Comments on: Educating the Masses http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/educating-the-masses/ Whiskey and Gunpowder features articles on gold, oil, currencies, emerging markets, energy, and more. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:05:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Linda Brady Traynham http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/educating-the-masses/comment-page-1/#comment-5887 Linda Brady Traynham Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:52:33 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=6524#comment-5887 I'll finish--unless encouraged--with another Andy-roo story. Kid's still five. Comes in one day and asks, "Mama, do you know why CH sometimes says "kuh" instead of "chuh?" I never lie to children, I didn't know, and I said so. "Because the H is protecting the C from a vowel that would make it go 'sssss!'" Briliant, son, absolutely brilliant, and totally correct. That's why we pronounce monarchy and architecture the way we do. Remember: I am the one who taught Andrew to read. NO ONE else had even attempted. So...how did he know something I hadn't taught him?! Easy. He has a nice, logical mind and had +a fresh approach to language. His rule only works on about half a dozen words, but that's one tiny piece of the universe explained correctly for all time. Once we work out sub-rules and exceptions, it turns out English doesn't have nearly as many anomalies as we have been told. We never leave the kids bewildered even on rough/tough/enough vs. dough and bough. Linda I’ll finish–unless encouraged–with another Andy-roo story. Kid’s still five. Comes in one day and asks, “Mama, do you know why CH sometimes says “kuh” instead of “chuh?” I never lie to children, I didn’t know, and I said so. “Because the H is protecting the C from a vowel that would make it go ‘sssss!’” Briliant, son, absolutely brilliant, and totally correct. That’s why we pronounce monarchy and architecture the way we do. Remember: I am the one who taught Andrew to read. NO ONE else had even attempted. So…how did he know something I hadn’t taught him?! Easy. He has a nice, logical mind and had +a fresh approach to language. His rule only works on about half a dozen words, but that’s one tiny piece of the universe explained correctly for all time. Once we work out sub-rules and exceptions, it turns out English doesn’t have nearly as many anomalies as we have been told. We never leave the kids bewildered even on rough/tough/enough vs. dough and bough. Linda

]]> By: Linda Brady Traynham http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/educating-the-masses/comment-page-1/#comment-5886 Linda Brady Traynham Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:45:54 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=6524#comment-5886 Think about how quickly a student can build confidence when things make SENSE. They can accept that sometimes they have to make a choice. Is it "Ow! I hurt myself," or "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," when we see the OW "glow?" Well, you can say "glau" if you want to but it isn't going to make a real word that makes sense where you find it. "Flau," of course, works when we see "flower." "Floors" are things we walk on. The point is...you can only be wrong ONCE! Kids can handle that. So can adults. If I ever get around to producing it you'll get a DVD or VHS with everything there is to know about "what reading really is and how we really do it." It makes sense. It all goes together. It works. Imagine telling a youngster--truthfully--that when he has mastered everything shown very clearly on the video he will be able to read ANYTHING. Kids love the idea of knowing it all. Of course, for his first six years in school his teachers will loathe him because they can't teach him anything and he is bored...but boredom is better than failure. I get so frustrated, because one of life's greatest pleasures is teaching a beloved child to read brilliantly...and sheer joy is seeing your three-year-old daughter read her own fortune cookie. Andrew was bored in an Army clinic and started reading the bulletins posted there. Aloud. Flawlessly. You get some pretty funny looks when your five-year-old kiddo can do that, but at least you know that no one else is going to be able to confuse him with Look-Say. Think about how quickly a student can build confidence when things make SENSE. They can accept that sometimes they have to make a choice. Is it “Ow! I hurt myself,” or “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that,” when we see the OW “glow?” Well, you can say “glau” if you want to but it isn’t going to make a real word that makes sense where you find it. “Flau,” of course, works when we see “flower.” “Floors” are things we walk on. The point is…you can only be wrong ONCE! Kids can handle that. So can adults. If I ever get around to producing it you’ll get a DVD or VHS with everything there is to know about “what reading really is and how we really do it.” It makes sense. It all goes together. It works. Imagine telling a youngster–truthfully–that when he has mastered everything shown very clearly on the video he will be able to read ANYTHING. Kids love the idea of knowing it all. Of course, for his first six years in school his teachers will loathe him because they can’t teach him anything and he is bored…but boredom is better than failure. I get so frustrated, because one of life’s greatest pleasures is teaching a beloved child to read brilliantly…and sheer joy is seeing your three-year-old daughter read her own fortune cookie. Andrew was bored in an Army clinic and started reading the bulletins posted there. Aloud. Flawlessly. You get some pretty funny looks when your five-year-old kiddo can do that, but at least you know that no one else is going to be able to confuse him with Look-Say.

]]> By: Linda Brady Traynham http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/educating-the-masses/comment-page-1/#comment-5884 Linda Brady Traynham Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:36:08 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=6524#comment-5884 The very best rule of all is #5, which is "Say what you see!" Recall that I said I teach LONG vowel words immediately after teaching students to say the alphabet properly, i.e., phonetically. Why? Because long vowel words are the easiest way to grasp what reading really is and how we really do it! It's 1-2-3: consonant sound, AI = A, the letter name, consonant. Run it all together and it is impossible to get the wrong answer on main, maid, pail, goad, load/toad/road and a marvelous number of other words. Short-vowel rhyming words have far too many variations. Then I teach Silent E, because we're still looking for two vowels. When the word only has ONE vowel that A, E, I, O, U or sometimes Y isn't going to say its letter name...so break it up into known pieces. The child NEVER sees a word in his 42 lessons (one a day for 6 weeks) that he cannot read with the skills he has mastered to that point! No pictures. I'm not telling stories, either--and you can't guess a sentence like ""The goose ran to the caboose the day the moose got loose in the house." That drills "oose," but kids like silly sentences, too. Shall I keep teaching? The very best rule of all is #5, which is “Say what you see!” Recall that I said I teach LONG vowel words immediately after teaching students to say the alphabet properly, i.e., phonetically. Why? Because long vowel words are the easiest way to grasp what reading really is and how we really do it! It’s 1-2-3: consonant sound, AI = A, the letter name, consonant. Run it all together and it is impossible to get the wrong answer on main, maid, pail, goad, load/toad/road and a marvelous number of other words. Short-vowel rhyming words have far too many variations. Then I teach Silent E, because we’re still looking for two vowels. When the word only has ONE vowel that A, E, I, O, U or sometimes Y isn’t going to say its letter name…so break it up into known pieces. The child NEVER sees a word in his 42 lessons (one a day for 6 weeks) that he cannot read with the skills he has mastered to that point! No pictures. I’m not telling stories, either–and you can’t guess a sentence like “”The goose ran to the caboose the day the moose got loose in the house.” That drills “oose,” but kids like silly sentences, too. Shall I keep teaching?

]]> By: Linda Brady Traynham http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/educating-the-masses/comment-page-1/#comment-5883 Linda Brady Traynham Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:26:40 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=6524#comment-5883 One of the ten rules of reading I use is, "Only godless Russians ends word in V! And we don't end words in M, either, and that's th' biz, kid." Laughter--that is an excellent rule and explains why Silent E appears to break down. Rule One is "What you say must make SENSE." Each try has to make a "real" word that makes sense in what the kiddo is reading. I teach them long vowel words first, so Godless Russians works with words like move, glove, and have. Even small kids know we don't "mauve," glowve," and have pronounced as in "behave." Try the long vowel first, you get nonsense. So try the most common short vowel sound, which will usually work. If not, go to one of the other variations you know, or "wiggle" it. We all know Bill Cosby didn't sell Jello "puh-ding." The E in love is ornamental/to protect consonants we don't stick on the ends of words. The real purpose of GR is to maintain confidence; the system didn't break down, this is just another rule. For practice, work out the phonics of why "hose" is pronounced as it is; two elements are involved. Every child I ever taught knew immediately that if he said "hoe-sssss" that wasn't a "real" word and couldn't apply to gardens or the stockings his mother wore. One with four possibilities is when to use hard G (guh) and when we want soft G (juh) is that thing we park our cars in. Is it a guh-rahguh? Not in Texas. Is it a juh-raj? Nope. It's a garage, a thing I suppose every child who doesn't live in the inner cities or an apartment building knows. And besides that, it's French! Hope this helps somebody. One of the ten rules of reading I use is, “Only godless Russians ends word in V! And we don’t end words in M, either, and that’s th’ biz, kid.” Laughter–that is an excellent rule and explains why Silent E appears to break down. Rule One is “What you say must make SENSE.” Each try has to make a “real” word that makes sense in what the kiddo is reading. I teach them long vowel words first, so Godless Russians works with words like move, glove, and have. Even small kids know we don’t “mauve,” glowve,” and have pronounced as in “behave.” Try the long vowel first, you get nonsense. So try the most common short vowel sound, which will usually work. If not, go to one of the other variations you know, or “wiggle” it. We all know Bill Cosby didn’t sell Jello “puh-ding.” The E in love is ornamental/to protect consonants we don’t stick on the ends of words. The real purpose of GR is to maintain confidence; the system didn’t break down, this is just another rule. For practice, work out the phonics of why “hose” is pronounced as it is; two elements are involved. Every child I ever taught knew immediately that if he said “hoe-sssss” that wasn’t a “real” word and couldn’t apply to gardens or the stockings his mother wore. One with four possibilities is when to use hard G (guh) and when we want soft G (juh) is that thing we park our cars in. Is it a guh-rahguh? Not in Texas. Is it a juh-raj? Nope. It’s a garage, a thing I suppose every child who doesn’t live in the inner cities or an apartment building knows. And besides that, it’s French! Hope this helps somebody.

]]> By: Linda Brady Traynham http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/educating-the-masses/comment-page-1/#comment-5882 Linda Brady Traynham Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:14:01 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=6524#comment-5882 Robert, my first answer didn't post, but here's a true story. Andrew, then 8, and reading on an 8th grade level, came home from the second grade one day. "Mama," he asked perplexedly, "My teacher says I have to 'remember' this word ''cause it's so hard," but why can't I just READ it?" I took a deep calming breath and wished I knew how to curse in Swahili or Urdu. "Andrew, write the word down for me, son." He did. I considered the benefits of keelhauling and asked, "Andrew, how did your teacher tell you to 'remember' that word?" He answered dubiously, "She said to remember it because it had two tall letters and no letters below the line." Mother did not go ballistic only because that upsets children. "Andrew, how do you read that word?" His little face lit up and he replied confidently,""When I see TH together I say "thuh" and A all by itself usually goes "ah," and T always says "tuh," so I run it all together and get "that." "Absolutely correct, son. Mama's proud of you. Just keep reading exactly the way I taught you and tell me if your teacher says anything else that stupid." I came up with about fifty words which could be described as "two tall letters and no letter below the line" (that is not one of them) in less than a minute. Of all the idiotic things to tell a bright child! Of course I think my 'Drew is very special (all mothers think such things), but I am quite convinced that had I given him to a public school he would be totally illiterate and would have dropped out in his early teens. As a matter of fact, the drop-out rate for gifted kids is far, far higher than for other groups. You cannot tell a child nonsensical things and expect one to learn to read correctly. Reading phonetically is a very simple, easy to learn process. Robert, my first answer didn’t post, but here’s a true story. Andrew, then 8, and reading on an 8th grade level, came home from the second grade one day. “Mama,” he asked perplexedly, “My teacher says I have to ‘remember’ this word ”cause it’s so hard,” but why can’t I just READ it?” I took a deep calming breath and wished I knew how to curse in Swahili or Urdu. “Andrew, write the word down for me, son.” He did. I considered the benefits of keelhauling and asked, “Andrew, how did your teacher tell you to ‘remember’ that word?” He answered dubiously, “She said to remember it because it had two tall letters and no letters below the line.” Mother did not go ballistic only because that upsets children. “Andrew, how do you read that word?” His little face lit up and he replied confidently,”"When I see TH together I say “thuh” and A all by itself usually goes “ah,” and T always says “tuh,” so I run it all together and get “that.” “Absolutely correct, son. Mama’s proud of you. Just keep reading exactly the way I taught you and tell me if your teacher says anything else that stupid.” I came up with about fifty words which could be described as “two tall letters and no letter below the line” (that is not one of them) in less than a minute. Of all the idiotic things to tell a bright child! Of course I think my ‘Drew is very special (all mothers think such things), but I am quite convinced that had I given him to a public school he would be totally illiterate and would have dropped out in his early teens. As a matter of fact, the drop-out rate for gifted kids is far, far higher than for other groups. You cannot tell a child nonsensical things and expect one to learn to read correctly. Reading phonetically is a very simple, easy to learn process.

]]> By: Linda Brady Traynham http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/educating-the-masses/comment-page-1/#comment-5881 Linda Brady Traynham Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:04:26 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=6524#comment-5881 Robert, I'm with you all the way except for one thing. Most of the public school systems I'm acquainted with DO require degrees and yearly "on-going" education. Tony De Maio wrote a great article on how those have been debased, although I can't remember if it is archived here or over on www.thetexasring.com. As I have always said, "No one cares more about our children's success than we do." We teach them out of joy and the desire to see them understand or achieve. "Teaching" isn't a mere job where we have no vested interest in the students' success and get a new batch every year no matter how poor performance was. Having our children at home is wonderful, period. How I always loved summers! We don't have to worry about "order" in the classroom, or political correctness, or "teaching to the middle," which is now teaching to the bottom third. Anyone who can read decently can teach his/her own children very well, and the home-schooling supplies and curricula available are terrific. Even those who choose not to home school should think hard about the enormous benefits of ensuring that their children can read and do arithmetic before turning them over to strangers--AND enquire closely every day about what the kids are being taught. Robert, I’m with you all the way except for one thing. Most of the public school systems I’m acquainted with DO require degrees and yearly “on-going” education. Tony De Maio wrote a great article on how those have been debased, although I can’t remember if it is archived here or over on http://www.thetexasring.com.

As I have always said, “No one cares more about our children’s success than we do.” We teach them out of joy and the desire to see them understand or achieve. “Teaching” isn’t a mere job where we have no vested interest in the students’ success and get a new batch every year no matter how poor performance was.

Having our children at home is wonderful, period. How I always loved summers! We don’t have to worry about “order” in the classroom, or political correctness, or “teaching to the middle,” which is now teaching to the bottom third. Anyone who can read decently can teach his/her own children very well, and the home-schooling supplies and curricula available are terrific. Even those who choose not to home school should think hard about the enormous benefits of ensuring that their children can read and do arithmetic before turning them over to strangers–AND enquire closely every day about what the kids are being taught.

]]> By: Robert http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/educating-the-masses/comment-page-1/#comment-5879 Robert Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:06:51 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=6524#comment-5879 Public school is child abuse. I cannot list the number of insults to the children's intelligence the public school system embodies NO DEGREES REQUIRED. The local home school foundation and HSLDA are a start. Anyone who says that an education professional is better to teach than most moms and dads is sadly deluded. I think the average cost to home school is $400 per student per year, with our guidance the children built a business that financed a much higher level of educational & recreation than I would have thought possible. Imagine the most beautiful of God's creations, your children, blossoming into adulthood in front of your eyes. Think home school. Public school is child abuse.
I cannot list the number of insults to the children’s intelligence the public school system embodies
NO DEGREES REQUIRED. The local home school foundation and HSLDA are a start.
Anyone who says that an education professional is better to teach than most moms and dads is sadly deluded.
I think the average cost to home school is $400 per student per year, with our guidance the children built a business that financed a much higher level of educational & recreation than I would have thought possible.
Imagine the most beautiful of God’s creations, your children, blossoming into adulthood in front of your eyes.
Think home school.

]]> By: Essie Feldhacher http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/educating-the-masses/comment-page-1/#comment-5870 Essie Feldhacher Sat, 27 Feb 2010 03:00:48 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=6524#comment-5870 I guess I'll have to try to develop some faith in The Filter System. When I posted I felt like it retched and spat me out - so I did the try, try, try until you succeed. Patience is a virtue; I need to work on that, LOL. Steve, your comments were a treasure. I love how people share in the comment sections expanding upon authors' initial ideas. Kudos with your son! Sometimes, IMO, some of the most interesting folks have had their little walks-on-the-wild-side. Often that seems to be where street smarts are found - and even, an appreciation for education that one provides to oneself. I spent some time on Death Row in our state - on a work related project with an eye to writing a true crime nonfiction book - but I gave it up. "My Murderer" was small potatoes compared to Jeffrey Dahmer and some of the others who were actively homicidal in the same window of time, so I knew his story would get passed over. It was interesting to see some of the inmates develop a passion for reading and expanding "brain muscles" with books as some are known to get bulging biceps via pumping iron. In my storage system you were so kind as to comment about, I do use some cardboard boxes, lined with stout mil garbage bags, and I have a tremendous library boxed, stored, and marked. Complete set of Shakespeare and other classics, some wonderful fiction, a lot of nonfiction and how two books, plus many terrific books slated to children. Many prep for the SHTF times that those with discernible brain wave activity can recognize is a spectre on the horizon, while hoping against hope it does NOT happen. However.... IF it does I have mentally mulled it over and considered it'd be a lot like the grunts declared the situation in Viet Nam: stultifying boredom interspersed with adrenalin zipping drama. I would consider daily survival of the SHTF to be somewhat similar and a good library, lots of reams of paper, tons of notebook and blank journals, pens, papers, art media, are a good preparation. Mankind does not live by bread alone. Feeding the spirit and the intellect is a major consideration. Life goes on. Somehow! And as Linda wrote about, don't just prepare to "survive" prepare to "thrive". I second that motion. Heartily! I guess I’ll have to try to develop some faith in The Filter System. When I posted I felt like it retched and spat me out – so I did the try, try, try until you succeed. Patience is a virtue; I need to work on that, LOL.

Steve, your comments were a treasure. I love how people share in the comment sections expanding upon authors’ initial ideas. Kudos with your son! Sometimes, IMO, some of the most interesting folks have had their little walks-on-the-wild-side. Often that seems to be where street smarts are found – and even, an appreciation for education that one provides to oneself. I spent some time on Death Row in our state – on a work related project with an eye to writing a true crime nonfiction book – but I gave it up. “My Murderer” was small potatoes compared to Jeffrey Dahmer and some of the others who were actively homicidal in the same window of time, so I knew his story would get passed over. It was interesting to see some of the inmates develop a passion for reading and expanding “brain muscles” with books as some are known to get bulging biceps via pumping iron.

In my storage system you were so kind as to comment about, I do use some cardboard boxes, lined with stout mil garbage bags, and I have a tremendous library boxed, stored, and marked. Complete set of Shakespeare and other classics, some wonderful fiction, a lot of nonfiction and how two books, plus many terrific books slated to children. Many prep for the SHTF times that those with discernible brain wave activity can recognize is a spectre on the horizon, while hoping against hope it does NOT happen. However….

IF it does I have mentally mulled it over and considered it’d be a lot like the grunts declared the situation in Viet Nam: stultifying boredom interspersed with adrenalin zipping drama. I would consider daily survival of the SHTF to be somewhat similar and a good library, lots of reams of paper, tons of notebook and blank journals, pens, papers, art media, are a good preparation. Mankind does not live by bread alone. Feeding the spirit and the intellect is a major consideration. Life goes on. Somehow! And as Linda wrote about, don’t just prepare to “survive” prepare to “thrive”.

I second that motion. Heartily!

]]> By: Linda Brady Traynham http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/educating-the-masses/comment-page-1/#comment-5864 Linda Brady Traynham Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:29:53 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=6524#comment-5864 Dear Stanley: There seems to be no end to the number of ineffectual, damaging, or stupid things a very large government can do. LBT Dear Stanley:

There seems to be no end to the number of ineffectual, damaging, or stupid things a very large government can do. LBT

]]> By: Kenny Payne http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/educating-the-masses/comment-page-1/#comment-5858 Kenny Payne Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:43:31 +0000 http://whiskeyandgunpowder.com/?p=6524#comment-5858 Linda: Hopefully his will get through. Pranks, many and no violence or sex in the halls. Social promotions never. I attended 7h- most of my junior year in ND. Course work offered: math, bus math, algebra, geomentry, trig, calculus, biology, physics, chemistry, earth science,world history, US history, civics, western democracy, international relations, english, literature, speech, typing, office machines, bookkeeping,bus law, foreign language: french, spanish, german, russian, latin, health, sex ed, drivers ed, pe ( had indoor pool, pass swim test required). Finished HS in Sarasota, FL. 15 hours was standard load in college. All courses had a impact on my life. Linda:
Hopefully his will get through. Pranks, many and no violence or sex in the halls. Social promotions never.
I attended 7h- most of my junior year in ND. Course work offered: math, bus math, algebra, geomentry, trig, calculus, biology, physics, chemistry, earth science,world history, US history, civics, western democracy, international relations, english, literature, speech, typing, office machines, bookkeeping,bus law, foreign language: french, spanish, german, russian, latin, health, sex ed, drivers ed, pe ( had indoor pool, pass swim test required). Finished HS in Sarasota, FL. 15 hours was standard load in college. All courses had a impact on my life.

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