Can any primary teachers give me a bit of advice please?

[MrsSchadenfreude]

DD2 finished Reception, at her last school, on ORT level 6. She started at her new school and her teacher started her off on ORT level 4. I thought this was fair enough as DD hadn't done much reading over the summer holiday, but she doesn't seem to have made much progress since then.

Teacher has now put DD2 onto Level 5 and the occasional level 6 book. DD2 cried the other day and said she was bored with all of these books because she had read them at her last school. Teaching Assistant put her up to Level 8, two days later she is back down to level 5.

She reads chapter books at home (Katie the Kitten Fairy etc), so I am not bothered about her reading level. What I am bothered about is that she is clearly bored with reading at school, and I don't want her to lose interest because of this. I have commented politely to the teacher, once in person and once via the home school diary and on both occasions she has said "Your DD2 needs to read ALL the books at this level before we put her up." I've also provided her with a list of the ORT stage 5 & 6 that DD2 read at her last school, but she just seems to bring the same ones home again.

What should I do - have ANOTHER word, or just grit my teeth, safe in the knowledge that she will have a new teacher come September, and continue ploddily until then?

Forget about the levels at school. Just encourage your daughter to read a wide variety of books at home which it sounds like you are doing.

Some teachers, mine included, expect children to achieve certain levels of comprehension and expression not just knowing the words before they go up a level although this may not be the case with your dd.

Saying that she needs to read all the books in a level doesn't sound right though, your dd should be being assessed weekly through individual or group reading for reading ability not just whether shes read all the books.

dd2 shouldn't have to read all the books on a level, thats a sure way to kill off enthusiasm. Can you explain to teacher again and ask why she has to read all the books? I'm sure there can be a compromise somewhere. Its a long time to wait till September.

Perhaps you could cheat . If she brings home a book every night I'm sure she can get through the scheme quicker, particulaly if you share the reading, 1 page each.

Somehow you have to keep her motivated.

Thanks, Hamster. I'm inclined to leave it and to encourage her to read widely at home. I get the impression that I intimidate her teacher - she always seems nervous and defensive when she sees me. I also think she doesn't know DD2 very well, which doesn't help matters (and there are only 20 in the class!), from things she has said about her.

WriggleJiggle - cheat?! Me?!
Nice idea, but she has read most of these bloody books already - last year in Reception! (I have been known to say to DD2 - you've read this one before, haven't you? Shall we just say you've read it and then you can choose another one tomorrow?)

Poor thing was so pleased when the TA put her up to Level 8 and so demoralised when the teacher put her back down the next day.

Speak to the teacher again and ask what the reasoning is. If you're not happy with the response I would have a word with the headteacher. You have already offered a list of all the books your dd has read - why should she have to read them again? I would just send the books back in and say they have been read and continue to let your dd choose her own reading at home. Reading should be enjoyable and it sounds as though your dd was enjoying her reading. It would be a great pity to spoil that.

I agree with the other suggestions. If she brings back a book she's read before, just write that in the reading record and a note of what you read instead. "DD read this in Reception and didn't want to read it again, so instead she read me 10 pages of Katie the Kitten Fairy. Lovely, fluent reading." (Or whatever....)

Or just sign that you've read it and let her read something else instead.

I have an on going correspondence with ds1's year 1 teacher about this. She makes them all read all of the books in each level before going on to the next and he is put off. I have written a few times in his book politely and a few with some sarcasim and a few with a "put him up to another level" requests to no avail but she signs to say she has read it.

I have now decided to read the school books and do our own thing at home

IME you have to keep pushing this and forcing the teacher's hand. I did and insited on a meeting for the teacher to explain to me exactly why dd needed to read every sinlge book in the scheme. Surprise surprise the teacher decided that maybe she would move dd up a few levels and hence a meeting wasn't necessary.

I think it also helped that one day when she could not do games (which she loves) I sent in one of her favourite books (magic kitten) to read during the lesson to make up for missing it. It was very interesting that a week after that she had moved up 3 levels!!!

Keep up the pressure and look on such good sites as this and this for the eveidence you need to refute all the nonsense she may come up with ( I wrote some of it in dd's reading journal at the same time as I asked for the meeting )

Does DD only get 1 bk a week home? Or does she get one as soon as shes finished?- hence she could get 5 a week!