I caught a little of a teacher interview yesterday, she said she's got inbound children that don't know their colors let alone alphabet.

Very good Bruce. Reading is skill 1.

It appears your schools share some things with Clevelands. Perhaps instead of worrying about the buildings (Cleveland rebuilt their schools recently with 1/2 of the cost - 500 mil - paid by the state: palaces of decreptitude) they should worry more about head start.

Pete

And put a block on the cartoon channel.

Chas

Bububut Bugs Bunny exposes children to classical music!!

And crossdressing.

Pete

I didn't know Georgians could read. How else do you explain Newt Gingrich and Saxby Chambliss, much less Lester Maddox?;)

That one works fairly well. We banned the TV and video games on school nights, so they had to find something else to distract them.

Regards,

D-Ray

My dad got rid of the TV when I was 9. We did not have a tv in the house until my parents divorced when I was 16. I read three novels a week in that time. I am sure it helped me a lot in both school and in college.

In Colorado we have a program in the schools called "AR" - advanced reading. This is a program where the parents have to sign a contract and have the kids read 20 minutes a day(or more). Then the kids take a test on that book at school. They get a grade in AR just like if it was a class at school. Every kid has to achieve so many points to pass. In otherwords, the can take one test and get the points they need, or they can take 50 tests and get the points they need - this is kind of the weekness. It would have been better if they gave an acutal grade(pecent earned per test) and a minimum number of points needed. Still, it is a good idea that just needs a little more tweaking.

In New York I noticed poor Chinese, Koreans, Indians from Guyana end up in the top schools. What I noticed also that they have in common is a six day school and shorter summer holiday. Their parents sacrifice and pay for Saturday classes. The other minority kids are practicing basketball 24/7 and are left behind in the scholastic world.
There is an area in Flatbush Brooklyn which produced some fine students whose parents were the poorest on this earth....Haitian refugees!

Poverty is not an absolute barrier to academic achievement, but it is a hindrance. AA gifted hurdler can run the hurdles faster than most folks can run on a flat surface. There are kids who are going to achieve no matter what the environment.

It is a point that some communities are more committed to academic achievement than others. Unfortunately, many in our culture have come to look askance at dedication to academics. Best not stick your nose too deep into that book or you might be considered an "elite."

Regards,

D-Ray

Often a black youth (especially male) speaking "proper" English is considered suspect by his or her peers.

Down here in Bugtussell, "proper" English means you don't use over two cuss words in succession.

Chas