Whenever we visit with each other, Sue Dickson, author of Sing, Spell, Read & Write, and I share our most baffling reading war stories. On my most recent visit, I shared this most unbelievable true story with Sue.

A Sudden Change of Heart

During my tenure as an elementary school teacher I worked in a tight-knit community in Brooklyn, NY. Many teachers and administrators had their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews enrolled in classes in the school. The elementary schools in this area were safe zones for families.

One year, upon return to school in September, a stern warning was given to me that I was strictly forbidden to use the Sing, Spell, Read & Write program with my kindergarteners. My supervisor, Mrs. B, demanded that I conform to the district superintendent’s requirement that all classes use the same curriculum. The other teachers were using StoryTown, a basal reading program. Battleworn from years of reading wars proving the effectiveness of SSR&W, I sadly, sighed and complied.

Truthfully, I resolved to stealthily hide my SSR&W Instruction (see below) and feign use of the boring, ineffective basal. I, therefore, took the SSR&W display to a special ed class, tucked the charts, music and CD player in the closet and had the children slide the Off We Go workbooks inside the StoryTown workbooks

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Happily, unnoticed instruction went along through the autumn months; somehow, my scheme of concealment was successful. As the year turned the corner into winter however, reading instruction was going to be difficult to hide. My brighter students were just about ready to start reading and I was wondering how I would manage this whole disguise.

Suddenly change occurred!

I happened to be in the office trying to mind my own business, as teachers often do, when I felt a tug on my arm. It was Mrs. B!

“Mrs. Calabrese, come in here and talk to me!” In whispered tones I was quickly ushered into the office.

“Uh-Oh!” My mind raced, “I’m in trouble AGAIN! What did I do now?”

Honestly, I had been dragged into the office so many times before for not following protocol, that naturally, I assumed the worst. I was certain I had done something wrong!

“Yes!” I smiled apprehensively with dread in my weak voice.

“You know, Mrs. Calabrese, my nephew, little Frankie, is in First Grade in Mrs. Z’s class and he told me he can’t read! I didn’t believe him, so I asked him to read some simple books and let me tell you, he CANNOT read!”

“Oh dear!” I raised my eyebrows in concern, wondering, “How am I going to help this child? Does she want me to tutor him on the side?”

“Are you using Sing, Spell, Read & Write in your class?”

“No!” I quickly replied, stammering, “You told me not to use it!”

“Well, I want you to use it! I want you to use the whole thing and whenever you teach reading I want my nephew to sit in on the lessons. He can come to your classroom for reading and go back to his class for the rest of his First Grade instruction.”

“But you told me not to use it!” I protested feeling a bit dizzy from this abrupt change of heart.

“You can use it! I want you to use it!”

“But what about the superintendent, won’t she be upset?” I wasn’t sure why I was arguing, I guess I wanted to be definite that this was for real.

“Don’t worry about that! I’ll take care of it!” She grinned, slyly.

“OK!” I smiled.

“Can I get the readers back from the other classroom?”

“Of course! You get whatever you need! When do you teach reading?”

“Well, to teach reading, writing and spelling it takes about two hours in the morning.”

“Great! I’ll have Frankie there. And Mrs. Calabrese, I want him in the front, near you. Make sure you have him close to you.”

Later that day, I marched my class over to the special ed classroom where my display and books were safely guarded. I loaded up my students with their SSR&W reading books and the book display. We gingerly walked through the halls, carrying everything back to our classroom. I pulled the hidden charts out, set up my CD player in full view. I piled all StoryTown workbooks along with the cumbersome teacher’s manuals in my closet. Proudly distributing the SSR&W Raceway books my instruction opened up in that classroom and could be heard through the halls. Our singing was loud and proud! Mrs. Calabrese’s class went full speed into reading groups, seat work, daily spelling tests and all the necessary components for true literacy.

Mrs. B visited the classroom periodically and watched the entire program, running smoothly. Of course, I forgot to place little Frankie near me one day during her visit. “Everything is great, “ she whispered, “Please put him in front of you.“

This is a TRUE story!

In just four months Frankie was reading beautifully, and of course the whole class benefited tremendously from instruction. At parent/teacher night, Frankie’s family, came to express their sincere gratitude for the efficient and quick progress he demonstrated. I learned that apparently Frankie had gone to a private school in kindergarten and not gotten any training in reading. He was definitely bright, however he needed good solid instruction. The parents were worried sick about their little Frankie, until of course, Mrs. B (and me), came to the rescue.

“Why don’t they use this program in all classes, everywhere?” The parents questioned.

I shrugged, “I don’t know.”

And that’s how this program went from year to year in NYC. Sometimes I used it undercover, sometimes out in full view, depending on the position of the administration. Sometimes I’d get caught and get in serious trouble and sometimes I’d be commended for my skill and hard work. I remained steadfast, however, to the program because my skill in using it and the program itself were so effective that I never, ever abandoned it.

The reading wars continue, unfortunately. Sue Dickson and daughter Dianne Fixe crusade on, offering instruction in a new program geared towards non-readers in middle and upper grades (grades 2 and up) entitled Winning Reading Boost. Endorsed by the University of Florida, this program of course, really works!