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Primary education

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Original poster

YrR reading

16 replies

thegreylady · 19/03/2014 09:06

My dgs is 5 and in YR he picked up phonics quickly and progressed rapidly through ORT until last week when he was bringing home 'purple' books which he was reading fluently with enjoyment and comprehension. Then, yesterday, he came home with a 'green' book. It was one he had read before Christmas. He was crying and said he wasn't going to read any more. He is such a happy boy usually and reads freely and fluently at home. He is currently reading his brother's Oliver Moon books. Can anyone think what might have happened? His mum is going to see his teacher but I wondered if there was an explanation so obvious that I have missed it. I hate to see him unhappy about something which was giving him such joy.

OP posts:
Galena · 19/03/2014 09:23

Could simply have been a mistake. Teachers and TAs are human after all.

affinia · 19/03/2014 09:33

Tell him in a bright and breezy voice that he's had this one before and so it just needs one very quick read and then carry on with whatever books he enjoys. Its really no biggie at all. Parents can get so wrapped up in reading levels and school books and children can easily pick up on this. If they love reading, let them read whatever they like at home.

As for the tears, tell him its a refresher, and start explaining the concept of revision! My DS1 loved new words and concepts and introducing a new concept as an explanation got over many situation.

Agree its probably just an oversight by the teacher - they will be well aware of children's abilities.

Jacksterbear · 19/03/2014 09:34

Cood be he picked it himself by mistake. At my ds' school the pupils pick their own reading books and there are a number of different colours available on the shelves. Occasionally my ds comes home with the "wrong" colour book.

Jacksterbear · 19/03/2014 09:35

Could not cood!

nonicknameseemsavailable · 19/03/2014 09:45

books often end up being put back in the wrong box, it could be that or it could be the teacher put his book in someone else's bag by mistake and their book in his bag.

Original poster
thegreylady · 19/03/2014 09:52

Thanks very much. My dd has an appt to see the teacher anyway, she isn't as bothered as I am it was my afternoon pickup so I got the benefit of the upset. I am a bit of an over indulgent grandma anyway. I'll confess what I did...I took both boys to the bookshop and let them choose a book which I bought. Dgs2 chose one about dragons which he read to me happily. All will be well. I'm sure I worried less about my own dc!

OP posts:
LittleMissGreen · 19/03/2014 09:57

As I one off, I always think oversight - over time my DSs have managed to bring back books way over, or way under their reading band. I assume the book was put in the wrong storage box and got given out in a rush.

kilmuir · 19/03/2014 10:12

Blimey what an over reaction. Speak to teacher and hand book in

givemeaclue · 19/03/2014 13:23

Seriously? Crying and not wanting to read anymore because there was a mistake with a book? Is he normally that highly strung?

redskyatnight · 19/03/2014 13:31

I'd be more worried about your DGS being so upset about ... getting a book he's read before! In Reception?!

Saladserver · 19/03/2014 13:32

My yr 2 son was reading purple books from ORT at the start of this school year (i.e. yr2). Many kids in his class have only just moved onto purple books, so (as I'm sure you're aware), your DGS is fairly advanced in his reading for a reception year child (and big well done to him by the way!).

However....our school are very thorough in checking that each child has achieved ALL the necessary skills within a book band colour before they can move up - its not just a case of being able to read the book from start to finish. They need to understand the words / get the punctuation correct etc etc (there is a pretty comprehensive set of criteria to meet until you can progress onto the next band).

Do you think that maybe your DGS is brilliant at reading (i.e can read at a purple level) and the school has started him off reading as much as possible....but now they're going back through the motions of ensuring that he understands the story / punctuation etc etc (i.e. all the other important bits of reading) and have therefore brought him down several bands in order to do this?

Some kids in my sons class are currently of an ability to free-read Harry Potter from start to finish with no problems at all, but there is no-way that they would understand half of it as it is quite a developed story with complex themes. Reading isnt just about 'reading' (if you know what I mean?), its about understanding too.

Original poster
thegreylady · 19/03/2014 22:55

Dd saw the teacher today and the answer was a bit of everything. She said his reading is exceptional and she popped the green book in because it was one he hadn't read and she wanted him to complete all the books in each level. She also said he was the least competetive child she knew but had firm ideas of his own about what mattered to him. Re the upset it isn't really an over reaction I dont think. He loves taking out a new book and reading it to us and he thought he must have done something wrong to be given a 'green' book. Sadly his older brother is all too aware of the colours.
Tonight the 5 year old has a turquoise book which he hadn't read and is happy. We are aware that his reading his great; his mum, my dd was reading long before she started school and so, apparently, was I. It's not a virtue just a skill acquired early while other dc acquire other skills early. Thanks for all the help. Remember grandparents do sometimes get too concerned because they can't ask the teacher or whatever so I asked you and you helped.

OP posts:
redskyatnight · 20/03/2014 09:41

OP, its great that you are a concerned grandparent, but just to warn you that during your DGSs next few years he will likely

  • Be given a reading book that is too easy
  • Be given a reading book that is too hard
  • Not be given any reading book at all
  • Be given Freds reading book, when Fred can hardly read at all
  • Move down a spelling group for no apparent reason
  • Move up a spelling group and find the words too hard
  • Not be given a vital homework sheet
  • Be given the wrong instructions by a teacher
  • Be set homework that he thinks is too easy
  • Be set homework that he thinks is pointless
  • Be asked to work on something he thinks he can already do and many more

You/your DD do need to work on emphasising to him that just because something goes wrong it doesnt mean that he needs to take it personally or he will be in for a very hard next few years.
I really do think its a shame that his reaction to a too easy book was to be upset. To put it into context, my DS would have been pleased (not to have to read a hard book) and DD would have gone uh? and taken the opportunity to read it a very expressive way to show that she could still get the most out of it. I would have been very worried if either of them had jumped to the conclusion they had done something wrong.

Original poster
thegreylady · 20/03/2014 11:07

Thanks redsky. Dd has told him that it is lovely that he can read any book he wants to. She told him she sometimes reads easy books just for fun and that grandma reads childrens books because she likes them (true). I think part of his problem is that reading has been the area where he got lots of stickers and praise. He isn't at all sporty or artistic and I think he just got a bit worried. He is totally fine now. He wants to be 'a mountain rescue doctor ' when he grows up :)

OP posts:
Original poster
thegreylady · 20/03/2014 11:08

Oh and yesterday he got two stickers, one for being helpful and one for careful number work. His teacher is lovely.

OP posts:
Saladserver · 20/03/2014 11:24

I think some have been slightly harsh on here saying that he shouldn't be upset / throwing a wobbly about his reading book, he's Yr R (same as one of my children), and they're still so young and prone to throwing wobblies over the smallest things (well, my child certainly does anyway!). Its a big adjustment year for yr R kids - how to deal with their emotions / tempers etc. Your dgs sounds lovely, and glad that the matter has now been resolved.

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