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Original poster

Would you be happy if your child only changed their reading book once a week and had no other homework?

82 replies

nappyaddict · 27/11/2008 11:26

I know it's not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things but one of the schools we looked round the other day said they only change reading books once a week which didn't seem very much to me. They don't get any other homework (which I am happy about and is making me lean towards this school than the others) but when I have asked other people what happens at their school they either say they don't have homework but change their book a few times a week or they only change their book once a week but they have other homework aswell.

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CatMandu · 27/11/2008 12:09

DD1 was in reception in a different school to dd2 and ds (we moved) and she just had one book a week - she is an average girl and took ages to 'get' reading, once we moved when dd1 went into yr 2 she got a book each day within the first term she really understood what books were all about.

dd2 and ds have had a reading book every day since reception (not the first half term) and are both flying with their reading.

I wouldn't be happy with a school that only sent books home once a week.

bozza · 27/11/2008 12:11

I think maybe in reception when they start off with "This car is red, this car is blue", turn the page and only have about 8 pages once a week seems quite little. But at some stage in Y1 DS was bringing home reading scheme books that were something like 32 (maybe even 64?) pages long. With decent sized paragraphs on each page. It could easily take a week to get through them. And in Y2 he was a free reader already and just changed his own book as he finished it. I did listen to him read right through Y2 though, but can't be bothered now - am having respite as DD starts reception in January and is the type to be asking for a reading book.

Original poster
nappyaddict · 27/11/2008 12:13

bozza - so did your DS only get one book a week in reception aswell or just year one and two?

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Twiglett · 27/11/2008 12:21

Bozza's family mirrors mine so much

Hulababy · 27/11/2008 12:28

"she says they bring a book home with a reading diary type thing which the teacher write a few short questions and they have to answer them. "

TBH that sounds good. It isn't just reading. It is comprehension too. And comprehension is just as important as the actual reading.

I suspect they will also be reading in class daily too - that is what I would check. I think so long as they have classroom daily reading it is fine.

And don't forget all the "once a week home" means is that you get to read all her own books at night instead - which are generally far more exciting than any reading record book.

DD is in Y2 and this year they only bring their school reading book home once a week. It is great. She reads it daily at school, and the rest of the time she enjoys her own books at home.

Grammaticus · 27/11/2008 12:38

Twig - he won't ask. He'll skim over it and get the sense from the context, then forget. Then he'll never be quite sure of the exact meaning. And he'll mispronounce it.

Like my friend who got a summer job in M and S and took a very posh lady over to the cruddites (rhymed with luddites).

peanutbutterkid · 27/11/2008 13:08

Our school has always only ever changed books once a week (or once a fortnight, even). They DO give out 2-3 books at a time, though, for the best readers. We always re-read books in early days, seems fine to me.

No homework before Y5 fine by me, too!

Nappiesgalore · 27/11/2008 13:10

if its primary age then yes, id be happy.

CapricaSix · 27/11/2008 13:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bozza · 27/11/2008 14:20

He didn't actually just get one book a week at any point. In reception he changed it when the teacher decided, in Y1 he put his book bag in a special place when I told him to change itand the teacher changed them in her lunch hour (except Wednesday when she had a meeting), in Y2 he changed it himself when he finished it with nagging from me sometimes. In Y3 he changes it very infrequently because I don;t nag him as much. But he reads widely of his own books and I take him to the library - although we are currently waiting for me to wade through Catch-22.

Twig - how is DD doing? Is she the keen type also? DD has been quite peeved at having to wait until January to start reception and pesters me regularly about various uniform requirements and making sure I remember to buy red bobbles etc.

bozza · 27/11/2008 14:22

Gram I think some words do get picked up. And if he is anything like my DS he will take no notice and carry on referring to Lego Star Wars the complete Say-ga however many times he is corrected. And rogg-oo shadow instead of rogue shadow.

Original poster
nappyaddict · 27/11/2008 14:27

bozza - so how often would you say it was changed in reception?

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Plonker · 27/11/2008 14:28

Would I be happy? I would be DELIGHTED!

There aren't just 'scheme' reading books in the world - if you want your dc to read more books (or indeed if they want to read more books) just take them to the library

I love my dc's school, however the amount of homework/reading/spelling they do is ridiculous. Fortunately they're not overly strict on it and don't mind if child is too tired etc to do it.

Original poster
nappyaddict · 27/11/2008 14:32

plonker - so you prefer them to read their own books or books from library than scheme books?

OP posts:
bozza · 27/11/2008 14:33

Bearing in mind he didn't even get a reading book until some point in the second term, I would say it was ususally once every 3-4 days, but sometimes once a week.

Plonker · 27/11/2008 14:34

I have no preference. My dd's however much prefer to read their own books or library books

Widemouthfrog · 27/11/2008 15:10

We only had 1 book per week, which we did repeat, but we didn't just read, we discussed meanings and feelings to ensure comprehension. DS also read this book once a week in school, and did guieded reading in small groups within class 2X per week. Phonics and keywords were sent home once a week. This was plenty, and we sometimes struggeld eben to do this when DS was so tired after school.

We read our own books at bedtime every night anyway, and I feel maintaining the enjoyment of reading is what is most important. If your child loves books, the rest will follow.

Learning to read is so much more than reading ORT sent from school - it all depends on the bigger picture too.

Spatz · 27/11/2008 15:17

I would be thrilled! My two loathe any form of school work at home and we do loads of other fun/educational things like play boardgames and learn the piano.

You can always supplement with other books at home. They are at school all day surely most necessary things can be fitted in during that time.

yomellamoHelly · 27/11/2008 15:27

My reception-age ds has his book changed every day (if I've signed it off as read and understood). Plus they have a library book every week which we're asked to sit down and read with them (this is a proper book - not reading scheme).
Dh and I think books and reading are really important so it would be a drawback for us. At the end of the day I suppose it's a balancing exercise with the other things the school has going or it though.

Original poster
nappyaddict · 27/11/2008 16:07

Spatz - would you prefer it if they didn't have a reading book from school at all?

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Spatz · 27/11/2008 18:47

I think the reading scheme books are useful, but have gone too fast for my DS. Even at the rate of one a week they moved on from SATPIN too quickly and he was put off. I'm sure the right sort of reading scheme would have encouraged him.

Of all the homework I think reading is the only useful one in the infants.

Original poster
nappyaddict · 27/11/2008 18:50

Ah so yours actually only have a book once a week? And they've progressed well with that?

Do you think they should have handwriting practice for homework?

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TheFallenMadonna · 27/11/2008 18:52

Sounds good to me.

DD is in reception and has a class reading book once a week, and book she picks herself whenever she wants to change them.

imaginaryfriend · 27/11/2008 21:34

Dd is in Y1 and has her home reader changed once a week, Reception was the same. I wanted it to be more frequently at first as she got bored with the very simple books but as her reading's progressed (and it really has progressed, not hindered by the 1 book a week rule) I've been fine with it as the readers serve one purpose and all the other books we have at home / get from the library serve another purpose.

I think that the most recent thinking on educations seems to be that YR and Y1 children shouldn't get homework. I think they have enough going on in the day if it's a good school. Dd had no homework in YR apart from a few letter sounds and tricky words to think about on a printed sheet. In Y1 she only gets spellings to practise over the weekend for a test on Mondays. I'm totally happy with that.

If the child is keen you can always do more at home with them.

HappyMummyOfOne · 27/11/2008 23:09

We have our own books, oxford, jolly phonics and red readers (?) - so that we can continue over the holidays to keep DS in the habit of reading. Books come home from school between 1 and 3 times a week dependent upon time of year. Near xmas they concentrate on other things so less books.

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