The Decades-Long Travesty That Made Millions of Americans Mistrust Their Kids' Schools

[2naSalit]

9. I do remember...

Learning to read, I was always left behind by the two older siblings because I wasn't at their reading and math levels, though I was reading at four, and learning a second language. I went to so many schools that I was able to sample a wide variety of curricula at the grade school level in a few regions of the country.

The one I liked best was the SRA system, 3rd and 4th grades, and a phonics component that I hated but learned from all the same. I still recall a couple of the stories in the SRA program.

I'm pretty sure that learning to read is a process that starts before and outside of school. I had two siblings who were years ahead of me to compete with because they demanded that I compete with them. I think most siblings do that to some degree. My parents never sat down and did homework or helped me learn to read, that was the responsibility of the siblings for some reason... my parents had issues.

But I also credit the school systems in the New England states in the early 1960s, they prepared me well when it comes to reading, and probably math, if I weren't dyslexic I would have fared better in that.