I have been writing a blog for about five years. Recently, I began doing some freelance writing. A lot of that work is writing blogs. I was surprised when one of my blogs was returned and I was asked to write in simpler language so everyone could understand it. I was asked to run a test on it to make sure that it could be read by 6th grade students. These blogs are aimed at adults, but they must be easy enough for a 6th grader to understand it.
As an educator I am surprised, shocked, disappointed, and appalled that we have to dummy down information for American adults.
On this site I don't dummy down information and I have hundreds of you reading every day. I assume you are not just looking at the pictures.
Here is a letter from a second grade student written in 1901.
October 1st, 1901
Hello,
My name is Amanda. I just started Grade 2 at the school in our town. My older brother, Billy, is in Grade 6 and my younger sister, Sarah, is just starting Kindergarten.
My teacher asked us to write a note to students 100 years from now to tell them what school is like now and to try to imagine what it will be like for them. Father thinks people will have given up on school by then -- he thinks school is a big waste of time. But I think there might still be schools. There might even be two or three teachers in a school instead of just one!
My brothers and sisters all go to the same school -- we share one big classroom. Miss Matheson is the teacher. She teaches all the kids in our community and from the farms nearby. Right now Miss Matheson is living at the Durkson's house. But next month it will be our turn to board her. I'm very excited about having her move in with us. She's very pretty and so smart! I wonder if one day parents will build the teacher her own house?
Miss Matheson teaches everyone from Kindergarten to Grade 12. But there aren't very many students in the higher grades. Billy is in Grade 6 now. Father says this will be his last year in school. He needs Billy to help more on the farm next year. Billy already misses school around harvest time. I go to school most of the time, except when I have to help mom go to market to sell our eggs. I think that in 100 years, there will be special days off so that kids can help sell eggs and won't have to miss class to do it.
On this site I don't dummy down information and I have hundreds of you reading every day. I assume you are not just looking at the pictures.
Here is a letter from a second grade student written in 1901.
October 1st, 1901
Hello,
My name is Amanda. I just started Grade 2 at the school in our town. My older brother, Billy, is in Grade 6 and my younger sister, Sarah, is just starting Kindergarten.
My teacher asked us to write a note to students 100 years from now to tell them what school is like now and to try to imagine what it will be like for them. Father thinks people will have given up on school by then -- he thinks school is a big waste of time. But I think there might still be schools. There might even be two or three teachers in a school instead of just one!
My brothers and sisters all go to the same school -- we share one big classroom. Miss Matheson is the teacher. She teaches all the kids in our community and from the farms nearby. Right now Miss Matheson is living at the Durkson's house. But next month it will be our turn to board her. I'm very excited about having her move in with us. She's very pretty and so smart! I wonder if one day parents will build the teacher her own house?
Miss Matheson teaches everyone from Kindergarten to Grade 12. But there aren't very many students in the higher grades. Billy is in Grade 6 now. Father says this will be his last year in school. He needs Billy to help more on the farm next year. Billy already misses school around harvest time. I go to school most of the time, except when I have to help mom go to market to sell our eggs. I think that in 100 years, there will be special days off so that kids can help sell eggs and won't have to miss class to do it.
I like school -- most of the time. We practice writing, reading and arithmetic. We use small chalkboards to practice math and we use pens that we dip in ink to practice writing. I like writing with the pen, but I hate when the boys dip my hair in the ink! If there are still schools in 100 years, I'm sure the boys will still be dipping the girls' hair in ink.
We have to buy our own books and Father says it's too expensive to buy new ones each year. I always have to use Billy's old books. He took pretty good care of them -- Father would have taken him behind the wood shed if he hadn't! But it would still be nice to have a new book, just once.
It's chilly this morning. We have a big stove at the front of the room to keep the class warm in the winter, but we don't get any wood for it until it's cold all day. In the autumn we have to wear our sweaters in the mornings until the sun warms things up. I think in 100 years, they'll be able to start the stove in autumn so their fingers won't be so cold in the mornings.
I made our lunches today. Sarah helped. She liked packing the old syrup buckets full of the sandwiches I made. I wonder if in 100 years, kids will still bring their lunches to school in old syrup buckets? Maybe they'll get brand new ones instead.
Billy never has time to eat his lunch. He's too busy taking care of his horse. He's so lucky to be able to ride to school. Sarah and I have to walk. I know it's only one mile and that lots of kids have to walk farther, but it would still be fun to ride a horse. I think in 100 years all of the kids will have their own horses and be able to ride to school -- even the girls.
It's almost time for recess, so I'm going to finish my note now. One thing's for sure, if there's still school in 100 years there will still be recess!
Amanda
I assure you that the writing I've been doing is on the same level as this second grader. It seems to me that our students are graduating knowing how to program a computer, but they can't read or write. The last few times I've assembled a piece of furniture, the instructions have all been pictures. No words, just pictures. Have you checked the instructions on the mixes you buy at the store? Cake mixes, macaroni and cheese, and other things, all have pictures on the back for the instructions. Yes there are words, but there are also pictures.
I know we have to make accommodations for people who are unable to read and I have no problem with that. It is when we assume that the majority of America can't read on high school level that I get irked. If you are reading this blog on a regular basis, I assure you that I will not dummy it down. There will be compound sentences, contractions, questions, and words with more than three syllables. Thank you for allowing me to rant for just a little while. See you in a few days.
We have to buy our own books and Father says it's too expensive to buy new ones each year. I always have to use Billy's old books. He took pretty good care of them -- Father would have taken him behind the wood shed if he hadn't! But it would still be nice to have a new book, just once.
It's chilly this morning. We have a big stove at the front of the room to keep the class warm in the winter, but we don't get any wood for it until it's cold all day. In the autumn we have to wear our sweaters in the mornings until the sun warms things up. I think in 100 years, they'll be able to start the stove in autumn so their fingers won't be so cold in the mornings.
I made our lunches today. Sarah helped. She liked packing the old syrup buckets full of the sandwiches I made. I wonder if in 100 years, kids will still bring their lunches to school in old syrup buckets? Maybe they'll get brand new ones instead.
Billy never has time to eat his lunch. He's too busy taking care of his horse. He's so lucky to be able to ride to school. Sarah and I have to walk. I know it's only one mile and that lots of kids have to walk farther, but it would still be fun to ride a horse. I think in 100 years all of the kids will have their own horses and be able to ride to school -- even the girls.
It's almost time for recess, so I'm going to finish my note now. One thing's for sure, if there's still school in 100 years there will still be recess!
Amanda
I assure you that the writing I've been doing is on the same level as this second grader. It seems to me that our students are graduating knowing how to program a computer, but they can't read or write. The last few times I've assembled a piece of furniture, the instructions have all been pictures. No words, just pictures. Have you checked the instructions on the mixes you buy at the store? Cake mixes, macaroni and cheese, and other things, all have pictures on the back for the instructions. Yes there are words, but there are also pictures.
I know we have to make accommodations for people who are unable to read and I have no problem with that. It is when we assume that the majority of America can't read on high school level that I get irked. If you are reading this blog on a regular basis, I assure you that I will not dummy it down. There will be compound sentences, contractions, questions, and words with more than three syllables. Thank you for allowing me to rant for just a little while. See you in a few days.
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