Disappointed by the choice of books in my son’s reception class

[dominose]

I am absolutely despairing at the first two books my son has brought home from reception.

These in my opinion are absolute slop.

There are hundreds of wonderful, beautiful, interesting, smart books for children, for all abilities and interests!

Why would a TEACHER of children choose these books to have in the classroom? I don't understand it.

It's not about length or ease of reading, these are not particularly short books. They are just idiotic. Totally uninspiring.

This is a topic that gets me incandescent with rage.

I'm just venting, and would love a fellow venter!

Any harm done to the child?
Read your favorites from the library or buy them yourselves.

I have lots of lovely books at home for them, but you kind of hope they go to school and get inspired or have access to an even greater library.

Of course there's no harm done. It's just disappointing.

I felt the same when my dd preferred the Rainbow Magic Fairies to the Ladybird Classics I'd lovingly bought for her and was so looking forward to read. I thought, why would anyone rather read this naff and predictable rubbish than something like The Secret Garden that pulls you through the spectrum of human experiences like grief and fear and retribution.

But then I remembered (tbf DH reminded me), she's 5. She doesn't want high literature. She wants Rainbow Magic Fairies. At least it's a book.

Let it go op!

I think I should have put that this is a semi lighthearted thread.

I will of course let it go. I just thought I might find some other book enthusiasts for whom this also grinds their gears!

I guess the other thing is, my kids don't prefer it. We didn't even finish the llama one it was incoherent! I don't want them to lose interest.

Have you been in to see the range of books? Maybe this is what your dd is choosing from lots of lovely books they have. I wouldn't be to concerned though, it's great they get to choose the books they want to read and bring home. It is really important for children to enjoy reading and maybe you don't have these types of books at home for them to enjoy. What we see as bad they might really like!

nothing stopping you from buying some books for the school.

Are these scheme books or books for you to read?

Scheme books are dull. They are designed to concentrate on phonics.

Library books... well they are usually donated. They need replacing regularly. Tge onlyvway to improve is to donate better books.

Sorry not a fellow “ venter” but a retired teacher.
Funding is extremely limited in schools. Resources including books are supplemented by donations.

Basic resources including glue sticks and crayons are often bought by teachers.
Books that go home often aren’t returned or are damaged. Some classes will have books that children can choose to take home to share.

Budget will be spent on reading scheme books and phonics resources. The classics and favourites will no doubt stay in the classroom.
Some schools are lucky to have good, well stocked libraries and others don’t even have room for one or enough funding.

Just read it’s lighthearted but wanted to clarify with the emphasis on blaming the TEACHER.

I would hazard a guess that in the first month they are using whichever books best assess their ability.

mine did the school ones, and I always assumed reception teachers know what they are doing and why, far better than I did.

then I bought loads for at home and donated the whole lot to the school once they were finished with.

You have a treat in store when your DC gets up into the main school and is subjected to reading scheme books so dull that they put my previously bookish DS off reading for years. We did manage to bring it round eventually at home but I really don't think it's too much to ask for schools not to actively put kids off reading

What books do you think they should have ?
You could buy some and donate them.
Schools don't have a lot of money and many of the books they have in the library will have been donated

Sadly, the DfE and OFSTED push reading schemes. They don't trust teachers to use their own judgement/skill/training/ experience to teach children to read without them. A fellow ranter, who.is also a retired teacher.

Surely you know the TEACHER doesn’t pick the books?

Hahah yes the reading schemes and phonics ones are dreadful but I understand their purpose.

These are the classroom library books, they can choose one every week. I have been in to look, they weren't great.

Yes, I agree I suppose I did blame the teacher a bit, it's just that I used to work in a state school with an excellent library so I know it's possible but of course every teacher has to work within the confines of the school and how it's run.

I will donate books.

I used to work in a school where the class teacher very carefully curated the books so yes I kind of did think that.

In over 20 years as a primary class teacher, I never got to choose the books that were in my classrooms.

I had a year 2 class, it wasn't until I left and took all my belongings with me I realised how many of the books in our class library actually belonged to me. It's sad that not every classroom has access to a range of books. Though equally I have been in homes where there is not one book to read. I love books and you are right there are so many great books out there and lots of absolute rubbish. My gripe is with celebrity authors - not all but many.

I hope you didn’t show your distaste - your DC would have chosen the book because, at that age, it excited them!

My dd would have headed STRAIGHT for the purple llama. And read it with delight-ignoring the shelves of carefully created books in her room. She has a 1st in an arts subject. My do would have chosen anything with a digger or a football on it. The key is to make reading a pleasure for them.

Surely it’s what your Dc chose? My dd comes home with any book that has a fairy or princess on regardless of the story.

Do primary schools tend to catalogue their books and keep track of what they have? I’m only asking because I have a few brand new books to donate, but want them to go to schools which don’t already have a copy.

As a TEACHER I think the caps are really unnecessary. I don’t see anything wrong with those books. They will have been donated by kids over the years.
Schools are so tight on funding they can’t carefully curate books - where would they get them from? They can’t ask parents to donate books but specify “only inspiring ones”.

Anyway OP, my eight-year-old and her friend love this terrible series which is apparently written by a group of authors under one name (and I suspect AI), about a girl who goes to a magical school and has a pet unicorn who is always farting and pooing on people’s shoes. But at least she’s reading.

I agree with you OP. It wasn't a problem for us as our house was always heaving with books, but for some of the DCs in my son's reception class these were the only books they would see, and that's what is significant.

I know funding is cut to the bone but I can't believe that these rubbishy books are cheaper to buy than long-standing, classic favourites.

The children are choosing books based on the cover at the moment, but if there were better options to begin with they would choose from those and know no difference.

I think the point I'm trying to make is, 'at least they're reading' is the bare minimum - why can't we have higher standards? Mine are already prolific and enthusiastic readers and I think I was naive thinking that school would be offering bigger and better than I could at home.

And as pp said, there are also many children for whom these are the only books they are exposed to and that is a failure.

I also had maybe an unusual experience in the last school I worked in, it was in a very disadvantaged area but the standards were high there I guess and I just thought that was normal!