So, my son's friend for instance. He also went in at the beginning of the year at the ceiling/end of grade level. He stayed at the same level all year. His parents told me the teacher refused to test him. The child was really upset and unhappy being forced to read books well below his level, that he was not interested in or challenged by. He stayed at the level the ENTIRE grade. He was held in from recess whenever he was caught reading a book not from his 'just right reading level basket.' (My son said he was in form recess for almost an entire month before they broke him!) He was forced during the time in from recess to read books that were at his "just right reading level," which was too low (my son reported that friend said he still did not actually read the crappy books, he "prayed instead"). He began to refuse to read at all at home and his mother lied (and still does) on all his reading logs because he gets in more trouble at school for not reading at home and he also prevents his class for being able to enter into raffles and such for prizes (the class can only enter if all kids have the requisite number of lines logged on reading log). He HATED reading by the end of the year. At the beginning of the next year, he was still at the same level as the beginning of the previous year. He NEVER reads at home, the mom and dad lie on the logs because the stress and tantrums reading causes at home now. I have known this child since kindergarten. In kindergarten he was advcanced reader and loved to read. In 1st, I remember him being the same way. It was in 2nd grade when the refusal to test beyond grade level started and when his teacher refused to allow him to read any books other than the ones that were in the "class basket" at the too low level.
They destroyed this kid's love for reading. And they won. But he made no progress in over a year! What did they get out of that? Yeah, they won the power play ... but they did not eve get to show "progress/growth" It does not make sense!
That's a terrible story. I would have been all over that school. That's the sort of thing that should be on the news. Punishing a child for reading more advanced books? Stupidest, most controlling idea ever.
