Dear Editor:
I am disturbed to read recent reports in The Dispatch about the
probable ending of the Slingerland Program at Eliot School.
Dear Editor:
I am disturbed to read recent reports in The Dispatch about the probable ending of the Slingerland Program at Eliot School. I am a retired teacher of 23 years, having taught 11 years in the Slingerland Program and an additional eight years teaching, observing, screening, and evaluating kindergartners for placement in the Slingerland Program.
The beauty of the Slingerland Program is that it is designed to be preventive – to help children before they struggle and fail. Its sequenced, step-by-step phonics, writing, and teaching of the structure of language allow students to be successful from the beginning of their school experiences. They also learn to understand how their learning style might be different from other students.
One of the criticisms I have heard of the Slingerland Program is that there is very little data supporting the effectiveness of the program. It is difficult to measure the improved self-esteem that comes from experiencing success and understanding that you are not a failure. It is even more difficult to measure improved self-esteem when a student has never lost their sense of self-worth because school failure was prevented.
The children who qualify for the Slingerland Program are bright students who may have difficulty learning in a traditional classroom. They are the children who “fall through the cracks.” These intelligent children often do not qualify for special education help, but when kept in traditional classrooms find themselves in low-level groups experiencing daily frustrations that result in low self-esteem and the loss of joy in learning.
It is encouraging to read letters from parents praising the Slingerland Program. Parents were instrumental in getting the program started over 25 years ago and it may well be parents who save this outstanding program.
Leslie Palmerlee, Gilroy
Submitted Tuesday, March 4 to ed****@ga****.com
