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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

Teacher not interested in reading.

21 replies

Spidergirl77 · 27/09/2014 07:34

Please help me, i don't know how to deal with the teacher.
My Ds year one teacher is so disinterested in class reading, she has sent out one book a week for the last two weeks. (Before that nothing.) She hasn't listened to them read, certainly hasn't assessed them. No parent helpers or ta's listening either.
The books are just the level they had the year before. wrong obviously I have spoken to her three times about this as have other parents. She just says they are getting round to it.

What should she be doing? What the norm for teachers? Do you leave them on the wrong level for four weeks? What is best practice with regard to assessing them?

I know my next port of call is the head but I want to make sure I do this right. I know we can just read our own books, and we do, but I'm massively distressed that she doesn't seem to give a shit.

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Asleeponasunbeam · 27/09/2014 07:39

My year 1 DD just gets one book sent home a week and it was the same in reception

. It's whatever they've read in guided reading. Fortunately, I'm a teacher so just bring her stuff from my school at the appropriate level. I never really minded, but am beginning to wonder what other parents do, without the access I have to other books. I think we're supposed to go into class and change them maybe, but school pick up is fraught and somewhat chaotic. I can't manage it then and I don't do the drop off in the morning.

domesticslattern · 27/09/2014 07:48

My DD 1 never had her reading book changed more than once a week. Fortnightly was the norm. She also did not read regularly to anyone. At one point school did not update her reading record for 6 weeks.
I have to say that rather than battling against a school system which was clearly unable or unwilling to cope with the huge variety of abilities in the classroom, I just took her lots to the library and charity shops myself. I also listened to her read myself, and persuaded her to read DD2's bedtime story. She was a free reader at 6.
I think what I am saying is that it is unlikely that your school will change so you might as well put the energy you have of being annoyed into energy teaching your child to read at home. You will always have more time and inclination and knowledge of your child than the harassed teacher of 30 can ever have.

IsItFridayYetPlease · 27/09/2014 08:04

What year group is it OP? There could be many reasons for the teachers "approach", not all of them negative or meaning they are not interested in reading. But to make suggestions it would be helpful to know the age of the class.

insanityscratching · 27/09/2014 08:04

Dd's primary didn't listen to individual readers and didn't have a reading scheme. Children chose the books they wanted from the school library to read with parents at home. The school's SATs results were fantastic so they were obviously teaching them to read somehow. I'd just take her to he library and choose books that she'd like to read instead.

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 27/09/2014 08:10

This sounds dreadful. My DS gets 2 books at a time and they are changed between once and twice a week, when he reads to a teacher or TA.

Original poster

Spidergirl77 · 27/09/2014 08:16

Their isn't any guided reading
Year group is year one.

I do have masses of books and we do frequent the library...but it can't be 'right' can it?

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Original poster

Spidergirl77 · 27/09/2014 08:19

Domestics, I know and you are right but it's making us really sad. We love reading and I find it frustrating and worrying.

I suppose I wanted to know what good looks like really.

OP posts:

Hulababy · 27/09/2014 08:20

Some schools no longer do guided reading or individual reading; you'd need to speak to the school how they assess and monitor progress.

Our children change their own books at school. We have the colour band book boxes and children change them whenever they want. Parents are free to come into class before and after school to help if they want. We remind them every so often and during their weekly guided read. The guided read books we use are different to the books they take home.

meditrina · 27/09/2014 08:20

If it is concerning other parents too, and you have asked three times and are being fobbed off with the 'getting round to it' line, then yes, I think this is time to go to the HT (or anyone else with management responsibilities).

This teacher is not communicating with you adequately. It is much more effective (and saves time) to explain what the approach is and the timings (and at will garner parental support/interest).

Only by alerting her line management will they know that there is (from the parents POV) a problem. They can then deal with it, in terms of support, training, or practical steps such as drafting an explanatory letter that goes out now and is kept for the start of every school year, deciding to hold open events etc.

Or they can explain why it is a non-issue from their POV. You might not like it, but at least you would them understand it.

Or they might fob you off. In which case you will need to work out how you live with an non-communicative school (which might extend to looking for a normal one instead).

Original poster

Spidergirl77 · 27/09/2014 08:27

Why would schools not listen to readers? (standard class of 30 children) I'd bet a fair amount are not listened to at home.

Maybe an email would be a good idea? Maybe I will ask for the policy and plan.

I'm just very aware that the teacher will hate me.

OP posts:

Hulababy · 27/09/2014 08:34

Not doing guided reading and individual reading doesn't mean they don't hear children reading. They may just do the reading in a less formal manner through other class work or via phonics sessions.

I've not been at a school with that system but I do know some schools do it, but still get good results.

GoodArvo · 27/09/2014 17:10

Could you or the other parents volunteer to listen to children reading at school? I do this and our school always needs more volunteers.

mrz · 27/09/2014 17:15

Sounds very odd I would be shocked if there was no reading instruction taking place in Y1.

BackforGood · 27/09/2014 17:27

I would certainly suggest going to ask if they can explain more about the way they are approaching reading in Yr One, rather than going in with accusations that the teacher is disinterested in reading

JennyBlueWren · 27/09/2014 18:11

As a teacher we used to send home a book a week linked to the reading scheme. We would of course encourage lots of reading for choice over and above that and I let children borrow a book from the class reading corner if they wanted.

Depending on the abilities of the children I'd listen to them read (as part of a group) at least once a week. My least able were listened to every day by myself or TA.
As for the level of the books -at the beginning of the year you'd expect them to be on the same level as at the end of the previous year. Some children do read a lot in the summer though and make big leaps but others don't read over the summer and fall back.

It does take a long time to assess all children in reading -much longer than for any other area- so this might be why she hasn't gotten round to it yet. But I wouldn't say it that way to a parent. I'd explain what system is being used and when to expect to see a change.

Buttercup27 · 27/09/2014 18:18

I am a ya/r teacher. My children's books are changed as soon as they have read them at home. Usually every day. If I miss changing a child's book I can almost guarantee a complaint by the parent the next day. It's exhausting to keep up with and a pain but it what my parents expect and demand.

Buttercup27 · 27/09/2014 18:19

I also tend to give a book they could easily manage - to build confidence and to enable the child to enjoy a story and begin to read with fluency, and also a book that will challenge them.

htm123 · 27/09/2014 18:20

"she has sent out one book a week for the last two weeks. (Before that nothing.) "
I would say: Double check the routine in school. Children in Year 1 (@ my DC school) exchange their books independently at the beginning of the day during Register as his school is trying to get the children into the habit of choosing for themselves and learning to make choices. All schools have a library with books' levels clearly labelled or coloured coded so the children can pick the correct level.
Why not ask at the end of the day if your child can go and choose a book? My DC tells me that Some children choose not to listen to the teacher's instructions when asked to change their books.
I don't blame the teacher for not changing the books. It is time consuming to exchange 30 books daily. As for not reading in class with individual children... you don't really know if that is the case... I would not make assumptions. The teacher might have to get around reading with those at a lower level first, so I won't leave the job of reading with my child just for the teacher or volunteers at school if I were you. Assessments for reading are made termly @ DS's school but we read daily straight after school for a short 5-10 minutes. Why not volunteer to help with reading in your child's school if you think they need some help?

bronya · 27/09/2014 18:25

I used to get my TA to change their book whenever it had been read (she checked reading records to see this). The book band they were on was one lower than we read in Guided Reading. Guided Reading took place once a week, and was 20 min of decent teaching time with 5-6 children. It was at that point that I'd check they weren't ready to go up a level with their home reading book. Children could also pop in any lunchtime on their way out to play to ask to be tested for the next level up - they knew what they had to do for this, and were usually right. I was a very reading focused teacher though - we read loads in class in every subject, I read to them and with them, and they were very keen to read as a result. Often in Golden Time they'd be in the book corner reading, or asking to read to me. Children who were not progressing at a reasonable rate, also had 1:1 reading daily with the class TA.

bronya · 27/09/2014 18:25

*once a week for each child...

longest · 27/09/2014 18:32

Why should the op have to volunteer in class to get her dc read with?!

How many parents don't work full time and just happen to have a couple of hours a week spare when they can go into class??

My school reads with every ks1 child at least weekly. I'd be seriously wondering what the teacher was up to, and in place of a decent explanation I'd be going to the HT.

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