Forced baby behaviour?

[learnandsay]

Are simplistic phonics books good, bad or neutral? If a Reception child can already read Ladybird stories such as Three Little Pigs, Where the Wild Things Are, Dr Seuss, etc, etc, etc but they're bringing home apparently the whole ORT 1+ range comprising of nothing but CVC words which present no challenge and no learning opportunity either, is reading them:

(1) a waste of time, reading time is precious, doesn't it make more sense to spend it on reading words which present a learning opportunity?

(2) potentially leading towards reading becoming uninteresting

(3) promoting ignorance - if the child can read the names of countries already the child could be reading sentences like: The Nile is the longest river in the world, instead of sentences like Dot got a pot and Bot got Dot's pot. Pat pat pat, tap tap tap.

In summary, would the time be better spent reading something useful?

I guess that's the problem then because I'm using it to actually record the progress of her reading (which seems to me what it's for.)

"Forced baby behaviour" sounded like you thought you had a much bigger problem than not knowing what to write in the reading record book!

I used to think of the record book just as an opportunity to raise difficulties if there were any and for teachers to see if there were any children whose parents just weren't reading with their children at all. Often it was used by parents as an all-purpose noticeboard "Please make sure jonnie doesn't leave his jumper at school: I've lost three this term already."

These days I think of the record book as practice for the pointlessness of the secondary school homework book, which my son regularly gets me to sign in advance (when it is totally blank!) to be sure he doesn't get caught out with it unsigned when the time comes.

x-post AMIS: yes that sums up the point of the record book perfectly.

Well, yes, Oaty, the teacher asking me to limit my responses to school books has made me feel locked in because the school books are so simplistic. So, yes there is an element of problem there. (But I've found a temporary solution which is to write about the publishing blurb and not the contents of the book) But a fitting solution would be for the school to accept comments about library books. I'd be happy then. I'm going to leave things till the end of term and if I'm still not happy I'll just tell the teacher that I'm going to stop commenting on school books and start commenting on proper books instead because those are mainly what we read. (And that will be that.)

Commenting on the publishing blurb seems either daft or aggressive (a not-so-coded way of saying "my daughter is too advanced for this book"). The teacher has enough to do without reading comments that haven't been asked for. Just note down that you have read the book! Then your teacher knows that all is well and can move on to read comments in other record books that might need her attention.

I can't see the point of noting down that we've read the book each time. I might as well just stick a note on the front of the reading record saying

this family reads all sent home books.

which is true. If I'm being asked to comment every day or so then I'm either going to write about her reading or I'm not going to write anything. Otherwise it's a pointless or counter productive exercise.

Surely all comments on the child's reading have been asked for because the school is sending home a book for me to comment in.

OK. Stick a note in saying that. The teacher will read "I am a passive aggressive parent who thinks her own choices are far more valid than the school's system". But if you're fine with coming across that way to your child's teacher then go right ahead.

Do you really think the teacher is going to be analysing what you write in the diary? Most parents are bored of the reading diary by child number two. Imagine how tedious the teacher must find it after child number 30!

On the assumption that when she reads to the teacher/TA/parent they will get her to read her current book, just write in 'read up to page x', then TA or whoever can carry on where you and her left off. Or write 'finished this book' so the TA knows to chnage her book.

Don't make such bloody heavy weather out fo it!

Have you thought about helping out in class by the way? Then you'll see why the teacher doesn't want your diatribes on how little learnandsay is splitting diagraphs

The teacher has told you what the "reading record" is for - it is for recording comments about the books which the school has sent home. The fact that you think it ought to be for something else doesn't make it so.

I don't get what you're saying, Amumin, are you saying that I should just fill the book in in order to fit in and to make a good impression on the teacher by being obedient?

I've no interest in doing that at all. I want to teach my daughter to read. If this causes any real conflict for me then I'll just throw the reading record in the bin.

The school reading record may be pointless to you but it won't be to the teacher.

You obviousy want your own record on your child's amazing reading ability. Why don't you make your own reading record then?

Well, if the school doesn't want to read what's in the diary it should stop sending it home.

this thread

I thought that the thread was going to be about a child who had started sucking their thumb to avoid such reading :-)

OP some parents don't listen to their children every day, some children don't manage a whole book a night. (Some parents, it would seem, even lie about what their children have read, shhhh.) So while it does seem to you that you are stating the blindingly obvious, 'Minisay read all this to me, p1-end' each day - the class teacher is not reading this in the other 29 books. And actually at some point, your child won't read the whole book either (honest!) and you will just be reporting how far your DC has got!

I like to comment on which pictures my DCs like, what jokes they got (says a lot about their comprehension and their personalities).

Beyond this, I would write the things I want to read in 1, 2, 5, 30 years time.

too, can I have the address of your child's teacher? I want to send them a crate of wine.

The reading record is for you to write in so the teacher knows that book has been done and your child can move onto the next one. All she needs is: Daisy read to page 9. Fred and I read a page each to page 4. Jimmy tried to read but struggled with the word van. Sarah read well with expression. Johnny decoded the words but didn't understand the story. Lizzie looked at the pictures and made up a suitable story.

I've disagreed with you before about phonics but wanted to say how it's really good to hear you've found a school you are so happy with. Actually I think it's a shame you're only supposed to comment on school books - I know my DS's reception teacher was always happy for us to include other things (and it would surely be easy to ignore your comments??!)

Regarding reading with expression - could you use the simple books to practice different styles - ie how would you read this if we were sad about dan's van, happy about dot's dog etc?

Try not to worry, just be thankful she is so happy. It would be far worse if you had a daughter who was struggling and hating school.

thanks, cakes.

Ah, bless. Thanks Tincletoes.

I think she really loves it.

The teacher has said, quite specifically, that you are to use the reading record to provide comments about the school books. Others have given clear examples of the kinds of things the teacher will find useful.

I am not saying you should do things to fit in and be obedient. I am telling you to do what the school asks you to do, if you are serious about "supporting" what the school is doing.

If you don't want to do things the way the school do them, then deregister her and home educate. That way you can teach her to read any way you like. But as long as you decide to make use of the school, you need to accept that your child is one of 25 (or whatever) in that class, and that with that many separate children things work more smoothly if everyone is working to the same system.

My concern is for my daughter's reading not for her teacher. I'd rather write nothing in the book than give the wrong impression. (The other 25 children in the class are irrelevant to me.)

I would disagree that these books are serving no purpose. Your DD loves that is taking great pleasure from them the objective we all hope to achieve when teaching your children to read.
Based on my personal experience by year 3 to 4 it all evens out and there is really good chance that some of those children who are struggling with the current school books wil be on the same level as your DD and some may even pass her by.

They may be irrelevant to you OP, but they are very relevant to the teacher. They will also be very relevant to your DD. I think you are suffering PFBitis and it would be beneficial for your DD, her school and yourself for you to get over it.

The other 25 children should be relevant to you, if you really want to understand what the reading record book is for, and the ways in which you can understand and support what your child's teacher is trying to achieve. Look again at AMIS post of 12:54:51.

The way you are going about things right now is not going to be supportive to your child's learning in school.