Non-readers

It's no secret to me, the school I work at, my students, or their families that the kids have trouble reading. I do everything I can to help them and support them in hopes of developing their reading skills. However, today, I must admit, I am glad that they can't read!

We are reading what is considered an age-appropriate book. Every kid has a copy and we take turns reading. I have to help them stay focused, follow along, and read nearly 1/2 the words on the page. I usually get frustrated, not with them not being able to read the words, but with them not following along in their own copies of the books. They would much rather look at the ceiling, floor, or the bottom of their shoes. They follow along with what is going on, just not the words on the page.

So, today, my most mature ten year old was reading. Yes, there are a few mature ten year olds out there. She was doing her best when she got to a really odd part in the book. A new woman was introduced. A woman with no particular meaning to the story. Just a fly-by-night, as my grandma would say. The author, for some reason, made this fly-by-night of a woman have her baby latch onto her boob for some milk, cause it wasn't bad enough that in the previous chapter they were milking cows.

The book read, and I quote, "and the baby drank from the woman's breast."

The mature girl got to the word breast and completely froze. At first, I wasn't sure if it was because she couldn't read the word, or because she was embarrassed to say it aloud. I figured it really didn't matter. While I always help with the words that freeze the kids up, I simply responded, "just skip it."

She gladly did and continued right along without another thought about it.

I was waiting for the rest of the class to erupt into laughter, embarrassment, or, the oh so common ten year old, "ewwwwww." But, it didn't happen.

I'm not sure if they were too busy looking at the patterns on the bottom of their shoes or that they did not recognize the word for what it was. Although it may be very unteacherly to say, thank goodness these kids can't focus and can't read! I hate having to explain these kinds of things and to calm the outlandish laughter.