Is it usual for kids to 'lose interest' in school in Y2 before they are to start junior school?

[dollybird]

DS is nearly 7 and in yr 2, due to start juniors in Sept. He is a bright boy, esp at maths and always gets good reports from school. However, over the last few months he has become more and more difficult to motivate to read his reading book or do his writing homework. I don't want to get into battles with him to get him to do it, but OTOH I don't want to just say not to do it, in case he gets the message that if he kicks off every time he won't have to do what he's asked.

He seems to have become slower and slower at reading, his sister who is 15 months younger and in Y1 is overtaking him by miles because she loves to read and just gets on with it. Perhaps he feels bad because of this although we do our best not to point it out, but I can't discourage her from reading either when she likes to do it (she will usually read his reading book if she gets hold of it).

I suppose I'm just worrying as I know the work steps up in juniors and think he might find it really hard. Any advice?

[snorkle]

Reading books are often rather dull. It's probably more important that he reads something he enjoys rather than drudging through some scheme book. Can you find some books that do interest him? Non-fiction often appeals to boys more at that age. And do still read to him as well - lots.

With the writing, again it's probably a boy thing. Try to keep it short & sweet - make it into a game if possible with sweets or some inducement and it's best if you can do it at a set time so he gets used to regularly doing his homework (because really at that age, homework should be very short & more about getting used to the pattern of doing it than about the actual work itself)

[marblemind]

I can really relate to you dollybird, in fact it's quite reassuring to hear you say it (so to speak). Writing's not great in our house either, but I encourage him to write what he's interested in - writing fact files about made up characters, footballers etc seems to be a reasonable compromise, and I try to make sure he's using punctuation and adjectives etc
DS also needs encouragement to complete tasks - a strong reader but always putting it off, I know he actually really gets into the story once he's started. I agree about school reading books - even many of the free readers are pretty dire, so we don't always do them, tho I try to do some to show willing to teacher (even those he read last year ugh!) Now I'm trying a different tack - I've just bought Harry Potter and he and I are both reading it, together at the same time. I'd wanted to read it anyway, and this way he focuses, and there's a bit of competition - who can guess the first word on the next page etc. Seems to be working ok so far. I've also bought the CD of the story to help with understanding of it. There's loads of books on CD, I'm sure you could find one that interests him.
Do you think the wrok steps up next year? I'm not sure. DS like yours working at high level in maths, but says maths is his worst subject at school as it's boring - that depresses me, and I'm not convinced it will get any better. One comment we'd had from the teacher this year was 'well I can't give him Y3/4 works as then he'll be bored next year'.........I ask you??!!

[cuppateaplease]

Ds is in Y6 and still won't read what i call a proper book ie one with just words in! He can read (very well)- just finds those books boring!
However, about Y2/Y3ish he found Captain Underpants and Dennis the Menace books - he loved these as there are cartoon elements in the books as well as writing and read them several times. He also liked nonsense rhymes eg Spike Milligans
Now he mainly reads Horrible History type books as again there are pictures and the writing is interesting/funny!
As snorkle says - school reading books are boring - DS hasn't read them since year 3 - the teachers were fine with that as long as he was reading something at home - he also took his own books in the read during quiet times in the classroom

[JeffVadar]

Like the others say it sounds to me as though he is a bright boy who is bored and turned off by what he is doing at school.

My DS hated his school reading books at this age. What got him reading was non-fiction books - he loved wildlife and nature and I got him a lovely book called Wild, Wild World. He didn't get into reading for pleasure until he was about 9, and now he devours books.

We had really good teachers at his school, but if a child was above the 'required' standard they were pretty much left to get on with things while the teachers worked with the slower ones.

Like marblemind, I suspect you might find this situation persists into KS2 I'm afraid

[Fennel]

My 7yo was very turned off in the second half of yr 2 last year, I think the revision for sats and emphasis on basic skills bored her senseless - she already had all those basic skills.

But she found yr 3 much better, more interesting work, higher expectations. More topics/science/history and so on. She's much more enthusiastic again.

[dollybird]

hi guys thanks for all your comments. It's reassuring to know it may be a while before he really gets 'into' reading. It's true he does like non-fiction better - we got him a children's encyclopaedia for christmas. For his birthday I got him a Ben 10 book which is a comic book style which I thought he might like. Think I just need to chill on the homework front so he's not put off for life - I'm pretty sure he's fine at school (prob because he wouldn't tell the teacher he didn't want to do it!)