Every Child Can Learn
Labor Day is behind us and if school hasn’t already begun in your area, classes now will start in earnest across the nation! We send our children to school, have virtual school or homeschool, to get the education they need to live a successful and full life. They will gain the knowledge which will enable them to make decisions that affect their lives, and as they grow into adults, even for the families of their own.
Learning To Read And Write
September 8, 2023 is International Literacy Day. What Is Literacy? According the ‘Wickipedia” “Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use.” Wikipedia
There was a time when many people didn’t know how to read and write. Contracts were signed where families were cheated because they had to rely on—and trust— someone else to tell them what the document said. Signatures were simply ‘your mark’ because the gift of being able to write had not been learned.
As parents we never want to see our children being cheated or humiliated because of their inability to write, spell, read, or do math problems. When they struggle to ‘get’ it, we work with them or hire someone else to help them, until they finally connect with the processes.
Different teachers have different methods of teaching these basic skills including allowing to let children learn to ‘read’ on their own. It’s true, children learn at different rates, and learn information according to their interest more easily. In a classroom there is, however, a specific guideline for teachers, which are mandated by the county or school district. Whatever the plan, the goal is the same: each child will to learn to read and write.
We All Learn Differently
What happens when a child has a learning disability which hampers their ability to learn? It may be because of a brain injury, dyslexia, or other problem which keeps them from grasping the needed information that will allow them to read, write, listen attentively and master speaking and reasoning tasks.
It’s in these instances when teachers and parents must be dedicated to teaching children to function to the best of their ability, regardless of any pre-conceived in-abilities! This means assessing each child’s learning skills and work on getting the most out of what they can do, and then build upon that.
Every child can learn. It may be visual, or through touching, feeling and movement; through social interaction; perhaps better alone; verbally and through listening; logical thinking; or even through a process of hearing directions and replying audibly with the answer, known as the ‘aural’ learning style. It may be a combination of several or a little of all of them, depending on the subject and interest! Every child deserves the opportunity to learn at his pace, while using his style or styles, and not necessarily compared to his peers, or boxes, designed by others.
As we recognize Literacy Day this week, let’s remember that our children are not numbers nor statistics, but humans who were designed to make a difference in theirs and other’s lives. We can make a difference in theirs, when we allow them and encourage them to learn and grasp the ‘literacy challenges’ in ways that best suit them.
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