[Anyone] Why tommy can't read.

[Mike in Taos]

Wow,  ichybutt is clever thats why he is my favorite, rambling, semi-psychotic, liberal.



> Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 03:47:56 +0000
> To: anyone at laplaza.org
> From: anubis at laplaza.org
> Subject: Re: [Anyone] Why tommy can't read.
>
> Geez, Mikey, you restore my faith in bottom feeders; I thought the Weekly World News tabloid went
> belly up, but look what "Sea Cucumber" Mikey dragged up from somewhere. - Somewhat funny and
> totally irrelevant, as usual.
>
>
> Mike in Taos  said:
>
>>
>> Now I understand why tommy can't read.
>>
>>
>>
>> Retired Teacher Reveals He Was Illiterate Until Age 48
>>
>> OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- John Corcoran graduated from college and taught high school for 17 years
> without being able to read, write or spell.
>>
>> Corcoran's life of secrecy started at a young age. He said his teachers moved him up from grade to
> grade. Often placed in what he calls the "dumb row," the images of his tribulations in the classroom
> are still vividly clear.
>>
>> "I can remember when I was 8 years old saying my prayers at night saying, 'please, God, tomorrow
> when it's my turn to read please let me read.' You just pretend that you are invisible and when the
> teacher says, 'Johnnie read,' you just wait the teacher out because you know the teacher has to go
> away at some point," said Corcoran.
>>
>> Corcoran eventually started acting up to hide his illiteracy. From fifth through seventh grade he
> was expelled, suspended and spent most of his days at the principal's office.
>>
>> The former teacher said he came from a loving family that always supported him.
>>
>> "My parents came to school and it no longer was a problem for me reading because this boy
> Johnnie the -- native alien I call him -- he didn't have a reading problem as far as the teachers were
> concerned. He had an emotional problem. He had a psychological problem. He had a behavioral
> problem," said Corcoran.
>>
>> Corcoran later attended Palo Verde High School in Blythe, Calif. He cheated his way through high
> school, receiving his diploma in June 1956.
>>
>> "When I was a child I was just sort of just moved along when I got to high school I wanted to
> participate in athletics. At that time in high school I went underground. I decided to behave myself
> and do what it took. I started cheating by turning in other peoples' paper, dated the valedictorian,
> and ran around with college prep kids," said Corcoran.
>>
>> "I couldn't read words but I could read the system and I could read people," adds Corcoran.
>>
>> He stole tests and persuaded friends to complete his assignments. Corcoran earned an athletic
> scholarship to Texas Western College. He said his cheating intensified, claiming he cheated in every
> class.
>>
>> "I passed a bluebook out the window to a friend I painstakingly copied four essay questions off the
> board in U.S. government class that was required, and hoped my friend would get it back to me with
> the right answers," Corcoran said.
>>
>> In 1961, Corcoran graduated with a bachelor's degree in education, while still illiterate he
> contends. He then went on to become a teacher during a teacher shortage.
>>
>> "When I graduated from the university, the school district in El Paso, where I went to school, gave
> almost all the college education graduates a job," said Corcoran.
>>
>> For 17 years Corcoran taught high school for the Oceanside School District. Relying on teacher's
> assistants for help and oral lesson plans, he said he did a great job at teaching his students.
>>
>> "What I did was I created an oral and visual environment. There wasn't the written word in there. I
> always had two or three teacher's assistants in each class to do board work or read the bulletin," said
> Corcoran.
>>
>> In retrospect, Corcoran said, his deceit took him a long time to accept.
>>
>> "As a teacher it really made me sick to think that I was a teacher who couldn't read. It is
> embarrassing for me, and it's embarrassing for this nation and it's embarrassing for schools that
> we're failing to teach our children how to read, write and spell!"
>>
>> While still teaching, Corcoran dabbled in real estate. He was granted a leave of absence, eventually
> becoming a successful real estate developer.
>>
>> It wasn't until he was 48 years old that he gave reading and writing another chance. He drove to an
> inconspicuous office with a sign he couldn't read. He studied and worked with a tutor at the Literacy
> Center of Carlsbad. Assigned to a 65-year-old volunteer tutor, Eleanor Condit, he was able to read
> at a sixth-grade level within a year.
>>
>> "I'm just an optimistic hopeful person that believes in the impossible and miracles," said Corcoran.
>>
>> Carlsbad City Library literacy coordinator Carrie Scott said people of all walks of life go through the
> reading program, including teachers.
>>
>> Corcoran is now an education advocate.
>>
>> "I believe that illiteracy in America is a form of child neglect and child abuse and the child is
> blamed and they carry the shame, if we just teach our people how to read we'd give them a fair
> chance," Corcoran said.
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