JAWN Vent: anxiety over school

[unsinkable]

OK -- deleted my original post b/c i didn't want it out here forever.

 

thanks for all the encouragment!

Edited November 18, 2011 by unsinkable

[Twigs]

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

You found the grammar problem - so you.are.not.a.failure!

 

:hurray:

[Pink Fairy]

:grouphug:

[myfunnybunch]

:grouphug:

 

You've figured out the problem. That's what good teachers do.

 

I assume he doesn't realize he's doing this. That's actually a normal thing for many of us to do--we automatically mentally correct mistakes because the point of language in daily life is communication, not finding mistakes. (This tendency is, for example, what allows teens to read one another's text messages without throwing away their phones in despair. I am convinced of it.) Now that you and he have figured out the problem, you can work on it together.

 

Wait, let me repeat myself: You're doing what good teachers do. It's not lack of problems that determines a good teacher; it's finding and addressing them. You are not a failure. (Sorry, I know you said Just Agree With Me, but I don't. ;) )You are doing your job. Well done. Deep breath.

 

Cat

[Impish]

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[Starr]

Is it mandated for him to be tested now, with this test?

[unsinkable]

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

You found the grammar problem - so you.are.not.a.failure!

 

:hurray:

 

Thank you. :grouphug:

[unsinkable]

:grouphug:

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

That's. hugs back.:grouphug:

[unsinkable]

:grouphug:

 

You've figured out the problem. That's what good teachers do.

 

I assume he doesn't realize he's doing this. That's actually a normal thing for many of us to do--we automatically mentally correct mistakes because the point of language in daily life is communication, not finding mistakes. (This tendency is, for example, what allows teens to read one another's text messages without throwing away their phones in despair. I am convinced of it.) Now that you and he have figured out the problem, you can work on it together.

 

Wait, let me repeat myself: You're doing what good teachers do. It's not lack of problems that determines a good teacher; it's finding and addressing them. You are not a failure. (Sorry, I know you said Just Agree With Me, but I don't. ;) )You are doing your job. Well done. Deep breath.

 

Cat

 

thanks. i'm getting all teary-eyed again!

[unsinkable]

Is it mandated for him to be tested now, with this test?

 

Yes. It has to be this test and it is happening very soon.

[Margo out of lurking]

:grouphug:This is exactly why you are practicing, right? So you can spot potential misunderstandings before he takes the test?

 

Do you have enough time to continue to practice, emphasizing that he is to read the sentences correctly in order to determine the answer?

 

I don't know your math issues, but it sounds like he's doing GREAT. You WANT him to read and understand material without nitpicking. He sounds bright, he's understanding the context, he's reading quickly, comprehending as he reads. That's all good.

 

The problem is that, in this instance, he's supposed to be nitpicking. That's just one more issue I have with standardized testing. (Yes, I understand it's a tool to test the masses.)

 

Praise your ds; HE's doing great, and so are you. For now, he'll have to adjust his thinking "to the test." Perhaps he can see it as a game and be challenged to "find" the mistake. He'll need to slow down and see the sentence in a different context, if possible. It's the testing that is lacking. You don't say why you have to test or why this is important. I would encourage you to see the bigger picture though. Your son is demonstrating the long term benefits of hsing. Ultimately, it will be far better for him to read quickly, to understand context, and to auto-correct than to get hung up on a typographical or grammatical error while reading something much larger.

[unsinkable]

:grouphug:This is exactly why you are practicing, right? So you can spot potential misunderstandings before he takes the test?

 

Do you have enough time to continue to practice, emphasizing that he is to read the sentences correctly in order to determine the answer?

 

I don't know your math issues, but it sounds like he's doing GREAT. You WANT him to read and understand material without nitpicking. He sounds bright, he's understanding the context, he's reading quickly, comprehending as he reads. That's all good.

 

The problem is that, in this instance, he's supposed to be nitpicking. That's just one more issue I have with standardized testing. (Yes, I understand it's a tool to test the masses.)

 

Praise your ds; HE's doing great, and so are you. For now, he'll have to adjust his thinking "to the test." Perhaps he can see it as a game and be challenged to "find" the mistake. He'll need to slow down and see the sentence in a different context, if possible. It's the testing that is lacking. You don't say why you have to test or why this is important. I would encourage you to see the bigger picture though. Your son is demonstrating the long term benefits of hsing. Ultimately, it will be far better for him to read quickly, to understand context, and to auto-correct than to get hung up on a typographical or grammatical error while reading something much larger.

 

thanks kristine. i appreciate your post. it will help me focus on the positive.

[elise1mds]

Now that you know the problem, it should be easy to fix, right? My DS does the same thing. He'll write a sentence incorrectly and then mentally fix it when he reads it. In his spelling (SWO), sometimes he's asked to catch errors, and he'll miss them entirely and get horribly frustrated that he can't find the correct number of mistakes. I make him use his finger and read each word individually, and that usually helps. It's time-consuming and he hates it, but it gets us there. I hope you're able to find something that works for your son. Good luck.

 

:grouphug:

[unsinkable]

Now that you know the problem, it should be easy to fix, right? My DS does the same thing. He'll write a sentence incorrectly and then mentally fix it when he reads it. In his spelling (SWO), sometimes he's asked to catch errors, and he'll miss them entirely and get horribly frustrated that he can't find the correct number of mistakes. I make him use his finger and read each word individually, and that usually helps. It's time-consuming and he hates it, but it gets us there. I hope you're able to find something that works for your son. Good luck.

 

:grouphug:

 

thank you. we have a real time crunch, however. i'll do the best i can with the time we have left.

 

plus the test is timed so he can't go as slow as he wants, kwim?

[lionfamily1999]

I do this :D When I'm correcting papers, I've learned to read FOR mistakes. Normally, I read for information, but in those cases, I read for mistakes. Maybe if he approaches it as correcting the sentences, instead of comprehending them (fun problem to have :lol: being too good at reading for comprehension) that will help. The content doesn't matter in these cases, it's how it has been put together that matters.

 

:grouphug: