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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

mums reading

75 replies

popiuee · 09/11/2010 18:06

i live in the north and wonder if this policy is in place everywhere. Do mums read in ks1 classes and is just anyone allowed to do it? I am shocked that it seems to be a free for all where i am. My concerns are that some mums use to meddle and also these people are not qualified teachers and as such cannot teach the children to read. Also, on the issue of privacy - isn't it reasonable to expect that your child's academic progress should be private - access to information etc. Isn't this an accident waiting to happen? Do other mums think that this is a bit odd or is it just me??

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BooBooGlass · 09/11/2010 18:09

You should be grateful they are giving their time to help. All the academic progress stuff beign private is a load of bollocks, the children themselves know who is top of the class and who is a bit behind. It needn't be a big secret, and nor should you be suspicious. What kind of 'accident' do you think is waiting to happen fgs?

Itsjustafleshwound · 09/11/2010 18:10

I do the reading at school:

We are CRB Checked
It is voluntary to do - we are not qualified, but then the TA has told me just to read/do the reading as if I was doing it with my daughter
We are put in a year/class above/below the one our children are in.

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/11/2010 18:15

I listen to children reading in DD's reception class and help with number work in DS's year 2 class.

I hope I help a bit. Really hope that none of the other parents feel the way you do.

If you are able to, why not offer to help?

DreamTeamGirl · 09/11/2010 18:16

Its just you
I think its great
Loads and loads of kids never get to read to an adult at home, which is a huge pity, and for teachers to spend just 20 mins a week on hearing each child read would take up 10 hours a week- which wouldnt leave much time for teaching!!!

Why is what level your child is reading at a secret?

lovecheese · 09/11/2010 18:18

I kind of agree with you, popiuee. A couple of mums of children in my DDs class spring to mind who I am sure would not adhere to any confidentiality clause, and BooBooGlass yes the kids know who is where, so to speak; I am just a bit uneasy about said mums gossiping about what reading level X is on, and why isn't my Y on that etc etc.

BooBooGlass · 09/11/2010 18:20

If the mums really gossip about reading levels they need to get a life tbh

lovecheese · 09/11/2010 18:21

I should add that I agree with mums, or dads!, helping out, but personally I think help should be given in a different year group to that which the mum's DC are in.

JoBettany · 09/11/2010 18:39

OP, I agree with you and would not be happy about a parent 'hearing' reading.

All matters regarding a child's academic progress are confidential.

pinktortoise · 09/11/2010 18:40

Yes it is great that many help out - but agree that it shouldn't be your own childs class. At our school there were more volunteers than needed for reading with many openly saying that they just wanted to get in classroom and see what was going on and how their DC was doing in relation to others!!!!

Original poster

popiuee · 09/11/2010 18:41

Sorry to offend but in the past a couple of mums have gossiped to me about children in the class (this was in reception) and now are reading in the class. I feel slightly uncomfortsble with it as the gossipwas just plain nasty and that this type of attitude should stay out of the classroom environment. I think in principal help in the classroom is a good thing but it should not be a free for all. As for volunteering my services i already do - i work full time as a secondary school teacher

OP posts:

sethstarkaddersmum · 09/11/2010 18:45

they do it at my school, doesn't bother me in the least - in fact given that I don't volunteer myself I can only feel grateful to the parents that do go to the trouble.
They might not be teachers but they know how to read ffs - they can't teach her phonics but they can help her with the words she can't do and praise her when she gets it right. And then that frees up the teacher to give intensive help to all the children in turn.
Actually at my school they do paired reading where an older child reads with the younger ones - would that bother you as well?

mrz · 09/11/2010 18:47

popiuee Tue 09-Nov-10 18:06:51

I live in the north and wonder if this policy is in place everywhere. Do mums read in ks1 classes and is just anyone allowed to do it? I am shocked that it seems to be a free for all where i am. My concerns are that some mums use to meddle and also these people are not qualified teachers and as such cannot teach the children to read. Also, on the issue of privacy - isn't it reasonable to expect that your child's academic progress should be private - access to information etc. Isn't this an accident waiting to happen? Do other mums think that this is a bit odd or is it just me??

I think you have answered your own question parent helpers aren't usually teachers so if you believe they aren't qualified to teach children to read how do you suppose they are qualified to assess a child's reading ability?

I would also add that parent helpers listen to children reading (to provide practise) are not teaching the child to read the teacher is doing that.

sethstarkaddersmum · 09/11/2010 18:48

your child's progress is never going to be a secret anyway - the other kids are always going to be able to know (if they care, not that they do in dd's class yet) and tell their mums.

Original poster

popiuee · 09/11/2010 18:51

I only asked for your opinion - i didn't want an argument. I just don't approve of bitchy women in the classroom. Apologies if you think I should be grateful for their services.

OP posts:

BooBooGlass · 09/11/2010 18:52

JoBettany · 09/11/2010 18:52

A parent knowing and a child knowing is a completely different thing.

NoahAndTheWhale · 09/11/2010 18:52

Sorry popiuee I can see you are in classrooms a lot of the time already .

I am a qualified teacher actually although it was a while ago and I haven't taught for years.

I do wonder about whether schools should have policies about only helping in a different class from your child/ren but whilst my children's school is happy to have parents in their own child/ren's class i will keep helping there.

Parents can be professional and not gossip.

collision · 09/11/2010 18:54

We have a code of conduct book at school for parents and volunteers in school.

Parents are never really left alone with the children even if they are CRB checked and all matters arising in school are confidential.

A parent at school once found the class list for the following year and phoned all the parents to tell them which class their child would be in.

HT found out and she was blackballed and not allowed to help at school AT ALL! Even disbarred from the PTA.

We need parent helpers to hear children read.

Original poster

popiuee · 09/11/2010 18:55

Very interesting mrz because last year the teacher informed me that one of the mums had assessed the reading levels of the class and one of the other mums who is a primary school teacher commented that this person was not qualified to do so.Can you see my point now?

OP posts:

Itsjustafleshwound · 09/11/2010 18:58

I will admit that sometimes it is quite interesting to see what the school day is like - I have little idea of what my daughter does when I drop her off.

I read with a completely different class and year. However, I do agree with you, that it is tempting to start comparing your child to others .... but I don't think I know enough about the children to start any gossip !

JoBettany · 09/11/2010 18:58

collision your post goes a long way to confirm the disquiet I have about parents being in classrooms.

mrz · 09/11/2010 18:59

If the teacher thinks an unqualified parent should be assessing her class then that is another matter.

FreudianSlimmery · 09/11/2010 19:03

I think it's great, I was at a volunteer morning at my local SureStart today and one of the things they are trying to get help with is listening to reading. I'm definitely signing up!

It's not about being a free replacement teacher it's just so the kids get more opportunities to read aloud (some may sadly not get to at home), the teacher can only do this a bit, they have the rest of the curriculum to get through!

There will always be mums who rifle through book bags and are obsessed with levels and comparing other kids but who cares, leave them to it, sad sad people they are!

FreudianSlimmery · 09/11/2010 19:09

Maybe the fact that parents are so uptight (sorry) about keeping their DCs progress a secret is part of the problem? Maybe it just adds to the pressure kids sometimes feel?

I mean why can't we just say hey, my kid is on level 4, yours is on five, well done him - instead of hiding it away like it's something to be ashamed of?

Kids progress at different rates. So.
Fucking.
What.

JoBettany · 09/11/2010 19:20

It is not about keeping things 'secret'. We are not in a playground!

Reading groups and hearing reading tells you a lot about a child's ability, and difficulties they may be having at school or home.

I am not uptight about my DS's progress at all, I just don't want it being discussed by other parents.

A child's progress is confidential for a number of reasons, not just a paranoia about 'secrets'.

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