'Pushy children' in reception

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My little boy has just finished his reception year In the last term all of a sudden there seems to be this real competitiveness going on in the class about reading levels. For example, in the mornings parents go in and read with their child, I keep overhearing children boasting eg. I'm on level 6 (or whatever) so and so's only on level 4....then a mum told me her child had been called stupid....wondering if this is coming from the parents. Is this normal? I think it is a shame if children are put off reading and am a bit worried my son might be got down by these comments. However, he doesn't seem to notice it, we've never mentioned reading levels to him.

runout - hmm, charming relative you have there :(

lovely analogy oddgirl :)

All of this makes me so glad DDs school has developed an extremely complex reading scheme (lots of codes) which they keep a complete mystery to the parents making comparisons between children very difficult.

"Early reading is not a sign of intelligence" Yes that is interesting- did a bit of training in early years and child development once...think is true that in many countries they don't start children until around six or seven and the outcomes for the children are better. Maybe is a concern here that ones not ready do feel pressure to soon and that they 'can't do it' or are behind. Is trick as a parent to listen to your child and hold off on the reading if they are not enjoying it, when the school is pushing it....

early maths ability is a lot more reliable as an indiction of intelligence than early reading.

OP sounds awful - if it really is competitiveness being encouraged by parents?

IME (ds just finished reception) the kids are very aware where they sit on the scale for reading, maths, football and pretty much everything else.

Am also convinced that this is healthy and innocent - had one of ds's friends for tea and we were talking about sports day so i asked them who the bext runners were. And with no hint of noasting, his friend said "I am" - and true to his word he did win on sports day!

Actually in reception achieving 6 points in all the PSED and CLLD scales is considered a good indicator of future success

www.audit-commission.gov.uk/localgov/audit/nis/Pages/NI072chievementofatleast78pointsacrosstheearlyyearsfoundationstagewithatleast6ineachofthescalesinpersonalsocialandemotiona.aspx

Some kids are just SO competitive all by themselves without any parental input.You either are competitive or you aren't.

Some children are just naturally competitive, it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the parents.

DS1 is slightly ahead of average and works hard to stay there. He knows what reading level all of his friends are on and likes to stay one step ahead!

DS2 is a far better reader than DS1 was at that age, and I know from his teacher that he is 6 or 7 reading levels above his peers and has to fetch books from the class 2 years above him. But he is completely oblivious to this and has no idea what any of his friends are reading!

But he is completely oblivious to this and has no idea what any of his friends are reading!

Just what I would expect. DD doesn't know level she is at or her friends. Was wondering how the kids knew what book bands were higher? Probably depends on the school or something?

I think if they want to know it is fairly easy to work out, they can see which books they read as they progress. ORT has their own levels on the back of the book, which woughly correlates with book bands (although not exactly). Also if they have to go into a higher year's class to change their books it is fairly obvious. So if they care about it themselves then it is pretty easy to work out. However it does still pass some children by!

Seems it might be quite normal then. (the competition). The teacher does write in the bok something like 'well done Jim, you're ready to move on to level 3 now' something like that. His little friend came round to play though found my son's book in his room and had a good look to see where he was ' is he STILL on level 3, I'm on 7 now!' Maybe shouldn't have told him, but did "It's not a competition, it should be about enjoying it!" so there we go. And yes scored around the 6 points, higher for physical and creative, so thanks Mrz, that was interesting as school report was a bit ambiguous.

In DS1's school it comes from the children. DS1 (just finished Reception) is a good reader, and his teacher was surprised at the parent-teacher meeting that I wasn't aware that he was "top of the class" by quite a way (I work, so don't do much playground gossip). I was at a party a week or so after term ended, and a friend whose children don't even go to the same school told me that my son had finished his KS1 target words sooner than anyone else, and that all the children know who's best at everything and tell their mothers, who then gossip amongst all the other mothers.

DS1 is pretty competitive, and is bright, and he is unfortunately competitive over other people too rather than "within himself". Which means he gets rather smug and cocky about reading and maths, but gets cross and stroppy whenever he talks about sport or art/music. I don't really know what to do with him tbh as I was just the same.

The teacher shouldn't be telling you that he is 'top of teh class by quite a way' because that is breaching confidentiality about all teh other children's abilities.

sammiez
my DDs school managed to keep the levels private in that the children were given a book by the teacher and the type of books were mixed up.
If a school only uses ORT for example it must become obvious even to the children. But DDs school uses at least three different types so the children can't latch on to levels.

If DD ever talked about what x child was good at we used to then talk about which was the fastest runner, which was the quickest at getting changed, who is the kindest, who makes her laugh the most etc etc.

I personally think comepetition is great. the problem is that as a society we seem only to focus on one or two things as important. In early years the level of obsession re reading is totally weird to me

If DD ever talked about what x child was good at we used to then talk about which was the fastest runner, which was the quickest at getting changed, who is the kindest, who makes her laugh the most etc etc.

I am definitely stealing that one from you!

Weird to me too re:reading. I think that is why it rubs off on some kids and they only read to show off not because they really enjoy it. My dd is competitive to/with herself so would say, 'No,I won't give up' to different tasks she trys even cutting.

Competition is good but unhealthy competition drains!

@ katiestar yes I was surprised, too, although she didn't mention any of the other children by name. I'm trying to remember the exact words she used, but failing.

Mrz-Actually in reception achieving 6 points in all the PSED and CLLD scales is considered a good indicator of future success

www.audit-commission.gov.uk/localgov/audit/nis/Pages/NI072chievementofatleast78pointsacrosstheearlyy earsfoundationstagewithatleast6ineachofthescalesinpersonalsocialandemotiona.aspx

have just read through that link..And what a crock!!!
They say 'The early years are crucial to a child?s chances of later success. Children who achieve well in their early years are much more likely to be successful in future education and in later life.'

How on earth have they come to that conclusion when the foundation stage assessment has only been in its present form for a couple of years.Reception wasn't even in the foundation stage when my DS started school, and kids his age haven't done their GCSE's yet so they can't posssibly know who will be successful in later life.

katiestar foundation stage assessment was first introduced in 2000 so they've had ten years to reach that conclusion and reception has been part of the foundation stage sing it was introduced in 1999. I know I've been using it that long ...

There is also a body of research carried out by Tony Bartram and Chris Pascal of CREC (centre for research in Early Childhood)
The Accounting Early for Lifelong Learning AcE scale is widely used www.amberpublications.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=48

The present EYFS profile is identical to it's predecessor in all but two points on the linking letters and sounds scale.

But I don't think at the age of 15 you can judge someone's long term academic success when they haven't for the most part sat any public exams and certainly not 'their success in later

No, but I imagine they have tracked them through KS2 tests and Year 9 teacher assessment, etc.

Also, I expect that Foundation Stage assessment was trialled in a number of schools before it was rolled out in 2000, so more data will be available there.

You are ignoring the earlier AcE research (the children are now in their twenties) that led to the foundation stage & profile and which in fact identifies Language for Communicating and Dispositions and Attitudes as the main indicators for future success.

To the OP: in my experience children can be uber competitive regardless of parental input.

My DD knows what everyone is reading and keeps telling me - I have never asked a parent or told a parent anything about levels....in fact the school gives a lecture about not opening school bags at the school gate and encouraging parents not to talk about reading levels. Yet competition (she's just finished reception) is still there for some.

Having said that, my DD wouldn't dream about calling anyone stupid and she is always in awe of children that are better at things than her.

(By the way, level 4 at the end of Reception I thought was a very good standard but that's another thread maybe ;o))))

You have to remember the age range in reception, though.

Some of the littlies who had only turned four in the summer could reasonably not be expected to be reading at the end of the year.

DD's school is very relaxed and no one has said anything about what 'level' each child is reading at, the parents honestly wouldn't have a clue. They choose their own books to bring home and are not working from one publisher's reading program.

DD is October born (turning six this Oct) and the second oldest in class and is reading fluently paperback readers (Oliver Moon type). Her little friend is four months younger and reading very basic level 1 or 2 ORT type books.

Both normal IMO and they will even out in the next few years.

Fanjolina, I know you're not saying all of the younger ones are behind the Autumn ones but please be aware that it's not always the case that it's to do with birth month.
Of the top readers in our class, half are summer born. The by far the best reader is a summer born boy.
It annoys me when people with Autumn borns assume that their children are oh so far ahead of all those poor little struggling summer borns, even if yes on average the Autumn borns might be a little ahead.