. And if making a difference in a child's life isn't one, I don't know what is.
Join the Eagle Forum and we can combine forces. It will take a lot to get COMMON CORE out of our schools. But our children are too important to give up on.
Spalding Writing Road to Reading and John Winston of Parks Elementary Natchitoches, Louisiana
https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot....
The DARE PROGRAM 20 years later.
https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot....
Merry Christmas! Meet Alliwishus, The Elf Mother Met at the Battle of the Bulgehttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/12/merry-christmas-meet-alliwishus-elf.html
My Mother. My hero who won a Battle Ribbon at the Battle of the Bulge. December 16, 1944. A SCRAPBOOK LOOK FROM JEAN BRONSON GILLIS BURSON.https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/12/my-mother-my-hero-who-won-battle-ribbon.html
LEONARD COHEN HALLELUJAH PROJECT AT BAY HIGH SCHOOL AND ESTABLISHMENT RELIGION, SECULAR HUMANISM, IN OUR SCHOOLShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot....
WHY SHOULD CONSERVATIVES, CHRISTIANS AND THE THE FAITH COMMUNITY BE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS? SUBSCRIBE TO THE PANAMA CITY NEWS HERALD AND GET WASHINGTON POST FREEhttp://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/12/why-should-conservatives-christians-and.html
THE GENEALOGY OF COMMON CORE: BILL GATES/UNESCO/ROBERT MULLER//ALICE BAILEY/LUCIS TRUST https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-genealogy-of-common-core-bill-gates_5.html
PEACE EDUCATION? CONFLICT RESOLUTION? TEACHING TOLERANCE? COMMON CORE https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/12/peace-education-conflict-resolution.html
TRADITIONAL OR PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION. DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE? HAS POLITICS AFFECTED YOUR CHILD'S MATH EDUCATION?
https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/look-at-this-headline-and-now-according.html
DELPHI TECHNIQUE, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENT CONVINCED A GULLIBLE PUBLIC TO BUY INTO COMMON COREhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/so-what-is-thedelphi-technique-let.html
COMMON CORE: PORNOGRAPHY 101https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/common-core-pornography-101.html
RADICAL POSSIBILITIES: YOUR CHILDREN https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot....
Response to AL.Com article "Alabama Superintendent Proposal to Raise Academic Standards."https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/response-to-alcom-article-alabama.html
THE CHICAGO CONNECTION TO COMMON COREhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-chicago-connection-to-common-core.html
MIDDLE SCHOOL AGENDA FOR SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS A PART OF MULTICULTURAL EDUCATIONhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/09/middle-school-agenda-for-sexual.html
BEHAVIOR MODELS ATTITUDES AND BELIEFShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-protest-at-busy-intersection-near.html
CULTURE WAR AND COMMON COREhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/culture-war-and-common-core.html
COMMON CORE MATHhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/common-core-math.html
TEACHERS AS LIBERATORS PRODUCE STUDENTS AS REVOLUTIONARIES https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/teachers-as-liberators-produce-students.html
SECULAR HUMANISM IS NOW THE RELIGION OF OUR SCHOOLShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/08/secular-humanism-is-now-accepted.html
COMMON CORE: THE EMPEROR IS WEARING NO CLOTHEShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/common-core-emperor-is-wearing-no.html
COMMON CORE=PETRI DISH FOR RADICALShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot....
SOCIAL STUDIES AND COMMON COREhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/social-studies-and-common-core.html
EDUCATION TODAY:
Politics, Profits, Position, Power, and Prejudice published 1995https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/education-today-politics-profits.html
CONFLICT RESOLUTION OR POLITICAL INDOCTRINATION?https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/conflict-resolution-or-political-and.html
DELPHI TECHNIQUE, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND THE EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENT CONVINCED THE GULLIBLE NATION TO BUY INTO COMMON COREhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/so-what-is-thedelphi-technique-let.html
WHO DO WE HOLD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE FAILURE OF OUR SCHOOLS?https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/so-who-do-we-hold-accountable-parents.html
PUBLIC EDUCATION SHOULD EMPOWER PARENTShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/public-education-should-empower-parents.html
CONSPIRACY THEORIES IN EDUCATIONhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/conspiracy-theories-in-education-truth.html
THE CIVIL WAR IN EDUCATION https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-civil-war-in-education-why-we.html
SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/01/solve-problems-of-public-schools-hope.html
TAKE A KNEEhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2016/12/take-knee.html
CAPSTONE EDUCATION (UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA) AND MY CONCERNShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2015/01/capstone-educator-and-concerns.html
RETARDING AMERICA THE IMPRISONMENT OF POTENTIALhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2014/12/retarding-america-imprisonment-of.html
NOTE FROM ROBERT SWEET OF THE NATIONAL RIGHT TO READ FOUNDATIONhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2014/10/note-from-robert-sweet-of-national.html
REVOLUTIONARY PEDAGOGYhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2014/06/revolutionary-pedagogy-or-so-you.html
MATH WARS. ONCE AGAIN INTO THE FRAYhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2014/06/math-wars-once-again-into-fray.html
I know it is hard for people to understand, but there are those among us who really want excellent academic opportunities for our children. Not just our children. But all children. And we are willing to step out and advocate for what WE KNOW WORKS! For a true academic education that opens doors and opportunities.
And so, in Dothan, years ago, my husband and I got involved with a group of like-minded, dedicated people and really tried.
Motivated by the students in my Henry County, Alabama classrooms who could not read their textbooks, I set out to find out why?
I tried to share what I saw with the elementary teachers. After talking about the large number of my seventh and eighth grade students' inability to sound out words, the principal walked in, after having missed hearing anything else I said, and announced, "If we were to tell them not to say ain't out on the playground they would laugh us off the field."
When I could finally pick my jaw up off the ground at the inanity of his comment, I realized how hopeless my efforts were. Well, first of all, that is grammar. It had nothing to do with their inability to read. Secondly, we ARE teachers. That is what we get paid for. Obviously, my concerns were being dismissed. As I was at the end of the year, supposedly due to proration.But, then who could stay in a place where when you tell the administrators that children cannot read; the Assistant Superintendent tells you "Well, just read the test to him."
That was the same stupidity that reigned when I went to the Director of Instruction at Dothan City Schools to tell him that the Computer Assisted Instruction program the IBM Writing to Read Program was ineffective and showed him the research. He told me they had too much invested to change now. (I wonder if he got any kickbacks on putting all those computers in the schools. (forgive my cynicism). I saw too much of what else happened in those schools to doubt anything.
The authentic program Spalding Writing Road to Reading is cheap and effective. The pretender, The IBM Writing to Read Program, is a dud according to Dr. Robert Slavin.
But, back to our proposal. I had read a publication by the Republican Platform Committee that reported on Charter Schools in Arizona that used the Spalding Writing Road to Reading to great effect with children learning to read the first time, English as a second language and for remedial reading. Somehow we were directed to John Winston, principal of Parks Elementary Natchitoches Parish School Board
In one year, Mr. Winston had brought his first grade students from three housing projects up from the 25th to the 80th percentile of reading. From 40 identified dyslexics the number fell to about 2 or 3. And because the students were successful, discipline problems also disappeared. Pretty good record, we thought.
We paid for Mr. Winston to come and speak to our administrators and school board. But the powers that be at Troy University Dothan sent out the call and those students under professor Dr. Patty Fritche showed up in full battle gear to defend their Progressive Agenda -- the Whole Language Method that Dean Kunkel of Auburn told me was "current wisdom" when I asked for research to support it.
They won. The children lost. And now we have the most academically bankrupt, morally depraved curriculum of all -- COMMON CORE.
The rudeness of that school board to those we invited to address them on this method was appalling! Again I heard that my husband and I were out to profit from this. (NOT!) Indeed, we invested in bringing this gentleman to our town to bring a better curriculum there for ALL children! And look how cheap it is!
JOHN WINSTON, Natchitoches, Louisiana, PARKS ELEMENTARY, INVITED TO VISIT AND SHARE THIS EFFECTIVE PROGRAM
I cannot help but wonder how many of our students would have had better jobs and opportunities, stayed out of crime, had these narrow-minded, self-centered, self-righteous soldiers of Progressive Education opened their eyes to something that REALLY WORKED TO EDUCATE CHILDREN!
I hope that fine man is doing well. He made a difference in many lives. I only wish Dothan and Henry county could have benefitted. Of course, if you buck the system and really try to make a difference with effective academic curriculum, you will be:OstracizedFiredLabeled disgruntled ex-teacherKu Klux Klan (that's a hard one to understand since those that would benefit most would be the same minority group that John Winston helped!Condemned as not being a "team player"Accused of profitingOr you can just chalk it up to doing what the good Lord put you here for. He did not put us here to take up space, go along to get along, or you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. He put us here for some purpose. And if making a difference in a child's life isn't one, I don't know what is.
Join the Eagle Forum and we can combine forces. It will take a lot to get COMMON CORE out of our schools. But our children are too important to give up on.
Spalding Writing Road to Reading and John Winston of Parks Elementary Natchitoches, Louisiana
https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot....
The DARE PROGRAM 20 years later.
https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot....
Merry Christmas! Meet Alliwishus, The Elf Mother Met at the Battle of the Bulgehttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/12/merry-christmas-meet-alliwishus-elf.html
My Mother. My hero who won a Battle Ribbon at the Battle of the Bulge. December 16, 1944. A SCRAPBOOK LOOK FROM JEAN BRONSON GILLIS BURSON.https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/12/my-mother-my-hero-who-won-battle-ribbon.html
LEONARD COHEN HALLELUJAH PROJECT AT BAY HIGH SCHOOL AND ESTABLISHMENT RELIGION, SECULAR HUMANISM, IN OUR SCHOOLShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot....
WHY SHOULD CONSERVATIVES, CHRISTIANS AND THE THE FAITH COMMUNITY BE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS? SUBSCRIBE TO THE PANAMA CITY NEWS HERALD AND GET WASHINGTON POST FREEhttp://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/12/why-should-conservatives-christians-and.html
THE GENEALOGY OF COMMON CORE: BILL GATES/UNESCO/ROBERT MULLER//ALICE BAILEY/LUCIS TRUST https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-genealogy-of-common-core-bill-gates_5.html
PEACE EDUCATION? CONFLICT RESOLUTION? TEACHING TOLERANCE? COMMON CORE https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/12/peace-education-conflict-resolution.html
TRADITIONAL OR PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION. DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE? HAS POLITICS AFFECTED YOUR CHILD'S MATH EDUCATION?
https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/look-at-this-headline-and-now-according.html
DELPHI TECHNIQUE, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENT CONVINCED A GULLIBLE PUBLIC TO BUY INTO COMMON COREhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/so-what-is-thedelphi-technique-let.html
COMMON CORE: PORNOGRAPHY 101https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/common-core-pornography-101.html
RADICAL POSSIBILITIES: YOUR CHILDREN https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot....
Response to AL.Com article "Alabama Superintendent Proposal to Raise Academic Standards."https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/response-to-alcom-article-alabama.html
THE CHICAGO CONNECTION TO COMMON COREhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-chicago-connection-to-common-core.html
MIDDLE SCHOOL AGENDA FOR SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS A PART OF MULTICULTURAL EDUCATIONhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/09/middle-school-agenda-for-sexual.html
BEHAVIOR MODELS ATTITUDES AND BELIEFShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-protest-at-busy-intersection-near.html
CULTURE WAR AND COMMON COREhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/culture-war-and-common-core.html
COMMON CORE MATHhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/common-core-math.html
TEACHERS AS LIBERATORS PRODUCE STUDENTS AS REVOLUTIONARIES https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/teachers-as-liberators-produce-students.html
SECULAR HUMANISM IS NOW THE RELIGION OF OUR SCHOOLShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/08/secular-humanism-is-now-accepted.html
COMMON CORE: THE EMPEROR IS WEARING NO CLOTHEShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/common-core-emperor-is-wearing-no.html
COMMON CORE=PETRI DISH FOR RADICALShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot....
SOCIAL STUDIES AND COMMON COREhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/social-studies-and-common-core.html
EDUCATION TODAY:
Politics, Profits, Position, Power, and Prejudice published 1995https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/education-today-politics-profits.html
CONFLICT RESOLUTION OR POLITICAL INDOCTRINATION?https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/conflict-resolution-or-political-and.html
DELPHI TECHNIQUE, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND THE EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENT CONVINCED THE GULLIBLE NATION TO BUY INTO COMMON COREhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/11/so-what-is-thedelphi-technique-let.html
WHO DO WE HOLD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE FAILURE OF OUR SCHOOLS?https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/so-who-do-we-hold-accountable-parents.html
PUBLIC EDUCATION SHOULD EMPOWER PARENTShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/public-education-should-empower-parents.html
CONSPIRACY THEORIES IN EDUCATIONhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/02/conspiracy-theories-in-education-truth.html
THE CIVIL WAR IN EDUCATION https://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-civil-war-in-education-why-we.html
SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2017/01/solve-problems-of-public-schools-hope.html
TAKE A KNEEhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2016/12/take-knee.html
CAPSTONE EDUCATION (UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA) AND MY CONCERNShttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2015/01/capstone-educator-and-concerns.html
RETARDING AMERICA THE IMPRISONMENT OF POTENTIALhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2014/12/retarding-america-imprisonment-of.html
NOTE FROM ROBERT SWEET OF THE NATIONAL RIGHT TO READ FOUNDATIONhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2014/10/note-from-robert-sweet-of-national.html
REVOLUTIONARY PEDAGOGYhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2014/06/revolutionary-pedagogy-or-so-you.html
MATH WARS. ONCE AGAIN INTO THE FRAYhttps://sharmanbursonramsey.blogspot.com/2014/06/math-wars-once-again-into-fray.html
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