Reading and Writing

You know I once taught and in-service to a bunch of teachers.  It was a summer workshop on science and math and hands-on activities.  I read them a quote from a teacher's manual from 1919 or "somewhere there abouts".  Anyway, the jest of the quote is that students gain more from hands on, real world application and use.  Also students learn by doing.  Imagine that! The wheel is constantly being reinvented and today is no exception!  Research is saying that if you let kids read on their own and choose what they want to read they read better.  Guess what I heard today?  If you let them write on their own and not focus on the process as much, they become better writers both in school and on standardized test. WHOA---you mean if they get a chance to just "do it" instead of talking it to death it makes a difference?  I hate when people treat kids like they are idiots.  Learning can actually be fun.  :)