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Primary education

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Original poster

DS teacher a bit baffled

22 replies

PicklePete · 21/03/2012 20:57

Parents evening - teacher said she wasn't quite sue how to approach DS'S reading.
Currently level8/9 in reception. She said she had spoken to year 1 teacher to find out what they do in year 1 . Currently reading 4 school books a week without much of a reading or comprehension problem. Occassional stumble with an unfamiliar word which is very quickly learnt. She said the books were probably a bit easy for him.

I was really surprised - nicely to see her share that she was unsure how to progress but also that this was an issue at all . I have heard of lots of reception childen being on higher levels / free readers.

Do you think this is an experience issue on her behalf ? I am not bothered as DS is happy enough just curious.

OP posts:

mrz · 21/03/2012 21:05

I'm surprised she doesn't know what to do so it can only be lack of experience. Free Readers is a bit of a red herring as in some schools to be a reception free reader just means you've got to the end of the books in the class

RhinosDontEatPancakes · 21/03/2012 21:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

PicklePete · 21/03/2012 21:22

Yes comprehension very good not an issue. He doesn't find books hard either to read , to interpret or to enact - lots of different voices used etc. Quite happy to read both reading books back to back.
Rhino I don't really know - she said she spoke to year 1 teacher : they said give him a new one when he's finished the last. But she said that this would mean giving him 3 books a day. ( half-joking).

Why would this pose an issue to her? We are not pushing him or her to move on - we said we would be guided by her. Just surprised that she is expressing uncertainty.

OP posts:

madwomanintheattic · 21/03/2012 21:31

Bit odd.

Dd2 started at level 10 at the beginning of yr r, they dealt with it v easily. She just accessed reading books from other year groups shelves.

I don't understand why he would be getting 4 books a day. They only bring home one a night don't they? If she means they only change the reading books once a week, then I still don't understand the bother.

It's not that unusual to have confident readers start in yr r, there must be a few in every reception class...

Are you sure you haven't misunderstood - that there isn't really any issue and the teacher was just pondering aloud? It seems a very strange and unnecessary thing for a teacher to worry about?

Why isn't he just getting one reading book a night and just reading his own books? Why does it all have to be school stuff?

Original poster

PicklePete · 21/03/2012 21:39

No that's what I would have thought. I don't think she was worried. My partner was with me and we discussed it afterwards so I think we understood what she was saying.

My sister is a teacher and she said that it was quite common for kids to start year 1 at level 10 ( she doesn't teach reception ) so extrapolating backwards it must mean that many kids are reading 8/9 in reception. I know in long run it means nothing and it all evens out for the majority.

Funny isn't it?
There is a G and T child in the class whose Mother has had a few battles with the teacher - so maybe it is an experience thing maybe she has only been teaching for 1 or 2 years but still think it is a bit weird. ( we have not had battles by the way - we are entirely led by her )

OP posts:

madwomanintheattic · 21/03/2012 21:43

I wouldn't stress about it tbh. She does sound a little bizarre, but maybe she's just an intense person that frets if they are doing the right thing or not?

Original poster

PicklePete · 21/03/2012 21:47

Thansk - not stressed at all just trying to work out what she meant. you may be right - I think she wants to right by every child - not a bad thing - and may just be pondering. I just thought you just throw the next book at them and see what happens.

OP posts:

RueDeWakening · 21/03/2012 22:19

DD is a free reader in reception. Although I disagree with the terminology, she brings home a selection of orange band books so I assume that's what is broadly appopriate for her. She also has access to the year 2 bit of the library when they visit once a week, so she can bring home interminable Rainbow Magic books. One problem we've had is that she's brought home fiction books that emotionally she's not ready for, even though technically she could read them - these have been returned to school unread with a note in her book.

I now can't remember the last time she brought fiction home from school. She is being encouraged to read poetry and non-fiction instead. No inappropriate content but still challenging with vocab and expression etc.

RueDeWakening · 21/03/2012 22:20

...so perhaps you could suggest this to the teacher?

(Sorry, pressed post too soon! :o)

BarbarianMum · 21/03/2012 23:39

Jinsei · 22/03/2012 00:11

She sounds a bit incompetent to me - either that, or you misunderstood. This sort of level is well within the bounds of what is normal in reception, so she really should know what to do - surely she just needs to give him books at the right level.

I agree that emotional readiness can be an issue, and we also found non-fiction useful in that regard, but even that can be tricky at times. Dd scared herself silly in reception with a book about london - all about the black death!

But at level 8/9 (am presuming ort), he shouldn't (yet!) encounter anything wildly age inappropriate.

startail · 22/03/2012 00:50

Yes my DF had the age appropriateness problem to. By Y1 her DD was raiding all corners of the school library and getting upset by some story's that might be suitable at Y6, but not if you were still 5.

BluddyMoFo · 22/03/2012 00:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Michaelahpurple · 22/03/2012 06:08

Good god - child in reception can read reasonably - what to do!

Agree with above - either there is a misunderstanding or the teacher is clueless! - I can understand why you are puzzled!

Michaelahpurple · 22/03/2012 06:09

Is she perhaps working in a school where all children HAVE to read every book at every level? That might be the problem

Original poster

PicklePete · 22/03/2012 21:57

They don't have to read every book at every level - although he now is because she thinks he enjoys the books at this level and shouldn't go up a level (although she admitted that they were probably easy for him )
The responses confirm what I had heard that many reception children read at this level or higher so really there should be no issue . So remain puzzled about teacher although not concerned about DS
I don't feel it is polite to go round asking what other kids in the class are doing but it is something you can get from Mumsnet.

Irony is she will also teach DS2 next year who we think really will struggle with reading - she how she copes with that .
.

OP posts:

learnandsay · 23/03/2012 12:14

If you think that your second son will struggle with reading, is there no way that you can prepare him a little bit before he gets there? I can't stand the thought of my daughter struggling at anything, so I'm prepping her up. I don't know what has changed from the donkey's years ago when I went to about five different primary schools, urban and rural. But I don't remember anybody struggling with anything, (not that I'd have noticed at that age.) But I seem to remember all of my primaries being great places. I loved all of them. And I don't remember any of the work being hard.

3duracellbunnies · 23/03/2012 13:32

I guess that all children are different, the OP's ds might be really young for year, plauged by glue ear so can't hear, have language issues, learning issues. dd1 struggled to read, not because she couldn't, she had all the building blocks in place at 3, but wouldn't - didn't see the point, worried we wouldn't read to her etc, dd2 and ds are so eager to read as now see dd1 reading really well. You can lead a horse to water...

For OP, some of the reading schemes do get v lengthy around 10/11, maybe she is worried will scare him off. I found dd1 prefered the chapter books, as although longer she could read a chapter or two a night. Like your ds, comprehension and keeping the story in her head overnight wasn't an issue. Maybe see if there are any books from library which he likes, and read a mixure of the two, report back to teacher on how he gets on.

Original poster

PicklePete · 23/03/2012 20:01

All of the above - glue ear, speech delay and August birthday already under SLT. So really expect him to struggle but it will work out in the end with help.

OP posts:

skybluepearl · 23/03/2012 20:31

My boy was one of many who became a free reader in reception. Bright able, bookish, lively class and they are now 4 or 5 years ahead of average despite being in year 5.

The main problem we have is book suitability. We try and stay away from anything hormonal and too teenage. Infact DS prefers to read lots of easier books (horrible histories etc) rather than complicated books. Because he is always picking up a book, he still manages to encouter lots and lots of new words.

The reading has a knock on effect by the way. He manages really well in most subjects and his spelling is tip top. He hated writing for quite a while in infants and would write very little. We never put pressure on him to write at home.

RueDeWakening · 23/03/2012 21:14

SF/Fantasty can fill a useful gap at that point, skyblue - it's rarely hormone driven, or too teenage, but does have a fair few different concepts vocab normally. Some Terry Pratchett, Anne McCaffrey, Garth Nix stuff would be suitable for 10y ish - if he's not already come across them :o

janet41 · 24/03/2012 10:05

we had a little similar in yr R as the school was adamanet that they wanted to keep the children together - the TA used to go and steal higher level reading books for DS! the yr r teacher told us to ensure that dd wasnt moved back down levels at the start of yr1 - she was but they soon gave up and let her move at her own pace. There is a very large spectrum of levels in the yr1 class now incl stage 1 and certainly our teachers were not happy to have that as they have found it challenging to work with such a range! rather odd when there are only 12 in the class....

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