Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy "Just right reading levels"

I don't think I would say it is taking 30 minutes, and the reason is that this could be used against you later ("But you said before that it is taking her 30 minutes to read the assigned grade-level books"). I would be honest and say, "So the issue is, it takes DD about 5 minutes to read the assigned text. What should she do for the rest of the time? It sounds like you do not want her reading X book. Can we compromise on some other reading matter that will keep her engaged and interested for the full 30 minutes?" (What book did you ask about? If it is was waaay above grade, maybe it was a turnoff to the annoying teacher? Is there anything closer to grade that your DD still enjoys?)

It sounds like you have a fight on your hands. Can you ask her if this policy will change once your DD is assessed?

Are you in a "striver" district or school? I ask because it seems like either you have an awful teacher or a school where teachers are feeling very defensive about parents claiming kids are above grade level. I know it happens.

Just curious... What is a "striver" school/district.?


I really think calling a meeting and having a honest conversation about this and insisting on finding a way to get more engaging books to your child legitamately is the way to go... Lies and such only snowball and come back to bite you and your child . Once I had meetings and had my 'fight' re this, we haven't had any problems .... Well worth it because this reading thing goes on for quite awhile it seems. Advocating is worth it even if it's uncomfortable and unpleasant.

I'm not sure what a "striver" school district is, but I know that I am not the only parent that is frustrated with the "just right" reading system. The tone of the letter that came home with the book sounded a bit defensive to me. I guess I just don't really understand what the motivation is to keep all kids reading within a set band of reading levels in a grade. Why does it matter if they want to read higher? I can see if they usually/often/always choose to read at a lower level - perhaps some intervention might be needed... but why deny access to books a that a kid wants to read? Generally speaking, I think a kid would not choose to read books that were too hard for them - so if they are selecting them - they must find something enjoyable about reading them.

When I was in second grade my best friend - who was clearly a much better reader than I was - started reading the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series. I think I can say with a fair degree of certainty, that this would have been outside of my approved reading level. But - since she was reading them, I wanted to too - and I loved them. I think they were probably too hard for me - but what was the harm - I am sure they made me a better reader over time. But in our district, a second grader would not be allowed to read Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, since it is reading level O and second graders are only allowed to read to level N.

When I have asked about this in the past the teachers just shrug their shoulders and say there is nothing they can do- it is "district policy". As I mentioned, last year we had a teacher who gave the middle finger to district policy - so dd8 could read as she desired.

I am not really sure what to do. One day she finished the assigned book she was given in school - so I let her read the non-teacher approved book for her 30 minutes - and wrote it in her reading log. What was I supposed to do? She had no reading - and I have a hard time giving the kid junk reading. The next night she got 5 minutes of reading, so I let her read the non-teacher approved book for 25 minutes. The next day, the teacher sent home a "readers digest", 3rd grade version of the non-teacher approved book - which she read on the bus. Way to ruin the ending. I guess I am just trying to see things from her perspective... Am I just some pushy parent trying to force their kid to read "too hard" books? Is she afraid that she can get in trouble for not enforcing the "district policy"? I am afraid that this might be the type of teacher who might punish a child for not following the rules - so I am torn between advocacy and fake compliance.

Sorry--by "striver" I just mean a district with a lot of wealthy parents who think their kid is a special snowflake, etc. That is, the teacher's thinking might be that if one child is reading books above grade level, they will all want them reading War and Peace, or something, to prove how smart their kids are? I don't really know (I feel like such parents are just as likely to complain about books that are too hard), but this seems to be a concern in some areas.

second graders can only read to level "n" ?? DS started first at an "n"!

I think our district has something similar going on. Just to note, there are different reading systems with letters. So there is "A-Z" and then there is Fountas and Pinnel, for example and an N in one would not be the same level as the other (an N in Fountas Pinnell is a higher level), (just to make it confusing for everyone). But I got a lot of the same type of story where the underlying logic seems to be that kids are simply not capable of understanding texts that are above grade level, and therefore it is harmful (somehow) to give those books to them. They may be able to decode, but they don't grasp the underlying themes, character motivations, etc. DD's 4th grade teacher last year gave her a level V (F&P) and DD went back to her and told her it was a babyish book, and teacher claimed that DD must not be fully grasping the book if she thinks it's too easy. I'm not sure where this logic is coming from--what sort of current educational philosophy is promoting this practice, but for gifted kids it's ridiculous and it doesn't take into account that gifted kids can be several years ahead of their age in terms of what they can comprehend.

Honestly I would be so ticked off I wouldn't be able to send my kid to a school/district that rigid and would be looking elsewhere. I suppose you could send a letter to the curriculum specialist or superintendent but I doubt you're going to get very far with the teachers, who are having this shoved down their throats (and probably most blindly accept it).

OK - so yes - I think we are probably in a "striver" district. It is a very wealthy community - I imagine all parents think their kid is "special"... so....I don't know. I guess I'd be curious to know what percentage of kids in this area are 99%ile kids? I was just reading an article online that said that something like 70% of NYC kids applying to preschool score in the 99% on the ERBs. I heard from another parent that they no longer consider the "verbal" scores of the OLSAT for the gifted program here because too many kids would qualify that way. So I think that a fair number of the parents are being given "objective" data (OLSAT scores etc.) which show that their kids are special - and probably trying to advocate for their kids by using that data. Maybe we are all just delusional.... or maybe lots of kids really can read substantially above grade level.

To use your example: What if little Jonny wanted to read War and Peace? Then Sally and Sue's parents find out and go to the teacher and say they want Sally and Sue to read War and Peace as well. What is the harm in that? So they all read war and peace - Johnny might actually be able to understand it, while Sally and Sue read it, but it is hard - and they only can follow pieces of it...maybe they even need their parents to help them out with sections of it.... Would that be such a bad thing? It seems much better than forcing them all to read "the fat cat sat on the mat".

I would try having a meeting. Advocate. Often times a school does nothing until you meet with them ... They want to make it uncomfortable and hard for a parent so that you'll give up and defer, but when you push you'd be surprised how much of a difference you can make. They also want to discourage other parents.

First, make sure of your child's level with testing. I forced the school to do this by stating it was a "concern" that my child was "not progressing" (my child was progressing but when they refuse to test the child they can not prove it so they had to test him even though he had hit the ceiling of the grade on the first day). Once the test results were in, I called a meeting. There was pushback at the meeting (mostly from the teacher who seemed to really resent my son's reading level for some odd reason). I told them I would donate books, I brought said books to meeting. There was still push back but ultimately I won. It does not make any sense to force a kid on a certain level to read two or three or four levels below that level regardless of what grade they are in. They know it, you know it, a school board would know it. It's completely stupid. The donated books were for the excuse that they do not have two grade level up books in the classroom ... Well, now you do! Or perhaps DS could go for reading to the class on the grade level he is on (no one liked that idea - too many scheduling problems). Just talk to them (have a meeting, put things in writing), they probably aren't as scary you think they are. Yes it is annoying and a bit unpleasant but it is doable definitely.

One tip for advocating--it helps to phrase things in terms of "the child's concerns" rather than your concerns. So, if you state that your child is losing her interest in reading, is complaining about the books, is complaining about school, etc (even if it isn't exactly true), I think you'll get farther than if you state that YOU are concerned about levels, progress, etc. They can't accuse you of being a pushy hothousing parent if it is the child who is unhappy.

Thanks for sharing that part -- I was curious where they would draw the line. Is the letter scale for Fountas & Pinell Guided Reading levels? That's what we use here. (It seems that Reading A-Z doesn't line up with it.)

I had no idea I should be so thankful that our teachers don't seem to object to what kids want to read. Though in K, my DD had to get permission and demonstrate readiness to check out from the chapter book section of the school library, and says she can't borrow from the junior section yet (I told her she can ask for permission). In 2nd grade this year, she picked out a level V/DRA 50 book from her teacher's classroom library (from a limited selection) and read it in school, loved it, and had me get the second in the series to take to school to read.