Homework over spring break (long)

"Sue" wrote in message
...
"enigma" wrote in message
i see reading lists as one more way to make kids hate reading.
if you can't even pick your own books, how are you going to
find your own interests? and how do they pick the books for
those lists? i was reading Arthur C. Clark in 2nd garde. being
forced to read something like Junie B. would have bored me to
tears...

That's you. My kids love Junie B. And not to mention there are some books
that are just not appropriate for little kids even if they are reading at
a
higher level. However, for the record, we don't have a required reading
list
at our school, they just want them to read.

I love Junie B, and I'm way past 29....
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

enigma wrote:
my parents were annoyed that teacher wouldn't even return the
Aurthur Clark book to them (ok, it was Childhood's End & it's
still good sci-fi. i think the teacher just didn't like the
title).

Uh, did you complain to the principal? That's just plain stealing. Her
actions went WAAAAAY beyond appropriate.

I never had a teacher take a book away from me, but I did have teachers
not believe me when I did read an advanced book. I wasn't allowed to
watch TV during the week, and when the miniseries Shogun came out, I
couldn't watch it, so my Dad said "Read the book. It's a great book."
So I said "yeah, maybe I will!" And did. Then I wrote a book report,
and the teacher didn't believe that I'd actually read the book, (she
thought I'd just watched it on TV) and I had to get a note from my
parents corroborating the story. I was humiliated and hated her for
that.

Cathy Weeks
Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01

In article ,
Kevin Karplus wrote:



my 4 year old has read all the Magic Treehouse books... i'm
starting him on Lemony Snickett next.

I can't see a 4 year old with Lemony
Snickett though -- even if he is advanced enough to
know all the words, it doesn't seem appropriate
storyline for that age.

My son started Lemony Snicket around age 6 (still younger than the
target audience). I'd recommend waiting at least until then for Lemony
Snicket---the storyline and the somewhat twisted humor is not likely
to be appreciated by youger readers, even if they are prefectly
capable of handling the language.

Even keeping in mind that a 4yo capable of reading Lemony Snicket probably
prefers more sophisticates story-lines than the average 4yo, I have to
agree with the other posters that Lemony Snicket seems like a pretty
unlikely choice for even the most advanced 4yo. They're dark and
twisted. I'd sooner give him/her the first three Harry Potters,
personally.

--Robyn

In article ,
enigma wrote:




yeah, that's what my second grade teacher said when she took
my books away from me. she didn't want me reading anything the
other kids weren't... and i'd passed Dick & Jane at age 3.
my parents were annoyed that teacher wouldn't even return the
Aurthur Clark book to them (ok, it was Childhood's End & it's
still good sci-fi. i think the teacher just didn't like the
title).
and it's unfair of me to pick on Junie B. because that wasn't
in print when i was that age. still, i preferred field guides
& biology texts... and i loved sci fi (at least i wasn't
reading Heinlein g)
lee

I kind of liked Heinlein -- his juvenile fiction was something I read a
great deal as soon as I was old enough. I know his attitude towards
women is a problem...but 40 years ago or so it didn't seem important.
(The stuff with all the sex wasn't published until I was old enough to
read it.)

Right now, I'm reading Octavia Butler, and LeGuinne is my absolute
favorite (I don't deliberately pick women, but somehow I DO seem to end
up preferring women authors!)
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

"Cathy Kearns" wrote in message
I love Junie B, and I'm way past 29....

LOL, me too. I think she is hilarious. I would love to thank the author in
person because she is responsible for my first daughter for learning to read
and enjoy books.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

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enigma wrote:
snip
| yeah, that's what my second grade teacher said when she took
| my books away from me. she didn't want me reading anything the
| other kids weren't... and i'd passed Dick & Jane at age 3.
| my parents were annoyed that teacher wouldn't even return the
| Aurthur Clark book to them (ok, it was Childhood's End & it's
| still good sci-fi. i think the teacher just didn't like the
| title).
| and it's unfair of me to pick on Junie B. because that wasn't
| in print when i was that age. still, i preferred field guides
| & biology texts... and i loved sci fi (at least i wasn't
| reading Heinlein g)
| lee
|

I had a teacher (long-term substitute in 3rd grade when my real teacher
was on maternity leave) actually suggest to my mother that I was
disturbed and in need of counseling because she "caught" me reading
Edgar Allen Poe.

Thank the DYC that the regular teacher didn't decide to quit entirely to
stay home with the new baby! She didn't like anything I read.

Susan
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Bruce Bridgman and Jeanne Yang wrote:
"Sue" wrote in message
...

"enigma" wrote in message

i see reading lists as one more way to make kids hate reading.
if you can't even pick your own books, how are you going to
find your own interests? and how do they pick the books for
those lists? i was reading Arthur C. Clark in 2nd garde. being
forced to read something like Junie B. would have bored me to
tears...

That's you. My kids love Junie B. And not to mention there are some books
that are just not appropriate for little kids even if they are reading at
a
higher level. However, for the record, we don't have a required reading
list
at our school, they just want them to read.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)




I always saw summer reading lists (for elementary school students) as
suggestions for the children to read over the summer. The lists DD's school
have are much too long for the children to read every book. Many parents
don't know what books are out there for children - I know I have a tough
time picking out appropriate books for DD. I have a good grasp of picture
books and young adult books but I'm less sure about young reader (2-4
grades) books.

Like Sue mentioned, it's the appropriateness of subject and language as well
as reading ability. While a child *may* be able to read "Gone with the
Wind" or "Ender's Game" (to pick two random books) doesn't mean she *should*
read it.

Jeanne


I don't know - I wouldn't stop my 3rd grader from reading "Gone with the
Wind" if she had the stamina for it. (I've never read Ender's Game, so I
don't know about that.) I think I was in the 4th grade when I
recognized the existence of homosexuality, all because I had read a book
that belonged to my parents. Unless a book's out-and-out porn, I don't
think I'd stop my child from reading it.

Clisby

Laura Slesinger wrote:
My husband caught our daughter's teacher on the phone this morning

snip advice

Well, the post you're quoting is something like a year old, so it's kind
of water, bridge, under, if you get my drift ...

--Helen

On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 22:52:27 EST, "Sue"
wrote:

"enigma" wrote in message
i see reading lists as one more way to make kids hate reading.
if you can't even pick your own books, how are you going to
find your own interests? and how do they pick the books for
those lists? i was reading Arthur C. Clark in 2nd garde. being
forced to read something like Junie B. would have bored me to
tears...

That's you. My kids love Junie B. And not to mention there are some books
that are just not appropriate for little kids even if they are reading at a
higher level. However, for the record, we don't have a required reading list
at our school, they just want them to read.

Personally, I believe that if the child has the stamina and energy to
read a book, and can understand it, then its appropriate.

I suppose out and out porn and how to build a bomb might be
exceptions, cant think of much else.

B

In article t,
Clisby wrote:

Bruce Bridgman and Jeanne Yang wrote:

Like Sue mentioned, it's the appropriateness of subject and language as well
as reading ability. While a child *may* be able to read "Gone with the
Wind" or "Ender's Game" (to pick two random books) doesn't mean she *should*
read it.

I don't know - I wouldn't stop my 3rd grader from reading "Gone with the
Wind" if she had the stamina for it. (I've never read Ender's Game, so I
don't know about that.) I think I was in the 4th grade when I
recognized the existence of homosexuality, all because I had read a book
that belonged to my parents. Unless a book's out-and-out porn, I don't
think I'd stop my child from reading it.

Well, there's a difference between stopping a child from reading a book
they choose to read, and offering that same book to them.

And while I wouldn't prevent an interested younger child from reading a
classic better suited to an older audience, I usually don't encourage
it either, mainly because many children (mine included) are unlikely to
re-read a book once they've read it once (unless they fall in love
with it) and so I don't necessarily want to encourage my kids to read a
book when they are too young/inexperienced to get out of it all I
think/hope they might eventually get out of it.

--Robyn