As a child, I never questioned authority. It was implored in me to never say that something was wrong or out of place, even when it was.
When I started working a little more closely with people, I found that this could no longer be the case. Living where we I live now, I have noticed that many people around me will do anything to show that they are right - even if it means that that it causes irreparable harm or create a chaotic situation that only an intelligent, logical person would know how to unravel. So here is my vent...
When I started working a little more closely with people, I found that this could no longer be the case. Living where we I live now, I have noticed that many people around me will do anything to show that they are right - even if it means that that it causes irreparable harm or create a chaotic situation that only an intelligent, logical person would know how to unravel. So here is my vent...
For years and years, I have learned a certain methodology called Orton-Gillingham, that has been used by a certain population here in Atlanta. When I work with students, I have developed a key sense of awareness of certain problems that have resulted from students not receiving the type of instruction and resources that they need in order to make gains in their reading. Given the fact that I have worked with hundreds of individuals in a private 1:1 setting, I have accumulated enough experience and know how to understand what the pitfalls are before even working with the student. It's the result of understanding what the process is - and working backwards that has helped me (and others like me) help students.
So when a parent decided to question me about a certain topic that she thought I was teaching incorrectly, I was baffled. I normally respond to criticism and challenges pretty well but when I showed her the examples/explanations/ and research behind what she thought was "incorrect", it became a battle of "Phonics Tug of War" between myself and an entire school that was teaching their group of 1,000 students incorrectly. This was not the only school that has done this in the great city that I live in - this is one of many schools that teaches their children to improperly identify a group of phonemes in this way.
The next day I decided to do my research. Fortunately, one of the individuals on my team just received training from a Learning Specialist who has used this approach for over 30 years and was able to give me feedback on the issue. Another great resource was the Director of Training for the Orton Gillingham Institute who personally called me and was able to answer my very troubling question. "Did I teach this concept incorrectly? If not, why is an entire school not abiding by the principles by which this methodology was founded on?"
After 1 1/2 hours on the phone and case studies and examples, I was indeed correct. There are situations where schools may be and will be wrong and there is absolutely nothing implausable with questioning why certain practices, (however "difficult" it may be on the ego of the school to admit) need to be changed. It's not a question of "well it's the school, they have to be right.." Certain institutions have a profound impact on silencing the benevolent efforts of one individual. In my case, I stand before you vindicated!
So when a parent decided to question me about a certain topic that she thought I was teaching incorrectly, I was baffled. I normally respond to criticism and challenges pretty well but when I showed her the examples/explanations/ and research behind what she thought was "incorrect", it became a battle of "Phonics Tug of War" between myself and an entire school that was teaching their group of 1,000 students incorrectly. This was not the only school that has done this in the great city that I live in - this is one of many schools that teaches their children to improperly identify a group of phonemes in this way.
The next day I decided to do my research. Fortunately, one of the individuals on my team just received training from a Learning Specialist who has used this approach for over 30 years and was able to give me feedback on the issue. Another great resource was the Director of Training for the Orton Gillingham Institute who personally called me and was able to answer my very troubling question. "Did I teach this concept incorrectly? If not, why is an entire school not abiding by the principles by which this methodology was founded on?"
After 1 1/2 hours on the phone and case studies and examples, I was indeed correct. There are situations where schools may be and will be wrong and there is absolutely nothing implausable with questioning why certain practices, (however "difficult" it may be on the ego of the school to admit) need to be changed. It's not a question of "well it's the school, they have to be right.." Certain institutions have a profound impact on silencing the benevolent efforts of one individual. In my case, I stand before you vindicated!
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