tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post4968588285477844389..comments2024-03-29T05:53:38.691-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: Teaching Writing to Third GradersJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-11257776102652592512014-07-17T16:05:03.913-04:002014-07-17T16:05:03.913-04:00Shari, I was the lucky one that I could use my ima...Shari, I was the lucky one that I could use my imagination and have so much fun. I was Queen Gloria when they studied the Middle Ages and I got to knight the students when they had the knight's pledge memorized with a plastic sword. I got to come over on the Mayflower with them, too, as Aunt Prudence. <br /><br />Warren, I agree, and so did most of my parents. Over the years I was told by so many parents they wished they could have been in my class. Almost all of them were fascinated by my science center filled with all sorts of things relating to what we were studying in science at that time. Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-62656443034113234422014-07-17T15:59:20.672-04:002014-07-17T15:59:20.672-04:00Sarah, I remember how upset I was when my younger ...Sarah, I remember how upset I was when my younger brother told me there was no Santa Claus. I thought he was saying that just to be mean. Every year before Christmas I would ask my students to write about Santa Claus - not did you believe in him or not, but just write about him. I was surprised how many did still believe and some said they weren't sure if he was real, but they wanted to believe he was.<br />Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-54532098766213794312014-07-17T15:28:26.782-04:002014-07-17T15:28:26.782-04:00Sounds like I would have enjoyed being in your cla...Sounds like I would have enjoyed being in your class immensely. There is nothing wring with giving facts a little enhancement.Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-38175063643971876502014-07-17T11:23:08.039-04:002014-07-17T11:23:08.039-04:00Gloria, I think your students were lucky indeed to...Gloria, I think your students were lucky indeed to have such an imaginative and creative teacher! So sad that today's teachers must teach to those god awful tests. We had tests, too, but it seemed that the concepts flowed seamlessly from what the teachers did to what was tested. Education has become big business and there's no room for imagination, delight, or true scholarship in most business models.<br />Lie to a child? Never! Of course I believe in Santa! I even saw him once on the evening news, showing his driver's license. The license said he lived in Coral Gables, Florida, but even Santa needs a summer home.Shari Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425493627354028820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-57167159733752463572014-07-17T10:51:01.073-04:002014-07-17T10:51:01.073-04:00Ha. What a fun story! We're currently withhold...Ha. What a fun story! We're currently withholding the Tooth Fairy's true identity from our five-year-old. He's asked a bunch of questions about her and we're having a hard time being consistent! I think he's asking us separately to trip us up.Sarah Henninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06822639126179367121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-34422393284298945722014-07-17T08:35:23.856-04:002014-07-17T08:35:23.856-04:00KM, that's so funny. It's too bad that the...KM, that's so funny. It's too bad that the teacher didn't realize in time the misunderstanding about the impala, but then the teacher was busy with a lot of kids who were asking for help and your daughter was probably not asking and just going ahead with the car.<br /><br />Kara, there were tests we prepared for even when I was teaching and that was okay, but it progressively got worse. The last few years I was teaching we had two very thick teaching manuals of all the math concepts we were to teach third graders meaning we had to cover fractions, for instance, in just several days. No way can any but but a math genius retain what is taught in a few days and retain it over the months until the big test. I feel sorry for the teachers whose jobs depend on all their students passing these tests when there is are always those children who don't have the ability to master any subject for numerous reasons. <br /><br />Jim, I can imagine that you or one of your kids would have been the students who always delighted me with their imagination. <br /><br />Paula, that must have been great fun. My biggest regret is that I no longer have time to still work in some aspect with children.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-71277519069862226292014-07-17T08:06:53.990-04:002014-07-17T08:06:53.990-04:00Gloria, I just had the experience of teaching 4th ...Gloria, I just had the experience of teaching 4th and 5th graders writing in a summer program. I come from a family of teachers and have great respect for the time and preparation lessons take. Thank you for your continuing career of teaching and contributing to people's lives.Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-24348209469140789422014-07-17T07:11:38.941-04:002014-07-17T07:11:38.941-04:00Lying to children probably started with Adam and E...Lying to children probably started with Adam and Eve, although they were smart enough not to write down the deed.<br /><br />I'm sorry neither I, nor my children, were in your classes.<br /><br />Teaching facts obscures the learning the fundamental thinking that leads to thoughtful decisions, innovative solutions, true understanding.<br /><br />~ JimJim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-52479199661920508392014-07-17T04:16:50.931-04:002014-07-17T04:16:50.931-04:00Your classes sound imaginative and fun, Gloria. I ...Your classes sound imaginative and fun, Gloria. I love the excerpt from your student's letter to Alice. <br /><br />Teaching to the test is the number one complaint I hear from teachers and parents. Also, there is too much information for children to retain. They cram and forget it. I think the result is that kids lose the ability to creatively solve problems. I'm concerned that this is happening to my niece who is in medical school. From my perspective, the focus is on memorization and regurgitation of information in preparation for board exams instead of learning how to intelligently process the data.Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-43837807523834603722014-07-17T00:27:27.420-04:002014-07-17T00:27:27.420-04:00What fun, Gloria. I'm sure your students learn...What fun, Gloria. I'm sure your students learned a lot.<br /><br />When my youngest daughter was in second grade, the class was assigned to do a "research paper." They were all assigned a topic, and the next day they were to be taken to the school library to do their research. My daughter, who has a decided dramatic streak, came home upset because, as she said, all the other kids got animals, and she got a car. Seems that she was assigned an impala.<br /><br />I don't consider the imaginative fabrications we use with kids (or even adults) to be lying. When a child has asked me whether Santa Claus is real, I haven't lied, but said, "We like to believe he is. It's fun."KM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.com