Is it usual for Yr 1 one free reading children to help 'weaker' readers?

[katepol]

I only ask because my dc was one of three children asked to help others in her class today. The three children are all confident, fluent readers, and were paired up to listen to and help a child who is at the 8 words to a page stage.

I am not sure whether I should be pleased that dc was thought to be the kind of child able to help classmates, or annoyed that they weren't given their own work to do?

I think this is the first time, and if it is pretty much a one off, that's fine. If it becomes more regular, at what point should I say something?

I am possibly more about this than others might be, as we have felt that the school have not met dc's needs in turns of appropriate reading books for the whole of this year...

Any thoughts MNers??

so the ones who can't read so well missed singing as well?

MWAKAMOM (blimey, that was tricky to remember), it is usual for groups of children to miss whole class stuff at my dc's school.

I go in once a week to help and it is quite common for about 4 different things to be going on at one time, some in and some outside the class. Assembly seems to be especially optional.

I personally find it very confusing for the children who get directed from one place to another when they have finished a task, or get pulled from one task becuase another one is about to start...

DC is happy to drift, but this fluid environent does nothing to encourage concentration or sustained effort. Hence why I hope Yr 2 is a bit more sit down and get on with it kind of thing...

One more thing - dc says that in maths, their group never gets the teacher or TA, as they only help the weaker children. DC asks friends if stuck, which is annoying, because dc takes a couple of goes at things to get them, but once there, can speed away. Hwr, dc spends quite a while not getting any input and floundering, when a minute of two of help would make a big difference. The school's opinion (which I understand, but still is that they need to concentrate on bringing the weaker ones up to standard...