Reception teacher told us not to read everyday

[TeaJunky]

Ok, so dd started bringing books home. She initially brought the purple level with no words then progressed onto pink quite quickly. She reads her school reading (phonics) book to me everyday and as the reading book is changed only once a week, she began to find this boring quite quickly.

I wrongly assumed that she is perhaps ready for something more challenging and I wrote this in her reading record.

Dd's reception teacher called me in at the end of the day and proceeded to show me the whole reading scheme on the trolley and explain that it only consisted of 500 words and the whole point of it was to achieve fluency blah blah (I already know all this). She said dd had been tried out on some 'harder' books and struggled with them hence she stayed on pink.
That was fine by me, so I suggested that she perhaps needed a new book more often as she read everyday. The teacher said 'really, don't read everyday because it can get boring really quickly'.
I pointed out that it actually wasn't me pushing dd to sit down and read, it was her bringing her book bag from her room and literally dragging me onto the sofa to read - she said 'honestly, don't let her do it everyday'

What ?!

The second thing that worried me about the whole conversation was the fact that the reading scheme only went up to level red, so the whole of the reading scheme was only three levels; purple (pre words), pink and red. She said that's the highest they can go in reception on the scheme.

Am I right to feel that this is a very limiting and pre-determined scheme with no room for differentiation or individual progression?

This is a highly thought of school and we are happy with everything else but the whole reading convo we had seems so bizarre.

thoughts ?

I read with yr1 kids and have had a few of them literally "learn" their school reading book off by heart. When they turn over 2 pages by accident, they don't realise and recite the words from the previous page.

This is not helped by the the parent writing in the reading diary that the child has " learnt" the book. But having said that, at least they write in the reading diary in the first place

Did the person who recommended one book a week say which particular book that was? I can think of several books I'd be happy with at one per week.

War and peace?

Limiting reception to red band seems stupid, DDs class only have up to red band stored in their classroom due to space but when children get above that the TA goes and gets books from one of the other classes or the school library, it's not like it's a lot of effort and there must be harder books in the school somewhere!

I do wish DDs teacher didn't insist they read every night though, sometimes DD is just too tired or not in the mood and the resulting tantrums are a pain.

I would worry about a policy which sets a limit to progress

I think that that arrangement with the higher books stored elsewhere is probably the actual case at the ops school. It would make more sense.

My advice would be don't make your child read every night if they're tired. Use your instincts, it can be counter productive and the child should be associating reading with pleasure. Every other night would be fine. Some receptions are just 4...babies!!! They do get tired, it's a long day for them and they work and play hard.

But mrz...in all your experience have you come across a teacher who would say "sorry, we don't want reception chn past red. You can't read on". I haven't! Teachers want children in their class to excell- god, we're put under enough pressure aren't we- can you imagine anybody keeping somebody at a level unnecessarily??

No mammadiggingdeep I haven't and I can't think of why anyone would think that it was a good idea to put a limit on reading (or any subject).
I also tell parents it's OK not to read if the child is obviously tired or it becomes a battle but one or two pages a night is better than reading the whole book once a week.

Here is DD reading an unfamiliar book. It's fab reading for a 4-year old, BUT I wouldn't be impressed if school sent home books at this level at the moment. Whilst she can read it and gets the gist of the story, she hasn't got the inference and deduction skills needed to truly understand it. I'm really glad they have her on easier books so she can develop these skills.

They started her on green level and now she's on orange. They don't set a ceiling on reading, and it would really really worry me if a school truly did.

mammadiggingdeep Thank you I often find myself saying 'he/she is 4 and he/she is absolutely fine!' They should be allowed to enjoy their early years - all the pressure and fuss starts soon enough anyway!

Huitre Did I actually say I'd restrict children? No, because I wouldn't ever restrict them. Children are all different, I would do what is appropriate for the individual child. I have children in my class that can read Roald Dahl and are able to comprehend the story - I haven't restricted these children in the slightest, I foster their love of reading.

The point I was actually making is that...the aim of the game isn't to rush through a reading scheme, reading book after book to get onto the next colour. I also find the obsession with book bands odd ilovesmurfs

maizieD I was referring to the fact that I agree with Bertie's premise that I suppose that the point is it isn't great to rush through all of the levels because it leads to a shakier foundation.

Feenie It is important to do both...I just don't feel that there should be any rush to whizz through the book bands.

AbbyR1973 Some children do 'bark at print' and it's so important not to fail these children, if it not always clear that struggle with language comprehension. It's all to do with the 'simple view of reading' and the children that fall in the bottom right box. Obviously not all children have this issue, some do, some don't. Children are different, they are individuals and there should be challenge for all.

My children get one reading book a week and that is all that's necessary in Reception

This bit is at odds with this:

Children are different, they are individuals and there should be challenge for all.

They don't match.

There is unlimited challenge in reading - extend the activity by covering up words, choosing new words that would fit the story, creating a new ending, creating character profiles, writing your own blurb etc. There doesn't need to be a constant change of text.

Also, on a more practical side...have you any idea how time consuming changing reading books is?!? There is more to Reception life than reading/changing books. I'd rather spend my time more effectively - scaffolding play, extending ideas during continuous provision, engaging in child led activities or doing focus group work. There are 17 Early Learning Goals in Reception - Reading is just 1.

I have an inkling, yes - I am a Literacy coordinator and primary school teacher . There doesn't have to be a constant change of text - but why shouldn't there be? Why can't a child do those sorts of activities with other books? Why do you think it should be with the same one?

Are you seriously suggesting - alongside your philosophy that children are individuals - that you don't change books more than weekly because you haven't time?

Have you been teaching very long, Pie8er?

I don't feel I need to answer that question - it's absolutely none of your business how long I've been teaching.

I only change them once a week because I feel that is all that is necessary.

As a Reception teacher I enjoy spending my time supporting all aspects of learning, rather than spending an disproportionate amount of time focusing on reading/changing books. That doesn't go to say that I don't appreciate the importance of reading, I just feel that in EY's each area of learning is of equal value.

I was interested in your reasons for having 'rules' about reading books - it smacked of inexperience to me. But course you don't have to answer anything you don't wish too.

I still don't understand your reasons for limiting children to one book a week - your reasons that it's time consuming to change them or that that's all you feel is necessary aren't very good ones.

I think you need to think about why you want to put a ceiling on your children's reading - and if it really and truly is because you feel you haven't time then you need to rethink your proritities and classroom routines. I would be seriously unimpressed with any teacher in my school who told me they didn't have time.

to

Thanks for your opinion on my teaching, it was greatly appreciated.

EY's take home a reading book and a story book - once a week.

Years 1-6 take home a reading book and a library book - once a week.

This happens through out the school. Our Literacy coordinator is very happy with this, it works extremely well for us and its effectiveness is evident through the data.

Are you sure it isn't the school's way of trying to avoid the race through the sets? Children I know have read five+ books a week (not necessarily accurately, but have "read" them to / with parents) so need to change them. By this method they have raced through all books in red, yellow, blue and green sets of home readers. The child can't read orange set independently with anything above 50% accuracy, but because they have had all the previous sets that is what parents want next.
My school does not teach reading through these sets, we teach it through guided reading, specific one-to-one activities, phonics sessions, literacy sessions, etc. these books are just home readers for reinforcement and certain assertive parents have bullied the teachers into letting their children change on to a higher set because they have finished the colour below out of competitiveness despite the teacher (not me!) explaining their child is not ready for these books and they can share more exciting library books if they want to broaden the reading experience. And before people say school should have more books, we do have budget constraints and we did need to recycle all our old books when we bought into the purely phonics approach. We spent all we could from school budget (topped up by PTA) to be awarded the match funding by the government a couple of years ago and now we have very a limited reading book budget for a few years.

Not saying this is OP and her child, but just offering a possible explanation

Just to clarify, we don't expect a child to read a whole set before we feel they are ready to change colour band and sometimes we jump bands if a child has made rapid progress. We assess this by comparing the home reading set with what we are doing in class and the teacher hearing a page or two from the old and then possible new sets.

Did I actually say I'd restrict children?

When you said 'I have absolutely no issue with this' I assumed that was what you meant, as that is what the thread is about. The OP clearly states that she is worried about two things - frequency of changing the book and the idea that children should be restricted to certain levels of book.

I think that the frequency of book changes should be an individual thing. Not a race but not set in stone either. A 'scheme' book and a story book of their choosing should probably be enough for 5 nights though shouldn't it? Especially if you take into account that we all know story books should ideally be shared frequently to embed the pattern of the story and 'story language' (notified to death though). Also taking into account pie8rrs valid point about children at reception not necessarily having the stamina to read every night.

• notified to death that should've been?! Predictive text!!

Did it again... Not milked to death...

maizieD I was referring to the fact that I agree with Bertie's premise that I suppose that the point is it isn't great to rush through all of the levels because it leads to a shakier foundation.

Which has nothing to do with 'barking at print'.

IMVHO having a "rule" that we only change books once a week is ridiculous counterproductive. Books need to be changed in line with the child's ability to read the book not some odd policy that says "it's good enough for Y1,2,3,4,5 or 6" for one thing early reading scheme books have very few pages/words compared to books for older children. Why not allow children to work at their full potential ...