This is probably the reason why there are so few readers out there - Page 3

patrickt · 11-30-2010, 07:52 PM

If schools taught sex ed the way they teach reading the kids would not want to have sex when they reached puberty.

First, a really ugly partner you don't like is assigned to you. As you get started the teacher and all the other students laugh at you. And, within a week the Sex Ed Specialist assigns you to remedial Sex Ed. You get all the jokes about not being able to masturbate because the instructions are written on your hand.

I have never met a kid staring school who wasn't excited about learning to read. Something ruins that excitement.

mrscoach · 11-30-2010, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

If schools taught sex ed the way they teach reading the kids would not want to have sex when they reached puberty.

First, a really ugly partner you don't like is assigned to you. As you get started the teacher and all the other students laugh at you. And, within a week the Sex Ed Specialist assigns you to remedial Sex Ed. You get all the jokes about not being able to masturbate because the instructions are written on your hand.

I have never met a kid staring school who wasn't excited about learning to read. Something ruins that excitement.

You forgot the part where kids would be forced to practice at night, whether they wanted to or not, with their parents signing forms. They would also have to learn techniques that didn't interest them. Oh, and then write detailed papers on what they learned. (I hate book reports, talking with a students is enough to know, usually, if they read a particular book)

Freeshadow · 11-30-2010, 09:44 PM

you two made my day

patrickt · 11-30-2010, 10:08 PM

I can still remember mispronouncing the word "corps" when I was in the 4th grade. The teacher laughed so, of course, the other students laughed. I sat down and when told to read more I refused. Now, misprouncing that word puts me in the league with a brilliant President.

I love to read but I really feel it is in spite of the teachers.

GraceKrispy · 12-01-2010, 12:51 AM

ha on "corps." I still think of colonel as "col-on-el" in my head. I can't help it. I learned most of the words in my vocabulary through reading and mispronounced them constantly. My mother would get so upset with me, but I told her the book wasn't reading the words to me! Now my son mispronounces words. I did learn that there is such a thing as karma and the mother's curse (I hope your child turns out just like you!), because I got a son just like me. He is constantly caught with a book in his hand instead of doing whatever he's supposed to be doing (dishes, homework, sleeping, bathing, etc). I guess I'm not a good role model when I read when brushing my teeth or cooking dinner. HA! Could be worse....

JSWolf · 12-01-2010, 01:08 AM

My mother has always been a reader as long as I can remember. I've been a reader too for almost ever. I took to reading quite well.

What helped me is that my parents allowed me to read what I liked. And I didn't like most of what the schools forced upon us. I thought a lot of the books were just awful. One problem with schools is that they take books that may be good and the way you have to dissect them makes them a turn-off for a lot of kids.

Sweetpea · 12-01-2010, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightLight

Speaking as a well read individual and a blue collar worker, I think that attitude is a bit elitist.
There is no shame in an honest day's work, blue collar or white.

There is blue collar work and blue collar work. I've done some holiday work, at the factory. Simple, mind-numbing work (putting a cherry on a frozen cake kind of work...). That's also blue collar work. If you have a job like that, wouldn't you want your kid to be able to do more? (even maintaining the machines that run the conveyor belts would be a much, much better job, I'd say!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverraven

I was flat out told by my son's vice principal that my son needed to learn neither multiplication nor spelling. That's what calculators and spell check are for. So no, the mother's response doesn't surprise me in the least.
S

That's even worse... We weren't even allowed to use calculators until 3th grade of high school (which would be first year of high school in the US). When I was in the US, the host family had a 12 year old daughter. Who didn't even know her multiplication tables 1 to 10...

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraceKrispy

ha on "corps." I still think of colonel as "col-on-el" in my head. I can't help it. I learned most of the words in my vocabulary through reading and mispronounced them constantly. My mother would get so upset with me, but I told her the book wasn't reading the words to me!

I always loved to read, but for the life of me, I couldn't spell. And I only really started talking when I was way past the normal talking stage. And I did read the same books as my older brother (who is just under 2 years older).

(oh, and what's wrong with col-on-el? That's how we say it

)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What helped me is that my parents allowed me to read what I liked. And I didn't like most of what the schools forced upon us. I thought a lot of the books were just awful. One problem with schools is that they take books that may be good and the way you have to dissect them makes them a turn-off for a lot of kids.

I was allowed to go to the big library at the age of 12. And that library was in the big city, about 10km by bike. Simply because our local library didn't have much more to read for us (I share my craze for books with my older brother).

Figlilly · 12-01-2010, 02:52 AM

That is a sad story if it is true. While I don't doubt that there are such parents around, I would question the honesty of this report. It is too over the top to my way of thinking. An airport is a busy, noisy place and yet our observer was not only able to hear the exchange quite clearly from beginning to end, but had also spent an hour watching the child read.

thrawn_aj · 12-01-2010, 05:32 AM

The poor daughter

. I hope she doesn't get permanently turned off books because of this incident (whatever the context). I'd be angry with the mother if I didn't pity her more. At least the daughter still has a chance. I can't imagine the stultifying existence that poor woman has had without being able to enjoy a book

. I can't believe such apathy is normal(and hence systemic) - she clearly had a strange childhood. From what I've seen (and I admit that's very limited), people appear to respect education and books quite a bit in the US.

My parents spent an unconscionable amount of money (given our finances when I was a kid) buying me books (grown-up books at that). Toys were in short supply (who cares?) but books ... oh the heaps of books they got me

. We didn't have public libraries like they do in the US (blew me away when I first came here - "you mean I can check out as many books as I want??? For free??????

") but they paid what it took for a membership to what they called a circulating library. *sigh* good times

...

I'm glad they didn't waste my time with the cutesy kiddie stuff

- that way I got the classics out of the way early on and moved on to more amazing stuff like science and math and of course, SF

- amazing how well those can stimulate a curious child. If I'm half as effective as they were at raising a kid in an environment of scholarly awesomeness

, I know I'll be a fabulous parent!

wayrad · 12-01-2010, 07:26 AM

These days, if a book was left in an airport lounge, I think people would be more likely to call security.

Freeshadow · 12-01-2010, 07:44 AM

JSwolf right the dissection was always going on my nerves too

jbcohen · 12-01-2010, 08:19 AM

Here is what I have found out after looking at this issue on the internet. There are many factors that are preventing the prelevance of electronic readers:

1) There are a certain number of people like the ones described in this that don't want to read.

2) There are a rather large percentage of people in third world countries that can not read and do not have the resources needed to learn to read.

3) There are a large percentage of people who can not speak a languege that readers will support, and face it the readers do not support every languege.

4) A lot do not know about electronic readers.

5) Price is a factor, there are a percentage of people, like me, that do not want to pay that much for a reader.

6) Don't have the dollars, how do you tell someone that is working two jobs and is barely paying the rent that he/she needs to spend $200 that they don't have for an electronic reader.

7) Some are like my parents who are afraid of technology.

bobavey · 12-01-2010, 01:58 PM

I once had a lady stop by my table at a book signing who gave the best excuse I’ve ever heard. She told me, “I would buy one of your books, but I just got back from the doctor where I found I had many allergies. One of them is to the pages of books.
At another signing, a man stopped by and asked me about getting his book published. I talked to him a bit then asked if he’d be interested in my book. He told me – drum roll – “Sorry, I don’ t read.”
I’m not making this up. He actually said that.

GA Russell · 12-01-2010, 03:29 PM

Bob, I can believe that the lady was allergic to book pages, but I don't understand why she was in a book store!

JSWolf · 12-01-2010, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

JSwolf right the dissection was always going on my nerves too

And it's worse when you don't actually like the book.

12-01-2010, 05:32 AM	#39
thrawn_aj quantum mechanic Posts: 705 Karma: 483827 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: NorCal Device: Nook1, Samsung Transform, Nook2	The poor daughter . I hope she doesn't get permanently turned off books because of this incident (whatever the context). I'd be angry with the mother if I didn't pity her more. At least the daughter still has a chance. I can't imagine the stultifying existence that poor woman has had without being able to enjoy a book . I can't believe such apathy is normal(and hence systemic) - she clearly had a strange childhood. From what I've seen (and I admit that's very limited), people appear to respect education and books quite a bit in the US. My parents spent an unconscionable amount of money (given our finances when I was a kid) buying me books (grown-up books at that). Toys were in short supply (who cares?) but books ... oh the heaps of books they got me . We didn't have public libraries like they do in the US (blew me away when I first came here - "you mean I can check out as many books as I want??? For free??????") but they paid what it took for a membership to what they called a circulating library. sigh good times ... I'm glad they didn't waste my time with the cutesy kiddie stuff - that way I got the classics out of the way early on and moved on to more amazing stuff like science and math and of course, SF - amazing how well those can stimulate a curious child. If I'm half as effective as they were at raising a kid in an environment of scholarly awesomeness , I know I'll be a fabulous parent!

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11-30-2010, 07:52 PM	#31
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	If schools taught sex ed the way they teach reading the kids would not want to have sex when they reached puberty. First, a really ugly partner you don't like is assigned to you. As you get started the teacher and all the other students laugh at you. And, within a week the Sex Ed Specialist assigns you to remedial Sex Ed. You get all the jokes about not being able to masturbate because the instructions are written on your hand. I have never met a kid staring school who wasn't excited about learning to read. Something ruins that excitement.

11-30-2010, 09:44 PM	#33
Freeshadow temp. out of service Posts: 2,815 Karma: 24285242 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Duisburg (DE) Device: PB 623	you two made my day

11-30-2010, 10:08 PM	#34
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	I can still remember mispronouncing the word "corps" when I was in the 4th grade. The teacher laughed so, of course, the other students laughed. I sat down and when told to read more I refused. Now, misprouncing that word puts me in the league with a brilliant President. I love to read but I really feel it is in spite of the teachers.

12-01-2010, 12:51 AM	#35
GraceKrispy It's Dr. Penguin now! Posts: 3,909 Karma: 4705733 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: (USA) Device: iPad mini, Samsung Note 3, Sony PRS-650 (rarely used now)	ha on "corps." I still think of colonel as "col-on-el" in my head. I can't help it. I learned most of the words in my vocabulary through reading and mispronounced them constantly. My mother would get so upset with me, but I told her the book wasn't reading the words to me! Now my son mispronounces words. I did learn that there is such a thing as karma and the mother's curse (I hope your child turns out just like you!), because I got a son just like me. He is constantly caught with a book in his hand instead of doing whatever he's supposed to be doing (dishes, homework, sleeping, bathing, etc). I guess I'm not a good role model when I read when brushing my teeth or cooking dinner. HA! Could be worse....

12-01-2010, 01:08 AM	#36
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,625 Karma: 145864263 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	My mother has always been a reader as long as I can remember. I've been a reader too for almost ever. I took to reading quite well. What helped me is that my parents allowed me to read what I liked. And I didn't like most of what the schools forced upon us. I thought a lot of the books were just awful. One problem with schools is that they take books that may be good and the way you have to dissect them makes them a turn-off for a lot of kids.

12-01-2010, 02:52 AM	#38
Figlilly Zealot Posts: 122 Karma: 2514066 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Oasis 2&3, Paperwhites, Kindle Touch, Kobo Clara, IPad Air2	That is a sad story if it is true. While I don't doubt that there are such parents around, I would question the honesty of this report. It is too over the top to my way of thinking. An airport is a busy, noisy place and yet our observer was not only able to hear the exchange quite clearly from beginning to end, but had also spent an hour watching the child read.

12-01-2010, 07:26 AM	#40
wayrad Fanatic Posts: 551 Karma: 1121392 Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Device: HTC One M8	These days, if a book was left in an airport lounge, I think people would be more likely to call security.

12-01-2010, 07:44 AM	#41
Freeshadow temp. out of service Posts: 2,815 Karma: 24285242 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Duisburg (DE) Device: PB 623	JSwolf right the dissection was always going on my nerves too

12-01-2010, 08:19 AM	#42
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	Here is what I have found out after looking at this issue on the internet. There are many factors that are preventing the prelevance of electronic readers: 1) There are a certain number of people like the ones described in this that don't want to read. 2) There are a rather large percentage of people in third world countries that can not read and do not have the resources needed to learn to read. 3) There are a large percentage of people who can not speak a languege that readers will support, and face it the readers do not support every languege. 4) A lot do not know about electronic readers. 5) Price is a factor, there are a percentage of people, like me, that do not want to pay that much for a reader. 6) Don't have the dollars, how do you tell someone that is working two jobs and is barely paying the rent that he/she needs to spend $200 that they don't have for an electronic reader. 7) Some are like my parents who are afraid of technology.

12-01-2010, 01:58 PM	#43
bobavey Bob Avey Posts: 117 Karma: 501082 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Broken Arrow, OK Device: none	I once had a lady stop by my table at a book signing who gave the best excuse I’ve ever heard. She told me, “I would buy one of your books, but I just got back from the doctor where I found I had many allergies. One of them is to the pages of books. At another signing, a man stopped by and asked me about getting his book published. I talked to him a bit then asked if he’d be interested in my book. He told me – drum roll – “Sorry, I don’ t read.” I’m not making this up. He actually said that.

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12-01-2010, 03:29 PM	#44
GA Russell Sask, Wpg undefeated Posts: 7,687 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Bob, I can believe that the lady was allergic to book pages, but I don't understand why she was in a book store!