A little vent...

[SunshineMom]

I called my mother-n-law, former 2nd grade teacher, to get some book suggestions for my 6dd (currently reading James and the Giant Peach). She basically suggested that I shouldn't really make it easy for her to read older material, outside grade level, due to content. I agree some subjects in older books would not be wise for a 6yr to read but it's not like I am "not" going to let her read at her level. She pretty much said, "well thats a problem with kids who read outside their grade," as if it was an incurable disease. She also said, "you know the more she reads, the higher she will read." She is only reading a few grade levels ahead. Why should it be viewed as if I should be afraid of it?

[rowan25]

I don't usually comment on these types of posts because I would hate to hurt someone's feelings about a family member or trusted friend. But this one bothers me.

 

I was an advanced reader. I read Oliver Twist and Little Women at age 5. I read Jane Eyre at age 9. Did I understand everything in these books? No. I liked the stories. I liked them well enough to re-read them when I was older. And guess what?! I got more out of them at that point. And I still liked 2 out of the 3. So as an adult, I re-read them again and got even more out of them.

 

I will never forget my grandmother getting into a serious argument with one of our local librarians because she wouldn't let me read from the young adult section. After all, I couldn't possibly read words that big!!

 

So obviously being told that someone shouldn't read outside of their grade hits a big of a nerve with me! :tongue_smilie: Just watch for content and all should be fine. So sorry you had to deal with that type of bias. :glare:

[Osmosis Mom]

That's a ludicrously funny reaction! Too bad for her. I remember then oldest dd was in 2nd grade (the last year of ps) and I asked the teacher for her to get more work or some challenge. The teacher -whow as very nice- said she could only give her cursive worksheets because otherwise dd would just end up being bored in 3rd grade, lol! Dd used to bring a book from the school-library to class and finish it up every single day, afterhaving done her "school-work" in class.

 

So, don't worry. Let your dd read whatever pleases her of good whole-some literature and you'll see her blossom and accel.

[Harriet Vane]

This one strikes a chord with me. One of my little cousins was restricted reading within only certain levels at school. She was bored silly and unmotivated and wanted to read something thicker and more interesting. The school would NOT allow it. Poor kid.

 

I really don't see what the fuss is about either. I always read way ahead of my grade level. My daughter has been reading way ahead of her level for years (tested at 12th grade level in 4th grade). I have had to be careful of content as her skill got ahead of her emotional maturity, but honestly that hasn't required that much energy from me either.

 

Reading ahead of grade level is NOT something to prevent or fuss about--rejoice in your child's ability and help your child continue enjoying reading with some great books that do not bore.

[Truscifi]

I read ahead of grade level and I turned out ok. :D

 

Seriously, it can be a challenge finding things that are approrpiate, but there are plenty of great lists for advanced reader mentioned in other threads on this board - just do a search. My mom bought the entire series of Reader's Digest abridged classics and children's classics sets for me when I was a kid, so I will be borrowing heavily for ds6 - he is reading on a 5th grade level right now. They are great if you can find them. Also try nonfiction - ds loves to pick out a couple 'easy' ones, a couple at his level, and one big, difficult one just for fun.

[AndyJoy]

My dh's 3rd grade teacher took his personal copy of The Hobbit away from him because, "This isn't a third grade book!" Some people just don't get it. Evidently you're supposed to stunt your little precocious reader to save her from more mature content, rather than just keeping an eye on what she reads! Maybe it's supposed easier this way because then it's an academic immpossibility rather than a parenting issue?

[dangermom]

You know what, there are zillions of good books out there that are fine for young kids to read. So far I've managed to keep my 9yo in good books despite her reading level.

 

Eh, forget it. All this deserves is a big fat :rolleyes:

[Carol in Cal.]

I believe that it's silly to keep children reading at a certain 'level' that is beneath their ability.

 

I have found, generally, that screening by date works pretty well as a screen for content. Most of the time, books written before about 1950 are fine content-wise, no matter what level they are written for. That's my first screen--it's followed by judicious pre-reading, but really, I've only found a handful of good older books that I would postpone for content; and in those cases the content was either quite sarcastic, quite irreverent, or quite racist--all of which were easy to detect/screen for quickly.

[OrganicAnn]

Often older books will have less mature content that more modern books. On the flip side, they will often have more sexual stereotypes (and sometimes racial stereotypes).

 

Could you imagine a child who was advanced in piano only allowed to play simple scales?

[LibrarianMom]

Check out AR Book Find. You can look for books by reading level and interest level. I would look up James and the Giant Peach (4.8 MG interest) and then find other books at the same level.

 

On a funny note, last night my husband and I were discussing what the first "adult" books we remember reading were. I recall reading parts of The Thornbirds when I was about 8 because my mom was reading it at the time. I recall not finishing it. ;) I'm also finding that my dd is doing a lot more reading over my shoulder and asks interesting questions about what I'm reading.

[SunshineMom]

Thanks ladies,

I really was hoping my MIL would enjoy sharing this part of the journey with me and was surprised she saw it as a problem:( Life as a homeschooling mama!

[abbeyej]

Thanks ladies,

I really was hoping my MIL would enjoy sharing this part of the journey with me and was surprised she saw it as a problem:( Life as a homeschooling mama!

 

She may still come around. :) This is a big paradigm shift for her, and you're early in the journey. Assuming your relationship with her is pretty good otherwise, and she loves her grandchildren and wants the best for them, I would just continue to share little positive things with her along the way. You don't *need* her approval for home schooling to work, but don't be discouraged from telling her the good things either. Know that *over*time*, as she sees that her precious grandchildren are learning and thriving and developing relationships and growing into smart, capable, enjoyable, delightful little people in their own right... She may well come around.

[Alphabetika]

This strikes a nerve with me, too. I vividly remember the first time I consciously considered defying authority (outside of regular little kid things that happen at home) - I was in 1st grade and wanted to read a book about George Washington Carver from my school library; our school was G.W. Carver school and I was interested in his story. Because the book was in the 4-6th grade section, the librarian adamantly refused to let me check it out, or even read her a paragraph to show her that I could read it. I seriously considered arguing with her in my frustration. Thank God I had parents who took me to the library a few times a week.

 

My oldest dd did two years in school, one public and one private, and they didn't know what to do with her. The librarian at her private school insisted that she couldn't be reading Laura Ingalls books at age 6, that she'd be better off sticking to Junie B. Jones. We've been HSing for 9 years now.

 

Nurture your accelerated dd at her level and your MIL will soon see the fruits when she can have great discussions with her dgd at a young age!

[linders]

This is right up there with the oft-heard line "they all level out by 3rd grade." Yes, if we don't challenge them at their level, they will level out! I was an accelerated reader but thankfully no one thought to screen my reading material.

 

Now I have a DS6 in the same boat. I just find books that are at least 25 years old and usually don't have a problem with content. Newer books at a 6th grade level do tend to have inappropriate topics.

[mom2koh]

Ummm! Wow!

 

I was always allowed by my parents to read whatever I wanted within reason. (WhenI asked my dad for his Stephen King book when I was 8 that was a big NO! :lol:) But, I can remember the school teacher or librarian telling me that it wasn't the right grade level and I would have to choose something different. :tongue_smilie:

 

But, b/c I was unlimited in my choices I am still an avid reader today. And still to this day I will read anything I can get my hands on.

 

:grouphug: Sorry about your experience.

[Carol in Cal.]

I called my mother-n-law, former 2nd grade teacher, to get some book suggestions for my 6dd (currently reading James and the Giant Peach). She basically suggested that I shouldn't really make it easy for her to read older material, outside grade level, due to content. I agree some subjects in older books would not be wise for a 6yr to read but it's not like I am "not" going to let her read at her level. She pretty much said, "well thats a problem with kids who read outside their grade," as if it was an incurable disease. She also said, "you know the more she reads, the higher she will read." She is only reading a few grade levels ahead. Why should it be viewed as if I should be afraid of it?

 

Maybe it's because she is not all that familiar with the appropriate books that are written for older kids--they tend to have been written before 1960 or so, and are not the kinds of books that teachers are taught to provide.

 

For instance, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is listed as a middle school reading level, but there is nothing about it that is inappropriate or particularly graphic. I read it to DD when she was 5, and when her reading really took off, the sequence was that she read a bunch of Magic School Bus books, then she graduated to Beverly Cleary books (that we had already read her) and then she graduated to LWW. If you read books above her reading level consistently to your DD, you will know which ones to let her read to herself when the time comes. There is nothing wrong with her reading ahead of her years--you just have to be a little more vigilant in evaluating what you give her to read. I would argue that you should be vigilant anyway. It was very clear to me that Junie B. Jones and Arthur books were going to do actual harm to my Dd's behavior and attitude, at an early age, for instance. And they were for much younger reading levels than you're talking about.

[Dina in Oklahoma]

:bigear: Hello ~

 

Another who has experienced the frustration! We enrolled our DD in a well respected Christian school for second grade because she is an only child and because the school had some wonderful amenities including a "state of the art" library.

 

The children read books and then were tested for comprehension via a computer program. My DD was so excited when we toured the school as she was reading on the eighth grade level. As the year went on I asked to see her reading record. She had been held at the second grade level! When I spoke with the headmaster about it I was told that the computer system had experienced technical problems most of the first semester and that they had few books on her level.

 

GRRRR

Edited January 16, 2010 by Dina in Oklahoma