Sandra Dodd

In 1997, Marty was eight years old. I wrote the following:

Subj: what not teaching is good for
Date: 97-06-08 22:59:05 EDT
From: SandraDodd
Posted on: America Online

My kids have learned to read on their own. Kirby is fluent and uses
reading for all kinds of things. Marty is irritatingly phonetic, but
will become fluid with more practice.

First of all, Pam Sorooshian and such folk would probably be able to
point out or draw out dozens of things I did with/to/for my kids
that helped them learn to read, but I didn't "teach" them to read,
and more than I taught them to play Nintendo (although I did buy them
a Nintendo, let them rent games, and bought some game guides and
magazines). I didn't teach them to do tricks on the swing set, but
we did put the swing set up and maintain it and keep it clean and
available. I didn't teach them to ride bikes, but I did make sure
they had bikes and opportunities to ride places other than just right
in front of the house. I didn't teach them to sing, but I did sing
to and with them a lot, take them places to hear others sing, play
videos and recordings of different kinds of singing, etc.

They read.
They know that something as hard as reading can be learned without
formal lessons.

That's a heck of a thing for kids their age to know. There are
adults who don't know it.

Sandra

====================

I found it tonight, looking for something on the computer before
last. Thought I might as well run it through here.

Joel Gwynn

reminds me of the John Holt quote, to the effect that if we taught kids to
walk the way we teach them to read, most kids would learn to walk, but most
would grow up to hate walking, and do it badly.


On 12/2/06, Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...> wrote:
>
> In 1997, Marty was eight years old. I wrote the following:
>
> Subj: what not teaching is good for
> Date: 97-06-08 22:59:05 EDT
> From: SandraDodd
> Posted on: America Online
>
> My kids have learned to read on their own. Kirby is fluent and uses
> reading for all kinds of things. Marty is irritatingly phonetic, but
> will become fluid with more practice.
>
> First of all, Pam Sorooshian and such folk would probably be able to
> point out or draw out dozens of things I did with/to/for my kids
> that helped them learn to read, but I didn't "teach" them to read,
> and more than I taught them to play Nintendo (although I did buy them
> a Nintendo, let them rent games, and bought some game guides and
> magazines). I didn't teach them to do tricks on the swing set, but
> we did put the swing set up and maintain it and keep it clean and
> available. I didn't teach them to ride bikes, but I did make sure
> they had bikes and opportunities to ride places other than just right
> in front of the house. I didn't teach them to sing, but I did sing
> to and with them a lot, take them places to hear others sing, play
> videos and recordings of different kinds of singing, etc.
>
> They read.
> They know that something as hard as reading can be learned without
> formal lessons.
>
> That's a heck of a thing for kids their age to know. There are
> adults who don't know it.
>
> Sandra
>
> ====================
>
> I found it tonight, looking for something on the computer before
> last. Thought I might as well run it through here.
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Julie v.

Thanks for posting this! I think it all just comes down to enjoying your children and
helping them to facilitate what they are interested in, not having an alterior motive of
"teaching" them something while doing it.

Julie




--- In [email protected], Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...> wrote:
>
> In 1997, Marty was eight years old. I wrote the following:
>
> Subj: what not teaching is good for
> Date: 97-06-08 22:59:05 EDT
> From: SandraDodd
> Posted on: America Online
>
> My kids have learned to read on their own. Kirby is fluent and uses
> reading for all kinds of things. Marty is irritatingly phonetic, but
> will become fluid with more practice.
>
> First of all, Pam Sorooshian and such folk would probably be able to
> point out or draw out dozens of things I did with/to/for my kids
> that helped them learn to read, but I didn't "teach" them to read,
> and more than I taught them to play Nintendo (although I did buy them
> a Nintendo, let them rent games, and bought some game guides and
> magazines). I didn't teach them to do tricks on the swing set, but
> we did put the swing set up and maintain it and keep it clean and
> available. I didn't teach them to ride bikes, but I did make sure
> they had bikes and opportunities to ride places other than just right
> in front of the house. I didn't teach them to sing, but I did sing
> to and with them a lot, take them places to hear others sing, play
> videos and recordings of different kinds of singing, etc.
>
> They read.
> They know that something as hard as reading can be learned without
> formal lessons.
>
> That's a heck of a thing for kids their age to know. There are
> adults who don't know it.
>
> Sandra
>
> ====================
>
> I found it tonight, looking for something on the computer before
> last. Thought I might as well run it through here.
>