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AIBU?

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Original poster

Writing proper comments in DD10’s reading record book

80 replies

SkillyWiggler · 29/04/2019 22:54

DD is 10 and in year 5. She’s been told by her new teacher that he’d like me to write a comment in her reading record book rather than just signing it. Fair enough, I can understand that, I guess.
But, there’s only so many times I can write the likes of “read very well/great expression/DD enjoyed the book” before it just becomes pointless.
She’s exceeding in reading. Occasionally she might struggle with a certain word, but is that comment worthy? Her understanding and expression are great…what more can I comment on? Since year 3 she’s really been past the level that there’s rarely reason to write much of a comment. And so it was mostly just a signature with the occasional comment, with no complaints from her teachers. It doesn’t help anyone, the only thing that helps her reading progress now is more reading, which she does daily. She’s reading more than is expected by her school. Though the new reading record system makes it a chore to record that’s she reading lots more than the record book shows. Anyway, that’s a separate issue.

AIBU to mostly just sign the record book, with the occasional lame comment, unless there’s actually a meaningful one to make? Or to passive aggressively just write "read well" from now on.. as I don't want her getting an earful it I can avoid it, he apparently wasn't telling her off or anything, but still..

He said he’s liked to see a comment, well DD and I would very much like to see the occasional comment from him in her homework, rather than just a damn ‘good work’ stamp… that would be more constructive than a repetitive reading comment from me?!

I’ll just add that I’m not against reading record books per se, and I fill in DD6’s with comments as appropriate, noting her progress/struggles Etc, and it serves a purpose to let the teachers know how she’s doing etc. But surely once kids are competent readers they don’t need a damn daily comment anymore? Just let us enjoy the bloody books?!

OP posts:
HexagonalBattenburg · 30/04/2019 07:43

We get told to just put a tick or smiley face or something if we're struggling for comments to put in the damned reading diaries! When they're on longer books I quite often just put the page numbers and there's never been an issue with that.

oblada · 30/04/2019 07:44

God I hope my school doesn't do this! My oldest is in Yr2 and I struggle to occasionally fill the reading record as she reads independently and does not want to read to me (prefers to read in her bed at night). I ask her to tell me the stories etc to check understanding and she seems pretty good with it. I really don't think I'll be able to have any involvement with her reading in 3 yrs time!

bigbadbadger · 30/04/2019 07:45

Is she reading aloud to you in year 5? Mine are teenagers now but the resign record stopped when they went onto chapter books. Year 2 for DS and year 3 for dad. When does it end?
‘Jack enjoy the main themes of “IT’ but found the racier parts awkward to read aloud in front of his grandma” 😂

jellygumboots · 30/04/2019 07:47

I get DD to rate the book, eg 7/10.

TeenTimesTwo · 30/04/2019 07:50

I would consider a comment at the end of every book / once a week only, where you can say something like 'summarised the book well. Especially liked the part where Hermione hit Draco. We discussed whether this was the 'right' thing to do.'

toomuchfaster · 30/04/2019 07:59

Really? DD is in reception and I have already dropped to writing 'good reading' everyday. It's exhausting!

I would want to discuss the disparity at parents evening, why do you need to write comments vs his stamp.

Missingstreetlife · 30/04/2019 08:06

Emoji?

Pk37 · 30/04/2019 08:11

I did not think this would still be going on in year 5! That’s ridiculous .
I barely write in it now and dd is in year 3 but she’s practically a free reader now so writes comments herself which the teacher is fine with .
She rarely reads to me anymore but will go off and read by herself

Glitterblue · 30/04/2019 08:11

I have the same problem, DD is in year 4 and has been a brilliant reader for years and I find myself looking for different ways to says things.... I usually write if there is a word she hasn't understood the meaning of but other than that, how many times can you write "great reading/fluent reading at a good pace/lovely expression" etc. It was so much easier when she was younger and there was more to write.

CherryPavlova · 30/04/2019 08:13

I think I stopped writing comments in Year 2 or 3 and had them to write their own reading record.

HoneyWheeler · 30/04/2019 08:14

It might help to think of this as an opportunity- it can be a pain to do though, I get it! What do you talk about while she's reading? Eg, a book on Robin Hood 'we spoke about taxes and how they're different now compared to Robin Hood's time'. The comment doesn't have to be just about her word reading, but her comprehension and how you're helping her to link it to a real world context.

Holidayshopping · 30/04/2019 08:18

I think that teacher saying you have to write comments when he uses a stamper is a bit rich! I’d be tempted to say that but I’m a bit stroppy.

I’d also be tempted to go through the thesaurus and write a different word for good down every day!

caringdenise009 · 30/04/2019 08:20

I refused point blank to have anything to do with the reading record, or to make my son write a review of every stupid magic key book he was forced to read. Bloody stupid idea. I read everyday and never write reviews. I also squashed the school policy that once you had chosen a book you had to finish it whether you were enjoying it or not. I told those fools that I had spent a lot of effort encouraging reading for pleasure and I wasn't having them barging in with their boring crap ruining it for him. I was more tactful when I spoke to the teacher but he never wrote another book review, and if he wasn't interested in finishing a book he chose another.

Original poster
SkillyWiggler · 30/04/2019 11:49

Thanks for the replies.

I'm toying with the idea of writing a comment, basically summarising my rant here - that her reading continues to be great but there's little point in commenting further. I'm kind of annoyed at the teacher actually, DD says he's never actually heard her read (he is new) and that he only hears the children who are struggling.

They changed the reading record system last year, it used to be simple - list the books you read, with a space for a comment. So DD was able to simply list the books she's read, the ones school had given her as well as all of her own, it made it much easier to write useful or interesting comments about her own books that she enjoyed. Now the whole thing is a chore - I'll add a pic. So we just skip filling it in with the extra books, as she'd have to write about them!

To answer a few questions - we're supposed to listen to them read at least once per week and just fill in the one comment, so not every day but still pointless imo.

The amount I hear her read out loud varies too, sometimes we'll read a book together and read alternate chapters, other days we don't read together, but she's reads in bed alone most days.

OP posts:
Original poster
SkillyWiggler · 30/04/2019 11:55

She has to fill in one of these per week and I'm supposed to comment at the end.
No place to add all the other books she's reading at the same time as she thinks she'd be expected to write about them too - the whole thing had just become a chore.

Writing proper comments in DD10’s reading record book
OP posts:
ArfArfBarf · 30/04/2019 11:59

It might help to think of this as an opportunity- it can be a pain to do though, I get it! What do you talk about while she's reading? Eg, a book on Robin Hood 'we spoke about taxes and how they're different now compared to Robin Hood's time'. The comment doesn't have to be just about her word reading, but her comprehension and how you're helping her to link it to a real world context.

This seems a bit “performance parenting” what benefit is there to the teacher of knowing you’ve done this.

BananasAreTheSourceOfEvil · 30/04/2019 12:06

Mine struggled a bit with reading when younger and my youngest still does, so highlighting words she has problems with and where she tries to make things up rather than reading was helpful for the teacher to work on. With my older kids, in the past few years Ive just said to the teacher theyre not having problems (same complaints as you OP) and theyve all said not to worry about filling in comments unless theres an issue. I thinnk they get bored of reading them as much as I did writing them!!!

JemSynergy · 30/04/2019 12:25

When my son was in year 6 his teacher made us sign the reading record each day! So if at the end of the week the child hadn't received five signatures signed by the parent but only had 4 then the child would get a detention, they would then have to stay in at playtime to read! I thought it was a silly request, surely one signature at the end of the week is enough to confirm they have read during the week! One child had to stay in EVERY week, even though the child was a fluent avid reader. Our teacher's never sign or write a comment in the diary and neither does my other child's (Yr4) teacher.

IsYourGoogleBroken · 30/04/2019 12:32

How would you feel if you had zero feed back from teachers?

Hoppinggreen · 30/04/2019 12:33

Buy a “good work” stamp

Bouncebacker · 30/04/2019 12:36

Ok, so this isn’t for you. You are obviously an engaged, interested parent who cares about your child’s learning and for you, commenting of a piece of paper doesn’t change this. But parental engagement in learning is one of the biggest variables in the success of children academically achieving. Dr Janet Goodall studies this and it’s fascinating! If there are other parents in your class and school or don’t or can’t engage, this is a technique which is used. It’s not massively effective, admittedly, but if it changes behaviour about reading in even one household then it’s probably worth the pain of you writing a few words a week?!

Most things which school puts in place are to support those kids who don’t have support at home, or who are struggling in some way, perhaps consider that the teacher maybe be coming from that angle?

MammaG1417 · 30/04/2019 12:37

My DD only started getting books with words in after February half term (reception class) and until then I was asked every week to comment on her 'reading'. The books had no bloody words! I put the same comment every week "DD told us a great story tonight!" I refused to comment every day 🙄 even though we 'read' nearly every night.

MNHQ
HebeMumsnet · 30/04/2019 12:39

We have to 'log' at least four reads a week or they get thrown in detention! I make mine write them up themselves and figure eventually the teacher will be bored into submission, having to read 'I likt the wizzerds' in barely legible handwriting four times a week for approx 30 weeks of the year.

clairemcnam · 30/04/2019 12:41

Buy a "read well" stamp and use that every time?
I would not actually do this, but I would be tempted.

escapade1234 · 30/04/2019 12:42

However you still expect her to show interest and report on progress for your DD, don't you?

Well yes. It’s her job.

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