Steamboat Springs The surprisingly complex, modern theories
behind teaching children to read are creating confusion between
parents and elementary school teachers. Teaching a child to read
is a challenging undertaking in and of itself; although keeping
up with the latest research, child psychology, software and
multi-media tools can complicate the task, local elementary
school teachers have not been swayed from sticking to the
basics. "It all comes back to balance," first-grade teacher at
Strawberry Park Celia Dunham said. "It's a big mistake we make
in America, flying way out on some limb, only to realize later,
once again, that we need to keep our focus on the basics when it
comes to learning to read." Specifically, Dunham is referring to
new approaches to teaching that, for example, eliminate phonics
from the learning method. "But you can't teach reading without
phonics," Strawberry Park Elementary School Principal John
DeVincentis said. "It's an impossibility." Some parents of
kindergarten students at Str