Reception - whats your kid up to?

[BlueSkySinking]

Thankfully mostly play at ours.

My son's class is part way through is phonics and the whole class is moving on to books with basic words next week. We also have some high frequency words (??) that Sam needs to learn for homework.

I've been really impressed with the teacher so far. Really kind young lady but has clear rules.

"I can't remember" according to 4yo DD.

But she has sounds and word books, and is learning to write letters (one a day) and sounds and starting basic words - my PFB is starting to read!

Also basic numbers, she has become much more confident in her counting and even basic sums (unprompted). They do number line exercises, where each child has a number and they stand mixed up and have to get themselves in order forwards, then backwards, then they will try even and odd number sequences, etc.

Lots of colouring, drawing, and also exercises to develop pencil control for writing (draw along the wavy line, draw loops, etc).

A couple of PE sessions so far (running around playing games).

But mostly play. Her main traumas are all around the social and practical side of things, adjusting to the new meals, how to eat quickly, what fruit she does/does not like, wiping her bottom after having a poo (she was holding it in, thankfully no more), how to cope when other kids won't play with her.

She is EXHAUSTED! So am I

I wouldn't be impressed that my child had to "learn" high frequency words at home

My dd has bought home read ing books for the past 3 weeks but they have no words. She justbhas to telltale he story from the pictures.

She has target work once a week. First week was practising the first sounds of words and playing I spy using phonics sounds. Second week was to discuss random pictures using sentences. Third week is 3d shapes ( I have learnt what a cuboid is).
She does PE once a week. I think they play simple team games.
They are streaming them onto reading tables after half term.

There project is dinosaurs so she is telling me all about fossils. She is also in a faith school so she has learned about the creation which raised the question of you told me that you and daddy made me but miss x said god made us all.

Brings home books with no words in and has a flash card game with the characters on. Not sure what they do at school.

DS doesn't give much away. I get snippets of information - Mr Broccoli came to the class and there were gingerbread men in a special assembly, one boy hits his arm whenever DS is on the computer, there are monsters in the toilets, he's learned how to hula hoop and he's been talking a lot about Power Rangers .

He gets a short book for us to read together each evening (quite often about clowns ) and a library book each week.

Picture books to "read", has now gone onto simple word books at home. Phonics practice at home. Writing sheets to practice at home. They are very much a "learning begins at home" school, and, whilst I appreciate the need for these things to be supported at home, I wonder how much is replicated in other schools. I did a lot of support during my previous job with children in a school where traditionally there was little done with children by parents (we used to point out that if they had read TV listings with their children they could put that in the reading diaries, as the majority had no books at home, nor a desire to read school books)

PE twice a week pretending to be superheroes, a range of activities to choose from in the classroom. They practice writing their names 3 times a week.

There is a "rocket" with 10 numbered squares which they get stickers on. DS doesn't know what it's for, but he seems to have a lot less than everyone else already. Going to ask what it's for this week as I'm worrying. Also noticed that there is a tick sheet with their names for when observations are carried out. Again, on Friday, each child had between 2 and 5 ticks, mine had none Worrying already but don't want to come across as That Parent.

The thing is, DS is doing quite well with decoding simple words phonetically at home. If he gets it into his head that he doesn't want to "perform", he will pretend he can't do it. I'm worrying that this is what he's doing in school.

The teacher is nice, but she seems a bit swamped. She seems to talk a lot to parents who she's encountered already further up the school (this is her first year in Reception). I've also stood with DS whilst he was trying to ask her something (he couldn't find his name tag and was really upset) and watched her ignore him (talking to others over his head) then when she finally spoke to him she didn't even reply to him, just nodded and walked off to speak to another parent.

I know that I'm overthinking and probably worrying unnecessarily, but this is my first opportunity to "talk" out my concerns.

DD had to make a gingerbread man puppet at home ( for homework) to re-tell the story in their own words...

She has had lists of tricky words to learn (3 lists so far) and a reading book each week (DD can already read).

They are starting to learn about 3D shapes next week and her homework this week is to identify any in our local area...

No high frequency words at my DS school.

Shoe Shop in the first week is now a Baker's, which DD did a poster for.

Someone each day gets a turn to be 'the fruit seller' for the daily fruit snack.

She has a show and tell day once a week and on that day she gets a new library book. No reading books yet but they did S A T and P this week, one a day and a sheet home to practise. At the end of the week she had a word list made just of those letters.

She's played on the keyboard and the glockenspiel and made a shaker.

She did a self portrait which is on the wall outside the classroom with everyone else's. We have had box models and stencil animals galore.

She loves PE - it sounds mostly like music and movement in the hall. Oh and harvest festival assembly.

They have packed a lot in to the first 3 weeks!

The mysterious Numicon she liked too and getting a go on the smart board.

I think, according to DS, they are doing sounds and phonics and a bit of letter forming, and play. He brings home books, no words yet, three times a week and once a week we have to pick a book he has enjoyed, draw a picture and give it stars.

Poppywearer you have made my day! You have just described my dd's experiences thus far. Good to know she (we) are not alone!

Very interesting ...

I think they also rely quite a bit on parents to help teach the reading at home. I think my only concern is that they only seem to change the reading book once a week.

Can you not go in & change book yourself, BlueSky?
DS has been learning m, a , s, d & t.
Apparently he wrote some numbers out, too, other day.

We are on books with words now; although we're not a fan.

"Can't I tell the story properly" eg look at the pictures and say what's happening

We have a new book each night. Floppy, Chip and Co, where it says 'Dad is in hospital', 'Dad is eating grapes', 'Dad is talking' that sort of thing at the moment.

Each week we have to practice sounds and colour in some picture relating to the sound.

We too have a rocket, top of the rocket is for good behaviour bottom on the rocket for not so good behaviour. One little person has been at the bottom a couple of times so I'm told. My DS stays in the middle.

PE twice a week where they do dancing and 'copy Year 5'.

Other than that I have no idea. I always say DS should work for MI5 when he grows up as he gives so little away.