If You Can Read This, Thank A Teacher

[dado potato]

I see that Tina Kotek, Governor of Oregon, has drafted her first budget. Among her priorities: Public Schools.

Specifically, $100 million to support reading skills.

I can thank public school teachers as well as the Carnegie library in my hometown for the gift of reading skills.

When I was 13, in April 1962, the slogan for National Library Week was Read and Watch Your World Grow. I have never forgotten those words.

I still am gonna read or die trying.

I like to think Oregon kids will be turned on to read!

[JaneV2.0]

"I like to think Oregon kids will be turned on to read!"

Let's hope. I was so eager to get in on the magic that is reading that I learned phonics a few years before school started, thanks to my ever-patient mother. :thankyou:

[catherine]

Here are the teachers I would like to thank:

The nuns in my Catholic school for teaching me to read well which enabled me to love reading.
One particular nun, Sister Rose Irma for her humanity and compassion.
Mrs. Diamond, my French teacher and supervisor of the Drama Club.
Mr. Bristol for teaching us how to think critically about history and current events.
Same for my college professor, Mrs. Edelman, whose course, Philosophy of Crisis formed much of my thinking about our culture.
Dr. Hunt, who, like Mr. Bristol, made history come alive in a totally relevant way.
Mrs. Keller, the most enthusiastic art history teacher I could have ever had.
Mr. Weyand, my Drama professor who was good enough to tell me when my stuff was crap.

There's my short list. Good thread.

[bae]

I think my grandma, great-grandma, and mother taught me to read well before I hit school.

Great-grandma was a schoolteacher back when they still used McGuffey Readers.

[sweetana3]

My dad read us all Robinson Crusoe when we were little. My little brother remembers the drama that Dad used while reading it. Books were always around and the library was our favorite spot. We all could read before first grade. Note that we did not have TV until we were well into elementary school.

My fifth grade teacher was fantastic with all kinds of ways to inspire us. Fourth grade was a new teacher who tried to teach Modern Math. Horrible concept.

Funny: My mom tried to teach her fifth child to read before age one. There was some thought at the time that really early exposure was good.

[Rogar]

Early in my education I had sessions that taught an experimental speed reading technique where a person would quickly scan pages back and forth. I'm more into slow reading these days.

But yes, I could be concerned over kids are learning the three R's. In my school and work experience people are lacking in good writing skills, and you don't get writing skills without reading skills. I might assume that math without a calculator or computer will soon be lost for many or most.

[Tradd]

My mother, now thankfully dead, taught me how I read before I went into kindergarten. Said he was tired of answering my questions and wanted me to find my own answers.

[Tradd]

People who don’t read are very uninteresting people and don’t contribute much to conversation, in my experience. Well read people are the best people to talk to.

[Teacher Terry]

My entire family loves to read and always read much more than watching tv.