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August 13, 2007 To Whom It May Concern: As an independent school administrator at a school for students with reading disabilities, I can attest to the importance of teacher education in the area of reading. In my experience, few teachers are adequately prepared to teach reading upon completion of their teacher education programs. The Bodine School has required additional training for the majority (90%) of the teachers we have hired over the past fifteen years. Our teachers are required to attend intensive summer training and are observed and critiqued continually throughout their first two years of employment. Quality teacher education and follow up are essential for ensuring quality reading instruction for ALL children. The consequences of failing to teach children to read are devastating, both socially and economically. Several U.S. states include elementary school reading scores in the formulas used to predict future prison capacity needs. In light of such a sobering statement, quality teacher preparation in the area of reading should be a top priority of all colleges with teacher education programs. In the past, school systems have relied on scripted reading programs as the solution for inadequate teacher preparation. Unfortunately, many average and below average children fail to respond to commercial programs and need alternative learning strategies delivered by a well-trained teacher. Truly, there is no substitute for quality teacher preparation. Complex problems require complex solutions. Quality teacher preparation at the college and university level for all teachers in the area of reading should be the cornerstone of solving the reading crisis in American education. Sincerely, Rene Friemoth Lee, Ph.D. Executive Director
August 30, 2007 To whom it may concern: Subject: Support for improving teaching of reading in Mississippi schools. .In 1942 I eagerly went to first grade. My brother who was two years older than me had already been enjoying school and I wanted to do everything he did. After just a few weeks my enthusiasm for school was completely stamped out except for recess. The problem was that as hard as I tried (and I tried really heard) I could not learn to read. My teacher and my mother went many extra miles to try to teach me but nothing seemed to work. I only felt more self-conscious, stupid and flawed. I got along well with the other children so the social part of school was going reasonably well for me. I remember the embarrassment I felt every time I was called upon to read. At Sunday School children were called upon to read a verse or two and when my turn was approaching anxiety would began to build in me. By this time in life, even if I had been able to read, the overwhelming anxiety would block my attempt. I remember in the eleventh grade one of my high school friends would read my history lessons to me so I could finish my homework and go out in the evenings to participate in social activities. By the time I graduated from high school I could read very slowly. Spelling was also a challenge and continues to be so. I am thankful for word processors. In college I struggled with reading assignments and after my sophomore year I got married and my wife was my crutch. I'm not sure how I did it but I graduated as a distinguished military graduate and received a regular army commission. I went to officer basic training with a class of distinguished military graduates and finished in the upper one third of the class. I was puzzled to have done so well. I told my wife I supposed I had much more practical sense than book sense. In the army I progressed ahead of my peers. After ten years I resigned my commission in the military and went to graduate school. Because of my reading difficulty I did poorly on the Graduate Record Examination and was admitted on a probationary status. However, I soon realized that I could listen and retain information better that many of my peers. Reading continued to be laborious for me. I subsequently earned a doctorate of philosophy in Educational Psychology and have had a successful career. I continue to suffer from the effects of not being able to learn to read the way my peers did. I now realize that I was not ignorant but rather that I did not learn by the same method as most other children. I also realize that the human mind is quite complex and educators still do not fully understand the variety of ways of processing and learning information and cognitive skills. I urge educators to be flexible and slow to blame children when learning is not occurring as expected. Being labeled as different and flawed is psychologically damaging. None should have to pay that price if it can be avoided. Respectfully, John Vaughn, Ph. D. Psychologist, Retired

August 13, 2007

To Whom It May Concern:

As an independent school administrator at a school for students with reading disabilities, I can attest to the importance of teacher education in the area of reading. In my experience, few teachers are adequately prepared to teach reading upon completion of their teacher education programs. The Bodine School has required additional training for the majority (90%) of the teachers we have hired over the past fifteen years. Our teachers are required to attend intensive summer training and are observed and critiqued continually throughout their first two years of employment. Quality teacher education and follow up are essential for ensuring quality reading instruction for ALL children.

The consequences of failing to teach children to read are devastating, both socially and economically. Several U.S. states include elementary school reading scores in the formulas used to predict future prison capacity needs. In light of such a sobering statement, quality teacher preparation in the area of reading should be a top priority of all colleges with teacher education programs. In the past, school systems have relied on scripted reading programs as the solution for inadequate teacher preparation. Unfortunately, many average and below average children fail to respond to commercial programs and need alternative learning strategies delivered by a well-trained teacher. Truly, there is no substitute for quality teacher preparation.

Complex problems require complex solutions. Quality teacher preparation at the college and university level for all teachers in the area of reading should be the cornerstone of solving the reading crisis in American education.

Sincerely,

Rene Friemoth Lee, Ph.D.

Executive Director

August 30, 2007

To whom it may concern:

Subject: Support for improving teaching of reading in Mississippi schools.

.In 1942 I eagerly went to first grade. My brother who was two years older than me had already been enjoying school and I wanted to do everything he did. After just a few weeks my enthusiasm for school was completely stamped out except for recess.

The problem was that as hard as I tried (and I tried really heard) I could not learn to read. My teacher and my mother went many extra miles to try to teach me but nothing seemed to work. I only felt more self-conscious, stupid and flawed. I got along well with the other children so the social part of school was going reasonably well for me.

I remember the embarrassment I felt every time I was called upon to read. At Sunday School children were called upon to read a verse or two and when my turn was approaching anxiety would began to build in me. By this time in life, even if I had been able to read, the overwhelming anxiety would block my attempt.

I remember in the eleventh grade one of my high school friends would read my history lessons to me so I could finish my homework and go out in the evenings to participate in social activities. By the time I graduated from high school I could read very slowly. Spelling was also a challenge and continues to be so. I am thankful for word processors.

In college I struggled with reading assignments and after my sophomore year I got married and my wife was my crutch. I'm not sure how I did it but I graduated as a distinguished military graduate and received a regular army commission. I went to officer basic training with a class of distinguished military graduates and finished in the upper one third of the class. I was puzzled to have done so well. I told my wife I supposed I had much more practical sense than book sense. In the army I progressed ahead of my peers.

After ten years I resigned my commission in the military and went to graduate school. Because of my reading difficulty I did poorly on the Graduate Record Examination and was admitted on a probationary status. However, I soon realized that I could listen and retain information better that many of my peers. Reading continued to be laborious for me. I subsequently earned a doctorate of philosophy in Educational Psychology and have had a successful career.

I continue to suffer from the effects of not being able to learn to read the way my peers did. I now realize that I was not ignorant but rather that I did not learn by the same method as most other children.

I also realize that the human mind is quite complex and educators still do not fully understand the variety of ways of processing and learning information and cognitive skills. I urge educators to be flexible and slow to blame children when learning is not occurring as expected. Being labeled as different and flawed is psychologically damaging. None should have to pay that price if it can be avoided.

Respectfully,

John Vaughn, Ph. D.

Psychologist, Retired