Today’s Anchorage Daily News writes about a proposed Alaska State DEED requirement for teachers to take a course in reading as part of initial professional certification or certification renewal. Poor reading skills are a common problem throughout the state. This reg represents a concerted effort by the State Board to ensure every teacher has the tools and skills necessary to identify students who have problems and point them to the help they need.
Keep in mind that teachers are required to take six semester credits as part of the five-year renewal process. This proposed course would cover teaching the “big five” of reading — phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and “phonemic” awareness. The response from the teachers’ union is predictable.
“That every teacher take this one reading course is unrealistic,” Anchorage teacher union president Ron Fuhrer said. “It doesn’t address specific school goals … it does not address the needs of each individual teacher.”
Also expressing nay votes in the article are Anchorage School District Superintendent Carol Comeau and individual teachers interviewed from around the state.
So, what are we to think? Well, here are some numbers. Twenty percent of third graders were below or far below reading proficiency in 2006. It gets worse as kids make their way through the system. In ninth grade, 25% cannot read proficiently. Since reading skills are not emphasized at the high school level it’s likely that one in four Alaska kids leaves high school without being able to read proficiently. Or put another way 25% cannot function proficiently or fluently in the workplace. If one-in-four kids cannot read proficiently then one-in-four are, without intervention, doomed to substandard economic opportunities in our great state. With these dismal numbers how can anyone object to enhancing reading instructional skills?
My response to Mr. Fuhrer is for him to consider not so much the needs of teachers but the needs of our students. He’s the teachers’ biggest cheerleader and that’s fine. They need lots of encouragement for their work. However, there is something very lacking in the literacy of 25% of Alaska’s kids by the time they work their way through the system. It seems to me that giving teachers more tools and skills to identify and help with reading issues is the least the state can do. Can a high school math teacher identify and help with reading problems? Or a P.E. teacher? I’d like to think so. Reading instructional skills should be an important and often-used basic item in a teaching ‘toolbox.’
November 27, 2007
1 in 4!! That’s incredible. Why aren’t they jumping at the chance to improve their skills. How can this not “address specific school goals?” What are the school’s goals?
December 13, 2007
As a teacher and NEA member I am embarrassed, that a required reading course was voted down. However in part one must look at the way the proposal was written. It might have had a better chance if the new regulations read something to the affect…Teachers are required to take an approved reading course.” Then have a scientifically based description of an appropriate reading course per a teachers grade level (elementary, middle or high school)
It is so sad to me that Alaska NEA did not come up with a viable alternative. Shame on you NEA.
I agree Joel. Rather than recognizing the problem in reading skill instruction the NEA has taken a dogmatic rather than cooperative stance. It only enhances the public perception that the union guards its turf without regard for kids.
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