Working one on one with a child in elementary school was such a privilege. The students I taught struggled with literacy and writing. The frustration they experienced, the anxiety and feelings of failure were all very real and tough to witness. I have so much respect for their courage and persistence. Just coming to the classroom where we taught was difficult for them.
“Dylan” was a student who cried every time I put a colored marker in his hand to practice writing. This was part of the Reading Recovery Program, connecting the writing with the reading kinesthetically to help with short term memory, word use, and identification. He struggled with reading, but it was writing that put him over the edge.
I couldn’t find a book or idea that interested him, until, by mistake I found out he was a Chicago White Sox fan. Not just a fan, he was obsessed. More than anything, he hated the Detroit Tigers! I brought in my Detroit Tiger pennant and hung it over my desk. We spent half our class that day arguing, I mean discussing, the attributes of both ball clubs. He was adamant that Detroit was the worst ball club in the American League.
I hadn’t been up on baseball for quite a number of years, so I went home and did some research. I brought in the baseball stats from the paper which we read together. Now he had a reason to read, not just a school requirement.
Writing was still painful with tears, markers flung across the
room, and refusals. We started off slowly, writing about why he hated the Detroit Tigers. I gave him a skittle for each word he wrote. Now he was being driven by his taste buds and passion. Not long after, we dropped the skittles and he focused on destroying the Detroit Tigers on paper. I have to admit to taunting him with good Detroit Tiger scores and wins. It thoroughly motivated him.
The students that came to literacy needed support in different areas. Some needed phonics, fluency, visual aids, or had emotional blocks to name just a few. But to work with their strengths and not their deficits made all the difference. No one wants to spend time doing something that is difficult and makes them feel “less than.” The first thing they must know is that struggling with reading is NOT a reflection of intelligence. It is simply a skill they struggle with.
If someone handed me a hammer and a skill saw and said “OK, build a house this way,” I’m sure that hammer would be airborne in moments. But given time and support, building up my muscles and coordination, it could happen. Some of us just need to work harder in some areas than others.
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Holly Fields has her Masters Degree in Special Education. She has worked with children with emotional and physical disabilities for over 15 years in the home, at school, and in rehabilitation settings, as well as therapeutic riding programs. She has been with Legacy Publishing Company on the Parental Support Line since 2011. She has 2 adult children, 2 rescue dogs and 1 cat. For more on this topic, see also: http://www.empoweringparents.com/blog/school-and-homework/is-your-child-having-difficulty-with-reading-some-strategies-that-could-help/#ixzz2BeVFiHqP