When Asked this Question by a Reading Tutor: I though more about this Response (10/2024:DP)!
QUESTION–What to do for kids who cry when you want them to try to read in 1st grade?
Children get anxious when they cannot do a task & before peers. So, the behavioral symptoms might suggest– I would stop pushing the child and use picture books, let them play with large letters to make a word – (from a paper with a list of words) and/or do mazes or throw bean bags in buckets at different distances with a pal — that kind of play. These would help reading skills strengthen also.
ASIDE: When I started this Reading Research work in 1991, There was no internet, no references from 4 libraries on the “Reading topic” either. About 4 years later I found the solution with the help of several professionals…We fixed the problem for 1 child. I went back to being a mom & Laboratory Director for a large 3500 samples/day Medical Reference Lab. In 1996, I founded a Non-profit 501c3 & had 3 Subject Matter Expert SME doctors at my dining room table for 3 yrs. With their expertise & mine – we put the program together & ran it in Florida schools successfully. I have worked in this new unique field for 33 years & meanwhile went after a Behavioral master’s and a PhD in Public Service Leadership PSL (stopped by; University FSA fraud & with data now collected -unpublished).
So, you want to address this 1st grade issue, here is my opinion! I am sure there is not much successful data out there yet 10/2024 as we have just started asking teachers to begin student reading now in Pre-K. They have always tried reading in 1 & 2nd grades with not much success (noted in 2010; then for that 17% of students below basic level). So now we start in Pre-K (2024; for our 40% failing to reach basic reading level today). What are we expecting!!!
I answered this below, with a bit more knowledge about reading skills & behavior -as Teachers do not have that answer, yet. Teachers teach reading well (when skills are working). Then they can use phonics, vocabulary and moving students toward the understanding of words in context- to improve fluency).
ANSWER : 1st Grade Readers
Genetics may be a factor for who reads early- Data, we expect will prove this. Kids should be reading by late 2nd -early 3rd grade (but for some who have reversals of letters). That is about the age when the visual system-stabilizes & develops to function effectively with the reading skills working & the mechanical- functioning that are required to read. And…with Fluency and Comprehension soon to follow. (*Answer will be updated should reported data soon change this response, DP).
ALEX was a kid at risk. He was also a major problem in school and home. Like many of the other 40% But, he is different. He wanted to do better in school. He was suspended more than that present. And when we met—he was headed for failure again at the 4th grade level. This would be his 4th time that he would be in that failed grade next September.
He is an example of fortitude & hope for all “At- Risk Kids” because he told us about all he had done -to get the help he needed from FVYD.
*He also was our neighbor and rode the bus with my kids, I knew him as trouble as he and my son had fought on the bus.
Alex was always “nothing but trouble” in school. He fought and bullied others to get suspended regularly! He was also bullied.
His teacher(s) tried to like to him & support him each year, But, he was certainly their “cross to bear” every day he attended class and… he was so BIG by this 3rd time in 4th grade & 12 years old. He is one example- from the ever-increasing # of problematic kids in the classrooms. As that # grows, so does the anxiety and fear of the students and their teachers. Teachers and the other 4th grade- 9-year-old classmates were just scared of him as he was getting bigger, frustrated & hopeless every year.
One day his school life changed, he had “intentionally” gotten himself moved to a Behavioral School. The reason was -his “mom had said NO” for allowing him to join our FVYD Student pilot program at that Middle school he was attending..
Once in the Behavioral School he tried to get into our FVYD program there. -to fix his Reading problem. That is right, he made it happen! He became bothersome to the ED-tech delivering our services to the other 30 kids there. She had to keep sending him back to class-he tried all the tools to see what worked for himself and found help. So he persisted.
I then walked in to this school to check on the Ed-techs & their training support. He cornered me- so that I could not walk by him. I then said, “hi,” and asked what he wanted! I knew this boy! He had been accepted at the other school for our FVYD program –He was here now and he wanted in, here! I said, “ Sure, I’d check with the principal to see what I could do”—it was almost too late with the program already running.
The principal then told me, his mother had said, “No!”—So Alex asked me to go to her, I could not. He had recently been to a Medical Eye Doctor, an Ophthalmologist and nothing was wrong with the health of his eyes. His Acuity was fine also- 20/20.
These kids with 20/20 vision often still may fall into our group of kids who need help to read FOR fluency and comprehension. You see, “Reading Skills” are not Acuity & not Medical. They are visual system physics & mechanics work only. And that, my friends –is why we still are not addressing this problem, anywhere. It is best and easiest in school to address this simple work with consistently & quickly in 15 min. sessions. So…
Alex then had his sister call his teacher and she, the teacher, also call his mother. That teacher knew our FVYD success with her class kids, already. His sister had begged his parents -for her brother. With a little help his Mother relented and we allowed Alex into the balance of the program & to continue in summer school. Thank God, kids are resilient!
*** ALEX thrived in school…in September, he entered now 6th grade instead of 4th and did just fine there. He was no longer in problem. His behavior changed also as his self-esteem grew. Soon he had a friend, felt equal and could breathe again.
He knew, IT WAS NOT HIS FAULT! We want more of this essential program in the schools to save ALL our kids!
HELP US TO GET IT THERE IN EVERY SCHOOL—CALL THE PRESIDENT (Our Gov., DOE Comm. & Superintendents don’t answer years of Non-profit 501c3 phone calls, mail, or emails. ***HERE IS ONE MAJOR ECONOMIC PROBLEM WE CAN FIX!
“It does not have to be like this”-quote from VP Harris (made on School Violence -with another recent school shooting) at the DNC Democratic National Convention 2024 with her nomination to the Presidential Candidate.
NO MORE and we do not have to DEBATE THIS! —Yet, what does that statement mean when you have no way to stop guns!
None the less, I do totally believe her intentions for good—as we, FVYD do have that magic Solution— for turning this statement from fiction into FACT!
The answer is right here—so let me connect the dots for you— First Read Blog about ALEX so I do not have to repeat that wonderful story here and you will have the baseline.
Alex would not have survived a 4th time in 4rd grade with his 3rd grade reading level —when he was built like SAMSON!…Bullying was killing him, and he bullied also.
So NO MORE
Without this short inclusion of the FVYD program BY middle school there is no HOPE & school life gets worse for these 40% of kids with peer gossip and bullying growing.
FVYD’s short program helps all these kids Reading Skills to be RECOVERED. In just these few months –the program is all done. And when those 15 minutes a day of FVYD program are all done….the school then simply & quickly transitions them back from 3rd grade to their current grade level –reading proficiently. That means with fluency and comprehension. Kids are resilient…believe me I have seen this magic time and again. Now you need to see it and bring it into our schools –TO SAVE OUR KIDS because “It does not have to be like this!
And by the first few weeks, these kids quickly learn & truly know—IT WAS NOT THEIR FAULT! Now these hope-filled students with renewed Self-esteem can grow. As they recover their reading skills—they now experience positive changes in their education., immediately. And also with that their education future possibilities. Just from this simple program addition, LIFE in the classroom changes for them & they have all the future choices this new freedom brings to them as well.
LETS SAVE OUR STUDENTS because “It does not have to be this way!
SAVING OUR KIDS IS NOT POLITICAL
by Deborah PARKER PRES. FVYD 2024
WE, FVYD have a Non-profit 501c3 Organization to share with you- It was founded in 1996 & in those 28 years following, have not asked the “public at large” for any donations. Are you interested in why that is? It certainly is a “need to know” for you!
And first please review ALL those who benefited from our 1st FVYD work!
www.myfuturevisioninc.com See all the testimonials and lets get this essential program in all American Public Schools.
Now Sept 2024 by Deborah Parker, Pres. FVYD
After the first 5 years of researching with NO INTERNET from 1991 to 1996, I a scientist/researcher- and Clinical Laboratory Hospital Director with a Masters in Human Relations (behaviors) understood what was missing in Education. (I had found what fixed my own child reading skills). So I then founded Future Visions Youth Development Inc. FVYD 501c3 Nonprofit Organization. In 1996-1999 FVYD held meetings on a new Subject- READING SKILL RECOVERY RSR & with those (3 Doctors): and each having 30+ years’ of experience). These Subject Matter Experts SMEs at my dining room table helped to develop that –unique RSR program for your schools –that would not fail to recover our kids.
We had to make sure for you that we would get it right the first time- and in 1999-2000 in 4 PBC Fla. School we did just that. (In 2000 on the Fla. Gov. Budget –our next program was not funded–with our next 10 schools & with 7 -trained Clinical Doctors waiting. At NASA you see- the Hubble Telescope needed a lens). This was in Florida & after FVYD gave –these 33 youth back their Reading Skills and their future educational life changed. They all passed and went on to thrive at their own 12 local schools.
We are here again. We are not waiting any longer (kids are dying daily)– for schools to open their doors—waiting 23 years & nothing has changed in Education since. While in 15 minutes we can SAVE OUR KIDS! Send your donations! To the best program possible for the Recovery of our Kids at Risk!
Our Kids are screaming for this help! Can’t you hear them! …or do you only hear their bullets.
Let’s get our kids back attending School & healthy-mentally being there -so they can actually enjoy it! Wouldn’t that be different! By D. Parker Pres. FVYD