WDYT - re: age group for books given to kids at award night

[~clover~]

We had the girls presentation night tonight.
Both got an award & were given a book with it.

DD2's book is called 'Lettice - The Birthday Party' DD2 is 5.
DD1 was given a book called 'Baby Wombat's Week'. DD1 will be 9 in April & has been reading chapter books for a while.

When DD1 got into the car winging about her book & asking why they'd give it too her I dismissed it as her being tired.

Then she came out of her room crying about how unfair her book was coz it was too easy. I had a look & now I see why. It is a 'juvenile' book. The first page is as follows
'Monday...slept...slept...' in big writing. It is a book aimed at a 3 - 5 year old IMO.

She's feeling really insulted. Wouldn't they buy a book according to a child's age? I thought possibly they gave it to her to read to DS & DD2, but that wouldn't be right either. Its her book, it should be for her.

They have 60 kids at the school. Its not huge. They couldn't possibly have accidentally given it to her. They put her name in the front & all. DD2's at least has a paragraph on each page!

Do you agree that this is really insulting & unfair? I'm going to take it back & talk to the principle tomorrow. I would really like their reasons for that book explained to me...

Or do they really not care & just give a child which ever book they pick up first?

[Indadhanu]

I thought they would have personalised it a bit since it came with an award so it's not like it was luck of the draw, it wouild have been planned for 24 hours at least!
Not sure I'd complain about it but maybe some feedback, saying it seems a bit silly that they've known her and her abilities for a year and thought they'd have personalised the choice a bit.

[Miss.September]

It could be a miscommunication. I worked at a children's book store and we often would get school's come in for prizes. We'd often be given about 20 minutes to find books for up to 100 kids, the teacher would stick a post-it note on the cover with the child's name and they'd be invoiced and bagged up. I can imagine that if the label came off during transit, books could get mixed. I'm sorry your daughter is sad about her book, she should be, it is very young for her.

[~clover~]

I'm going to talk to them, but not to complain about the book. To let them know how heart broken she is. She is under the impression her teachers think she's dumb. If she wasn't worried I wouldn't be, but being a small school she'll have the same teachers next year. How's the year going to go when she thinks they are thinking of her as equivilent to a 5 year old? She's the type of kid that will be affected by it. I'm going to get her a few books on Friday to replace it & will keep it for DS.

There are 15 kids in her class room I think & til now she's recieved books that suited her age. If it was a mix up, you'd think someone might look twice at an 8 - 9 year old getting a small child's book while they were sticking in the name? Its a small school, they all know her.

I do understand that they don't go 'shopping' for each child specifically, but you'd think they'd sort them into age groups, then boy/girl, then put a name in each one at least.

[Doing my best]

I would ask them about it, and I would like to believe (until told otherwise) that is was a genuine mix up. Even though it had her name in it, it was probably written by an admin person, who wouldn't have known if there was a mix up of books..

[~clover~]

Good point. I think the office lady think mum looks after them, or something... she's got me confused.

The school rang me when DD2 got sent to the sick bay on Friday. I couldn't get there, but said I'd ring a friend on my contact list, but she's really sick & I'm not sure if she can do it. Also said mum can't get in coz she's too far out of town now (an hour away).
Then I find out she rang mum anyway & when my friend showed up, they asked if I'd rang her, or if mum did... they had no reason to ring mum, unless they rang her first?

There have also been times when DD2 has come home saying she was in the sick bay & that I was supposed to pick her up, but I recieved no phone call even though I never left the house

[Tara_84]

Hi darl
I'm a teacher and at every school Ive been too, we choose the books based on the students we are awarding them to. I always like to choose books based on the students interests and the level they are at. I would definately follow it up as there may have been a mix up. Good Luck!

[~clover~]

Forgot to update. We took it back the next morning. The teacher didn't understand why she was so upset.
He told her that was fine, that they'd choose another one. The thing that really got me... 'you can have a chapter book & even if you can't read it, we'll work up to it'. Its got me wondering how much attention he pays to her...

She chose Tashi. Its a series of books & she already has one here. She was given the first one at last years presentation night.
I've had him say a few things to her he shouldn't have, so I'll be going up there again next year.

[Miss.September]

Oh Clover, that's so sad. Silly man

[trishalishous]

hugs to your DD, I'd be insulted and upset too. the teacher sounds like a bit of a jerk tbh.

[~clover~]

Yeah, I'm not sure if he is completely clueless, but he's made little comments before that I don't agree with.
Telling her I should've taken her to the gp when her ears were blocked after a flu, even though I have been dealing with her hearing issues for nearly 6 years & know that at that point it would've been pointless.Telling her I should've kept her home for a cough, which was an asthma cough, not that bad & not contagious!

Its not so much that he says them, its that he says them to her, giving her reason to come home & tell me I'm no good & that I'm doing everything wrong
I think he's just too young to understand the age of these kids & how impressionable they are. Its about time he did some learning I think. If he's going to be teaching kids this age for the next 40 odd years, he best start learning how do deal with them now..

[kawazuki]

hey just saw this
cody got this book from school as well (he was 10)
they got it because the AUTHOR decided it was most suitable for that age group.

i read it and though hmm thats the type of book id read to taylah.
Cody is like your daughter reading chapters and good storylined books

[~clover~]

Really? Thats silly!
I've bought Jaz a heap of BabySitters Little Sister books from the op shops to make up for it.
I think the teachers need to look at the cover, or at least open the book.
FWIW he did apoligise to her & tell her he didn't realise it was that easy.

[*Efjay*]

Gah Small schools! My kids went to a school of about 90. Except our kids did not get a book at presentation I would be thinking we are talking of the same school.
I personally have found that the small school environment sucks. The teachers really do seem to just not care/pay attention to their students on an individual basis. I too have found that there are things that really the teacher should know about my child in a normal larger school situation & given the school is small there really is no reason for it to be overlooked.

I would talk to him about what he says to your DD & that you would really prefer ALL communications about her/you to be directed to YOU not her. Even if he thinks its just a passing comment he needs to stop & think first.

I had a bit of a whine when our school canteen wasn't open on the day it was meant to be. I had a really busy day & had made them a lunch order as I had nothing at home to give them for lunch as I needed to go shopping, I had an appointment first thing in the morning that my DH had taken the day off for to be with me. They I get there & they tell me there is no canteen today. I managed to organise one of the teachers to still make them their orders after I explained I was stuck in getting anything else for them. But then in morning assembly (line up) one of the teachers made a big deal reminding the kids that they were told the day before that there would be NO CANTEEN on Thursdays for the rest of the year. I was abit rude & yelled out over the top of him & said that they need to to tell the parents, send home a note.
I mean really as if My 6 year old is going to be paying attention AND remember to tell me. GAh so glad we are moving.

[~clover~]

Wow, even if they did remember, my first reaction would be if thats the case I should have a note. If I don't have a note I assume the kids have gotten their wires crossed somehow.

[*Efjay*]

Wow, even if they did remember, my first reaction would be if thats the case I should have a note. If I don't have a note I assume the kids have gotten their wires crossed somehow.

exactly! If there is no note then how on earth do I know! Was funny actully because the following monday there was a bold underlined bit int he newsletter saying NO CANTEEN LOL

[*Ali*]

Sorry to hear your DD was so disapointed with her book, I can really see where she was coming from. When I am selecting book prizes for my class I take the time think about what there interests are etc. I try and select a hard cover non-fiction type book for my students as I would like to think they will be able to keep it and use it various times over their lives, but I always try and select something interest, for the age group I teach the girls are usually into animal, be it horuses or dogs etc, so will usually select something down those lines. For the boys it is usually soemthing like the ripley's believe it or not book, or ccars/ motorbikes, sport.
I can't believe her teacher doesnt know she can read chapter books- that screams to me ' what the hell is he doing when he is supposed to be teaching reading', or 'where is he during silent reading, or when they are selecting books from the library'.

[Early Kids]

I'm glad it was sorted out, sort of, good luck with them next year I hope you get through to them x