Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy reading levels at school

DD brought books from home when in K. I agree, it shouldn't be that way, but it did work.

I think I will have to go that route if this persists, although until DS finishes all the books in the classroom, I think we are ok in terms of sheer boredom - as someone else said, he will read anything. But if she wants him to learn something new - these books are not going to work.

Sigh! I don't know which is more depressing that this is occurring - or that it was totally predictable by the experiences of others on the board!!!!

DeHe

At school , ds (kinder) is in guided reading f but at home easily reads k. He also has awesome comprehension when books are read to him (he is able to answer dd's razkid tests quite easily at a level 'o').

We ended up donating a bunch of books to the classroom in both K and 2nd (he skipped 1st), when most of the books were below my son's level. He didn't want to be different from the other kids in the classroom by getting his books for reading time in the library - he wanted to be like the other kids and pick out books from the classroom bins.

I am surprised they only go to I. In our school, K goes higher. But they say P is between 3rd and 4th grade.

DD brings home books from an assortment of 3 levels since she is having a hard time liking some of the books. The teacher said she was getting more, we brought it up. I was planning to donate but it was also OK with the teacher that DD get books from the library and told her to do her non fiction reading at school, which she likes.

My son is in the same place, at school they say he's at level M, but at home he's reading books with a lexile score over 1000, and answering homework questions on them. I just try and make sure we always have good books at home for hom to read.

so...on that lettered system, no one has told me what happens when the kids outgrows it. Before we left the last school, Butter told me they finally got their reading levels. She was at "Z" at the end of last year (2nd) and this year the teacher told her she was at "a higher level of Z". WTH does THAT even mean?

I believe Z is it. The guided reading levels are just meant for elementary school. http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/guidedreading/leveling_chart.htm

I think that this is only a worry if your DS is showing signs of being unhappy with his reading selections. After all, just because he's reading more difficult material doesn't mean he doesn't also enjoy picture books. He may be a middle-schooler by reading ability and interests, but he's still also a 5yo.

For example, my DD6 recently asked us to explore the adult section of the library, and she brought home a few selections, which she reads from time to time in her play room. Yet the books she has piled up in the back seat for car trips are all picture books, which she likes to read aloud, pretending she's teaching a class.

If he's checking out picture books from the school library because that's what he wants to read, I see no problem. If he's doing it because that's all they'll let him check out, that's a problem, and one probably worth getting involved in.

that is exactly it - he told me he prefers chapters - he isnt getting them. He will read anything in his box, but it is not his preference. And he is not going to learn much from them, I wont say he wont learn anything but its certainly not stretching him like harder more substantive books which he reads at home. Currently he is going to the school library but being handed selections - there is as of now no relationship between his interests or his level and the books he is being given. He is not the type to complain to the teacher so the fact that he mentioned it to me at all is significant.

DeHe