Told off by teacher:(

[mam29]

dd year 2 and was massivly behind in reading last year.
went into year 2 or level 4ort.
But readings clicked this year so shes gone up a few levels and changed to ginn 360 books.

In our reading book it specifies how many pages to read.

so pages 1-8

this weekend it says pages 2-9.

thing is

reading half a 16page book was bit frustrating as only reading half the story.

They not exactly long

dd can easily read level shes given no mistakes.
shes getting little bored.

I been trying to find other books that may interest her a orien young reader which she can read and enjoyed.

im asking her questions at end of story to test comprehension and inference.

she passed phonics last year-so shes in the class teachers phonics group with 15others.

The otehr 15 are split into 2smaller groups with tas and couple seem ahead of mine on levels.

we booked an appointment to see teacher.

told her dd getting frustrated as takes so long to move on.
that shes getting bot bored that current books are in no way challenging.
That dd still sadly preoccupied with levels-doesnt get it from us.
shes behind most of her freinds including the ones who were in her phonics group last year in year 1.

I dont expect her to be top reader.
but dont like to think of her thinking shes falling behind.

Anyway think we upset the teacher we were polite and just raised our concerns, Even teacher acknowleged that dd came in year 2 on really low level lower than nc level in report so was hoping she can understand why we so onto it this year,we did lot of reading over summer.

Well i get the I have been a year 2teacher forever.
she was saying was fine to ask questions whilst being very defensive
we got given list of questions we should ask her after books.
so wil read pages 2-9 this weekend and ask all 7questions.
she made it clear that she thinks ginn level 5 maybe be very challenging for her-feel like we forcing the issue I shouldent have to keep going in saying please reveiw her levels.

The meeting was thur but wed night I made a mistake.
The book had 2short stories read beggining to end.
they meant one story I accidentally read both with her that night.
meeting was thur-thur evening we practiced spelling test for friday 10quite tricky words, told hubby not to read as we read it all wed night and was same book.

when picked dd up yesterday got the i put her up a level as thats what u feel but you read what I tell you too-you dont read on really abrupltly infront of dd.

DD must have told ta who told teacher-who now appears to be really cross with me.

Also got told hubby had done maths homework wrong-wasent so much hard just no clear instructions -apparently dd had done in class so teacher said why dident you tell mummy and daddy how to do it , you have done it in class.I admit my dd gets confused and was tired.

so this weekend we have 2lots maths homework to do..

Im not annoyed as if wrong needs to be done again.

just overall attitude we went in their in good faith not to have apop but raise our concerens and get told i know best, I decide then i get lecture on reading and told you not as mart and helpful as you think you are as numercacy is wrong..

Maybe im being oversensitive-hubby was like was it really that bad-he wasent there.

god help me if have issues in future it bee they going off on one again. I really did think she would be bit more sypathetic as dd had bad year last year.

I have freinds who send kids to other schools locally and they not as homework heavy or power tripping over reading as our school is some can even go libary and get books out themselves where as ours parents allowed no where near the books.

Dd is daily reader so either reads with teacher, ta or oarent helper daily.

I would think they should be encouraging your dd to read, and if she wants to read more than what they have set, they should be pleased about that. And making a mistake over her numeracy homework is just that - a mistake - and didn't deserve such a response from them.

Will your dd read other books, outside her school reading books? If so, I would do the school reading as prescribed by her teacher, and then read other books with her.

when picked dd up yesterday got the i put her up a level as thats what u feel but you read what I tell you too-you dont read on really abrupltly infront of dd.

How ridiculous and how limiting. And where's the enjoyment? As Literacy coordinator I would be furious if one of our teachers said this.

Thanks guys glad its not just me.

I questioned level 4 as she read with ease.
only reading so many pages at a time means 1book and whole level is taking forever.

i understand the stronger readers get read to in class 3times a week but mines daily so cant see me going massivly too far ahead its not like i have access to books and read a whole level in one week.

I wouldent make dd read or do anything she dident want to do im not being pushy.

Will read the new level 5 today as she was tired last night.
see how she gets on.
I understand the bit about decoding and asking questions for comprehensions but at moment the story plot is very simple and dd is in no confusion whats going on within the story.

To me it seems more a power thing.
Thourght they be greatful for parents ho take an interest,
Maybe I am hung up on its but only because she made so little progress last year.

Everyone raves about this teacher so wondering if should give time but last few times spoken to her shes been a little abrupt.
I know shes had lot people come to see her this year.
Did think maybe got her on wrong day but she was equally as abrupt thrur as she was friday.

will read pages 2-9 this whole weekend as specified in reading orders.

im wondering if was no win as if she says

yes i read with her and agree the levlels too easy and moved her up makes school look bad.

if she comes back and said i read and dont agree with you that dd reading massivly different in school to home.

but not i get the i moved her up as you pushed me too but unsure shes ready that this level will be a challenge for her when people in special phonics group higher mind boggles really does.

I just need to hide my negativity and dissapointment about schools behaviour from dd but not happy.

Did think maybe should go on homework ban but that wont help dd.

you have options.

do what the teacher says and follow it to the letter

withdraw dd from the reading scheme formally with a letter stating that the restricted reading is causing dd distress and you will carry on reading using resources that you supply (this needs to be in writing/email to the head teacher) (bit drastic)

see the head and query what the teacher says because you must have misunderstood and you need the rationale for the restricted reading to be explained.

email the teacher with the outcome of your meeting and accidently send it via the heads email. (oops, how careless)

follow waht the teacher says and do real reading with your owwn resources to keep the process going til she is in the next class.

Ginn 360 is ancient and very very dry, imo.

I didnet realise withdrawel an option
unsure if that would upset dd more she just wants to catch up with
her freinds she keeps going on baout what number box they on thats the box that holds the higher level books.

All books are kept in corridor outside year 1-2classrooms so parent dont have easy access.

dont know either of their email adresses.

The head and everyone else in school raves about this teacher.
They say shes strict but gets results.

Over the summer i told her stop worrying about levels and lets read for enjoyment so read various books from libary which she enjoyed,

now shes back shes preoccupied with levels again

spoke to head in regards to last year and proposal to flexi school her one day a week and that was rejected.

im trying to have confidence that they do better this year.
butits the high handed controlling approach and just genral amount of time everything takes that frustrates me,

so far has 2quick informal chats after school with teacher and book appointment with her thur with hubby there too.

we got into huge discussion around asking questions after reading.
but dident answer why we moving so slow, why others are so drastically ahead. what additional support shes getting in class none.

shes not at very bottom and passed phonics test yet still very slow progress. we read every night with her and fun books on weekends.

i currently not sure what her issues are thinking maybe need to do some more phonic work at home.

They must see her differently to how she is at home.

shes getting 10/10 in weekly spelling test yet her written work is littered with spelling mistakes some a shes spelling phonetically.

dd commented why are they always eating unhealthy food mummy-thourght wait until shes good enough for enid blyton.

Tbh she prefers ginn to ort which seems bit babish.
wish they had the songbirds scheme but its just ort or ginn.
my freind school uses something called reading recovery so has no idea, its so confusing for parents as ours are not colour banded and the levls dont match up so ginn level 5 is like level 8ort I think and she ended year one on 3ort so shes dramatically improved but thionk was kept too low last year too long.
last year we would have 1 level 3ort book a week which she could read easily and she found boring.

its really knocked her confidence.dd perceives herself as not as clever as the others. I just wnat her to be hapy, try her best, enjoy learning and achive her potential year 2s very formal loads work hardly any play.

When i say this to school all get is e the experts , we decide everyones at different pace. I also think in back of mind they think im a overcompeative pushy interfering mum now ho doesnt trust them.

Can you sign her up to the reading chest???

It might boost her confidence because she is able to read harder books (even if the school don't see it).

The teacher sounds like a controlling twat quite frankly! I'd be delighted for parents to read as much as they wanted and would change the book as often as needed. It's not rocket science is it? I'm always amazed at how restricting and controlling some schools are over reading. I'm sorry your child's teacher is like that. You could confront her - tell her that you understand that 30 in a class brings its own pressures as far as hearing everyone read is concerned and that you WILL be reading all the way through the books because you're not 6, not in her class and can judge your child's ability to read through the whole thing for yourself. Any problems, go to the HT. Good luck!

Whats sad is we supportive parents

im on pta
I help out where i can
we attend 2parents evenings a year and do my best to avoid monopolising teachers time as have younger siblings so often write note in reading book which gets a stroppy remark back-

I did say in previous notes same things

its too easy
can we ensure her books being changed regurarly
can we read on please.

so far shes said to dd

your mummy likes writing long notes to me doesnt she and then spulled me into class few weeks ago and said if you have an issue speak to me which is why this tine we booked formal appointment.

few days ago she told dd she couldent understand my writing-yet magically answered my question.

I now have special permission if its book of mixed stories to read just one story but as the books getting longer and harder we now expected to read less.

When we went to head we were very carefull not to diss year 1 teacher just said maybe its methods, different learning styles and suggested flexischooling as it was legal option and we lacked confidence.

I guess I had this airy fairy idea of parents working in partnership for good of child.

we always read with her and do set homework would have thourght all this make us good engaging parents we trying to engage get involved feel shut out.

we have looked at another school which I want to move her to after half term but hubbys unsure shes settled socailly has freinds just have real issues with how controlling and pushy they being with the academics.

If parent/teacher rfelationship breaks down then can that be bad for dd as finding it hard to stay positive and feel like weekends ,hols we should be doing more to plug the huge gap.

Your DD's teacher sounds a bit of an idiot. My DS's teacher positively encourages extra reading at home, this week DS came home with 4 ORT books because his teacher knows DS likes to read. Your DD should be getting all the encouragement she can, not be told 'only read what I tell you'. I'd be a bit at your DD's teacher.

Teacher sounds like a controlling bully. I hate reading schemes and my experience of y2 is very similar to yours though opposite end of scale, my dd is getting stupidly easy home work and reading, after a very broad range of homework in y1 and lots of freedom for her to do as little or much as she wants.

I have decided to do what teacher requests despite it being spellings of three and four letter words that dd was learning in yr. then doing as we please at home, own books own reading library, website etc. I think the restrictions in y2 maybe a result of working on prescribed measures just for sats.
I would probably suggest you do the same for time being. If your dd is other wise happy in school.

glad to see im not being precious or over emotional.

I left them to their own devices last year,

feel im probably on the annoying parent hit list now as im known to head and year 2teacher.

Cnat belive ta quized her in detail about overreading.
The spellings ere tricky so as read on wed nite gave time to devote thursday evening after gym.

Dd keeps talking about her targets like shes in the workplace,
when questioned teacher shes like ohh yes they given targets for every area.

Have another parent doing handwriting practice every weekend as was told joined up handwritings a given and expected in year 2.
That I really should do more with dd.

but shes shattered goes to school 5full days a week.

she has 3after school clubs not school related wish they were as be easier and cheaper.

I dont want to cut her extra curricular hobbies as her school does no sports as it is or spend every weekend doing loads extra work dd already feels year 2 work and no play.

This teacher every parent and teacher says is the best so saddened I am clashing with her.

DD Freind goes to infant school-they have a no homework policy do y6ou think they bit more chilled as dont have year 2sats results published?

I picked a primary to give continuity so wouldent have to move.
There are local schools who give out less but there are who give out more..

I spoken to freind who attends village primary and they get their own kids reading book shes seems perlexed when mention all the stuff we do.

Is it if I go too far ahead she wont be able to understand if dd comprehendds shes in no danger of overtaking the class they 3-5levels above many of them,

I think I might just take her to the library and let her read what she wants to, tbh. Reading scheme arguments are really pointless in the long run. If dd is becoming an efficient and keen reader out of school, this will translate to the classroom. However she learns to read doesn't matter - the fact that she can and does, and enjoys it, is paramount.

Sometimes you do get a teacher that you have a clash with. I didn't speak to dd2's yr2 teacher for a whole year. I just let her get on with it because she made me stabby.

Take her to the library or sign up for reading chest. There are plenty of far more fun ways to build reading skills and stamina than a crappy school reading scheme. Don't sweat it.

Thanks if reading was only issue but the numeracy worse and they doing nothing.

I have concerns over child safety
lack of enrichment opportunities
how pushy they being doesnt sit right with me.

This feels like the final straw if get my way.

i lost comfidence

i tried to work with them and support them

but feel shut out and completly disregarded and respected,

i need to make a decision next week.

Please just take her to the library. Reading scheme books are generally dull and lacking in content, particularly at the early stages. They are used in schools to teach specific reading skills or measure progress. Stop getting fixated on the scheme books. Just read a few pages and then move on to something else.

littlefish we do read libary books as I said before we read other stuff at home.

sadly its dd hos preoccupied with levels as she compares herself with her freinds.

if the reading was my only worry I wouldent be so annoyed but shes struggling with maths and they doing nothing extra to combat that.