March is Reading Month!

Don’t complain about the problem. Produce a solution that works. That is what I did.

I posted this comment on Representative Lisa McLain’s Facebook post:

My solution

Thank you for supporting “March is reading month”!

As a former reading specialist in the Detroit Public Schools, I have been on my own “Reading Crusade” for many years.

I am thankful that I had the opportunity to successfully raise the achievement of my students consistently and remarkably for nearly 40 years.

When my high school had a persistent 70% drop-out rate as measured by entering ninth grade classes of 1000 but graduating twelfth grade classes of 300 students, my students maintained good attendance, measurably improved in their reading comprehension, almost never dropped out, and went on to be successful in college and careers after high school graduation.

My secret? I wrote a self-instructional reading program for my students to use. Coaches had their athletes come to me for tutoring. Coach Stuckey at Denby High School shared with me a list of 21 students who received full athletic scholarships to college. As a result of using my book, The Language Enrichment Program, they scored high enough on the SAT or ACT to qualify for the scholarships they received. My book is now available on Amazon. It works for students of any age or grade level, grade 3 to college.

Jo Roderick responded:

Detroit news posted Michigan 4th graders ranked 32nd in 2019 IN THE NATION. Now they are rated 43rd.

If she can’t help them, what would?

She got her photo op, though.

You retired….

Why does lisa brag about children that low in education?

Shelley O’Brien responded to Jo Roderick:

If she had her way, there wouldn’t be a Department of Education. Maybe if she stops voting “nay” for legislation that would support children I might be able to take her concern for them seriously.

My response to Jo Roderick:

After I retired I continued to support a successful reading program that effectively raises the reading comprehension level of students by two years or grade levels on average in less than one semester by placing it on Amazon at considerable expense to me. Now any person can benefit.

I was made a reading specialist at Southeastern High School in Detroit when I was a world and American history teacher. It was discovered that the way I had been teaching history raised my students’ reading achievement on the required standardized achievement tests such that Southeastern was the most improved in reading achievement of Detroit’s 22 high schools.

People need to quit complaining about student low reading achievement when there is a proven solution readily available to any parent or teacher. Just search for “Jerome Smith The Language Enrichment Program” under “books” on Amazon.

 

 

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