Changing reading books

[Reallytired]

My son teacher has a system where children put their reading books in a box when they are ready to be changed. My son is point blank refusing to put his reading books in the box to be changed. He is also refusing to hand in homework that he has done. He is testing her boundaries and the teacher is not dealing with it.

The result of this is that my son has not had his reading book changed for FOUR weeks.

I have written in the home contact book that the book needs to be changed, but the teacher has clearly not read the home contact book. I feel this is not good enough.

I work full time and its really hard to get to see his teacher after school. I am seeing her at parents' evening next week and I am wondering how to raise the issue.

I think you should say almost all you've just written here -- though I would leave out the "testing boundaries and she's not dealing with it", coz she won't take that well if expressed quite like that. Keep the tone polite and positive, and it should be taken constructively. Also ask how you can go about making sure your messages get thru to teacher in the future.

You could ask, too, about how often they are assessed to see if they should move up a level. Take your DS with you to the parent evening so that he can be involved with the solutions to the problems you've described.

Does he read well enuff to read books from the library, instead (if he would be willing)? Just so you can help him progress at home even if he's not playing along with school rules to get new reading material there?

How old is your ds? Because coming at this from a different angle - he is at school now, and needs to do what is expected of him. The teacher cannot make him change the book. Nor should she imo change the book for him. He does not want to change, he does not get a new book. Just make sure he reads plenty of different books at home so he does not fall behind.
The teacher has 30 or so children to deal with, your ds being stubborn is not really her concern. Well, it is, but not to the point she either causes stand-off with him by forcing him to change. And if she changes the book for him, once the other children see that X gets his book changed for him, they may all want this special treatment.
Does she sit with him weekly and read with him? If so she could change his book then and bypass the box system. But failing that, it is perhaps something you need to deal with. Impress onto your ds he has to change his book if he wants new and more exciting things to read.

phone the school, and ask the teacher to call you back. surely you can accept a phone call at work?
or email her, and ask her to email back
you dont need to do this face to face, though that woud be preferable.

I spoken to the head teacher and he agrees with me that bone idle children need their books changed. Six year old boys have no choice in learning to read.

Its hard for me to accept a phonecall at work because I do not have a desk job or a phone. I am not allowed to have a mobile on because I work in a school. The only way for me to contacted is by the school receptonist finding me.

At least the head is on your side.
When you get to speak to teacher keep it stuck in your head that that the current book-changing system isn't meeting your son's "needs". Repeat this phrase like a mantra if teacher balks at idea of doing anything differently just to coax your DS along. At the end of the day, they do have a duty to meet his educational needs.
Good luck.

As a teacher with a class of 30 children can I just point out how time consuming it is to have to search for children's book bags and locating books. Often sending a child to get their book receives the response that "It's not there".