For some really insightful and fantastic comments on the state of education in America, please click here to listen to Williams' College Historian, James McGregor Burns on NPR, from this morning. While the main subject he speaks about is too much moderation/middle ground with presidential candidates, he focuses on education as an example. Really well worth listening.

LeeJ, I think I've already said before how upset I was when I graded high school papers here. One teacher rejected my entire set of graded, first of the year essays. She was new to the school and horrified that I had red marks all over the papers. She said there was no way that she could pass them out to the kids as they would be devastated. The mistakes were incredibly common and prevelant...for third grade!

I was so upset, I called the head of the college English dept. He felt the same way and we commiserated with one another over the fact that he had to admit students with inadequate basic skills and had to dumb down the classes, as Spaw pointed out. This doesn't do them any favours and it hinders and frustrates those students who have the abilities of someone like my daughter who thought her classes, in general, were a joke at college because of it.

Two of my sisters cannot spell to save their souls, BUT they do know their grammar, etc. and have learned to compensate for the spelling. Both have been excellent elementary teachers for years. My other sister does really well, as does my brother. He and I both had Latin which I think helps tremendously.

I don't know about the new hooked on phonics, but I had phonics in the late 50's/early 60's and my spelling and language skills are right up there. (I know...my postings are full of typos...you see, I suffer from dyslexic fingers!**BG**)

I think we have a huge crisis in education and am not at all sure what should be done about it. I think it has developed over many years adn while I know it is important for children to develop good self-esteem, I think we've forgotten to teach them that they can gain such by learning well and becoming erudite. The feeling good should come from significant accomplishment, not from just making up a spelling etc.

Thanks,

kat...oops the one word I never spell right!**BG**