AIBU to think this is over the top and a bit odd? (Reading level related, of all things!)

[Caff2]

A former colleague of mine, primary teacher teaching year one at the moment, has had a complaint made to the HT about her by a disgruntled parent.

The parent's complaint is that the teacher moved her child up a level in reading, but did not inform the parents via a celebratory certificate (?), well done sticker, or make an announcement to the class in celebration time. Just "X has now moved up to level Y", for example, in reading record with new level book in book bag.

I think an actual written complaint about this is really a bit odd, but the parent feels that the teacher is not providing enough positive reinforcement or using self esteem building opportunities because of this.

AIBU?

In y1 my dd moved up and jumped whole levels in the matter of weeks sometimes. I don't think a big old class boast would have been warranted. I would see it as over indulgent and not fair on others in the class who were progressing at a steadier pace.

Some parents are just a little too over invested.mi do hope the HT did not indulge the complaint.

Very odd!!! DS1 is Yr1 and went up a level today, it was just written in his reading log. I'd never even considered it was worthy of celebration!!

I suppose it would depend on how long the child had been at the previous level. If it had been a while and the child had struggled and getting to the next level was a result of a lot of effort then yes, some recognition would have been appropriate. But I would have had a quiet word with the teacher rather than making a written complaint.

DD whizzed through the reading levels, it was one of the things at school she found easy. She got very few stickers for reading but she got lots for things that she found very hard and put a lot of effort into.

God, what teachers have to put up with

I imagine this must be the very worst bit about being a teacher - nutcase parents.

How utterly stupid. The parent is being ridiculous.

I hope the HT gives the teacher his/her full support and speaks plainly to the parent about wasting the school's time.

What little fish said

Well, I'm glad others see this as weird too! When I used to teach, we would inform parents, as above, in reading record about a change, but not make any kind of song and dance - maybe "Well done, X, you are ready to move onto the insert level books now" said to the child at the end of the reading!

HT has supported former colleague thankfully!

I hope the parent comes on aibu with her dilemma.

Good grief. My DS didn't even get a note in his book. We only knew because we noticed that the sticker on the spine was gold instead of purple and I had to check he'd not helped himself to a more challenging book

DD is reception. They have small stickers in the reading record "I moved up a level in reading today". This is sufficient IMHO.

But I have an older child and so am used to school. Some other mums in class who have PFB-itis get very aerated about reading level and how well their child is doing. It is quite draining. As nice as they are I can imagine them doing similar. They will learn!

DS2 never even gets it mentioned in his reading book that he has moved up a level. You only find out by looking at the book.

That parent is clearly a loon.

What's more weird is this is how it's always been done - quick note in reading record. So presumably, the parent has been fuming each time over the course of the year and has now decided "Enough is enough!!"

Are they for real!?

Not doubting you, Caff2, just amazed. The most we got was a note in the reading record with a smiley face.

YANBU this mother needs to get a grip! My DD has been moved up a reading group a few times (shes in Y1) and I just get a short note from the teacher each time about it. No idea what is said in class but she doesn't get a sticker or anything like for moving up. Thinking about it I must be a shite mum coz I don't think I react much to it either other than "cool, you're getting better" or something. DD doesn't seem upset or damaged by this lack of fuss

sorry parent not mother don't know why I presumed mother!

Well my ds went down a maths group this year, should they have stood him up in front of the class to tell everyone about that ?

Unless the teacher made a huge fuss of other children going up a group, then this parent needs to get a grip!

that's ridiculous, DD's teacher doesn't even tell me when she moves up a level, the books just have a different colour sticker on them, its never occurred to me to complain. I think I'd be more annoyed if DD kept coming home saying x has moved up a level because it would make it into a competition.

Oh what is the World Wide Web coming to! In my day there were no such think as stickers, we were quite content with our chalk and slate.

Agree mother is OHFR (off her F rocker). It even has no educational value to make a song and dance because most schools want kids to move from needing extrinsic motivation to being intrinsically motivated. A simple note or very low key comment allows the child to be happy for themselves rather than someone else being excited and happy for them.

Our school gives no notice whatsoever about when they change reading levels or colours. It's one reason I am always clueless what colour DC are on.

I read with one child who hasn't gone up a level in ages. Just think how awful she'd feel (she has dyslexia and, I reckon, a processing disorder) if every time a child went up a level there was a huge fuss?

This woman is clearly bonkers but at least the head is supporting the teacher.

I kind of wish the parent would do an AIBU on it now too! [wink}

Or , even!

The OP says parent. We don't know that it's the mother.

Whatever, the parent is completely over the top. The parent can celebrate all s/he wants at home, and expecting any kind of fuss about it at school is unrealistic.