Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments A little recognition would be nice

So there I was at assembly this morning, and awards were being given out for reading. DS7 is officially in the grade one part of a 1/2 class. Three of the grade two students were called out with much fuss to get awards for being able to read more than 600 words! Then DS was called out and given some sort of award, but no mention made of what it was. Turns out it was a happy birthday certificate, a few weeks late. I'm over-reacting now I know, but feeling rather upset that they couldn't give him any acknowledgement. Perhaps if he was encouraged he might actually start reading for enjoyment.

Does your DS read well beyond grade level? If so, I can certainly see why you'd be upset! I know I'd be feeling rather disgruntled with such a ceremony if my DS were in your DS's place. It seems as if all students in that class who meet that standard should be acknowledged for it (since it seems that this is what they do at your son's school). I'd probably ask the teacher about it because I'd want to know why DS hadn't also been included.

As a side note, is reading 600 words really something to be excited about for an average second grader? That seems like rather a low number for a public awards ceremony. Of course, I also think it's a bit silly for a school to count the number of words someone can read into the multiple hundreds! By that point, how can you really count them anyway?

The teacher has said he's at the top of the 1/2 reading group. He's always resisted reading at home, but I bribed him earlier this week, so now know that he can easily read quite a long way above grade level (Famous Five - 250 odd pages from the "teen" section of the bookshop).

I wouldn't have thought 600 words all that exciting, though it may be that those children were struggling and have had a breakthrough - I'm all for recognising effort and personal achievement as well as the actual standard. But my poor boy - I saw his face fall when he came up in front of the school and then read that it was only a birthday certificate.