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FWIW I Love to read (Like really really love it) and I was always in the average reading group. I started off in the "advanced" group and was "demoted" to average.
Here's something else....When I was in high school, I was in the "smart" group, most of my close friends all were on the college prep track, all scored very well on standardized tests, accepted and attended "good" colleges etc...Except one. This girl was in remedial math in jr. high, in the "alternative" track, didn't really do well on tests, didn't come from a particularly educated or driven family. Guess who is the only one with a PhD? You just never know. It's really more about believing in yourself, having confidence and finding what it is you are good at.
Here's something else....When I was in high school, I was in the "smart" group, most of my close friends all were on the college prep track, all scored very well on standardized tests, accepted and attended "good" colleges etc...Except one. This girl was in remedial math in jr. high, in the "alternative" track, didn't really do well on tests, didn't come from a particularly educated or driven family. Guess who is the only one with a PhD? You just never know. It's really more about believing in yourself, having confidence and finding what it is you are good at.
That's a very good point. My best friend growing up barely graduated from high school, did not go to college, and retired from day-to-day operations of his own company at 40. He's a multi-millionaire, and has homes all over the world. You never know.
Here's something else....When I was in high school, I was in the "smart" group, most of my close friends all were on the college prep track, all scored very well on standardized tests, accepted and attended "good" colleges etc...Except one. This girl was in remedial math in jr. high, in the "alternative" track, didn't really do well on tests, didn't come from a particularly educated or driven family. Guess who is the only one with a PhD? You just never know. It's really more about believing in yourself, having confidence and finding what it is you are good at.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zimbochick
That's a very good point. My best friend growing up barely graduated from high school, did not go to college, and retired from day-to-day operations of his own company at 40. He's a multi-millionaire, and has homes all over the world. You never know.
true, you never know. My good friend in HS ended up valedictorian yet I scored higher than her on the SAT. Go figure.
First, try to curb your own jealousy and performance anxiety over how your son is reading. Do NOT compare him to his friend or encourage him to be 'more like' his friend. This will damage his self-esteem.
Your son has his own areas where he will excel~possibly over and above his friend. Help him find those areas.
Might be sports, might be music, might be anything.
Try to stop worrying about it and just let your boy be six years old and be who he is.
It's hard in this age of competitive parenting, I know.
I would focus on learning which types of books your son likes to read, and helping him develop a love of reading by providing him with books he likes. I would not mention the reading level of other kids, or talk about ability at all.
Do the kids in class know that there are reading levels? My son's 3rd grade class has levels, but only the parents know that, not the kids.
Do the kids in class know that there are reading levels? My son's 3rd grade class has levels, but only the parents know that, not the kids.
I guarantee that the kids in your son's class know there are different levels. Even if it's not obvious, they figure it out because they're not working on the same material. Even the progressive systems where children work at their own pace via cards in a box make it glaringly obvious which kids are ahead or behind in the box.
let me explain my situation a bit better. The class my son attends focuses a lot on reading, they have 3 groups and my son is at the second level. His best buddy is at the top in fact the number one kid who is reading Harry Potter in the class (his test score is the top one in the class), majority of the kids love to read in that class, but my son really prefers to play rather than read. They also already have plenty of homework assignment. Ok, so the way I encourage him is to try and develop the interest of reading, and I also mention that if he reads more, naturally he’ll get to the first group and join his best buddy’s reading group. But like one of the comments from you, I do worry that this will develop a lack of self esteem issue hence, I think I shouldn’t even mention about the reading group differences? But each time we go to my son’s best buddy’s home, the friend is always reading a book, so I try to encourage my son to develop the interest of reading just like his friend. But maybe I just shouldn’t mention about anything? Like I said, the class and school as a whole focuses strongly on academics and they already have a whole tons of homework. It’s nothing like me as a mother is making a big deal of academics, it’s the school that is dividing up these reading groups in the class per the kids level and lots of them are reading Harry Potter and more advanced books…
I think you just need to encourage your kid to read, but at his own pace.He does not have to be reading Harry Potter at 6. Worry about him being at the right level for his age instead.
A lot of classes divide into different level reading groups. My son really floundered in reading during kindergarten because (well one reason) of the groups. He got moved to an independent reading program and started to take off. Then we moved to a much smaller school which only does an independent reading program. He took off and is one of those kids reading Jr. High books.
Like others have said, relax, let the friendship blossom, keep encouraging your son to see how everyone has different strengths. And keep encouraging him to read by bringing him to the library once a week, reading to him, and letting him see you read. Some people just don't like to read as much--which is okay. It is more important that your son discover subjects/types of writing he likes, as well as learning why reading is so important. Furthermore, most children's brains aren't really ready to tackle reading until the age of 8.
My son is in a class of three and he is the top reader by far. We really lecture hard about being humble. The two boys are in my cub scout den (the only two), so it is easy there to remind them that everyone has their own strengths and it is when we work together that we suceed. We are very lucky--all three of them are so supportive to each other! They brag about each other to other kids and really work well together.
thank you so much for taking out the time to provide input. happy holidays to everyone!
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You just never know. It's really more about believing in yourself, having confidence and finding what it is you are good at.
