The dreaded ORT books!

[sagandswing]

My dd is attending nursery class and a few weeks back started bringing home the first stage of the joyfull ORT books....and in a nut shell she is not interested in the slightest! I have tried making it fun, catching her in a good mood (not too tired from school) but she just does not want to know infact she runs off if she sees the dam thing! Yet she will ask me to read to her randomly, and she will pick her own book at bedtime and "read" me a story, by that I mean make one up :).

My Ds was the complete opposite he would have a crack every day of the week if he could at that age :), how on earth can I encourage her to do this?? will it affect her reading in the future if she continues to avoid the first stage of the schools reading scheme??

[Feenie]

Didn't your Head prioritise any of your budget at ALL to spend on matchfunding, MissMe?

[mrz]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11458137
conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2010/10/gove-scraps-no-touch-rule.html
uk.reuters.com/article/2010/10/02/uk-britain-teachers-idUKTRE6910Q420101002

[mrz]

and about a dozen national newspapers

[MissMe]

I can only find reference to physical restraint being made more acceptable in 2010, and even then saying he is going to, as opposed to he actually has.

I can't find your reference to it being Gove saying it's ok to hug children.

As for matchfunding budgets, I am a lowly ICT co-ordinator, and not allowed near a budget. I work with what I'm given, to the best of my ability.

[mrz]

So you missed COMFORT

[mrz]

I've found the link I was looking for
Schools should not have a ?no touch? policy.
www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a00191991/new-guidance-for-teachers-to-help-improve-discipline-in-schools

[MissMe]

No, I found "comfort victims of bullying" (only bullying I note, not children who have fallen over, or who are struggling with home, or children who are having a bad day, or children who have done really well, just bullied children)

Your link is no more helpful than the newspaper articles, which is a shame. Perhaps I can teach them the joy of books whilst using a violin? I'm not laughing at what you are trying to explain, honestly, I just don't see where he said "It's ok to hug children when they need it." which would have been so much more useful. I'm glad the link is that bit more recent though.

Never mind. Thankyou for doing your best to explain.

I will add that I have had more success in getting parents to share a book with their child using oxfordowl.co.uk as it takes the pressure off of the parent having to read to the child, which, as I said before, a lot of the ones in our school are not great at.

[mrz]

The statement "Schools should not have a NO TOUCH policy" seems pretty clear ...

[MissMe]

The statement "Schools should not have a NO TOUCH policy" seems pretty clear ...

But does it say that we can hug them? No. There is a world of difference, litigiously, between a pat on the back as a well done, or a consolatory shoulder squeeze, and a cuddle. Don't get me wrong, I believe children should be hugged and cuddled as much as they want to be, and that practically everything can be made to feel a bit better with a cuddle and a brew! What I need to know though, is that I'm not going to get grief from parents or management about it.

To go back to the original point of your debate about touching, there are not many finer moments as a parent than having a snuggling child sprawled over you whilst you share a story with him or her or them. I would love to give that to some of the children in the school who have very little positive physical contact. (I'd love to have the time to share a story with all of them lol, not just some, but some need it more than most!)

However, we are in a culture in the local area where this is not permissible, where story-time in Juniors is being eroded because there is not an identifiable learning objective, success criteria, or APP measurable outcome, where it is not seen as an "efficient use of teacher time." I can read to them in the literacy hour, or they can read to me in guided reading. I perpetually argue this point with the literacy co-ordinator because an enjoyment of books is not going to be fostered by the current policies. Without an enjoyment of books leading them to go further, then a whole world of learning and entertainment is locked off to them as adults.

I'm biased though. I have an enjoyment of books that means I'd rather read than do a great many more boring thing (like sorting out the washing pile lol!) But then I had a childhood swamped in books, and hugs. I got lucky.

[mrz]

As I said I'm designated CPO and I hug children every single day, some even sit on my lap you may feel uncomfortable about it and it is your choice but there is no reason why you can't cuddle up with a book and a child/children if that is what they need ... and if they are lacking that comfort in the home I would suggest someone "safe" has to fill the gap.
Presumably you will all be fully clothed and in a public area ...otherwise I would suggest not considering trying.

[lingle]

Oh Missme that's awful that you cannot hug them.

What about the ones with language delay, especially with problems understanding language?

I do hope someone is able to give you some better ammunition. Could you ask parents direct if it is ok to cuddle their child?

I dread to think what DS2's time in nursery would have been like with a no-cuddle policy.

[mrz]

I would also suggest always taking the lead from the child ...personally I would never push a child away.

[tethersend]

I have written many handling policies for schools; not one of them (nor any law) prohibits staff hugging children.

Of course you can hug children. Your school's policy is wrong.

[tethersend]

I should add that there may be individual children for whom hugging is not appropriate- this does not mean that there is any rule to say you cannot do so.

[MissMe]

I have never pushed a child away. I don't have it in me to do that, handling policy or no! lol! This isn't a policy that I agree with, and it is one that needs changing. However, it involves looking at children as individuals as opposed to graded numbers....

When my son went to nursery I had to fill in a form for what it was ok to do if he'd hurt himself - plaster, antiseptic wipes ect, and I wrote on there "and CUDDLE him" so that no one could think the parent hadn't given permission!

[lingle]

liking the "and cuddle him" strategy - can you get parents to do this too?

[sagandswing]

Oh dear!, everything seems to be kicking orf!

Thanks for all the replies :). I will continue as I am now I know her lack of interest in this stage won't cause her any difficulties in the next stages.

Missme I have just noticed a reference to oxford owl website, I had to use this several months back when my Ds lost all confidence in his reading (long story but in a nutshell he had become bored with the ORT books after being put back 2 stages) I used it to show him a level above the one he is on now which he read fine and it seemed to work wonders because now he is storming through the level he is on to get to the more interesting books. So there's no more "forgetting his book" when it was time to read at home or it "not being in his bag" when he is at school, and my Dd listened to one of the books but she did ask for this :).

Cuddles can be very taboo in this day and age, but I have watched my Dd's teacher cuddle her before and I can't say that I would have a problem with that it's just a natural reaction if you are a warm/caring person, if anything it gave me peace of mind knowing that she was being treated as a person rather than a number, I think most of the time its down to the person concerned to dictate how far the policies go sometimes they can get a bit too restrictive (usually when something has happened before) and so long as there is someone else with you then whats to worry about?

Please don't lynch me obviously I am not a teacher this is my opinion, and I have witnessed policies being changed to cover individuals backs when they have for seen their actions will bring times of trouble upon themselves, but as far as I am concerned most of the time they aren't worth the paper they are written on, in fact I have contemplated writing my own policies to hand into Ds's teacher on many occasions .

[lingle]

Surely no one in their right mind would object to a teacher cuddling a small child?