Am I overreacting, or does this seem a bit stupid?

[unicorn]

Nursery class of 3/4 yr olds.

Teacher handed out some letters to a few 'chosen' parents last week (others weren't allowed to see the letters ffs!)inviting them(about 5 or so) to a meeting.

The basic gist of the meeting is that their kids are deemed 'ready' to be stuck on the education treadmill of book schemes (yep in nursery)...and are being given take home books.

The others... well .. nothing.

Now,this aint really sour grapes, as I am nonplussed that ds isn't being hothoused(!)... what I am fuming about is the underhand way the school has done this.. and the effect it has had on the parents.

It has turned a reasonably 'equal' class into a collection of smug parents (they all collected together after the meeting, and subsequently) who will no doubt think their little jonny is a child genius.

What on earth is the point of this exercise?
and should I be bothered or not?

I reiterate it is more abouyt school-parent communication than the book issue, although that too is open for discussion...

Thoughts?

[staceym11]

my only thought is surely this should be a scheme open to all children even at nursery age, books are important.

[hunkermunker]

Divisive IMO.

[moondog]

Completely and utterly outrageous.

Is this a private nursery???

[Gobbledigook]

What a very bizarre way to go about it - far too formal, why couldn't they casually send the book home?

Ds1 is in reception and they all have book bags - some of the children are already bringing home reading books but some are not yet - nobody knows who is and who isn't as no big deal is made of it and everyone has a book bag with their reading record book, letters etc in it anyway.

I think you are right that it's the way it's been communicated that has lead to tension - it's grouping those people together whose children are reading as if they are a little exclusive club. Eeew, it's horrible.

[harpsichordcarrier]

divisive and pointless

[Hattie05]

My thoughts - firstly i would be disgusted if my child came home with 'reading' books from these schemes at 3, yes come home with books, but don't have the pressure of them being in a 'scheme'.

How do you know other parents were not supposed to see these letters?

Why on earth are any of the other parents reacting smugly???

And i'd be tempted to gather those who feel the same as you (whether their children were the chosen few or not) and have a word with the Manager, asking her to explain exactly why this new scheme is in place, how it helps and why it has been kept 'secret'.

[Gobbledigook]

Was just going to say - in ds2's nursery they all bring books home whether they are actually reading them themselves or not. Just to enjoy the books and look at them with mummy and daddy.

[unicorn]

school nursery..

yep very divisive.. would like to say something BUT teacher is notorious if you get on wrong side of her - it will be a bad year iykwim...and how do I do it- w'out it sounding like sour grapes?

[jbadgirl]

I think this is awful. I work in a nursery and we always promote equal opportunities for all staff, children and parents.

They should be "including everybody"

[Miaou]

I would say that that is a normal situation, but very badly handled. It would have been better to contact each of the parents individually, without identifying them to each other in the form of a meeting (and therefore creating a "them and us" mentality at the school gate).

Re starting some children on a reading scheme in nursery, dd1 was reading The Owl Who Was Afraid Of the Dark before she started school proper - some kids really need it.

Sympathies Unicorn - even if (some of) the parents aren't smug about it, they will be forever labelled as such! Badly thought-out move by the teacher IMO.

[Hattie05]

Mine also all come home with books regardless of whether they can read or not. That is sufficient imo, reading schemes can begin at school.

[unicorn]

I wasn't allowed to see the letter.. teacher had some at door in morning, was going to take one which she swiftly pulled off me and said oh no, thats not for you!!!!!

Other parents came out of meeting chattering about what their kids could do (write name, read the bible, speak latin etc!) whilst us plebs sat and waited to touch their coats!! !!!

[QueenVictoria]

Can you speak to the teacher, tell her you are keen to kick start your childs reading and has she any books she can loan you/recommend? See what she says from there.

[unicorn]

It's more the school handling of the situation that bothers me...
I read plenty with ds and we go to library etc, so he isn't in 'need'of extra books as such.

I just object to the school creating unnecessary division between parents/children in this not so private way.

[Skribble]

Very badly done surely they could have let all the children take books home and each child could read or be read to at their level, ridiculous to select some only. Should be similar levels of books even if some are reading and some are still learning the prereading skills.

Book bags are great for all levels, much better option.

[unicorn]

yep.. when I think about it ds had book bags in pre-school (as they all did) there was no question that some children would have them (as they were more "ready") and others didn't.

Oh I'm working up to a rant I feel it coming!!!

[aloha]

My ds goes to a private nursery and nobody takes books home. We have books at home.
Bizarre.

[unicorn]

the head I'm afraid is rather ineffective, and the nursery teacher is actually the deputy head!! (2yrs experience with nursery - all the rest has been teaching the older kids...)

[hatstand]

pretty awful handling by the nursery - but I bet the smug mums aren't really all that smug. I bet they're mostly embarrassed - again, not by the substance but by the handling of it. Why don;t you find an ally amongst the selected few? open up a conversation about it in a very trivial chatty non-confrontational way - I bet if you can feel together that this is poor then a) you'll feel better about it and b) you might feel more inclined to have a word

[frogs]

Weird. Our school nursery had bookbags for all, books changed 3x a week, by the summer term some of the older children had reading scheme books, the rest were still on story books. Frankly I'd choose 'Where the wild things are' over 'Where's Floppy' any day of the week, so it was never a problem.

Bide your time and wait for your child to outstrip theirs. Revenge is a dish best eaten cold.

[unicorn]

hmmmm...
maybe I should suggest to the parents committee they fundraise to get book bags for all nursery kids..

I mean, surely the school has to be interested in the reading of all children?

[nooka]

My dd isn't in a scheme in Reception, why on earth should it be necessary at pre-school stage? The only thing that children should be bringing home at the age of three or four should be art work, surely? We have had leaflets on encouraging your child to read, which seems sufficient to me. Let alone the "not for you" approach.