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Joyce Johnson
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Member Rara Avis
since 2001-03-10
Posts 9912
Washington State

0 posted 2001-06-08 07:15 PM


I held my grandchild close last night,
And heard her read a story.
Suddenly I was six years old
And in my reading glory.

I was sitting on my daddy's lap,
And reading him my lesson.
He looked at me as if he thought
With my mind they'd been a messin'.

I started sounding out the words,
In solemn concentration.
With a's and b's and other sounds.
He said, "What in tarnation?"

My mother tried to hush him,
Said, "Don't pay it any heed.
This is a brand newfangled way,
They're teaching her to read."

So my daddy sat and listened,
As I struggled with my phonics,
Though to him it sounded foolish,
With unneeded histrionics.

The phonics worked just fine for me,
I soon was reading well.
Sounding out my words this way,
Even helped me learn to spell.

Then the powers that be decided,
The phonics method was all wrong.
So they introduced sight reading,
To help the kids along.

They turned out a generation,
Of youths who couldn't read,
When they decided phonics
No longer filled a need.

I was really happy,
When I heard my little miss,
Sounding a's and b's and so forth,
And learning to read like this.

By:  Joyce

[This message has been edited by Joyce Johnson (edited 06-09-2001).]

© Copyright 2001 Joyce I Johnson - All Rights Reserved
S Arthur Grey
Senior Member
since 2001-03-19
Posts 719
woven by a poet's loom
1 posted 2001-06-09 12:08 PM


Really enjoyed this, Joyce, thanks for doing it.
You really have to feel sorry for those kids that missed out.  I didn't miss out on phonics, but did miss a couple of other "basics" and I know how long it hurts.
Well done!

S Arthur

. . . Hills jump with brooks.
trees tumble out of twigs and sticks;
e e cummings

deleeme
Senior Member
since 1999-10-09
Posts 1766
NEW ENGLAND, USA
2 posted 2001-06-09 05:11 AM


Joyce,
I enjoyed your flashback poem. It's amazing how little things can trigger long forgotten memories, and how wise hind sight is in retrospect.
  Thanks for sharing these memories & insights with us,
          David

No Better Place do I know
Than where Hearts knit as
one,
For in that grand
experience,
The Better ALL become.

God Bless us All!!!

kitkat
Senior Member
since 2000-01-11
Posts 878
Nova Scotia
3 posted 2001-06-12 10:43 AM


Excellent piece Joyce and so true. My kids grew up in the sight for sound era of schooling...I taught them phonics..so they could read..I believe in trying new things but hey if its not broke why try to fix or change something..

--------------
You got to get up every morning with a smile on your face
and show the world all the love in your heart
Then people are gonna treat

FoxXena
Member
since 2001-06-13
Posts 141
where dragons play, children run free and foxes are never hunted
4 posted 2001-06-15 08:47 PM


*laughs* Reading makes a lot of difference. It makes the difference between an "F" and a "D-" (unfortunately, I have a lot of those).  

*+*Would you be known by everybody? Then you know nobody.~
-Publilus Syrus*+*

Joyce Johnson
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Member Rara Avis
since 2001-03-10
Posts 9912
Washington State
5 posted 2001-06-16 02:06 AM


Thanks to all of you for commenting on my poem.  It is a pleasant memoriy for me.  Joyce
kaile
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Member Ascendant
since 2000-02-06
Posts 5146
singapore
6 posted 2001-06-24 12:37 PM


glad to read this too...though it reminded me of the fact that i can't read well!!  

[This message has been edited by faterider (edited 06-24-2001).]

Trillium
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Member Patricius
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098
Idaho, USA
7 posted 2001-06-24 10:52 PM


Joyce:  Well written story of the phonics story.  Brought back memories for me as well.
I never could understand how children learned to read without it.

Betty Lou Hebert

Lisa
Member
since 1999-07-08
Posts 88
Lunenburg,VT USA
8 posted 2001-06-25 08:48 AM


I could see the little girl sitting there reading. It was like I was there all over again.
Thanks.

Joyce Johnson
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Member Rara Avis
since 2001-03-10
Posts 9912
Washington State
9 posted 2001-06-25 10:21 AM


Thanks Lisa.  It's strange what our memories do to us.  Joyce
illusion
Member
since 2001-06-19
Posts 296

10 posted 2001-06-25 10:40 AM


I enjoyed this very much!  
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