To wish school wouldn't bang on about library reading challenge so much and to encourage ds to cheat?

[theduchessstill]

Once again the dc have come home from school telling me they must do this challenge, Mrs X and Miss Y have both said everyone in the class must do it as they expect it, everyone who turns up in September with the requisite certificate will be rewarded by the school as well etc etc.

Now obviously I want to encourage my dc to read and have done so all their lives (and if it’s relevant, both are excellent readers), but I’m starting to find some of this a bit counter-productive. Ds1 is my main concern. He will be going into Y6 and doesn’t read as much as I’d like. Over the last year or so I’ve had to admit he doesn’t like reading, and it hurts me. As an English graduate/teacher who read to both the dc pretty much from birth and filled the house with books I suppose I assumed they would both love reading as much as I do. But they don’t. Ds 1 did go through a phase of reading a lot but that’s long gone and he doesn’t really read a great deal now. I still read to him at bedtime and he does read some non-fiction, more so in the holidays, and he will devour fucking Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates, but that’s really it, aside from cricket related stuff/magazines/programmes etc.

Ds2 is enjoying the HTTYD series and reads on after I’ve read to him at night. As ds1 devours Wimpy Kid, he will devour Rainbow Magic.

The challenge doesn’t bother ds2 – he will happily read 6 Rainbow Magic books and, I believe, gain little from the experience but will take the certificate happily to school: job done. Ds1 can’t do anymore WK and TG because has read all there is, and struggles with the challenge a lot more. He actually doesn’t want to do it, but is genuinely worried about turning up and not having done it, despite all I have said to reassure him on this.

He has a couple of big science books on the go atm. They are huge and not the type of books you tear through quickly, but he is genuinely interested in them and enjoying reading them. Worse than being big, one of them is not even from the library, so will not count. I have told him that as long as he reads a bit of them everyday he could count them both towards the challenge – the librarians don’t check the boo titles are from the library when they sign them off. I have said we can probably find 3 WKesque books in the library he could use, and that will just leave one other new type of book for him to try. He is happy with my ‘deal’ but aghast at the suggestion of cheating, but equally distraught at the idea of not completing the challenge or reading other books to make up the 6!

AIBU to think he would be a lot better off reading whatever he likes and will probably gain a lot more from what he does end up reading than the shite ds2 will gobble up, yet he could be the one to end up being praised for it!

AIBU for being pissed off with the school for pushing this like it’s the only possible way to show reading ability/enthusiasm when it really isn’t?

One thing I did with DS when he did the library challenge was to choose 6 different authors/type of book so he discovered other books he might like, otherwise one year it would have been all Horrid Henry and another Beast Quest!

I think it is harder to do the challenge when you are a strong reader as the books you read are obviously going to be longer and take more time and if you have other interests or are doing other things over the holiday it is hard to fit things in. This where we found audio books very handy as we could listen to them whilst we were travelling to see various relatives etc. Probably an idea to get a shorter one than LOTR though . Our library had ones you could borrow.

Has he read anything like Jeremy Strong, quite short but very funny? My DS loved Captain Underpants at that age (and often caught DH reading them too ). They are both looking forward to seeing the film later this week. Not particularly intellectual but entertaining.

If he likes cricket I remember one of DS's friends reading books about a fictional cricket team, sorry I can't remember what they are called, but they might be an idea, and they didn't seem particularly long.

I don't think it is a good idea that school are making it "compulsory". It should be fun but I think it can help reluctant readers especially if you can introduce them to different styles of books and also getting children to use libraries

Our one gives a free book for every 6 books you take out of (and bring back to) the library.

As you can take 8 books out at a time and I suppose no limit on how often you visit you probably could be a bit silly with it but I did notice the librarians chatting to children about the books they were handing in so I suppose they do sort of check you've actually read it and the sort of free book you get is linked to the sort of books you borrow so DS(2) gets a picture book.

I do feel for those children though who read really long books so would be pushed to read 6 (although it runs for 8 weeks).

I'm refusing the challenge this year, after the disappointment of last year.

You couldn't do the challenge across multiple libraries (we use more than one) so some of our visits didn't count.

You couldn't check off more than two books a fortnight at any single library (ie it's two books three times two weeks apart) which with work/holiday pattern we realised meant we couldn't complete it even if we read a hundred books each

We'll visit the library, we'll read new books (and comics) and reread old favourites but the Challenge itself can fuck off. I've told the DC I'll make them a certificate if they want one.

I can see that it's useful for some people. It is not useful for us so I'm not getting involved.

Our school do a reading challenge over the holiday that is more specific than the library one - so its things like, a book about an animal, a book about sport, a book that's been made into a film, a poetry book etc.

DD loved the direction.

It doesn't really work for my DCs. Which has felt pretty awkward for me as I worked at the library for 5 years!

They are autistic and DD is being investigated for learning difficulties so as she's got older she's finding it harder to read and understand longer/more relevant books. She actually reads lots but prefers small chunks of info - stuff like Discovery Box magazine, and those Usborne "see inside" fact books, even sets of fact cards that she can browse in bed and drop all over the floor - it's just easier for her to take in.

Both DCs also freak out at talking to strangers so won't tell the volunteers about the books - we have to go in at quiet times when one of my old colleagues is available.

one of them is not even from the library, so will not count
Not true at ours thankfully

I volunteer for this; our library is pretty strict about only library books counting.

If it's the Tesco bank/Reading Agency summer reading challenge, then technically they do have to be library books.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if lots of libraries were ignoring that particular rule though.

At our library we have to get their (stored at the library) card checked off each week. Should we choose to cheat, all we have to do is attend, said we need the week X sticker to put on the wall and they date their cards. They might ask the dc which book they read/what was their favourite. But 9/10 the staff on the reading challenge desk are secondary school volunteers doing it for whatever work/volunteer/community service they need to tick off so don't go too much into it (especially when there is a large group at the time).

However, YABU to expect your dc to like reading as much as you do. All children are different and boys are notoriously hard to get into reading.

But things that may help;

Comic books - they count. Our library has a wealth of Asterix and Where's Wally books.

Non-fiction. If ds has a particular interest, encourage him to learn more about it. Space, sport, the inner workings of a clock!

Ds1 misunderstood the challenge this year, so he has set himself the target of reading 6 animal detective books. It has meant he has picked up books he otherwise wouldn't. Fleatectives, spy cat... he's 7 so the books might be a bit young reading wise but they also might be easy reading to encourage him to pick up a book.

I think you're in danger of over thinking it. I use my discretion with it for my two. Our library has long waiting lists for books so if they've read a couple from home I think that's fine. And if your ds has sat down for a couple of hours and read complicated science chapters from a huge tome I would sign that off too. Plus perhaps a cricket autobiography? A tintin or similar? And if he hasn't read it already 'wonder' is a must read. (Not comic book style but set in American junior high with an important message). I think it's up to the parent to decide if they've worked hard on it as every child is different and they know their child. It's not cheating!

I think it's a good idea to teach a DC that there is a difference between rules that make sense and have a clear purpose and good effect and rules that are silly. A child of 10 -12 and certainly 12 up, will be developing a sense of that anyway, and having a parent who can also see through the silly stuff is a good thing.

I feel very lucky that my DCs never had to deal with poorly thought out stuff like this. They get to choose one summer reading item in high school here, and it is supplied by the high school bookstore. They will be asked to present some sort of appraisal of whatever book they chose during the first week back.

I think the power point would be a good idea, as it is a challenge on top of the (obv fairly easy) reading material, and it can help a child who is interested in alternative forms of communication to be able to relate printed material to tech.

Inmyplace, I think the point that it is up to the parent to decide if a child has worked on it/put in an honest effort is really important. This elevates it above the box ticking, which can only lead to cynicism.

I like the idea of trying different kinds of reading for older children (six could be a fiction book, a comic book/graphic novel, a magazine/comic, a newspaper, a fact book/encyclopedia, and a diary/autobiography). That would also make a good presentation as the relevant comparisons are important up to GCSE. More reluctant readers might find a style they like better.

All reading counts as far as outcomes go; so all reading should count for reading challenges.

I can totally see your point OP. I would hate it if my dcs' school were that forceful about it.
My ds1 is now 11 and won't do the reading challenge any more because a) lots of the books he reads are not from the library and b) he probably won't read 6 books over the summer because he reads novels now.

It worked for him when he was little (and a v reluctant reader) but he only started to enjoy reading in year 5. The reason? His teacher never checked his reading record so he didn't feel like reading was homework any more. Suddenly, he got it.

(Although he did decide to fill a reading challenge card in at the end of the summer holidays last year just so he could get the free ice cream...)

I've never known our library to check whether the books on the card are library books or not though, and I certainly wouldn't see what you're proposing as cheating.