About The Jenkins County times. (Millen, Ga.) 2023-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 6, 2023)
jenkinscountytimes.com The Jenkins County Times Wednesday, September 6, 2023 - Page 5 NO OBITUARIES REPORTED THIS WEEK THE COTTON GIN " Millen's Florist" Since 1987 478.982.2153 717 Cotton Ave. Millen, GA Sanders Monument Company Producers of high quality monuments and markers 1484 Halcyondale Road Sylvania, GA 30467 Kenneth & Stacy Sanders Owner/Operators (912] 425-7870 sandersmonumentco@gmail.com (912) 451-6382 sandersmonument.com O/t'j £3 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ETe maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righ teousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Governor implements new literacy-education laws Special to The Times Georgia is gearing up to implement a new approach to teaching reading in the early grades. Gov. Brian Kemp recently signed into law two literacy bills passed during this year’s legislative session. About 36% of Georgia third graders read below grade level, according to the state’s 2022 Milestones test results, and around 17% of the state’s adults lack basic literacy skills. The new laws aim at improving those numbers by introducing two related approaches to literacy instruction: “the science of reading” and “structured literacy.” “Science of reading is sort of a relatively new term that bundles together ... the role and necessity of systematic instruction on phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency as well as comprehension and vocabulary,” said Sarah Woulfin, an associate professor at the College of Education at the University of Texas- Austin. “It’s become a kind of streamlined way to talk about evidence-based reading instruction in an effort to change reading instruction in one particular direction.” “Structured literacy,” as defined by one of the new literacy laws, refers to an “evidence-based approach to teaching oral and written language ... characterized by explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic instruction.” The new law names six specific topics of focus: phonology, sound-symbol association, syllable instruction, morphology, syntax, and semantics. “The idea is giving guardrails and a strategic mindset to how literacy instruction is delivered,” said Matt Smith, director of policy and research at the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE). “We’re talking about making reading instruction in the early grades more systematic. ... There’s a process. You screen and identify the students that have reading deficits.” Many of these ideas have been around for decades and are already included in Georgia’s education standards. The new laws, however, mandate that school districts use evidence-backed approaches and aim to ensure consistent adoption across the state. That’s key to ensuring educational equity, proponents of the approach argue. “Literacy is the social justice issue of our time, and the science of reading is our best tool to accomplish that,” said Ramona Brown, a science of reading professional development coach at the Rollins Center for Language and Literacy at the Atlanta Speech School. “It is helpful for all students and harmful to none, and ... through these approaches, 95% of children will learn how to read whether they are here in Atlanta or they are in Crisp County.” “For a majority of kids in our country, whether you have dyslexia or whether you have experienced generational lack of access to opportunity, or you speak English as a second language ... what we see from research is that an overwhelming majority of children require explicit instruction,” added Ryan Lee-James, chief academic officer at the Atlanta Speech School. “The explicit nature of the teaching means that we’re not leaving things to chance or for you to figure out on your own.” The lofty literacy goals found in the new legislation will need to be backed by careful implementation at the district and school levels to produce results. “There really needs to be a lot of systems and supports and resources in place so that people can have the time and space to learn about these approaches to be developed,” said Woulftn, the University of Texas professor. “If you don’t have the aligned professional learning opportunities for teachers and principals, so that everyone has time and space to learn about these new curricular materials, to try out these new instructional approaches, at the end of the day, classroom practice is not going to change.” “There is an opportunity for this to go really well with different pieces collaborating and interfacing together,” Smith added. “But there is another kind of concern, which is that there is a lot going on, and so we have to keep our eye on the ball because a lot of different things are going to be going on at the same time.” One of the newly signed laws creates a literacy council made up of legislators, educators, and experts. Smith said that could be helpful in ensuring a unified approach and keeping things on track. “I’m glad that both laws passed at the same time because I think it’ll be mutually beneficial for both in terms of strategy, public messaging around literacy, [and] also around the scientific evidence- based components of reading,” he said. Funding is another possible obstacle to the success of the initiative. The early literacy bill did not have specific funds in the budget eamiarked for it. It’s possible that additional funds could be allocated to the measure during next year’s legislative session. Without the funding, the measure is like “an unfunded mandate,” said John Zauner, executive director of the Georgia School Superintendents Association. He said that when Mississippi sought to turn around its poor literacy rate, the state backed the effort with millions of dollars, something that is currently lacking in Georgia. “We always need resources in order to teach reading effectively,” added Lisa Morgan, president of the Georgia Association of Educators. “We need books in our classroom that are engaging on a variety of levels.” “We need to be providing our students with much more than just the standard textbook. ... The books that we have in our classrooms need to reflect the diversity of our students in the world.” When Chattahoochee County implemented a science of reading approach, it took a large commitment of resources, said Kristie Brooks, the district’s superintendent. “It’s been a heavy lift financially. And it’s also a heavy lift, time- commitment wise,” Brooks said. “We have had two- and-a-half years of intense training and coaching and classroom modeling. It was so important that it was done correctly.” Brooks said the investment has been worth it for her district. “We have been just so pleased with the work that we have seen,” she said. flyrcns That Touch th£ fteart By Sam Eades, Publisher/Writer for The Times John Fawcett “Blest Be the Tie that Binds” is a sweet hymn written about the Church with an even sweeter story, especially meaningful to smaller, more modest congregations. It is a favorite for many because of its message of the bonds of Christian community. Six brief verses describe hearts bound in Christian love, deep fellowship, shared burdens and prayers, painful separations, and the blessed hope of reunification that lasts throughout eternity. This hymn was written in England in 1782 by John Fawcett. Fawcett was orphaned by the age of twelve. He was reportedly apprenticed to a tailor but became a Christian at age 16 after hearing the preaching of George Whitfield. Fawcett then responded to his own call to preach. In 1765, he became pastor of a poor congregation at a small Baptist country Church in Wainsgate, Yorkshire. After just seven years, Fawcett was invited to become the pastor of a larger, wealthier, more influential congregation in London. He accepted the call but on the day of his departure, with his farewell sermon preached and all his family’s belongings packed and ready to go, the congregation pleaded with Fawcett to reconsider and remain their pastor. He wrote this hymn to commemorate his choice to turn down prestige and profit and remain bound to the poorer, humbler flock in Wainsgate. He served as their preacher for the remainder of his days. For fifty-four years, John and his wife, Mary, remained with the people they’d grown to love and felt called to serve. They would seem a couple reminiscent of George and Mary in the beloved Christmas movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. In the simple, humble lyrics of this hymn, there is more breadth of information about Church life than the soft, sweet tune advertises. Christ binds the hearts of believers in a way that previews glory, in bonds deeper than other friendships. We pray together. We pray for one another. And our prayers and aims are centered on a common, united goal. We care so deeply for one another that we bear each other’s burdens. When one of us hurts, we all hurt. When we are separated from each other, either on earth or by death, we have the hope of reuniting either in this life or the next. This hope keeps the bonds between us unbroken. Because of this hope, we find the courage to face whatever life brings our way as we live expectantly, knowing Jesus’ return will unify us all with Him and with one another. On that day, we will be free and together. We’ll part eternally from all sadness, unfruitful labor, pain, and sin, but our perfect love and friendship will remain with us into eternity. As Roman 8 proclaims that nothing can separate us from the love of God, so we know that that same love unites us in fellowship that nothing can divide. The story of Fawcett’s commitment to ministry in a humble congregation and the spirit of “Blest Be the Tie that Binds” exemplifies the Apostle Paul’s warnings to the church in Rome. “Let love be genuine. Hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slow-moving in zeal, be passionate in spirit, serve the Lord. Please sing with me 1 Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. 2 Before our Father’s throne we pour our ardent prayers; our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, our comforts and our cares. 3 We share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear, and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear. 4 When we are called to part, it gives us inward pain; but we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again. 5 This glorious hope revives our courage by the way; while each in expectation lives and waits to see the day. 6 From sorrow, toil, and pain, and sin, we shall be free; and perfect love and friendship reign through all eternity.
