A post to 'kick off' the chat forum.

Whether or not you are using the Phonics International Programme, feel free to visit this informal 'Chat' forum!
Here you will find all sorts of interesting articles, links to research and developments - and various interesting topics! Do join in!
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Andrea
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 11:25 am

A post to 'kick off' the chat forum.

Post by Andrea »

After posting on the technical forum yesterday and receiving a reply from Kat I thought I'd start the ball rolling on this one.

Kat, it was great reading your posts on the other forum as my most RECENT experiences of SP have been very similar to yours.

But going back....

I began my teaching career in 1976 (where do the years go?) and started out in a very difficult school. I was thrown into a mobile classroom (without water) in the middle of a field and told to 'get on with it'. I hadn't been taught very much at college about teaching reading but I did know how to 'do' amazing displays!

Oh, those poor children.

I was very conscientious and did everything I had been taught at college. I went on courses and listened attentively to advisers. I took all my newly acquired knowledge back into the classroom and, 5 years later, wondered why we still had a huge percentage of children that were unable to read.

I moved schools a few times and carried on. It was still a puzzle as to why some children learnt to read and some struggled, and some didn't manage to learn at all.

Later on in my career (1991) I moved to a school where the head knew about phonics. She was a 'dragon' of a head and sat in our classrooms making sure that we taught reading 'properly'. It was a village infant school and the head made it her business that every child was able to read before they went up to the Junior School.

Finally, I had found something that worked although I now know that it was a very 'hit and miss' type of phonics. We taught initial and final blends, which took forever, and onset and rhyme etc.

I moved to another school and phonics was 'out'. We had to give the children 'real' books and they taught themselves!

To be continued.......
Andrea x
Andrea
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 11:25 am

Post by Andrea »

Sorry, I've only just read the posts from Poppetsam and Kat and just realized I'm not the first to post on here.

Andrea x
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debbie
Posts: 2596
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:28 pm
Location: UK

Post by debbie »

Hi Andrea!

I think it is going to be fascinating if other people start to describe their professional and personal journeys - perhaps on this thread.

In this way, you have indeed 'kicked off' something.

What an amazing record of 'real stories' this thread would be if lots of people contributed.

I hear of these stories when people contact me individually and 'behind the scenes'.

There are SO MANY similar stories showing how, for example, teacher-training is such a hit and miss affair (more 'miss' than 'hit), and how it is pure chance if teachers have taught using some kind of 'phonics' during their career.

People would learn how many teachers had to (and 'have to') use their phonics covertly - and how a single change in 'headship' at a school can change it from a phonics school to a whole language school - or vice versa - at a stroke....and this goes on to this day.

I know because people email and tell me so.

There are quite a number of people who are reading this PI forum I note.

Please make the effort to add your stories and reading instruction results.

And Andrea....I look forward to your next installment! :wink:
Debbie Hepplewhite
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