Why did you have to Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle??
We're into our 2nd year of homeschooling. Wyatt is in 1st grade. I am amazed at how fast he as learned to read. Currently, he is reading things that I should be reading to him. He can read the very last reader already for first grade. He buzzed through the large stack of phonics sight words before school even started. He read his first very basic book just last November. Now less then a year later, he's reading at least halfway through the second grade year. Although, he can pick up and read short magazine articles. I think magazines are printed using a 4th/5th grade reading level. I really proud of him. Hopefully, the other 3 kids will learn to read as easily.
Well, this post is really about a book that we are reading for Language Arts. We use the K12 Ohio Virtual Academy Program. They ship everything that we need for the whole school year, textbooks, literature books, art books, art supplies, science supplies, maps, computer, printer, and on and on. Everything is free. It is like a public school for homeschooling. When I taught school, I loved to plan lessons. ( I taught 6th grade for 5 years in public school.) I know my limitations now, and I just wouldn't have time with 4 kids at home to plan lessons and teach. I've been very impressed with OHVA materials and the lesson plans.
However, the other day we were reading a chapter book Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. I'm reading along, taking turns with Wyatt even though I'm supposed to read the book to him, when I read the following paragraph:
"I'm running away from home because I hate to wash dishes. All I do is wash dishes. I am just a servant. Dishes! Dishes! Dishes! Wash, dry, put away. That's all I do. My mother doesn't love me at all. She isn't my real mother, anyway. She probably got me out of as orphanage just to wash her dishes." Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle said, "Isn't she your real mother?" Mary Lou said, "She says she is but no real mother would make you wash dishes. Wash dishes! Wash dishes!"
OK. I know this is fiction, but it took me by surprise. I just kept thinking what if my kids were sitting in school and something like this was read. How would they feel? I wouldn't even know about it. I wouldn't know to discuss it with them. Would the teacher even be sensitive enough to realize what he/she read?
It is frustrating to constantly hear people use inappropriate adoption language, and now we're reading it in the 1st grade. I don't think people are trying to be cruel. They just are not thinking. People have said things like: You have a child of your own? Are they brother and sister? Wyatt is your real child, right? Did you get to pick which one you wanted?
Just today at the grocery store, an acquaintance said to my mom, "My nephew has one of those. She is in the second grade and so cute." Mom had Ellayna and Kyna with her.
One of THOSE! I'm not even going to comment.
In case you are curious. The copyright for "Mrs.Piggle-Wiggle" is 1947.
posted by Sarah @ 12:06 PM
4 Comments:
That's horrible! I love Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle book. I'm so glad you were able to catch that. Write that one down for future references.
Wow. I think that even though it was written over sixty years ago, it shouldn't be part of a curriculum. I think that would be difficult for an astute six year old to hear if they were sitting in a classroom. I know some people say that APs make bigger issues out of things than they often should, but I believe that at that age, it would be terrible to read that in class (or have it read out loud). And "One of THOSE?!" Are you kidding? What's wrong with people? One doesn't even need to be adoption-educated to know how horrible and wrong that is. People...A woman at the grocery store the other day asked me if Mattix was "mine or adopted?" So if he's adopted, he's not mine? It's frustrating. Anyway, sorry for the long comment. It sounds like Wyatt is going ot be quite the reader. Very impressive!
I cringed at that part too. Though, I did have to thin too that it is the thoughts of a child and children think some pretty wild things. If onloy Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle had taken the time to gently explain to the dishwashing little girl that it didn't work that way.
Aside from that, Mrs Piggle-Wiggle was a mainstay for us last year. The books this year are not capturing our girls' attention quite as much so we've headed to the library more. Not that they aren't interested...it just seems that last year all we did was read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle!
One of those???? That's so unbelievable. I haven't heard that one yet... although I feel like I've heard enough to last me a lifetime. Uuuhhhh!
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