Recently, Jane Hicks wrote an editorial for the Durant Democrat about some of the problems currently facing Oklahoma schools. It’s no secret that Oklahoma ranks embarrassingly low on educational achievement lists.
We’ve been plagued for years by poor leadership, teacher shortages, low salaries, aging buildings, overcrowding, poor test scores, and high drop-out rates. However, I know from personal experience that Oklahoma also has some excellent administrators and teachers who are doing everything in their power to improve our education system and give our students the foundation they need to achieve their goals. What seems to be lacking is someone who will support and encourage them, rather than create more obstacles for them.
Ms. Hicks also mentions that Oklahoma students lack writing skills because writing isn’t taught in grades K-12. This makes me especially sad and I hope that isn’t universally true. I disagree with her observation that it is “fiendishly difficult to teach.” I taught my kindergarten students how to write a story and I was always surprised by their enthusiasm for doing so. I developed a procedure for teaching the basic skills and we practiced all year.
Writing is not an isolated task; it’s an integral component of language. I do agree that in the higher grades it takes a lot of time to read stories and give feedback. I hope there are still a few teachers who think that it is time well spent.
Mary E. Maurer Retired kindergarten teacher