pp here and I forgot to address the "lazy environment." Again you need to consider the big picture. Is your daughter giving you any clues like complaining about the work or not doing it. You said that she wasn't motivated personally to read but I'm not sure that even the best school can motivate a kid to do something before they're ready.

My oldest was at a good school and was a voracious reader but wasn't motivated to do anything else. When he hit MS that all changed. Could I have put him in another elementary that would have lighted a fire under him? Yes, I'm sure but then other factors would have changed. It wouldn't have been a local school so he wouldn't have had as many friends, and maybe he would have been burned out by MS.

Just think about the big picture, as that's what I meant above.

Hi OP,

I have older kids and the easiest way to move through school is to be an "educated but clueless parent." I read that these parents have the most successful kids because they do things like reading at home (which you are doing), going to museums, talking about the world at the dinner table, but are NOT getting involved in the minutiae of the classroom. Hence the "clueless" part.

My random thoughts are:
*You may have a bad teacher this year. You will have a bad one at one point, but that doesn't necessarily mean the year is ruined.

*Educational growth goes in spurts, like growing. You friend's dd had a big reading spurt and then leveled out. That doesn't mean it's the school's fault.

*Don't care about levels (and you said you agree). Both of my kids have tested wildly some years. My youngest got a 99% in math one year and then was middle of the pack following year. My oldest, who is a strong reader, got testing that said he was on a 3rd grade level in 6th and then 6 mos later jumped to end of 10th. I really can't believe that and kids have good days and bad days which can factor into this.

*If you're kids are basically progressing and not complaining, it's all probably fine.

*You don't want your stress about a school situation to impair your kid; I've seen this happen too often even with friends I love dearly.

*You will have a big issue come up at some point and you want to make sure that you are not being considered Chicken Little. Save your energy for the big stuff.

GL!

OP here. Thanks, PP. I don't care about levels, all I care that the teacher is attuned to DD's development and she's not in a lazy environment where everything is too easy while she's waiting for other kids to catch up.

A friend of mine moved here a year ago. Her daughter was assessed to be ahead by two grades. She lost that gap within a year because she was not challenged at school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What level does the teacher assess your DD at? I found the teacher typically assess them much lower than what they can read at home. My son was assessed as a D in preschool when his preschool teacher think he reads at the second grade level. But the reading specialist did not think he was comprehending at that level.

I don't really care. I just let him choose whatever he wants to read. I don't think this assessments are always accurate. But it is really more about getting them to love reading than moving up rapidly in levels. My DS's school send home books that are way higher than his assessed level sometimes. Because they want the parents to help with reading to get them to comprehend better. Some like to send book that is easier than they can handle to build up confidence. I say it is all good.

If you read this thread through, you'll understand that the reading teacher is probably assessing him using something like the DRA and, as a result, your son is not passing a certain level even if can decode ("read") the words on the page (meaning, to you, he can "read" the book.)

If you really read my post, you will understand that I understand exactly how reading level was assessed and has no issues with it whatsoever.

I "really" read your post and still didn't understand that you understood how reading levels were assessed. Why would you even consider what a preschool teacher (who isn't obviously testing your child in reading) believes your child's reading level is? When you wrote that you found the, "teacher typically assess them much lower than what they can read at home," that showed zero understanding for WHY (as in the the test is far beyond straight decoding).

Look, my son's preschool teacher requested the help of a reading specialist because she thinks my son is reading at 2nd grade level and wants to know how to support that. He was not assessed at the 2nd grade level. He was only assessed at the K level and I was fine with that. We did not care what level he was reading at because he was in preschool. I was just trying to tell the OP that even a preK teacher could think a child is reading higher than his assessed level is.

Often a child will read books higher than his assessed level is at home either due to interest or what others are doing. All I wanted was to tell the OP that when the teacher assess reading levels, they may seem to be lower than what the kids are doing at home. I did not go on and on about why. But where did I say that I disagreed with our teacher.

Okay, I did say sometimes the teachers may be wrong. But who is always right? I was just trying to give the OP the benefit of the doubt and not tell her that she was wrong. Not that I have doubt about my son's teachers. I was just trying to support the OP. I don't know what you are trying to accomplish.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What level does the teacher assess your DD at? I found the teacher typically assess them much lower than what they can read at home. My son was assessed as a D in preschool when his preschool teacher think he reads at the second grade level. But the reading specialist did not think he was comprehending at that level.

I don't really care. I just let him choose whatever he wants to read. I don't think this assessments are always accurate. But it is really more about getting them to love reading than moving up rapidly in levels. My DS's school send home books that are way higher than his assessed level sometimes. Because they want the parents to help with reading to get them to comprehend better. Some like to send book that is easier than they can handle to build up confidence. I say it is all good.

If you read this thread through, you'll understand that the reading teacher is probably assessing him using something like the DRA and, as a result, your son is not passing a certain level even if can decode ("read") the words on the page (meaning, to you, he can "read" the book.)

If you really read my post, you will understand that I understand exactly how reading level was assessed and has no issues with it whatsoever.

I "really" read your post and still didn't understand that you understood how reading levels were assessed. Why would you even consider what a preschool teacher (who isn't obviously testing your child in reading) believes your child's reading level is? When you wrote that you found the, "teacher typically assess them much lower than what they can read at home," that showed zero understanding for WHY (as in the the test is far beyond straight decoding).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What level does the teacher assess your DD at? I found the teacher typically assess them much lower than what they can read at home. My son was assessed as a D in preschool when his preschool teacher think he reads at the second grade level. But the reading specialist did not think he was comprehending at that level.

I don't really care. I just let him choose whatever he wants to read. I don't think this assessments are always accurate. But it is really more about getting them to love reading than moving up rapidly in levels. My DS's school send home books that are way higher than his assessed level sometimes. Because they want the parents to help with reading to get them to comprehend better. Some like to send book that is easier than they can handle to build up confidence. I say it is all good.

If you read this thread through, you'll understand that the reading teacher is probably assessing him using something like the DRA and, as a result, your son is not passing a certain level even if can decode ("read") the words on the page (meaning, to you, he can "read" the book.)

If you really read my post, you will understand that I understand exactly how reading level was assessed and has no issues with it whatsoever.

Anonymous wrote:What level does the teacher assess your DD at? I found the teacher typically assess them much lower than what they can read at home. My son was assessed as a D in preschool when his preschool teacher think he reads at the second grade level. But the reading specialist did not think he was comprehending at that level.

I don't really care. I just let him choose whatever he wants to read. I don't think this assessments are always accurate. But it is really more about getting them to love reading than moving up rapidly in levels. My DS's school send home books that are way higher than his assessed level sometimes. Because they want the parents to help with reading to get them to comprehend better. Some like to send book that is easier than they can handle to build up confidence. I say it is all good.

If you read this thread through, you'll understand that the reading teacher is probably assessing him using something like the DRA and, as a result, your son is not passing a certain level even if can decode ("read") the words on the page (meaning, to you, he can "read" the book.)

What level does the teacher assess your DD at? I found the teacher typically assess them much lower than what they can read at home. My son was assessed as a D in preschool when his preschool teacher think he reads at the second grade level. But the reading specialist did not think he was comprehending at that level.

I don't really care. I just let him choose whatever he wants to read. I don't think this assessments are always accurate. But it is really more about getting them to love reading than moving up rapidly in levels. My DS's school send home books that are way higher than his assessed level sometimes. Because they want the parents to help with reading to get them to comprehend better. Some like to send book that is easier than they can handle to build up confidence. I say it is all good.

OP,

If DD looks at reading as "work", I'd back off making her read. Just continue to read to her for fun. Read books on her reading level to her, in addition to more interesting books. When you read the books on her level, you might read a page and have her read a page. Or, just talk about the pictures and work on predicting--that's very important to comprehension. Then, say, "let's see if that is what happens"--and ask her to read it to see if she is "right". Try to make it a fun game. (Of course, that would need to be an unfamiliar book to her.)

It may be that she will not become truly enthusiastic at reading until it becomes a "pack" thing to do--like Goosebumps way back in the past, or Animorphs--when all the other kids are reading them, too. That does not mean that she will not be challenged and improving--it just means that kids like to do what they like to do......don't we all?

Anonymous wrote:The books from Scholastic you noted are not what one would generally consider second grade level books so that makes sense and a DRA 16 isn't second grade, as you know.

Scholastic does grade DRA 16 books as end of Grade 1 - Grade 2.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/guidedreading/leveling_chart.htm

Anonymous wrote:OP here. She's past BOB books. She's reading Scholastic books Level 2 and books that are classified as DRA 16. No, I don't read them to her. She reads them herself aloud and she grasps most of the texts.

She also scored on DIBELS at grade 2 level. Although, I doubt it, I don't know about this assessment and how reliable it is.

I don't think she's advanced or gifted. She's a regular K level student.

The question I have is whether my expectation that they should be doing reading at school at individual levels is false? It sounds like they hardly do any reading at school at all.

I didn't talk to the teacher in person yet, but I plan to. I told her she's reading Scholastic books Level 1 and Level 2. After that she said some mom mixed up the books sent the wrong one and sent a Level 1 book home with her. I think she just went along with my suggestion because it was easy. I plan to talk to her.

I don't have time to take her the library. I do, however, buy her a ton of books. We have a library at home. And have read to her every night since she was an infant.

But you're right. She should be the one wanting to read and picking the books, but she's not that interested. Not because it's super hard, but because it's still work, and would rather play than work.

This is one of the more reasonable responses you've posted. Before, you said she was reading at a second grade level because of the DIEBELS but at least you now recognize that is a highly unreliable predictor of grade level. The books from Scholastic you noted are not what one would generally consider second grade level books so that makes sense and a DRA 16 isn't second grade, as you know. As for time at the library, you can put books on hold at home, and run I and grab them off the shelf. It takes just moments. You can also download books for free from the library on an ipad or kindle. Kids live that.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. She's past BOB books. She's reading Scholastic books Level 2 and books that are classified as DRA 16. No, I don't read them to her. She reads them herself aloud and she grasps most of the texts.

She also scored on DIBELS at grade 2 level. Although, I doubt it, I don't know about this assessment and how reliable it is.

I don't think she's advanced or gifted. She's a regular K level student.

The question I have is whether my expectation that they should be doing reading at school at individual levels is false? It sounds like they hardly do any reading at school at all.

I didn't talk to the teacher in person yet, but I plan to. I told her she's reading Scholastic books Level 1 and Level 2. After that she said some mom mixed up the books sent the wrong one and sent a Level 1 book home with her. I think she just went along with my suggestion because it was easy. I plan to talk to her.

I don't have time to take her the library. I do, however, buy her a ton of books. We have a library at home. And have read to her every night since she was an infant.

But you're right. She should be the one wanting to read and picking the books, but she's not that interested. Not because it's super hard, but because it's still work, and would rather play than work.

Frankly this is going to depend on your school district. In MCPS - they put them in reading groups with others of similar ability. Therefore children are reading at their correct levels.

OP here. She's past BOB books. She's reading Scholastic books Level 2 and books that are classified as DRA 16. No, I don't read them to her. She reads them herself aloud and she grasps most of the texts.

She also scored on DIBELS at grade 2 level. Although, I doubt it, I don't know about this assessment and how reliable it is.

I don't think she's advanced or gifted. She's a regular K level student.

The question I have is whether my expectation that they should be doing reading at school at individual levels is false? It sounds like they hardly do any reading at school at all.

I didn't talk to the teacher in person yet, but I plan to. I told her she's reading Scholastic books Level 1 and Level 2. After that she said some mom mixed up the books sent the wrong one and sent a Level 1 book home with her. I think she just went along with my suggestion because it was easy. I plan to talk to her.

I don't have time to take her the library. I do, however, buy her a ton of books. We have a library at home. And have read to her every night since she was an infant.

But you're right. She should be the one wanting to read and picking the books, but she's not that interested. Not because it's super hard, but because it's still work, and would rather play than work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just isn't that big of a deal. What books is your child reading at home right now? Don't increase it - just the truth - what books is she reading on her own?

She does not read on her own. We read together at night. I read to her and then I give her a book to read. I don't give her a choice. Well, sometimes I give her a choice, but they are all the same level. At first it was BOBBooks, now it's books from the Scholastic "I can read" series, level 1 and 2.

She can read them and comprehend most of the text.

That level of books is very, very easy. Your DD is already resistant evidenced by not reading on her own, unless you make her do it and while I guess her level may be ahead of other kindergarteners, that is still an easy level of books. So I would be far more concerned if I were you about fostering a love of reading in your child than "challenging" her and concerned she'll be "bored" as you've stated. Looks like you have much bigger things to focus on and worry about.

If you read the book first and then hand it to her, it is NOT her level. That means that you are decoding the book first and then handing it to her and not giving her a choice but making her read it. You also have clarified that she hasn't tested at a DRA of a 16, but that after you complained to the teacher that she has gotten books you deemed too easy, the teacher sent home a book of a DRA level of a 16.

What I found the most confusing is she is switching back and forth on her definition of reading levels. At first I thought was the Level 2 readers. Then somewhere she talked about 2nd grade level. The teacher deserves criticism if she indeed send a bob book home if her DD was reading at the 2nd grade level. Not so much if she is doing level 2 readers.