At being mildly piqued at new teaching assistants comments in dd's reading record

[handlemecarefully]

Last time she read with the teacher the comment was:
"Fantastic reading"

Dd is struggling with her literacy but usual remarks include the above and phrases such as "Good working out" / "Much improved" or "Good effort"

Today she got (what I felt was a pithy little remark, but I accept I am oversensitive perhaps):

"Guessed a lot of the words. Sounded the words out together. Needs to look carefully at first letter of words"

Ouch!

It seems dd read with the new Teaching Assistant this week (who started work last week).

Good job dd can't read so well, I however can, and felt a bit put out

(I think I have baggage, lol - especially since the TA has a rather bright dd in the same class as my child)

Perhaps she could have softened it with "Nevertheless, good effort"

Am rambling now, aren't I

Well.. at least its honest. You might not like it, but does it really do your daughter any favours to have a comment like "fanastic reading" when she is frankly finding the book to hard?

You got to learn not to take it personally.

I havent read all comments. I wouold say her comments are useful and helpful.
As for your worry about parents being TAs, its normal in some of the schools I worked in, although its not always good that the parent works in same class as their child. This can be unhelpful but if shes proffesional, theres nothing to complain about.
Lisa

say this mantra to your self

"It is a comment on my daughter's reading, not my parenting"

Ah you see EscapeFrom, call me paranoid, but when I read it I could picture her wagging a big accusatory finger at me

Ok will repeat the mantra

It's funny how everyone has their own mummy babelfish.

So "He seemed a bit upset today" becomes "You have ill prepared him for school, you worthless slattern"

And "Are you breastfeeding?" becomes "I can smell the formulapoisonwitchesbrew on this poor scrap of humanity's breath, you neglectful bitch!"

So I can see how "needs to look carefully at first letter of words" could possibly sound a little like "You haven't been reading with her have you! No you haven't, we know, it's the talk of the staff room!"

Or maybe that's just me

I wouldn't mind that comment tbh. It's constructive I guess. But, lol, I have a radar for pithiness too so maybe I would be a bit pithy back just to even things up

Does anyone else struggle to find something original to say in the comment box themselves though in the reading diary?

We're supposed to write a little observation after reading at home. But it's only week 2 and I've already run out of ways to describe how much we enjoyed the 5 page book with a very predictable ending, and that yes dc were enthusiastic and sounded out all the words. What else can you say??

Message withdrawn

Yes I'm also not clear on why a dinnerlady or MDS is not a suitable person to be read to.

I hear readers too and am in no way a qualified teacher or TA. Just an enthusiastic (I hope) parent who wants to help and as an aside find out more about her school.

Well, because in this instance dinnerlady had no training in how to give feedback to children, was pretty blunt and ill-informed, and wrtiting in dd's homework book, having done a 'reading assessment'. IT isn't her status as d/lady. IT was her preparation.

but I didn't know dinnerladies had a role in the process.

We had 'DS1 done good reading to me today'

Handmecarefully

My Ds didn't really get reading until he was 7, He then caught up all the others that were reading fluently in Reception. He does have some literacy problems (mainly spelling) stream and managed a 5b for reading in his SATS.
I wouldn't get to het up about her wanting to read books. I really wasn't interested in reading until I was 10 or 11, now read all the time.

Message withdrawn

this wek we had "he seems to have forgotten the word 'it'"

In his report at the end of last term my ds (6) had a comment which went "he has trouble concentrating on the carpet"

I was SO tempted to write back with "I'm not surprised its probably not his favourite colour, have you considered buying a patterned carpet?!"

My DD couldn't read until the Christmas holidays of Year 1 when she just seemed to click overnight. She went to reading not a lot (knew letters but just vaguely guessed at words) to those wretched Daisy Meadows book during the Christmas Holidays. I have to admit it was a bit of a shock to me and DH as we'd both been able to read by the time we started school and I just sort of assumed DD would be the same. Once she clicked there was no stopping her and this summer holidays she has read her way through the last three Harry Potter books. Hang in there, your DD will get it.

Some of the parents from DD's class do go into the class to listen to them read. I would much prefer them to go into another class really. Then when I make comments along the lines of not filling in the reading log very often, I wouldn't get the reply "yes, I noticed !"

I think it's a really helpful message. Much more useful than "good effort." Guessing is an important stage in learning to read and she's pinpointed where you can help her ie the beginning of words. I wouldn't be piqued. I'd be grateful to have some detail.

I've always felt it best not to allow parents to help voluntarily in classes with their own children because it blurs the boundaries. However, a Teaching Assistant is in a totally different position - they have applied for a position and been appointed to it because the Head and governing body believe they are the right person for the post. I think its totally unreasonable for anyone else to say it's 'unsuitable' . My DH is currently teaching one of our children - that's how the timetabling has worked out - and I don't see the problem with it - he's a professional and gets on and does the job.In any other walk of life, parents wouldnt dream of making judgements like this, and i don't see why education is any different.

If dd can't read it then the commemt is meant for you and the teacher and to remind herself the next time she hears your dd read - in which case it is a constructive comment and very useful.

Guessing and sounding out the words are good things for a learning-to-read child to be doing. There is nothing critical in the TA's message. She could have added something to describe the good trying or the good concentration but I think it sounds as if your daughter is being listened to very well when she reads.

"but I didn't know dinnerladies had a role in the process. "

Pan, you would be surprised by the background of some dinner ladies. Sometimes they are more qualified than the teachers. Usually people who take such jobs are looking for a job that fits in with their families.

I work as an IT technician in a special school. School work is very popular because it fits in with the kids. (I have 11 weeks holiday!)

Have only read OP

Maybe dc in question was tired or wasnt paying attention today. Was the book harder than what she is used to or a topic she wasnt interested in?

I would read the comment as a helpful hint toward her being a better reader. The assistant must of seen a consistency in her missing the first letter of words, i doubt she was making that up.
Maybe the teacher who wrote fantastic reading, always writes the same comments over and over again, and the taching asst (because she is new) is thinking more elaboratly, making far more effort than your used to?

i think comments were constructive - she sounds like she is going to be fantastic

Yes constructive criticsm rather than insufficient broad comments, that dont actually help you help your child with specific advice and detail.