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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

dd's teacher seems to leave it to me when dd moves up a reading level

38 replies

PrincessScrumpy · 05/02/2014 17:01

I'm not sure if this is normal but dd1 is 5 (almost 6) so in yr1. She is a confident reader and back in November, after many clear messages in her reading book (read fluently with full understanding and adding emotion into reading out loud etc) I ended up writing a question: "should these books challenge dd or is she expected to be reading them as easily as she is?" The answer was for her teacher to give 2 books instead of 1 per night but of the same level. I decided to tell the teacher to just send one and we'll pick one from home. About 2 weeks later dd went up 2 levels.

This week, after continually having books that again aren't challenging dd as she is clearly progressing well and us writing the same "Read with no problems" type comments I got fed up last night and decided to be blunt - "dd is finding these books very easy and is currently reading Matilda to me at home". I felt like it was a criticism of the teacher but she only gets to read once a week and only ever reads about 2 pages, 3 if she's lucky. I guess this is why they aren't really assessing her and it seems to be up to us to be pushy parents. It probably sounds like I am pushy but I'm not, it was really clear dd was on the wrong book band. Unsurprisingly, after last night's comment dd read at school today - still only 4 pages - and she's moved up again.

Basically, I'm really asking if is this normal? Do you have to push the teacher to push your child? How much does your yr1 child read to the teacher/ta each week? I think I feel like because dd is able they don't worry about her, but actually she lacks confidence and thinks she's rubbish and invisible to her teachers as she rarely gets praise... I presume she probably does get praise but it's her 5-year-old perception.

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higherhill · 05/02/2014 17:53

We have the same issue. My ds is in Yr 1 also and was stuck on orange band since end of October and was reading fluently answering questions about the text etc and only after several prompts from me did his teacher put him up to next level. she hears him read once a week not sure how many pages. I have given her the benefit of the doubt as she is newly qualified teacher and we will see how we go. I think as parents we hear our children read the most so probably have a better handle on where the child is at, and whether something is providing a challenge or not.

Original poster

PrincessScrumpy · 05/02/2014 18:01

That's true - I think I'm just terrified of being "that" parent :)

OP posts:

kilmuir · 05/02/2014 18:01

I wrote a note to teacher asking for her to see if DS could try next level book as current ones too easy. She listened to him read and moved him up

higherhill · 05/02/2014 18:07

I must admit I was a bit hesitant about prompting her, but also couldn't bear the idea of ds getting bored by the books he was being given. to be fair to the teacher she stresses the importance of asking lots more challenging questions of ds to ensure he has got full understanding of the book such as why is this in italics, what does glossary or introduction mean etc.

MoonHare · 05/02/2014 18:11

Same for my Y1 DD. We've never been given a steer by the school as to how challenging the children should find the books they bring home. We've had to ask for my DD to be moved up the last 3 times because she was sailing through the books.

There doesn't seem to be much guided reading in school, twice I've written in DDs diary to ask when the last guided reading was and both times the teacher's reply was that there had been a session that week but the parent/TA had forgotten to write it in. I'm not that happy that the teacher seems to be relying on parent helpers and the TA to assess reading.

It's parent's evening soon so will bring it up then.

dilbertina · 05/02/2014 18:12

I tend to write that they are reading current level easily with good expression and ask the teacher if they could assess if they are ready to move up, and if not, to please let us know what we need to work on....I don't think this approach has ruffled too many feathers...

Jinty64 · 05/02/2014 18:27

In ds's class the children read in groups. They read 4 days a week, one day silently and then with a reading partner in their group (last year the teacher read the book aloud to the class and then they discussed it), one day individually with the teacher/TA, two days guided reading or occasionally with an older child. They have one book a week which is also read 4 nights a week at home and used for other activities in school that week.

The children all move up as a group and there have been times when I have felt that the books have not been challenging for ds and that he has been reading much more difficult books at home there have been times when I have thought I might scream when I open the book on night 4. However, he started school unable to read and now reads and understands quite complicated books, signs, instructions etc. so they must be doing something right. I have put my trust in his teachers, assume they know best and they seem to be doing the job.

Passthecake30 · 05/02/2014 18:36

Ds teacher aims to read with them all once a month, other people listen to him at other times. Ds has read to her 4 times, and moved up 4 times...on occasions I have nagged her as he started but quite low in yr1 (now orange so I have chilled out) and now I am confident that she will listen again when it gets to his turn againl

Passthecake30 · 05/02/2014 18:38

ladyquinoa · 05/02/2014 19:28

The answer is the Reading owl - Oxford reading tree books on line. You can put her on what ever level you like.

My DS's were all fast readers and have zoomed through things. We have sat at different levels for what has felt like ages in school. However it doesn't bother me - as long as I can provide interesting books at home, the test will follow.

ladyquinoa · 05/02/2014 19:30

Mine were listened to about once every 5 or 6 weeks. The ones needing support get read to a couple of times a week

columngollum · 05/02/2014 19:33

If I pushed the teacher we'd be reading books in a different language by now!

lljkk · 05/02/2014 19:35

no, I have the opposite problem, I have to keep pushing for DS to have easier books. But they are getting better hang of it now.

simpson · 05/02/2014 21:06

DD does guided reading once a week (with the class teacher) but it's not recorded in her reading diary.

She is listened to 121 with the teacher about once every 6 weeks but is listened to by a parent helper every week.

catkind · 05/02/2014 22:03

I was wondering the same. Yr R so it's all new to us. So far we've waited till we thought he was finding them easy, then a couple more weeks, then got impatient and asked and they've moved him up.

I think I'm going to have to ask the teacher about how they do it, I have no idea how often they hear them reading or who does. DS tells us nothing!

DavidHarewoodsFloozy · 05/02/2014 22:53

My dd 6 is in y1, she's on turquoise ort, she,s been on them since october. I think her teacher wants her to read for comprehension.

I,ve just decided to go with whatever comes from school, lets face it, boff and chopper( as we call them) are hugely boring and flat.

At home she/we are reading The Wishing Tree series, Amelia Jane, Clarice Bean, Mrs Pepperpot series, easier Dahl books, Mr Majeika, a few Dick King Smith.

Her reading, understanding has come on.brilliantly, and I think she,s genuinely beginning to develop a love of reading.

So that's my advice, read your own choice at home to stretch them.

catkind · 05/02/2014 23:09

DHF, can't wait till we can read Mrs Pepperpot and Mr Majeika and all that!

WillBeatFebruaryBlues · 05/02/2014 23:10

Same as David I gave up on school boooks, I cant bear them...I have built up a wonderful library for her at home, I scour charity shops and get loads for her...and 6 months ago she was looking at all the books in dismay whilst colouring in saying...but mummy i wont have time to read such long books. we got her going on easier dhal, the twits, then others like that, 6 months on and she is choosing her own books from her library and takes them to school and reads at night before bed! she tells me every day proudly what chapter she is on....currently lemony snicket.

WillBeatFebruaryBlues · 05/02/2014 23:10

Not heard of Mrs Pepperpot.

MrsKCastle · 06/02/2014 07:15

Genuine question for all of you who are being given easy books- what would happen if you didn't bother to read them? Would the teachers criticise you or have stern words with the DCs?

With DD1, I don't ask her to read the school books. They are rarely suitable. She isn't allocated a particular book, she just has to choose from a specific box. And what's in the box varies hugely, but is usually easy for her.

So I just get DD to choose a book from her vast selection and we read that. The teacher has no problem with that, so long as we're reading.

Jinty64 · 06/02/2014 07:47

I think, if the teacher is happy for you to choose what she reads and it sounds as if her books are chosen randomly, then there shouldn't be a problem.

We are given precise instruction re. what should be done each night and, as the children read in a group, it would quickly become clear who was doing it and who was not.

simpson · 06/02/2014 08:26

DD is in yr1 and I don't think she has read a school book all year (apart from guided reading).

DD chooses her own book (far too easy) then digs her heels in at home about reading it and wanting to read a non scheme book instead which we did. Teacher was fine with this but still made DD change her book every week.

After a term of this silliness, DD has now parted ways with the reading scheme after not reading any at home for nearly a year.

columngollum · 06/02/2014 09:37

To be fair to teachers and schools, reading schemes weren't designed to teach children who can already read to read. So, it isn't all that surprising that all of us with reading children are having problems!

cloutiedumpling · 06/02/2014 10:04

I have all but given up on the reading books the school provides. They are far too easy but DS's teacher refuses to move him up a level because there is no space in the next reading group. She is aware that we don't read the books the school provides and so far no one has said anything to DS.

LittleMissGreen · 06/02/2014 10:28

If I pushed the teacher we'd be reading books in a different language by now!
Is that an option? My children are in an English speaking school in Wales, but learning to read Welsh has been great for stretching them (teachers idea not mine).

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