90s02 Whole Language

Whole language has always been a controversial topic in education. It is a simple philosophical way of thinking about teaching. Some believe that whole language means you don’t teach skills. Nothing could be further from the truth. You teach all of the skills you would in a traditional approach. They are just taught in the context of the whole text. So many published programs were so skill centered that kids never got around to reading a whole text. It was kind of like taking golf lessons but never getting to play golf. People who would do that soon lose interest in the game. That is what was happening with reading.

Teachers were so misinformed about the concept of whole language and the criticism that it never taught any skills, that many rejected the whole language idea without even understanding it. The truth was that it was strongly, and still is, supported by research. Book publishers didn’t like it because kids were reading library books and schools weren’t buying their expensive programs. They went to great lengths to discredit it and many teachers were unwittingly drawn into their deceit.

I started doing inservices and presentations about what I had done in my classroom. Teachers seemed very intrigued. Many were disenchanted with the basal program they were using and begged me to teach a class on the topic.

After I heard that over and over I decided to do just that. I wrote a course proposal that was approved by the AEA and a couple of the cooperating colleges. I think I taught it once on my own and then taught it with Jean Holtgrewe at the elementary building in Crawfordsville. We were overwhelmed at the response. Over twenty-five people signed up. Most of the teachers were from the Mediapolis or WACO districts.

We spent the whole class talking about the whole language philosophy, demonstrating lessons they could do in their classrooms and talking about improving instruction in general.

One of the most enjoyable parts was that each participant shared a favorite book and a possible activity class members might use or adapt to suit the needs of their students. Each of the weekly classes began with two or three of them sharing their story and activity. I loved to hear about the books and the creative ideas the teachers had about how to utilize them in instruction.

That course met on Monday evenings from late January through May. I am convinced that I learned more than those taking the class. Something about teaching generates enthusiasm and inquiry in me. It’s like charging a battery. Teaching energized me!

At some point in the class I decided to use the Helen Keller story about how she finally made the connection between the hand sign for water and the actual water. It’s that ah ha moment that education is all about. It is not always that dramatic but it is at the heart of what we do.

You are nothing if not a story. It’s up to you how good that story is.