Education

Take Note

March 10, 2004 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Memory Lane

The days of the nuclear family are alive and well again— at least in the books featuring Dick and Jane.

Baby boomers can take pleasure in once again reading the tales of Mother, Father, Dick, Jane, Sally, and their dog, Spot.

After a 30-year hiatus, reissued editions of the “Dick and Jane” primers appeared in 2002 on the shelves of retail stores, including Wal-Mart. In their first 15 months on the market, the books sold more than 2.5 million copies.

But while the books— and calendars and other memorabilia featuring their characters—may be popular with consumers, some educators note that the books weren’t good tools for teaching reading.

“This is a marketing ploy to capitalize on nostalgia,” said David Bloome, the past president of the National Council of Teachers of English. “When the adults from my generation look back on learning to read and early childhood, we want to remember it fondly.”

The books’ simple sentences and storylines lacked depth, Mr. Bloome complained. In addition, he noted that the books’ concept of the ideal family wasn’t representative of society. He recalls his own feelings of “boredom, stress, and worry” when being called on to read from the books and not being able to use correct pronunciation.

However, the publishers of the new Dick and Jane books see no problem with reverting to one’s childhood.

“Learning to read is a pretty emotional, impactful thing and time, and people are happy to get something associated with that time,” said Paul L. McFall, the president of Scott Foresman, which is owned by Pearson Education, the publisher of the books.

Any fears among teachers that the books will be reincorporated into reading instruction are unwarranted, he says: “People just want to share the stories with their children, and the books have not been used in over 30 years, so it’s not a real issue.”

—Natasha N. Smith

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
The Future of the Science of Reading
Join us for a discussion on the future of the Science of Reading and how to support every student’s path to literacy.
Content provided by HMH
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar
From Classrooms to Careers: How Schools and Districts Can Prepare Students for a Changing Workforce
Real careers start in school. Learn how Alton High built student-centered, job-aligned pathways.
Content provided by TNTP
Student Well-Being Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Wellbeing
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: July 16, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
5 min read
Education Follow Education Week’s K-12 Coverage on Bluesky
Education Week has joined the social media platform Bluesky.
1 min read
Illustration of Education Week and Bluesky logos.
F. Sheehan/Education Week
Education Quiz Who Qualifies to Receive the First-ever Federal School Voucher? Take the Quiz to Find Out
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz Trump’s Surprise Freeze on School Funding—How Much Do You Know?
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read