Reading instruction in DCPSs Kindergarten classes

[Anonymous]

Please provide links to information on children's brain development and reading readiness. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I found these two books very informative:
* Building the Reading Brain, PreK-3, Pat Wolfe and Pam Nevills
*The Developing Brain, Birth to Age 8, Marilee Sprenger
If you google them, you can read a pretty large excerpt.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the titles. They are very helpful

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Perhaps reading is not the "norm" or "developmentally appropriate" for Kindergarteners in other parts of the country but, in WDC it certainly is. Beginning reading age is very much driven by socio-economics and parental education level, both of which are exceptionally high in this *general* area. WDC has one of the highest percentage of inhabitants with post graduate degrees in the nation. Many WDC area children read at 3 and 4, or PreK. In fact, I know very FEW children in WDC who are not at least beginning readers by the end of K.

In WDC, our children's brains develop quicker than in other parts of the country? Socio-economics and parental education levels play a part in reading readiness, but those factors don't play a huge role in brain development. Our kids' brains are not ready to read until about the age of 7 (some earlier and some later). Parents in WDC do lots to prepare our kids to read, but we shouldn't push are kids to read. They are not going to fall behind. Maybe if parents were more informed about brain development in children, they wouldn't pressure teachers to teach something to children that they are not developmentally ready for.

There are several big flaws in your assertions (brain development is very individualized much as IQ is and yes, it is effected by environmental influences) but the most obvious one is your assumption that parents (myself included?) are pushing their children to read. That is absolutely incorrect. I have not pushed my child to read, she has pushed me and pushed her Pre-K teachers and pushed her school. Early reading is certainly no indication of later academic success but, if a child WANTS to read at age 4 or 5 or 6, everyone, especially the school system should certainly support and encourage their interest.

[Anonymous]

[There are several big flaws in your assertions (brain development is very individualized much as IQ is and yes, it is effected by environmental influences) but the most obvious one is your assumption that parents (myself included?) are pushing their children to read. That is absolutely incorrect. I have not pushed my child to read, she has pushed me and pushed her Pre-K teachers and pushed her school. Early reading is certainly no indication of later academic success but, if a child WANTS to read at age 4 or 5 or 6, everyone, especially the school system should certainly support and encourage their interest.



I totally agree. There is somebody who posts on this board, over and over again, about early reading and how children are being pushed too hard. I'm trying to figure out what the motivation behind that assertion is, but I'm not sure I get it.

[Anonymous]

I would venture to guess that the motivation is that their child is not an early reader and s/he is nervous about it. I don't mean it to be snarky. My oldest was not an early reader and it made me nervous. She caught up very quickly once she started reading and is now above grade level, but I was really stressed and surprised that she wasn't a genius who was reading at 2, which was butressed by my friendship with a competitive mom whose child recognized letters at 8 months and read by 2-- somewhat tongue in cheek but an element of truth is in there, too. Honestly, if you're child is not a super genius early reader, it's hard to listen to people over and over talk about their early readers (which, of course they have the right to do). The poster (not me) is probably insecure about his/her child's reading.

That said, IF parents are pushing (not saying you are becaue I know some children push the parents to read), I tend to think it will be counterproductive. It will turn the child off -- trust me. So in that sense, the poster's arguments about developmental appropriateness have some merit for many children.

[Anonymous]

PP, you are right in saying that brain development is influenced by environment, BUT my point was that it does not matter how intelligent or educated or well off a parent is, the brain develops at its own pace. A child's brain develops normally when certain factors are in place - like reading to your child, singing nursery rhymes, talking to your child, asking questions. Most of the parents on this board do these things, and therefore our kids are developing normally. Just because the inhabitants in this area have more money or more advanced degrees does not put us above the norm.

AND, many parents do push their children to read before they are ready. I am not making an assumption here. It is quite obvious from some of the posts on this board. I am not a serial poster on this issue. This is my first time. But I am a teacher (and a parent) and I think it is important that parents know that schools that push reading in K are not better, and if a child is not reading at the end of K it is not the end of the world. That child will not be forever behind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, you are right in saying that brain development is influenced by environment, BUT my point was that it does not matter how intelligent or educated or well off a parent is, the brain develops at its own pace. A child's brain develops normally when certain factors are in place - like reading to your child, singing nursery rhymes, talking to your child, asking questions. Most of the parents on this board do these things, and therefore our kids are developing normally. Just because the inhabitants in this area have more money or more advanced degrees does not put us above the norm.

AND, many parents do push their children to read before they are ready. I am not making an assumption here. It is quite obvious from some of the posts on this board. I am not a serial poster on this issue. This is my first time. But I am a teacher (and a parent) and I think it is important that parents know that schools that push reading in K are not better, and if a child is not reading at the end of K it is not the end of the world. That child will not be forever behind.

I am not trying to be rude but once again, there are several flaws in your argument: First, a brain does not "develop at its own pace" if it is "influenced by environment." The environment can make a brain develop more quickly or less quickly, more fully or less fully. Bottom line, enviroment will cause changes in a brain's devleopment, both the nature and speed of it, good or bad. Additionally, having an advanced degree (and/or a college degree) increases income level AND increases the likelihood that you will do the following:

reading to your child, singing nursery rhymes, talking to your child, asking questions.

There is a DIRECT correlation here between higher education AND higher socio-economic level AND both if these increase the liklihood that parents will have the time, energy and knowledge to engage their child in the activities you describe. There is also a proven correlation between a child having these things in his/her environment and earlier, more robust development of such things as numbers, letters, reading... etc. I am not suggesting one has to have either a college degree or a higher socio-economic level in order to do these things for your child, only that it is much more likely to happen in such households and so, there are likely more early readers in WDC as we are a particularly over-educated population.

Also, where do you see the "evidence" in this thread that parents are pushing a child to read? I dont see that here or in the real world. I guess there are parents who do but most of the parents I know seem to be fully aware it is not a particularly positive or rewarding enterprise for either child or parent unless the child is the initiator and "pusher." Perhaps the parenst I know are just *smart* enough to hide their efforts because they know its not really a good idea?