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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

"Read less, please!"

44 replies

Friedtomatoes77 · 12/09/2011 21:38

My ds has just started year 2, and he is really enjoying reading at the moment (well has been since he 'got it' about springtime). We have been instructed today for him to just read 5 to 10 pages each night and discuss the story with an adult. Feeling a bit with this as I tried this tonight and he had just got into the story and didn't want to stop. We discussed the book as we went along, it's not like he's just trying to get to the end/ book finished. I have trained as a teacher and know about reading for meaning etc. His previous teachers were always pleased with him to read the whole book. However we have lost the record book for comments over the summer, I wonder whether this has set us off on the wrong foot. It's not like I'm pushing him to read it all or anything, he chooses how much he reads. I can see though it's annoying not getting the satisfaction of finding out what happens.

I was thinking of writing a note about this to the teacher and not sure what to say, didn't want to not follow orders! I can see it's not going to work limiting him to a few pages, he'll just read it anyway and I guess I'd have to lie..

Any comments appreciated / wwyd? Oh and the books are ORT Stage 8 (near end).

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UsingMainlySpoons · 12/09/2011 21:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mousey84 · 12/09/2011 21:56

DDs teacher didnt like them to read ahead as they made predictions in the story etc in class. Having read the whole thing means that the activity isnt as effective for your child.

I had to continually distract DD with new books, generally far more difficult that what she was ever given in school.

CecilyP · 12/09/2011 21:58

If he is keen to read on to see what happens, I would think he is understanding it sufficiently to find it interesting, so I would let him carry on. Having someone keep stopping you to talk about it must be so frustrating. Actually reminds me of watching a DVD with my now ex husband.

yellowkiwi · 12/09/2011 22:01

I sometimes ignore what the teachers say. My DS can read really well in his head and doesn't like reading aloud. His teacher says he must read the books aloud, so he did for a while but he started to lose interest in reading as a result. Now I just let him read a page or two aloud then read the book then we chat about it.

It sounds like you are doing a great job with his reading after all you know him better than his teachers do.

moondog · 12/09/2011 22:03

You assume the teachers actually read the comments you put in the reading log anyway?

racingheart · 12/09/2011 22:33

I'm confused. Does he read books at home that they then continue in class? If so I can see why that's a problem and maybe, as he's so keen he could bring home a different book instead. But if not I see no reason to accept the teacher's comment. It's silly. Let him read what he wants, when he wants, as much as he wants. Some people, even teachers, are dead set against anyone stepping beyond mediocrity.

PinkPoncho · 12/09/2011 23:18

Racingheart yes I think that last sentence struck a chord. She was going on the first day about just 5 mins being enough or ten at a pinch- it's had to keep them from wriggling about more than that.. she made it seem like a chore!

he likes reading. No, it's their one reading book just for them, the teacher listens to them read (says she spends most of the day doing it which I thought was a bit [confusing]- shouldn't she be teaching them?!

So what should I say then in a note...any ideas ? Oh and have namechanged yes, sorry. Got fed up with the other one.

PinkPoncho · 12/09/2011 23:19

Ps they do guided reading in class and stop/talk etc with that. Not with the individual reading books though.

Saracen · 12/09/2011 23:31

I would have guessed that she means, don't make them do more than the suggested amount, not, don't let them do more than the suggested amount. Surely?

It is a chore for some kids and probably the teacher is recognising that and wanting to prevent them from getting turned off by being pushed hard by well-meaning overenthusiastic parents. As this doesn't apply to your kid, you should feel free to disregard the suggestion.

cat64 · 12/09/2011 23:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

madwomanintheattic · 12/09/2011 23:38

i think you have misunderstood. if she means she only has the time to change books once a week/ fortnight, so if they read faster than that they can't ahve a new book, tis a different thing.

no teacher is going to say a keen reader can't read for more than ten mins a night.

PinkPoncho · 12/09/2011 23:45

Ok yesterday I wrote in the record book 'finished and enjoyed the story'

Today it came home with (from her)

"Please could (ds) read around 5 - 10 pages a night and discuss the content of his books with an adult. Thank you"

PinkPoncho · 12/09/2011 23:49

Oh, also, it's got a reputation of being a pushy kind of school with many keen parents (bit overkeen for my liking and I'm not like that really)

exoticfruits · 13/09/2011 00:06

I would stick to however many pages they want and go to the library and do your own thing.

PinkPoncho · 13/09/2011 00:09

But exotic he loves those ORT Floppy, etc (not quite sure why)

FlamingoBingo · 13/09/2011 00:14

Oh please don't try to control his reading! You want him to grow up loving it, not grow up thinking there's no point in starting a book because just as he gets into it he's made to stop and bloody analyse it!

I know this is what you think as well, but stick by your guns! He'll learn way more from learning to really love reading so much that he reads and reads and reads than he will if he gets fed up and only reads what he has to and does lots of silly analysing.

LRDTheFeministDragon · 13/09/2011 00:19

pink, if I read that comment I'd assume she was a bit on autopilot and just meant 'carry on'. She'd have written 'only' or 'not more than' if she wanted to make a point, surely?

LRDTheFeministDragon · 13/09/2011 00:19

I mean, she's probably writing a variation of the same comment in most of the books, isn't she?

PinkPoncho · 13/09/2011 00:20

Yes thanks Flaming. You're right. I've just written a not saying that he likes the r=story unfolding and I tried but didn't manage to convince him to stop.

PinkPoncho · 13/09/2011 00:22

Ah LRD- yes you may be right. Start of term and all that, and with our record book being misssing we'd have missed the comment. Still. Bit prescriptive.

LRDTheFeministDragon · 13/09/2011 00:26

I may be right - also, you could always claim you thought she was asking that if you don't get chance to ask her about it before next time you and DS want to read to the end.

(Ok, I am a bad and cynical person who would do that! )

festi · 13/09/2011 00:36

just wite pages he has read from/to discussed with mum or dad, what did ds think of book. then she can ot critizize further as you have recorded he discussed book. My dds reception teacher insisted dd could not go up a reading stage from red as she needed to show she understood content..yawn...she told dd the yellow books had grown up stories for 7 year olds despite dd reading way beyond that in libary. I gave upm asking in school and just went along with what they wanted and went to libary for others. DD in year 1 now has leap 5 levels . I honestly think in reception the teacher tryed to keep dd within reasonable range as other children as it would have proved difficult for her lesson plan other wise.

im just waiting to see if same happens in year 1/2.

FlamingoBingo · 13/09/2011 00:57

I know this is a very irritating comment, but it is things like this that make me so glad we home educate! Kids learn to understand stories by reading stories, and loving them, and being intrigued by them, and by reading more stories.

They do not learn it by having an adult breathing down their neck's asking them what the story's just said!

And besides, the beauty of art (including literature) is that we make our own understanding of it - we find what reaches out and touches our soul and that is where we find meaning in it.

Overbearing teachers such as these (and I know that not all teachers are like that, before anyone jumps down my throat, and I also know that they are also under the pressure of teaching to the NC and sats) are squashing children's creative minds and it really makes me sad, and angry.

Hurrah for parents like you, Poncho, who are prepared to say 'no, this method of teaching is not right for my child and I am not prepared to force it upon him.'!

AbigailS · 13/09/2011 07:11

There could be a few reasons why the teacher is asking you to do this;

Many children (and parents) get daunted by longer chapter books when you move them up from little 24 page books and feel obliged to read the whole book in one sitting - I realise that is not you
The school has a limited supply of books and if you are reading a long book per night they will have run out by Christmas
The teacher is confident with your child's actual decoding, but want you all to really work on the comprehension. Oral comprehension at this stage in the year is a huge help when they need to do the written comprehension in the SATs test papers. In my year 2 class it is the most difficult thing, as lots want to read and finish the book, but they are stuggling with the discussion part as they are in the mind set of "done" once the book is closed. I am getting lots of parent notes in reading logs "finished book", "read well, finished", "read all", etc. on books such as ORT Tree Tops 14, but children can't tell me who the characters are, the plot outline, motivation of characters, alternative endings, or (if I'm reading with them and stop them mid chapter) what might happen next. Not saying number 3 is an issue for your child at home, but maybe the teacher is finding it at school?

exoticfruits · 13/09/2011 07:11

You can do all that FlamingBingo without home educating. I think that my suggestion was best-the library has graded books, do your own thing and just have the school separate. He may like Chip and Biff etc but he can equally get into other books.

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