[MOSAIC] Comprehension in general

[Diana Triplett]

>From: "Dave Middlebrook" <dmiddlebrook at comcast.net>
>
>Anyway, still unanswered -- for me at least -- is the question of whether
>Bill's class is an anomaly or part of a tidal wave of change.

I suspect that Bill's class is more common today than just a few years ago.  
I have a theory about what is causing these kids to disengage.  It may or 
may not apply to Bill's group, but I am fairly certain it applies to kids in 
my school.

Under NCLB, we are testing kids more frequently and more intensely AND they 
are facing consequences for their scores on these tests.  In Florida, any 
middle school student who does not score on grade level on the FCAT must be 
scheduled into an intensive reading class.  One of these kids told me 
recently, "I've been in intensive reading since kindergarten.  You don't 
really think you can help me, do you?"  In many cases, these kids feel the 
sting of failing.  They have decided that it is safer not to try and be 
labeled lazy than to try and fail and feel like a loser.  Breaking through 
this attitude is very tough - not impossible, but extremely difficult and 
fatiguing.

Diana

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