I love writers who paint with words. I used to encourage my 1st and 2nd graders to do this and they actually became quite good at it.
Years ago I read a treatise from a few educators in California, whose plan it was…
“To teach only the most most basic of vocabulary as it was not necessary to have more than one word for red.”
It is mind numbing to contemplate. Where would we be without ruby, wine, or crimson? Each of these can bring to mind items which are exactly described by these colors. Yet, the lack of imagination those educators would put upon us would leave us all with an 8 box of Crayola colors.
Test yourself by imagining Renoir if he only had red, orange, blue, green, purple, yellow, brown, and black? Oh, sorry Renoir, you only have eight colors to chose from and you aren’t allowed to mix them. You needn’t be an artist to envision how your efforts at illustration would be limited.
I do get discouraged with the product of the last thirty years of our educational system, when I see that many of the 18 to 30 year olds will write reviews on a book they didn’t finish. Their main complaint ? “The book was too wordy” or “The author spent too much time on describing the setting; it was boring,” They are the very ones who want illustrated novels and/or to watch the movie instead.
Can this be corrected for the future of our progeny? Am I a rebel to rage against a system that produces this mass of unimaginative and under-educated people who will replace me when I die?
Perhaps, but it needs to be said.
an OOPS and a notice..
This was supposed to publish on Sunday, my error. And please also note that my profile has suddenly disappeared! Was it something I said??? (probably) I’m not going to take this post back, that would be confusing, but I will be rewriting my profile and try to get it done by Sunday. 😀
Life on the Farmlet 
You are not wrong. I count myself fortunate to come from a family where books trump TV, where words enrich, potentiate, illuminate and teach. All is not lost in the coming generations. My niece Lucy is a journalist, copywriter and book fanatic. Words are her living. Perhaps it’s not so much the schooling as whether the parents spend their lives in front of the goggle-box or with their noses in books, like mine did.
Kate, I think you are correct that a parent needs to set the example for the child. But the teacher’s practices, and investment in enriching what it being taught to the child is also elemental to the success of the child.
True story… Well, I was going to write it here, but realize it will be too long for a reply. I will post it within the week. Thank you for visiting me.
I agree that one word for red seems a bit underpowered. On the other hand i can definitely think of a few books which might qualify as too wordy. Have you read Les Miserables. A great book but very wordy.
Tom, That one sounded so miserable I didn’t want to go there… and I skipped War and Peace too. This post? Well I think it had too few words. My thoughts and fingers are rusty after being away so long. I’ll work on it. The practice, not the post. 😉
In an attempt to lure you back to Facebook, on occasion, I have placed a reply of sorts for your amusement.
Post Scriptum
If all teacher were adamant as you are American would be a stronger nation.
We lived in a scholastic time when one or two foreign languages were a prerequisite for middle school and high school. Remedial English is taught is college now. Mores the pity.
I am thankful you included me in your correspondence, and friendship Lynda.
Love Always
Tom
Tom, It has been a long time and I too miss the conversation there: your views on life, political policy, music of our youth, and your love of family and home.
That said, Facebook and I have a love hate relationship. I love my friends there and being able to share with you all, but when I visit, well it is embarrassing to say;
I find I don’t have an ‘off switch’. The plethora of other nonsense found there is addicting and becomes a real time-suck… Time I need to get things done that must be done daily. I do miss you, your news, and your view on the world as it has become.
It is a shame that the talent of letter writing as a form of communication has died. We have all succumbed to the need for instant gratification in this age, and FB gives us this ability in glorious technicolor 24-7. I too love instant communication, but not all the ‘filler’ that comes along with it.
All that to say, that an email from a friend would be lovely. Looking forward to news about your new home and how it is shaping up. You two must have quite the garden by now! Send pictures too.
Lynda
Hey! Lookie here! hallelujah and hooray. Now, let’s see if it goes through.
Yay! Now let’s see if others were having the same difficulty and that’s why I got so few replies to my recent posts… never-mind I was gone for ages and never posted anything. 😉
Especially with children from impoverished homes and backgrounds, it’s important that teachers offer a wealth of learning, including way more than just basic vocabulary. Where else are those kids going to learn those things?
Exactly, Steve. I can’t remember the title of the oh so bright person in charge of how we were supposed to be teaching our second language learners, but the first time she entered my classroom she called me aside and said that I was using too many difficult and big words with my class. She wanted me to dumb it down so they wouldn’t get behind.
Huh. On the last day of school she came in and actually said that she was so surprised at the kids vocabulary and how the children used the “big words” correctly. My rule was that if you didn’t understand a word you could stop me and I would come over and spell it for you to write in your “special words” dictionary. Later we would look up the word, read it’s meaning together, and then they would write their understanding of the word in thier dictionary. By the end of the year the little notebook was usually full and very dog eared. It makes me smile to remember it.
We’ll give you a gold star!
I wasn’t fishing for a GS… but I’ll take it. That was a tough year. :)))