"Teaching children and adults to read, write, and comprehend is not only our essential duty and investment in America's future; it is also an act of love."
– John Corcoran

Teachers Can Only Teach What They’ve Been Taught

By Donna Pitts
January, 2009

As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to teach. With a lot of encouragement from my teacher-husband and after much effort and preparation, I received my degree in elementary education in 1976. Shortly afterwards, I was given my first classroom assignment. The number of students I had in my self-contained classroom varied from year to year, as did their needs. Some needs were physical, some emotional, and of course those educational ones. I quickly learned that in order to meet the educational needs, you first had to take care of the physical and emotional ones. I had no problem recognizing and seeing that the physical needs were met. Whether it was school supplies, clothes, shoes, or even eye-glasses, there was always a civic group or local program in our area that stepped up and provided for the children. The emotional needs were sometimes harder to address. Occasionally a student required a referral to the school or county counselor. However, I often found that a generous dose of frequent encouragement along with genuine love and concern was the best medicine. As for the educational needs, well, in the beginning I really believed I could teach ALL my students. I was determined to do my part and use everything I knew to meet that goal. Back then, I firmly believed that if enough time and effort was given, from both teacher and student, then I could control the end result.

Needless to say, this teacher still had a lot to learn. However, I never let this keep me from giving it all I had. Now, as I remember back to that young enthusiasm and determination that kept me pushing on, I’m saddened by the memory of faces that come to mind. Those faces that, no matter what you did, it simply wasn’t enough. Time went on however, and one day as I was reading a teacher publication, I came across an article on dyslexia. I still remember it sparked my interest, as I recognized the symptoms discussed, as the ones I had seen exhibited by some of my students. I felt a wonderful glimmer of hope. Maybe this was an answer. Maybe there was something I could do. I mailed the attached information card, and later received a newsletter type publication from the Slingerland group. I read it with much anticipation and couldn’t wait to talk to some of my fellow teachers about it. But it didn’t seem to excite anyone, as much as it had me. I continued on however, and one day, with my Slingerland pamphlet in hand, I approached a much-admired educator, who worked in our county office. However, once again, my eagerness and excitement was met with far less enthusiasm than expected.

Time marched on, and then a little girl entered my class, who consistently exhibited the symptoms of dyslexia, that I had read about. After a much needed parent-teacher discussion, the mother took her to be tested. The test showed she suffered with dyslexia. With this diagnosis, the county tried to provide for her by resurrecting an old Scottish Rites Program that had been in storage for some time. For the remainder of that school year, I tried to follow the progress made through the use of the program. While it seemed minimal, I had to believe that it was better than nothing. The little girl transferred to another school at the end of that school year, and I retired from teaching the following fall. But that wasn’t the end of my encounters with dyslexia.

It was beginning to hit much closer to home. About this same time, I became aware that my nephew, Zach, was struggling in school, specifically with Reading, Spelling, and Writing. After much effort, many parent-teacher meetings, and all the usual interventions etc., a third grade teacher gave his parents a bit of smart advice. She suspected dyslexia and felt testing was in order. Needless to say, testing proved the suspected. Fortunately for him, he had parents who understood his needs, sought out and did what it took, regardless of the personal or financial cost. For the following three years, he lived away from home during the school week, in order to attend the Bodine School located in Germantown, Tennessee. This school is filled with teachers trained to be effective with students having reading disabilities. Through its multi-sensory presentation of complex language structure, along with the repetition and practice essential for the struggling reader, Bodine gets results. Its teachers are required to complete intensive training in the area of reading. And teacher classroom technique and performance is observed and critiqued on a continual basis, especially during the first two years of employment.

This all said, here’s my point. TEACHERS CAN ONLY TEACH WHAT THEY’VE BEEN TAUGHT! And they are going to use METHODS in which they are well versed or feel the most comfortable. As much as I wanted to teach all my students, I wasn’t properly prepared to do so. Our schools and classrooms are filled with teachers just like me. Their intentions are good, but their efforts are never enough for those struggling students, who just can’t seem to get it through the old conventional methods. Those students who fail are often tested and qualify for help in the Special Ed classroom. However, even there, remediation often comes in the form of placing the child on a lower reading level and once again, with individualized assistance, revisiting those skills not yet mastered. Sometimes this is the answer. But in those instances where it isn’t, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we, as teachers, were trained in the multi-sensory approach, which has been proven to bring success.

I believe it’s time our universities realize what an opportunity they have to bring about real change in our educational system. As I said before, a teacher cannot teach what they do not know. Therefore, if we want better educated students, we must have better trained and more knowledgeable teachers. How difficult could it be, to include the multi-sensory approach to reading, as part of the required curriculum for education majors? Our county and local school administrators could do their part, by requiring teachers (especially K-4), to incorporate it into their daily program. Our existing teachers could actually put those staff-development days to good use, by requesting intensive training in the multi-sensory approach. Just imagine what could be learned and taken back to the classrooms. What Joy, to see those little eyes light up with excitement, when real learning actually begins to take place. If I had known how, you can bet I would have used it. If you teach, I know you feel the same way. What are we waiting on?

Respectfully,

Zach’s Aunt Donna
Retired Elem. School Teacher

Link to the Teach Reading Mississippi website...

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