"I don't know how to read!"

Monday Afternoon:

O: "Mama, I'm bored."

Me: "Why don't you go and get a book to read."

O: "I don't know how to read!"

Me: "Are you kidding me? You just read every word on Super Why, before the show said the word."

O: no comment

I then printed a learning to read book from one of my favorite educational websites (www.starfall.com) "Zac the Rat." I helped O read it. I needed to help her with a few words, but she pretty much read it. I still don't think she is convinced she can read. I don't know what other proof she needs! For crying out loud!

This morning when I was dropping off O at school I was telling her teachers "You probably know this, but O can read. She doesn't think she can read, but she can."

One of her teachers, Ms M, said she was going to talk to me about that. She agreed. It happens often they said. O especially is a perfectionist and gets very upset when she can't do something (anything) perfect. I mean upset, crying, tantrum...the whole thing and not just for not reading or writing a letter.

Ms M was then telling me how they are teaching the kids (Pre-K) sight words. They put the word the on the board and asked the kids what the word was. All the children sat and looked at each other, looked at the word, the teacher. No one knows what the word is. O then pipes up "THE!" Drawing the word out very emphatically, as if to say DUH, what are you stupid.

But, she doesn't know how to read. Oh no.