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The Straight Story

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140. More her (including that the teacher had previously thrown a shoe at a student)

Mon Feb 4, 2013, 10:36 PM

Feb 2013

Maybe she was teaching them to play catch...

that his finger started to bleed by the 125th repetition.

So 25+ plus words 5 times > 125

"According to student reports and parental complaints"

""There are some students complaining that it hurt their fingers and we don't think that's a good way to learn," (School spokesman Steve Hegarty - note he used the plural)

We checked Garrett's personnel file. Her most recent available evaluation rates her "satisfactory." But in 2001, school district officials say she received a letter of caution for throwing a soft shoe at a student.

"They were instructed to trace each word five times. By the 125th word, Josh says his finger started to bleed."

Read more: http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_east_hillsborough/brandon/teacher-accused-of-abusing-child-with-sandpaper#ixzz2JzKTl3Eq

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Sandpaper Spelling Assignment At Florida Middle School Leaves Kids Bleeding, Parents Outraged [View all] The Straight Story Feb 2013 OP

sick tk2kewl Feb 2013 #1

was she a christian? datasuspect Feb 2013 #2

Personally, I wonder if there wasn't somekind of Christian fad to "save America" by teaching in patrice Feb 2013 #55

Your theory appears to lie in tatters Union Scribe Feb 2013 #64

Anecdotal evidence is only anecdotal evidence. Here's some anecdotal evidence of my own: patrice Feb 2013 #71

I might also mention that you obviously don't know how theories are validated, or not, by means patrice Feb 2013 #76

However, to show you how open minded I am. I accept your criticism & propose a change in my patrice Feb 2013 #78

You're always as nasty to me as you can be. Care to state your problem with me out in the open? nt patrice Feb 2013 #79

This message was self-deleted by its author patrice Feb 2013 #81

For example, why didn't #2 rate your bile? nt patrice Feb 2013 #84

Speaking of "villainizing", wouldn't it have been better to ASK me my attitude toward Christianity? patrice Feb 2013 #90

FFS pal, get it together. Union Scribe Feb 2013 #185

shades of Dolores Umbridge nt justabob Feb 2013 #3

You beat me to it! nt longship Feb 2013 #23

I was thinking the same thing dlwickham Feb 2013 #82

Maybe that's where she got the idea Canuckistanian Feb 2013 #139

or maybe she got it from the US government's Head Start website. Or any one of a million other HiPointDem Feb 2013 #155

I'd make them stop at the 10th repetition Canuckistanian Feb 2013 #170

The video shows the card with directions. FIVE TIMES for each word they missed on a spelling HiPointDem Feb 2013 #176

You didn't see the part where the kids were told to do five sessions of tracing each word 5 times a Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2013 #201

no, i just saw it misreported as such in the media. the video shows the actual directions given HiPointDem Feb 2013 #203

If she did that she should be fired and lose her teaching credentials. LiberalFighter Feb 2013 #4

That teacher is an abject moron. MineralMan Feb 2013 #5

Kindergarten and preschool teachers teach letter recognition with sandpaper proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #6

looks like *this* teacher was doing it wrong justabob Feb 2013 #8

You do realize this is based on the report from an 11 year old? proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #13

that is why I said "looks like" and "until more comes out" justabob Feb 2013 #18

Well call me strange but I'd rather have more information before calling the teacher a moron proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #28

But it ok to call the student a liar? trixie Feb 2013 #106

Because children never lie or even exaggerate? proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #108

So the poor teacher against the big bad child? trixie Feb 2013 #112

A kid who presses his finger hard enough to make it bleed. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #121

But it wasn't just one kid (nt) The Straight Story Feb 2013 #127

where are the others? the only evidence is that *this* kid says so. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #134

Only one in the linked story. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #141

Yes, you keep saying that. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #138

See my post below, and the school spokesman said it too: The Straight Story Feb 2013 #143

Over 6 million copies sold. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #151

Depends on how it is used. If you throw it at someone it could cause harm The Straight Story Feb 2013 #154

I'm glad you brought that up. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #163

yet 3 year olds can do it without injury. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #162

If it was more than one kid gollygee Feb 2013 #142

If a kid is bleeding, you have to report it or you're in deep shit. according to the kid, she told HiPointDem Feb 2013 #148

Every. Single. Day. ~ I am told "my teacher wouldn't let me go to the bathroom" proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #157

You have to go to your supplies and get a fresh pair of gloves gollygee Feb 2013 #160

Not just 1 parent/student, and it was not letters but regular sandpaper The Straight Story Feb 2013 #75

I use regular sandpaper all the time in my classroom. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #80

Did they have to trace 125 words at a time? The Straight Story Feb 2013 #83

I teach younger students. I wouldn't make them do 125 words ever, even on regular paper. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #87

25 a day, and not all at once. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #98

It wasn't 125 at a time gollygee Feb 2013 #147

the assignment was to trace each missed word FIVE TIMES. NOT 125. The teacher didn't HiPointDem Feb 2013 #187

I guess I'm clueless. I don't get how sandpaper helps kids learn to read. kestrel91316 Feb 2013 #85

here proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #89

maybe the wrong grit was used?? Blue_Tires Feb 2013 #10

My suspicion is that the kids pressed too hard. JVS Feb 2013 #69

I am wondering what grit was used. Maybe this teacher used 40 grit where she should have used 400. Erose999 Feb 2013 #52

60 grit according to the link appleannie1 Feb 2013 #86

It's a Montessori technique proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #7

If she left her students bleeding... yes MattBaggins Feb 2013 #11

Somewhere around 100 years of using this method and no blood yet. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #15

Not jumping to any conclusions MattBaggins Feb 2013 #16

Maybe not you proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #25

It's an accepted method for learning. madfloridian Feb 2013 #32

I've never heard of it. Control-Z Feb 2013 #57

It's called tactile learning. Also referred to as kinesthetic. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #62

Where did this go wrong here? n/t Ian David Feb 2013 #104

Well, you would hope that by 6th grade, a kid would be intelligent enough proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #107

Um, we have generations of teachers in our family trixie Feb 2013 #105

Yes, Montessori method. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #109

Montessori method? trixie Feb 2013 #113

anyone who's been in K-12 education or early childhood ed knows what montessori is. forgive HiPointDem Feb 2013 #115

Check out the prices. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #119

Why yes I do know what the "true Montessori method" is trixie Feb 2013 #204

yeah, right. i believe you, sure, that's the ticket. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #114

Generations of teachers in my family too gollygee Feb 2013 #149

Interesting. I teach at Head Start and have never seen this method used, Sadiedog Feb 2013 #122

How to use Montessori sandpaper letters: proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #124

That's interesting, since they're specifically mentioned on the government's Head Start webpage. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #137

Not all Head Start employees look at the website for curriculum ideas. Sadiedog Feb 2013 #191

of course they don't, but its inclusion suggests it's government & Head-Start-approved pedagogy. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #192

I was not saying that it wasn`t just mentioned that I had never heard of it before. nt Sadiedog Feb 2013 #198

Oh please don't bring up the shaving cream. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #199

This message was self-deleted by its author Sadiedog Feb 2013 #200

Well, it is important to check what is in the product that you use. I`ve never had a kid eat it but Sadiedog Feb 2013 #202

i went to Montessori, thankfully did not learn to read or spell that way CreekDog Feb 2013 #196

If she was a parent and did that to her kids, she would have been arrested on the spot. Ikonoklast Feb 2013 #9

I did this with my own children and wasn't arrested. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #26

You caused your own children to harm themselves enough to bleed? Ikonoklast Feb 2013 #44

I used sandpaper to teach them to learn letters and to spell words. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #63

As long as nobody's getting hurt, I'm cool with it derby378 Feb 2013 #96

Actually my kids are smart enough to know not to press hard enough to make their finger bleed. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #145

"Proud2blib" believes the kids are liars Scootaloo Feb 2013 #169

are you for real? HiPointDem Feb 2013 #29

Are you? Ikonoklast Feb 2013 #48

i see knee-jerk attack on a teacher who used a well-accepted technique in reading education. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #49

Incorrectly, it would seem. Ikonoklast Feb 2013 #53

any parent complaint will prompt an 'investigation.' anti-teacher, anti-public school mentality. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #56

We shall see. Ikonoklast Feb 2013 #61

I never said they weren't. So are newspaper reporters, editors and publishers. So are 11-year-old HiPointDem Feb 2013 #95

They investigate every complaint, regardless of the apparent evidence. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #68

Kinesthetic learning is a valid educational tool. For some kids, it's the best way ... 11 Bravo Feb 2013 #12

For starters it's from an 11 year old kid. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #14

No, you are DEFINITELY not the only one! 11 Bravo Feb 2013 #17

Well we have some here who spend much of their time bashing teachers proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #22

+1. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #31

One poster above was only concerned whether the teacher was a christian Puzzledtraveller Feb 2013 #42

You've said that a few times, about the 11 year-old Union Scribe Feb 2013 #67

I'm saying kids have been known to exaggerate. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #70

I used them also, most of our teachers did. Accepted technique. madfloridian Feb 2013 #35

So are you using 60 grit or 1500? snooper2 Feb 2013 #40

Writing it that many times would've done some good. Waiting For Everyman Feb 2013 #19

Maria Montessori proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #24

Excuse me, I was taught without sandpaper, and I'm not that old. Waiting For Everyman Feb 2013 #34

Your post is scary to me. madfloridian Feb 2013 #41

Likewise, this thread makes me scared for kids today. Waiting For Everyman Feb 2013 #45

I would respond to that, but I don't know how. madfloridian Feb 2013 #46

"kids today"? maria montessori was born in 1870. children learn through all their senses. that HiPointDem Feb 2013 #50

Really? Union Scribe Feb 2013 #66

It is quite common, used often for those with learning problems, and with primary grades. madfloridian Feb 2013 #77

it's not a harsh method *at all*. you just run your finger lightly along the sandpaper as you HiPointDem Feb 2013 #99

This is not at all harsh gollygee Feb 2013 #153

it actually doesn't matter what grit it is. none will abrade the skin if you just brush your finger HiPointDem Feb 2013 #156

Yeah but the sandpaper used for these gollygee Feb 2013 #159

No one was smacked. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #172

montessori: born in 1870. "learned those skills better than students today" = you don't know HiPointDem Feb 2013 #33

If you think kids today are better at writing and spelling Waiting For Everyman Feb 2013 #37

it's 'evidant,' is it? actually, research says otherwise. despite what you read in the popular HiPointDem Feb 2013 #39

"Research" can say a lot of things. Waiting For Everyman Feb 2013 #43

yes, phoney media-generated 'research' can say stupid things like the 60's was the high-water HiPointDem Feb 2013 #47

You have got to be kidding trixie Feb 2013 #110

gosh, a couple of posts earlier you'd never heard of it, but now you know it's bullshit. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #118

Is our children learning? lpbk2713 Feb 2013 #20

I always loved that photo deutsey Feb 2013 #27

What? Recursion Feb 2013 #21

It's part of tactile learning, long accepted. madfloridian Feb 2013 #30

long accepted for small children and surely not at the repetition level cali Feb 2013 #36

You do not yet know the details. madfloridian Feb 2013 #38

In all fairness to the teacher... jberryhill Feb 2013 #51

She also didn't press down on their fingers as they traced the letters on the sandpaper. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #65

Get rid of that teacher Rider3 Feb 2013 #54

You just read the top post didn't you? You didn't read anything else in the thread. GoneOffShore Feb 2013 #181

I could be wrong, but I am calling BS on this one. Demo_Chris Feb 2013 #58

+1. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #59

I'm leaning that way myself. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #72

Well: The Straight Story Feb 2013 #73

I just tested it again, longer this time. Demo_Chris Feb 2013 #93

But again, was not just the one student that complained The Straight Story Feb 2013 #94

we know *he says* that other students complained. and we know from the teacher's assignment HiPointDem Feb 2013 #130

More her (including that the teacher had previously thrown a shoe at a student) The Straight Story Feb 2013 #140

no. go to the video, which shows the little card with directions the teacher passed out with HiPointDem Feb 2013 #167

Fair enough, but again I am urging you to test this yourself. Demo_Chris Feb 2013 #179

it wasn't 125 times in a row. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #100

OMG Arrest that author! proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #102

he's a literary abuser!!!! or maybe he's just carrying water for the education deform crowd. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #116

Daddy's scratchy face will never again seem the same. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #120

How many of these school teacher horror stories turn out to be overblown or misreported? Bucky Feb 2013 #60

About 90% of them. proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #97

gawd almighty what a horrible teacher. what else did she do in that 27 years. Whisp Feb 2013 #74

what a stupid post. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #101

of course the kid is a liar Whisp Feb 2013 #103

i said nothing about the kid, just about the stupid post you wrote. and now you wrote two stupid HiPointDem Feb 2013 #117

I sure hope you aren't a teacher. n/t Whisp Feb 2013 #123

i'm not, but i hope you aren't. you're sure johnny-on-the-spot on every teacher-bashing thread, HiPointDem Feb 2013 #128

really? 'every' teacher bashing thread? Whisp Feb 2013 #129

there are a lot of teacher-bashing threads at DU, so maybe not *every* one. but often enough that HiPointDem Feb 2013 #132

backing the truck up a bit? Whisp Feb 2013 #146

sure, whisp. sure. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #150

well I noticed that you are 'always' in threads that bash unicorns Whisp Feb 2013 #161

whatever. anyone can check if they care to. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #177

Found on a search for "sandpaper letters"... madfloridian Feb 2013 #88

probably some kind of broadie-bushie administrator, judging from his ignorance about his own field. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #111

I'm weirded out by the idea of gollygee Feb 2013 #158

Yes, it's Number one in crazy threads. madfloridian Feb 2013 #166

OMG!!! greytdemocrat Feb 2013 #91

WTF. AngryOldDem Feb 2013 #92

I heard that she also made them hit themselves on the head with a hammer Orrex Feb 2013 #125

I head she made them carve the alphabet into each other's stomachs. And then eat the cutouts. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #126

The article makes it sound like Delores Umbridge making Harry Potter write gollygee Feb 2013 #136

yes, a couple of posters compared this teacher to Delores Umbridge in all seriousness. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #178

actually my post on that subject was poorly delivered snark justabob Feb 2013 #193

sorry if i misinterpreted your comments. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #194

is my fault justabob Feb 2013 #195

How hard were they doing it? gollygee Feb 2013 #131

thank you. and if they *were* rubbing it with too much pressure, it seems the pain would make HiPointDem Feb 2013 #133

It especially seems unlikely gollygee Feb 2013 #135

Anti-public school propaganda makes me wanna sandpaper my ass leftstreet Feb 2013 #144

Feel the same way when someone says something about catholic priests/cops/guns/etc The Straight Story Feb 2013 #152

Who is doing that? We are presenting the teachers' side....that it is an accepted technique. madfloridian Feb 2013 #168

there are plenty of problems in education. i doubt very seriously that this teacher is one of them. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #171

This thread is crazy gollygee Feb 2013 #164

A+ proud2BlibKansan Feb 2013 #165

AND "CHILD ABUSE". It's a fucking witch hunt. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #173

It's not common to a lot of us Union Scribe Feb 2013 #188

Bingo. Starry Messenger Feb 2013 #190

What in the world? pauldemmd195j Feb 2013 #174

Here, educate yourself. This is what they were doing. Three-year-olds do it without injury. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #175

As a guitar player I'll tell you emphatically that repeatedly rubbing un-calloused fingertips across Ed Suspicious Feb 2013 #180

educate yourself. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #183

Preschool Montessori technique abelenkpe Feb 2013 #182

it's used for older kids for the same reasons as younger ones. sensory-tactile learning. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #184

5 times per word, 5 times per day, for 5 days Ed Suspicious Feb 2013 #186

NO. the directions on the video say, and I quote: HiPointDem Feb 2013 #189

I am not defending the teacher but left is right Feb 2013 #197