to ask the teacher for reading books /extra work for dd

[lilymolly]

DD nearly 5 started school in Sept
It is an ofsted outstanding faith school
Since she started we have had a few teething trouble, and I have already been called into school on 2 occasions
The first week she started she pushed a girl over because they where fighting over a stool. Then a few weeks later I was called in, because her and another little boy where playing on the computer keyboard at school with a toy dinosaur and broke off one of the keys.

I obv told off dd and told her this behaviour was unacceptable.

DD also told me last week that she got wrong at school because she poured her water on the floor deliberately which again is totally out of character

The thig is, this behaviour is totally out of character, I have never had any problems with her either at nursery or the childminders.

I am not saying she is perfect but she is not really a naughty child.

Anyhow we have been off school this week due to the snow so I have spent a lot of time with her, and I have noticed that she is starting to read words in everyday life such as on tv or in a book. So I have been reading some phonics books with her, and she can start to sound and read all the words with no problems at all. She sits and writes words, spells them out load and generally is amazing me at how much she has progressed.

I am starting to wonder if she is perhaps a bit bored at school because she is not doing any reading at all, and just keeps coming home with sounds to learn which she can do with ease, and generally seems to be learning through play at school. Although I know this is part of the curriculam, I am wondering if perhaps I should ask the teacher
for extra work for her, or perhaps to start doing some reading with her, or at least bring a reading book home?

I really dont want to be one of those pushy mums so should I say something or keep out of it?

Sorry but I keep thinking of that old mumsnet thread where someone asked if their dc was gifted and talented because at the age of five she was reading War and Peace. Another mumsnetter replied "only if it's in the original Russian." Cracked me up!

whiteliesaregoodlies -

I wouldn't worry too much about her not being given books to bring home. DD has been in Reception since Easter and doesn't bring reading books home as it is their school policy not to send them home until all of the children, including the ones who only started in September, are ready. She can however read, she borrows (simple) books from the library and can read them. It turns out they are actually reading with her and a couple of the other older children in the year in school, although I only found that out during a casual conversation with her teacher.

I would be worried myself about being called into school twice though. I wouldn't necessarily immediately connect the behaviour with her not being stretched, it could be this or it could just be that she isn't settling very well in the new school. I would personally deal with the behaviour issue seperately from the reading issue for now.

Reading with her at home will certainly do no harm though if she is ready for it.

I wouldn't bother asking the school for books to be honest - I would just keep reading with her at home. Go to the library, pick out some books together. Not all children learn to read with phonics and I think familiarity and enjoyment of books is more important than flying through the sounds that letters make.

TBH I've always found it a bit strange that people don't 'teach' their children before school because they think it will confuse things or that it is the school's responsibility . If they show an interest in something then they shouldn't be kept away from it! I'm very much in favour of presenting opportunities to learn without applying pressure to do so. DS1 starting reading books like Dr Seuss and the Gruffalo by himself before he turned 3 and DS2 recognises most of the letters of the alphabet and numbers up to ten at 20 months. This isn't because we sat them down and forced them to learn - it is because we were playing games, reading books and doing puzzles together and they just soaked it all up like sponges! :) Why deny them that opportunity?