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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

Is it too early in the term to become THAT parent? Warning: involves reading levels

48 replies

manchestermummy · 03/09/2014 16:05

DD1 just started Y2 (today) and has come home with a book she read at the end of last year. She's read all the books in this 'batch' of books (ORT level 9 Treetops) in fact. I'm not overjoyed and neither is she: even she said there is no point in reading it as she knows all the words! Reading at home is always a level under what they do at school, so last year she all was reading level 10

OP posts:

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teeththief · 03/09/2014 16:46

Yes you are THAT parent. It's the first week back. Everyone is finding their feet still, teachers included. They will also want to do their own assessments rather than just relying on last year's teacher.

Badvoc123 · 03/09/2014 16:46

teeththief · 03/09/2014 16:47

X posted! Always take a deep breath and a few hours before commenting on anything in homework/reading books! I've wanted to rant a few times but my comments once I've calmed down are more polite than my rants!

zzzzz · 03/09/2014 16:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

manchestermummy · 03/09/2014 16:52

zzzzzz I know: guilty as charged.

OP posts:

zzzzz · 03/09/2014 16:54

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Original poster

manchestermummy · 03/09/2014 16:56

I gave you an extra z too...

OP posts:

Asleeponasunbeam · 03/09/2014 17:00

Glad you calmed down.

It's quite incredible the sorts of things we have to deal with on the first few days back. Seriously, a child getting a bike she's read before doesn't even figure on the radar of most teachers. Today, first day back in our average primary school, we have had innumerable urgent child protection issues, staff absences, first aid incidents, a leaking roof, a failing computer network, 200 extra children to provide with school meals... And the list goes on. It's all normal!

Every teacher is still sane and smiling at the end of the day. The children have been happy and have been learning. But a few books won't have been changed, someone will have missed the opportunity to show something they brought in, a PE kit will have been lost...

zzzzz · 03/09/2014 17:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Galena · 03/09/2014 19:15

Glad you calmed down. :)

I used to be a teacher and the start of the year was a nightmare! I had 30 enthusiastic children who had had 6 weeks of little routine and I had to introduce them to the classroom (and to the school - Y3 in a junior school). I had to teach them. I had to give them meaningful activities to do. I also wanted to hear each of them read so that I could work out where I wanted them to start the scheme (The infant school sent up the reading levels, which I used as a starting point, but I wanted to hear each of them). Sometimes that meant hearing them read a selection of books so I could find the best fit. 30 children. Each reading for 5-10 minutes. 2.5-5 hours. I couldn't do that in one day along with all the other stuff I had to do.

If I didn't give books some parents complained that their child didn't have a book. If I gave books out quickly with a view to hearing them read during the week and adjusting the levels some parents complained their child either had a book they'd read or was at the wrong level.

Teachers can't win!

Lizziewarmington · 03/09/2014 19:17

I hope you said 'brilliant I love this book let's read it together'

trinity0097 · 03/09/2014 19:46

Many problems stem from the fact that parents buy the reading scheme books to have at school, so there aren't as many books at school that the child hasn't read as they have the set at home.

Try at home to avoid 'scheme' books!

DeWee · 03/09/2014 20:53

Are you really expecting the teacher to either remember every book that each child has ever read? When i go to the library I quite often bring home a book that i think one of mine would like and get told they've already read it-and I only have 3 to bother about.

With ds it wasn't infrequent he would get a repeated book. I would just write in his reading record "already read in July, reread today".

cassgate · 03/09/2014 21:23

I have been guilty of being that parent but I am now a newly qualified ta in my first job and I have seen it from the other side. I really didn't realise how much work is involved in setting up classes for the new academic year.

Today, I was responsible for sorting out reading books for my class of 28 year 3's . I know that tomorrow I will have a raft of notes from parents asking why little jim has been given either a lower level reading book or one they have read before. Most of the children in the class seemed to have regressed in some way be it phonics, expression or comprehension. In the coming weeks the teacher will assess levels anyway and adjust the book bands accordingly. In some cases I even encouraged children to select a book they had read before just so they could get their confidence back. Just read books from home until things settle down.

TightyMcTight · 03/09/2014 21:34

It's rally important that you teach her how to behave in these situations. She will get her cues from you.

"Brilliant, this book again. Let's test your comprehension first to see how much you can remember. Maybe Mrs X is seeing how good your memory is after 6 whole weeks off. We can read a page each if you like to settle you back in."

Is entirely different to.

"That bloody Mrs X. Doesn't she know you have read this before. What's the point in bringing a book home at all if you have read it before. You are going to get so bored of reading if they do this. You are a level 10 reader."

Try not to make school an us and them experience. Support your teachers infront of your children and come across as a united front, even if you do then write a little note saying she has read it before.

TightyMcTight · 03/09/2014 21:35

Sorry in iPhone. Try not to make school a them and us...

hollie84 · 03/09/2014 21:38

Day 1, 29 other children - give the teacher a break!

chickenfish · 03/09/2014 21:38

Oh for goodness sake, it's the first day.

That teacher has only just inherited the class, she won't have psychic knowledge of every single school book that every single child in the class has ever read.

She'll be doing her own assessments and learning about the children and trying to do her job, not fussing over reading books on Day 1.

idril · 03/09/2014 21:59

Just politely ask if it's a mistake.

My son was sent home the same book that he'd read at the end of the previous school year. It wasn't one that he enjoyed either so was loath to read it again if he didn't have to. I asked if it was a mistake or intentional and it turns out it was a mistake.

If it is intentional then just live with it.

Lucyccfc · 03/09/2014 22:04

I had a similar thing with (from) my DS at the end of day one.

He came home with a right face on, as his new Y5 teacher had given him a book to read. He has been on free reading for 2 years. He hates the books from school - all very boring and they gave him no incentive to read. After going onto free reading and choosing his own books, he enjoys it now.

He wanted me to go in and complain to his new teacher after one day.

I said that he could carry on reading his choice of book at home and read his 'school' book in school. If he had a problem with the school book, he needed to talk to his teacher about it. In Y5 there are some battles he can fight himself.

I wasn't going to be one of THOSE parents lol

PrimalLass · 03/09/2014 22:16

It's the first week back. My DD got a book she read last year (P1) too. Because they may have done nothing over the summer and the teacher purposely put them all back to the level they were on. Is it really such a big deal - one small book?

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 04/09/2014 15:39

Love a MN posts where OP asks a question. Other people explain what is probably happening and OP takes it into account and behaves in a moderate and sensible way. Well done OP :)

Quangle · 04/09/2014 17:07

Just to give the other side of the story I didn't want to be one of those parents either, but we when we got the same books home as had been read up to six months before for the sixth time (and which were all documented in the reading record as well read and well comprehended) I did go in. DS was moved up four levels as a result.

I didn't feel I should have had to go in to achieve this as I kept pointing this out in the reading record and the reading/comprehension level was clearly far higher than the books being sent home. But I do see that teachers don't have perfect visibility on every child and they can make mistakes which is absolutely fine. But a little more listening in our case would have been helpful.

On day one of term though...no! I'd expect everything to be right by half term (and judging by previous experience it won't be) but I'd give that much grace before intervening.

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