I just looked up the Language Log blog, followed a few links, and was horrified to discover that teaching language from an intensive phonics perspective is considered "fundamentalist" and "conservative". How asinine is that? Here I thought I was on the cutting edge of research by choosing an intensive phonics program, since whole language programs have been by and large shown to be complete and utter failures...in other words, I thought I was on the "liberal" side of things, you know, the side the vast majority of the populace thinks of as the "educated" side? Instead I find that I am a "crazy conservative" about this too.

I can't win. No matter how hard I try to be educated and knowledgeable and make the best decisions I can based on the best research I can find...I end up a conservative anyway!!

:P