My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

The staffroom

Being 'that' parent

17 replies

Bobgoblin23 · 15/01/2017 20:56

Can I ask in this section for teachers opinions please?

DS is in Reception and has only been reading books since starting school in September. He's happy to read a book that comes from school on a reading book day, or any book from ORT because they all look the same. He won't read if it doesn't look like an ORT book. (I suspect ASD but that's a whole different thread!)

Over Christmas I supplemented the school reading books with ORT songbirds level 2&3. He loved the set of books and read them all really well We also have book packs for ORT level 1-6 at home. Since New Year's Day he has been reading a different level 4 book at home each day. He reads them mostly without any problems, having to sound out one or two words with each book if he's not read it before. Once he's read it, he knows it and memorises it.

He is bringing home Red book band ORT level 2 books and is simply not challenged by them. No new words or sounds to learn in them. Would it be appropriate for me to ask for him to be benchmarked? It's out of sync with how they do it and I think he is due in about March. Until then, only TA's listen to him read at school and not even once a week.

I don't want to be 'that' parent but I want him to be challenged with his reading. When he left his nursery they assessed him as emerging or working at expected level for end of Reception. He was exceeding all 30-50 months bands and had been for some time. That was 6 months ago and he has developed really well since starting school.

How would you want to be approached with this? Many thanks

OP posts:
Report
BetweenTwoLungs · 15/01/2017 21:00

You wouldn't be 'that parent' at all for asking me this. More than happy to check where a child is up to. Just speak to the teacher and say that you think he's finding that band quote straight forward so could he be assessed to see if he needs to move up?

Are the books phonics based? They should be.

Report
BetweenTwoLungs · 15/01/2017 21:01

I'd go with the approach of really wanting to help him at home which always goes down well.

Report
PenguinRoar · 15/01/2017 21:04

Do you have a home link book where you and the teacher write about what your child is reading each week?

I picked up key phrases in the reading book notes about fluency, pace, understanding the vocabulary and punctuation and wrote to evidence DS was meeting the milestones of each band. His teachers checked and progressed him. There were areas he wasn't' meeting so there were sensible reasons for the banding given, but with a bit more practice, he soon moved up past biff, kipper and all of that.

Report
QuackDuckQuack · 15/01/2017 21:13

I'd ignore the nursery assessment - I think they tend not to agree with the school's assessment.

But do ask for him to be reassessed - it doesn't make any sense for him not to be able to move up a book band until March. Some children whizz through the bands and others take much longer.

I deliberated recently about asking for DD (year 1) to be read with as she hadn't read one-to-one with a teacher for a couple of months and seemed to have picked up some bad habits that we couldn't resolve at home. Her teacher has moved her from the band she was on to being a free reader (skipping a couple of bands) and addressed the problems I raised. I only wish I'd asked sooner.

It is slightly inevitable that the strongest readers will have a bit less one-to-one reading at school, but teachers do want every child to be provided with opportunities to progress.

Report
Bobgoblin23 · 15/01/2017 22:01

Thanks for the replies, I will be braved and speak to the teacher!

OP posts:
Report
DrScholl · 15/01/2017 22:03

go to the library and get a book ffs
STop stressing

Report
Bobgoblin23 · 15/01/2017 22:20

Thanks DrScholl I hadn't thought of that.

OP posts:
Report
BobGoblin23 · 17/01/2017 17:19

Just an update: DS was bringing home Red band level 2. Now he is bringing home Pink level 2 and says he has not read to the teacher yet. I didn't expect him to be benchmarked straight away, but to go back down to pink tells me no-one is even checking which book he is taking.

OP posts:
Report
QuackDuckQuack · 17/01/2017 17:56

Our reception children were expected to change their books themselves and to pick from the right level themselves, I wouldn't expect this to be checked by a teacher/TA. They would be better off spending their taxes me hearing children read. Though obviously that isn't happening in your case.

Report
BobGoblin23 · 18/01/2017 15:17

That's exactly what's happened. A friend of his brought back the book and he took it, rather than go to the right box and get a book of the right level. It's frustrating as DS will take the easy option but always enjoys a more challenging book when it's given to him. I honestly thought a TA would be checking they're taking an appropriate book that they're not had before.

I'm just going to wait now until he's benchmarked.

OP posts:
Report
Bobgoblin23 · 21/01/2017 14:49

And yesterday he came home with no book at all. So AIBU or just a pushy knob of a parent?

Reading ability higher than current book band
Bringing home a book from a lower band
Not bringing home a book at all

And tells me he doesn't read aloud at school (no idea if this is true or not)

If I left it until Easter, when they do the next benchmarking, what harm can be done? I'm inclined to just keep reading at his pace/level at home but don't want to undermine school.

OP posts:
Report
2014newme · 21/01/2017 14:51

You do know you can just read your own books? If the school one isn't suitable tell the teacher and read something else!

Report
3penguins · 21/01/2017 14:59

As an ex- reception teacher, I would be concerned that he is not being heard to read by his teacher on a regular basis. Does the school have a Reading Policy that sets out expectations?

Children are expected to change their own books at many schools so it is possible that he has picked up a book from the wrong box. However, this should've been noticed by someone. I would pop in and ask why he has gone down a band - they may have a reason - possibly comprehension. If it's an error, at least you will have flagged it up.

Report
Mehfruittea · 21/01/2017 15:15

I know the school are asking for parent volunteers for reading - I have volunteered myself. Due to DBS checking and the training dates, this won't be in place until after Easter.

My concern is the lack of supervision over which book he is selecting, if any, and no-one listening to him read. I want to have a good relationship with the school and not be that parent they roll their eyes at. But I also want DS to progress at his own pace, and this isn't helping him.

There isn't a policy that sets out how often they will read to a teacher at school or be benchmarked for a book band. And no reading diary/log either to communicate how well he is doing at home vs taking easy street at school.

Report
VeritysWatchTower · 23/01/2017 09:54

I am not a teacher but a parent with a child in year 6 and one at secondary. I also volunteer in the primary school and I listen to children read but in KS2.

It may not simply be about reading the words but understanding what he is reading. My role is to not only hear a child read but to discuss the words in the book, the sentence structure, embedded clauses, relative pronouns etc. In reception I would be asking about the story, point to a word and ask them to give it to me in a sentence.

My 10 year old apparently has a reading age of 14, this does not mean he can read books aimed at that age and grasp the complexities of the story.

Your son can read at home, not just books but comics, magazines for children and online. But you need to talk to your son to tell him what colour books to choose in school.

Report
cherrycrumblecustard · 23/01/2017 09:55

Why not Verity?

Report
Mehfruittea · 23/01/2017 16:40

Thanks for your messages.DS has suspected SPD and some of his behaviours come across as awkwardness. He won't read a book unless he thinks it's a school reading book. He's happy to have me read any book but ORT are the only ones he will attempt at home. It's the familiarity of the shape, size, characters etc. That is why I have bought some ORT packs that cover phonics and level 1-6. And why I knew he was easily managing level 3.

It turns out his teacher has been off, they have used TAs from other classes to cover. His teacher is back in now and today he's come home will a Yellow band book. Smile

End of thread, worry over. Grin Gin poured. Checks watch.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.