Year 1 reading record comments

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

My DS's teacher has asked for him to complete his own reading record comments. He's only 5 and reads several times per week. I usual have a quick chat when we finish the book and complete record for him. We read at bedtime and the last thing either of us wants is to spend ages getting him to write a comment. I think it's a shame to replace an activity he enjoys (reading) with one he's less keen on (writing). My DD is year 3 and only just starting to do her own comments. Would it be ridiculous to tell teacher I will carry on making comments for now?

My ds started doing it in YR2. He hated it first, but got used to it now. But he put minimum effort in it, unless he really enjoyed the book. Normally he only writes "I liked it" or something. Writing is his least favourite.

5 years old seems a bit young to put extra pressure if he doesn't want to do it. I assume he is a good reader and writer, otherwise I don't think the teacher would have asked him to do it, but if you think it would kill his joy of reading, I would talk to the teacher. Or can't he just do it when he really liked the book and actually wants to comment about it?

Could you spend a few minutes at breakfast doing it? Then the but he doesn't like is separated from the reading but he does enjoy.

I just wouldn't do it. The reading will eventually become associated with the negative feelings about the writing and then where will you be? At the most I'd make him draw a smiley face and the word 'good!'. However, I am feeling quite rebellious about pointless homework these days.

oh we have this with writing in reading records. parent is expected to sign it but child is expected to write it. My kids are good readers but neither wants to write in their reading record at bedtime (we do reading at bedtime upstairs so to then get them up to write in it seems ludicrous to me). SO (and noone has complained about this yet), I usually write it and sign it and then at weekends they write about the book they are reading, and the eldest tends to do it once during the week too but it is usually illegible because she sits on the stairs to do it and can't really be bothered.

We had this, and the reaction, and I did exactly what you're suggesting and filled it in myself. Apart from anything else, his writing was too big to sensibly fit any comments in the boxes provided.

I found that his willingness to write increased slowly through Y1 and it wasn't until mid Y2 that him doing the comments would realistically have been possible (and he still didn't want to do it then, because really what is there to say?)

oh yes I forgot about trying to contain her writing to a small box - DD gets through about 3 boxes every time she tries to write a comment!

it is hard to think what to say, they can recount a bit of the story but that can get out of hand and pointless, they can say they enjoyed it and why but you can only do that so many times. I struggle with the whole "good reading" "lovely" "very nice" "good expression". heck they can read, they have been fluent readers for years now, they are ahead of where they need to be, what am I supposed to say?

mind as school never complain about my interpretation of who writes in it and what I can only assume that our attempts at at least filling in the date and page number is better than some families.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. I tend to agree I don't want him getting negative associations around reading which he is enjoying a lot so far. Plus practically I can see it would be hard for him to even fit comment in box.

I've popped a note in reading record replying to teacher saying I'm loathed to get him to do this in case it impacts on his enjoyment of reading. If she really insists I'll suggest just doing the weekend book when he's not so tired. I can't really see the benefit of this in Y1.

Thanks all!

I agree, my oldest child didn't even like reading in Y1. So I was always read the books to him. His teacher did ask me to encourage him to read. Which I did to a point, but didn't want to discourage his enjoyment of books. He is 13 now and loves reading, he reads better and more than I did at his age. All in their own time, especially if they are only 5.

Glad your DS love reading now, tomato, I think you did the right thing taking it steady. There's no prize for being quickest though book bands or most comments in reading record. Building an enjoyment of books is the main thing.

I think it kills all the joy in reading if children are expected to write a comment or review after every book they read. Even in Y5 and Y6 they don't enjoy it. I would hate it even now if I was asked to do this when finishing a book.

My DD is Y3 and doesn't especially like doing it so I do think you're right but at least it only takes her a minute. Plus her books are longer so fewer reviews to write than DS whose books are short still.

The teacher circled her earlier comment and then said DS was a lovely emerging reader so should do his own comments. I thought 'that's exactly why I don't want him to!'. Oh well I shall wait and see if she replies this time.

How about he dictates a comment that you write down. That will encourage the skill his teacher is looking for - analysis of what he is reading but hopefully without the writing to put him off.

one of mine had a little sheet stuck in her reading record at one point which gave ideas of what to write. so character description, story description, favourite bit, that kind of thing, perhaps ask the teacher to give some similar guidance and yes really only do it at the weekend, too much else going on during the week.

I hate writing in my DS reading record... so I don't blame him..

Last year his teacher would have an issue if he wrote it and I hadn't signed it or added my comments..

This year he forgets it on a regular basis and his teacher knows he reads every day and doesn't make a big issue..

Thanks everyone. If teacher insists I've got a few different options for making it a bit less painful

Sometimes it feels like the national curriculum is trying to think up as many ways as possible to put kids off reading for pleasure!

I don't think the teacher gets to insist, personally. It's yr 1, not GCSE. You are in charge of what happens at home, and if you think it's a bad idea, just don't do it. But I'm a rebel that way:) We fill in a reading record for our yr 1 child. Wild horses wouldn't get him to do it himself! Our yr 3 DD has given up her reading record altogether. She's a huge bookworm and a very advanced reader, and it's quite clear to her teacher that that is the case, so luckily nobody seems to mind.

It's insane to ask so young a child to comment. It's likely to do much more harm than good.

If the teacher insists, i would make a selection of very short comments and keep them on a card from which he can copy the one he thinks right, such as:
A bit boring. / Boring. / Very boring.
Not bad.
O.k.
Good.
Very good.
Great!
When teachers write reports nowadays, most of them pick them from a comment bank. So why shouldn't your son?
Making the choices might actually be a bit of fun. He might try to explain to u why he chose the comment he did.

In case anyone was wondering the teacher replied she's happy for me to record DS's thoughts rather than him writing. I'll give him the option to write something at weekends if he wants to but will just keep it v relaxed.

Thanks again for your thoughts!

When teachers write reports nowadays, most of them pick them from a comment bank.

That's incorrect and outdated information.

I agree with the pp who suggested your son dictates his comments for you to write.