Embarrassing children who don't read at home

[Pipistrella]

I'm not sure yet as I haven't had a response from school (have only just been told and emailed to check) but according to my Y4 child, his teachers are operating a policy of reading out a list of the children who did not read four or five times at home during the week, to the whole class.

The policy is already taking place in a different class (same year) and his teacher said they will be adopting it presently as well.

I think this is wrong on so many levels that I don't know where to begin.

It humiliates the children
It is often not the children but their parents who make the difference between home reading and not
It is desperately unfair on those who are not in a position to do this

I hope he has got this wrong but in the meantime, is this something other schools do and thus I'm going to look like an idiot for mentioning it?

Oh yes and the policy is called, apparently, 'Name and Shame'. So it is designed, if this is the case, to humiliate them.

[Geraniumred]

It's wrong. Some children don't have anyone to read to at home. Some children don't have books at home. I would ask the class teacher directly to clarify the facts.

[PerspicaciaTick]

Yay for making reading fun and enjoyable and not in anyway linking a vital life skill and source of joy with feelings of humiliation and inadequacy! Well done that school!

(I do wonder what possesses groups of apparently intelligent, well-educated professionals sometimes).

[RNBrie]

My children aren't school age yet but I would be really upset if this happened to them. I can't bear it when education becomes competitive and humiliation if used as a motivator.

No idea what you can do about it but I'd try and do something....

[May09Bump]

That's so wrong - I read as a volunteer and it's clear some parents don't read with the children at home, for whatever reason. These children are often behind their peers and confidence is already being lost, I make sure their achievements are acknowledged during my sessions and it has been such a pleasure seeing those kids progress and most of all enjoy reading.

I would be going bloody ape if this was happening at our school.

[ggirl]

If this is true than it's appalling !

[user789653241]

Do the children need to read to adults? or can they just read it to yourself?(Since they are YR4). In my country, there was no culture of reading to your parents. Reading books was done by a child, not involving any adult. Still, attainment is very high internationally. If they want to read, they can always read to yourself, IMO. Or is it not allowed? then, it's not right.

[sofiahelins]

That's appalling! If it a policy how would you go about tackling that though? Governors maybe? Speak to other parents and go to the management as a group?

[user789653241]

And my ds's school, if I didn't have chance to listen to him, I can just sign that he read to himself, no problem.

[Flossiesmummy]

This is the most wildly unprofessional policy I have encountered in a school.

I've taught children that had other priorities eg. What they were going to find to eat that night, how to best wake up their smackhead parents.
Some children's parents don't speak or read English.
Some children come from families too poor to afford luxuries like children's books.

Just awful. I'd say something.

[megletthesecond]

So wrong. I can't get dd to read to me for love nor money. Her big brother has always been willing to read to me without any hassle. I certainly wouldn't want dd singled out for it.

[HanYOLO]

Complain
To the Governors
Pathetic, achievement-chasing, non-pupil centred nonsense

[KyloRenNeedsTherapy]

I'm passionate about reading at home and a teacher but this is appalling - won't work and is going about it all the wrong way. Definitely complain (once you've checked your facts) to the HT first and then Governors.

[HanYOLO]

tbh if my kid's primary school had a "name and shame" policy about anything apart from dangerous parking at drop off for repeat offending lazy arse parents I would be looking for a different school. It is strongly indicative of having a fuckwit for a Head.

[WipsGlitter]

How do they know they're not reading at home?

[abbsismyhero]

my school is very pissed off that ds does not read at home but he hates the school books and won't read them i offered to put in the books he does read at home but all they want are school ones he is above average and not struggling academically but every parents evening its raised in a mum you dont work are you struggling to cope? kind of way which i find fucking offencive and its only a matter of time before i tell them

[Memom]

I've worked in classes where the teacher uses this approach, all it does is make those children who haven't read feel bad, lie about it or lose all interest in reading. Families have all sorts of issues which mean for whatever reason they don't read X amount each week. Surely encouraging the children to read and enjoy the values of reading is more important.

[KyloRenNeedsTherapy]

Wips, because they sign a reading record. And, tbf, you can usually tell if a child isn't reading because their progress is seriously hindered - it makes such a difference to read with your child regularly, but this isn't the way to encourage it.

[Lurkedforever1]

Cracking policy, maybe they can introduce reading lists of kids who haven't paid for the school trip, kids not wearing good quality school shoes, kids whose parents never come to parents evening or engage with the school.

Fucking cruel idea.

[TheWoodenSpoonOfMischief]

That's awful. Ds2 doesn't really enjoy reading. I'm trying to find various ways to get him into it.
I think something like that would completely turn him off reading!

[Micah]

Dd hated reading as a child. I wasnt going to force her, so ignored biff and kipper. She learned better playing games on the computer, moshi monsters i think had little games where you earned stuff by picking out the correct spelling, or answering a question.

My sister was forced to read as a child - and my mum did say to me i should sit down for half an hour and force her to read. Funnily enough dd now reads for pleasure, where my sister sees it as a chore and at 45 has never read an entire book.

So i would strongly disagree with policy too. To the point i might look for another school with a different approach. As for the poor children with no support at home, its just awful.

[user789653241]

I still don't see the problem. For children with no support at home, can't Yr4 children choose to read or not themselves? On MN, so many people are worried about reading levels, yet not happy if the school make it a rule to read. My ds hates homework reading(read aloud), but he does it everyday because it's homework. I just think it's a good habit for future, when they have to do their homework, like it or not. He still loves reading and always reading for pleasure as well. And "name and shame" thing sound a bit too much, but some children(parent) may not even bother if there is no consequences.