Second grade boy: 2nd Grade Social Changes: What To Expect

Inside the 2nd grader’s brain

“What happens if we’re late, Daddy? Will something bad happen? I don’t wanna’ be late!”

Second graders have a propensity to worry. They can fret about nightmares, the dark, their clothes, their homework, or their stomach aches that might — in their agitated minds — be a lethal disease. They hate making mistakes, not finishing tasks, and especially losing. They have to be first, correct, punctual, best, and perfect. What’s wrong with these little nut-cases? Are they blooming neurotics? Hypochondriac loons?

No, they’re not. Morose sensitivity in this age group is actually proof that their brain is developing properly. Seven-year-olds can finally grasp concepts like space, direction, distance, and time. They now understand that the clock is ticking forward. Suddenly, schedules, routines, calendars, plans, predictability, rules, justice, and assignments become excruciatingly serious causes for concern.

Neurologically, what’s buzzing and building inside the second grade brain? Jane Healy, author of Your Child’s Growing Mind, has defined them as “avid learning machines. ” Marguerite Kelly, Washington Post family columnist, labeled second grade as “the age of reason” touched with a “patina of sadness.” Here are ways to help your second grader advance gracefully through this complex cognitive stage.

Teacher power

Your second grader will thrive best with a teacher who has high standards for her students. According to professor of psychiatry at UCLA School of Medicine Daniel Siegel teachers’ expectations of students’ abilities have a huge effect on student learning. In one study, teachers were mistakenly told that some of their students who had been previously identified as learning disabled were in fact gifted. After the teachers raised expectations, the students performed up to expectations. Children this age often develop affectionate relationships with their teacher; it’s not uncommon for them to weep when the year ends.

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Goal!

Dopamine levels are ascending in the second grader’s brain. This neurotransmitter — which enables attention and motivation — increases its output when goals are attained. Your second grader will be ecstatically mind-enhanced if you help her carefully set, chart, and successfully reach her intellectual and physical ambitions.

Read on!

Reading fluency improves, aided by expansion of Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, and the massive interconnection of neurons. Second graders might start reading because “they want to.” Parents can help elevate their child’s language ability if they ask thought-provoking questions and talk to them with a high-level vocabulary.

Learning security

Second graders need to feel safe, stable, and emotionally secure for their brains to acquire maximum knowledge. Chronic traumatic stress has to be avoided — it can release toxic amounts of cortisol that destroy brain cells, especially in the hippocampus region. To protect a second grader’s confidence, parents and other important adults should give loving, encouraging feedback, minimize scolding and threats, and avoid shouting or spanking for discipline.

Cardio cure

Try scheduling at least 30 minutes a day for your second grader grader to run and play. They’re ready for bicycling, and sports programs like soccer, swimming, hockey, and martial arts are outstanding brain-boosters. Old-fashioned school yard games — tag, double dutch and capture the flag — may be the very best exercise for young kids because they teach intense social and physical skills at the same time. Many seven year olds thrive with a physical challenge because their energetic, integrated sensory systems enable them to progress far quicker than adults in skills like skating and skiing. According to John Ratey MD, author of Spark, exercise elevates a brain-building chemical Ratey dubs “Miracle-Gro for the brain” because it builds the brain’s infrastructure. Abundant research suggests that students who exercise intensely perform better academically than those who do not.

Brain food

Children need a wide variety of nutrients for optimal brain growth. Feed your child a balance of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, dairy, and meat, and limit their intake of candy, cookies, fruit juice, and sugary, salty junk food. Egg yolk, fatty meat, and soybeans contain choline, the building block for the neurotransmitter acetylocholine, crucial for memory function. Learn about more nutritious brain boosters kids will love. 

Attention, attention

A second grader’s attention span ranges from seven to 25 minutes; boys usually at the shorter end of the range than girls. To encourage greater concentration capacity, encourage activities like meditation and board games — and limit TV. Studies indicate TV over-stimulates still-developing neurology, resulting in abbreviated attention. Why? Some scientists say TV viewing wastefully releases high quantities of the neurotransmitter dopamine, a key regulator for focus.

Executive decisions in the second grade brain

Is your second grader demanding more freedom? Itching for a longer leash? That’s good! This means your child is developmentally on course. Synaptic density in the frontal lobes is peaking this year, with neural pathways linking those zones to the limbic system. The result: Your child’s rational brain areas are expanding in power and assuming more control over their wilder regions, which translates into improved impulse control, greater independence, and a better capacity to plan ahead. Helpful tip: Time to get your bigger brained second grader helping out more at home. Second graders can grasp orders that contain three separate components, which enable them to perform more complex chores.

Up the yuks

Har, har. Finally your kid understands your sense of humor. By age 7, the Broca’s area growth is larger in the right hemisphere. This beefs up language’s emotional and prosodic components. Your child’s comprehension is no longer limited to the “literal” which means that sarcasm and irony are within their grasp. The upside: They’ll just chuckle instead of freak out when you mutter, “I’m gonna sell you to the pirates. ” The downside: They might start turning sarcasm back on you, with requisite eye-rolling: “Really nice tie, Dad.”

Memory surge

The memory capacity of your second grader is improving, due to dentritic complexity in the frontal and temporal lobes, which are growing at a stunning rate. Newly-gained “coherence” allows the brain to integrate the past with the present. Now that she has a deepening awareness of her own emotions and her “inner self,” you can suggest she start keeping a journal or scrap book.

Musical minds

Expose your second grader to music. If he demonstrates an interest, get him an instrument. Play structured melodic music for him and sing songs. The journal Neurological Research published a study indicating that second graders given four months of piano training scored 27 percent higher on fraction tests than children who used math software. Another study, in the same journal, indicated 100 percent improvement over students who learned in the conventional manner.

Suggested reading:

The Developing Brain: Birth to Age Eight, by Marilee Sprenger

Your Child’s Growing Mind: Brain Development and Learning From Birth to Adolescence, by Jane M. Healy, Ph.D

Seven Times Smarter: 50 Activities, Games, and Projects to Develop the Seven Intelligences of Your Child, by Laurel J. Schmidt

33 Best Early Chapter Books for Boys (Early Readers for Boys Ages 6-10)

This list of the best early chapter books for boys ages six to ten is important because let’s face it: boys and girls don’t always enjoy the same kinds of books. Boys are notorious for being reluctant readers, especially when they’re younger. If you have one that enjoys reading, then yay you (and him)! But typically boys — when they do get into reading — like funny stories, adventure stories, fantasy, sci-fi, and a good dose of graphic novels. And that’s what I’ve included on this list — minus the fantasy.

All of these books are series, which is excellent to keep kids coming back. I’ve listed the first book in the series. I’ve also split this list into boy early chapter books for first & second graders and books for third graders and fourth graders. Still, it is worth mentioning that kids read what they can, want, and enjoy. And reading levels vary, so feel free to choose books that suit your kids. I’ve also tried to select books that feature good role models, and not those in which naughty kids never face any consequences.

Let’s get started. Click on the images to go straight to their Amazon page.

Disclaimer: I use affiliate links for Amazon and will make a cent or two if you buy using these links. It’s a great way to support a blog(ger) you love.

Best Chapter Books for First and Second Grade Boys

EllRay Jakes Is Not a Chicken

EllRay Jakes is tired of being bullied by fellow classmate Jared Matthews. But when EllRay tries to defend himself, he winds up in trouble. Then his dad offers him a deal: If he stays out of trouble for one week, they’ll go to Disneyland! EllRay says he can do it. But saying it and doing it are two very different things.

Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle

Andy Shane did not want to be in school. He did not want to be at morning meeting. He did not want to sit up straight on the rug. Andy Shane would much rather be home catching bugs with Granny Webb than sitting in class with the likes of know-it-all Dolores Starbuckle. Any minute, Dolores is likely to shout out, ‘Ms. Janice, someone’s not sitting properly!” or “Ms. Janice, someone’s misusing the math materials!” (meaning him, of course). At rhyme time, the words bug and rug get stuck in Andy’s throat while Dolores yells out of turn, “Hullabaloo and Kalamazoo!”

“I hate school,” he blurts out at the end of the day to Granny Webb, who is sympathetic but firm. But when Granny makes a surprise visit to school with a monarch caterpillar, everyone is mesmerized and Andy remembers how much he knows about insects himself. Even Dolores Starbuckle can’t help but be impressed!

Truman the Dog (My Furry Foster Family)

“T” is for Truman, tricks, and TROUBLE! Truman the black lab might be an older rescue dog, but he’s still got enough mischief beneath his collar to keep eight-year-old Kaita Takano and her animal-fostering family on their toes from morning till night. Chewed through and through, the playfully illustrated, Kaita-narrated chapter book promises plenty of canine fun.

Charlie & Mouse

Four hilarious children’s stories, two inventive brothers, one irresistible and award-winning beginner chapter book—now in paperback! Join Charlie and Mouse as they talk to lumps, take the neighborhood to a party, sell some rocks, and invent the bedtime banana. With imagination and humor, Laurel Snyder and Emily Hughes paint a lively picture of brotherhood that children will relish in a beginning chapter book format; making this a perfect book for young readers graduating from picture books.

Pedro, First-Grade Hero

Spend some time with Pedro, Katie Woo’s fun-loving friend. From a buggy disaster to a run for class president, Pedro has what it takes to be the hero of first-grade. No matter what he’s doing, Pedro is always good for some laughs and adventure.

Mostly Monty: First Grader

A shy boy with asthma starts first grade — and comes into his own — in this appealing story for early chapter book readers.

Six-year-old Monty doesn’t have a brother, a sister, or a pet. What he does have is asthma, which sometimes makes it hard to breathe and often makes him feel like he’d rather be somebody else. And now that he’s starting first grade, he’s very nervous about being with all those kids he won’t know. Luckily, he loves to read — even really hard books — and has a talent for finding things, from a cocooning caterpillar to classmates who want to be in his very own club. With familiar situations and gentle humor, Johanna Hurwitz follows an endearing character as he discovers that being himself can be pretty great after all.

7 x 9 = Trouble!

Wilson Williams worries about passing his times-table tests

Wilson has a hard time with math, especially with Mrs. Porter’s timed multiplication tests. If only he were as quick as Laura Vicks, the smartest kid in third grade, or as quick as his brother, Kipper — a kindergartner. Wilson’s mother and father try to help, but Wilson doesn’t appreciate having to do practice tests on a play date. Fortunately, his friend Josh Hernandez is a comfort, as is Squiggles, the class hamster. Wilson is sure that with his own little animal squeaking and cuddling beside him, he could learn anything. But his mom doesn’t like pets. So Wilson bravely struggles on, hoping that one day in the not-too-distant future he’ll pass all his times-table tests. Then, surprisingly, Kipper comes to the rescue.

With sensitivity and gentle humor, Claudia Mills examines a common childhood fear and a common family experience. G. Brian Karas provides tender, funny pictures.

Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid

Shrink, shrank, shrunk!

Every morning, Judy Moody measures Stink and it’s always the same: three feet, eight inches tall. Stink feels like even the class newt is growing faster than he is. Then, one day, the ruler reads — can it be? — three feet, seven and three quarters inches! Is Stink shrinking? He tries everything to look like he’s growing, but wearing up-and-down stripes and spiking his hair aren’t fooling anyone into thinking he’s taller. If only he could ask James Madison — Stink’s hero, and the shortest person ever to serve as President of the United States.

In Stink’s first solo adventure, his special style comes through loud and strong — enhanced by a series of comic strips, drawn by Stink himself, which are sprinkled throughout the book. From “The Adventures of Stink in SHRINK MONSTER” to “The Adventures of Stink in NEWT IN SHINING ARMOR,” these very funny, homespun sagas reflect the familiar voice of a kid who pictures himself with super powers to deal with the travails of everyday life — including the occasional teasing of a bossy big sister!

Here’s Hank: Bookmarks Are People Too! #1

Hank stars the same Hank as in the bestselling Hank Zipzer series, only this time he’s in 2nd grade! Hank is a kid who doesn’t try to be funny, but he somehow always makes the kids in his class laugh. He’s pretty bad at memorizing stuff, and spelling is his worst subject. (But so are math and reading!) In the first book in this new series, Hank’s class is putting on a play, and Hank wants the lead part: Aqua Fly. But he freezes in his audition and can only buzz like a fly. His teacher creates a special part for Hank, a silent bookmark. This may seem like an insignificant role, but when his enemy, Nick McKelty, freezes during the performance, it’s up to Hank to save the play!

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #1)

Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky narwhal. Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do they love waffles, parties and adventures. Join Narwhal and Jelly as they discover the whole wide ocean together.

A wonderfully silly early graphic novel series featuring three stories. In the first, Jelly learns that Narwhal is a really good friend. Then Narwhal and Jelly form their own pod of awesomeness with their ocean friends. And finally, Narwhal and Jelly read the best book ever — even though it doesn’t have any words…or pictures!

Ben Clanton showcases the joys of friendship, the benefits of working together and the power of imagination in the delightful Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea.

Detective Camp (A to Z Mysteries Super Edition, No. 1)

Welcome to summer camp for detectives! The kids can’t wait to spend a week following clues and learning about the science of crime solving. Soon all the campers are working on a mystery. But while Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are figuring out their part of the puzzle, they stumble onto something suspicious. Could a real crime be happening at detective camp?

Best Chapter Books for Third and Fourth Grade Boys

A Boy Called BAT 

For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises—some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter.

But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet.

The Carver Chronicles: Dog Days

It’s tough being the new kid at Carver Elementary. Gavin had lots of friends at his old school, but the kids here don’t even know that he’s pretty good at skateboarding, or how awesome he is at soccer. And when his classmate Richard comes over and the boys end up in trouble, not only does Gavin risk losing his one new friend, he has to take care of his great aunt Myrtle’s horrible little dog as punishment.
   To make matters worse, Gavin seems to have attracted the attention of the school bully. Will he be able to avoid getting pounded at the skate park? And how is he ever going to prove he’s cool with a yappy little Pomeranian wearing a pink bow at his side?

Weekends with Max and His Dad

Max and his dad love their weekends together. Weekends mean pancakes, pizza, spy games, dog-walking, school projects, and surprising neighbors! Every weekend presents a small adventure as Max gets to know his dad’s new neighborhood—and learns some new ways of thinking about home.        Acclaimed author Linda Urban deftly portrays a third-grader’s inner world during a time of transition in this sweet and funny illustrated story that bridges the early reader and middle grade novel.

Road Trip with Max and His Mom

Third-grader Max is heading off on a road trip with Mom. With miles to travel, cousins to meet, and a tall roller coaster to ride (maybe), it will be an adventure! But Max always spends weekends with Dad; will Dad be okay if he’s left behind? And will Max be brave enough for all the new explorations ahead of him?

Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) (Bobby Vs Girls)

With the hilarious adventures of Bobby Ellis-Chan, Lisa Yee and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat bring their gifts for finding the funny (and the truth) in everyday situations to chapter-book readers.

Meet Robert Carver Ellis-Chan — a perfectly normal fourth-grader who gets into perfectly crazy situations! Like when he was running for class president and discovered his big sister’s panties (static-) clinging to the back of his sweater. Or when he got stuck to the rare sticky (and stinky) Koloff tree on a field trip. . . . Then there’s his family — busy mom, ex-pro football player dad, a bossy older sister and an adoring younger one — and best friends (one of whom is a secret, because she’s a *girl*). Life may be complicated for Bobby, but it’s going to turn out just fine.

Dog Man: From the Creator of Captain Underpants (Dog Man #1)

George and Harold have created a new breed of justice. With the head of a dog and the body of a human, this heroic hound digs into deception, claws after crooks, rolls over robbers, and scampers after squirrels. Will he be able to resist the call of the wild to answer the call of duty?

Dav Pilkey’s wildly popular Dog Man series appeals to readers of all ages and explores universally positive themes, including empathy, kindness, persistence, and the importance of being true to one’s self.

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things

Alvin, an Asian American second grader, is afraid of everything—elevators, tunnels, girls, and, most of all, school. He’s so afraid of school that, while he’ s there, he never, ever, says a word. But at home he’s a very loud superhero named Firecracker Man, a brother to Calvin and Anibelly, and a gentleman-in-training, so he can be just like his dad.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle

When the ever-curious Ralph spots Keith’s red toy motorcycle, he vows to ride it. So when Keith leaves the bike unattended in his room one day, Ralph makes his move. But with all this freedom (and speed!) come a lot of obstacles. Whether dodging a rowdy terrier or keeping his nosy cousins away from his new wheels, Ralph has a lot going on! And with a pal like Keith always looking out for him, there’s nothing this little mouse can’t handle.

George Brown, Class Clown: Super Burp! #1

The first day at a new school is always the hardest, right? No, not always as George finds out the hard way. On the second day at…Sugarman Elementary School, he is suddenly seized by uncontrollable burps, burps so loud they practically break the sound barrier, burps that make him do wild and crazy stuff and land him in trouble with a capital T. One thing is for sure: these are not normal burps, they are magic burps—and they must be stopped! But how?

The School is Alive!: A Branches Book (Eerie Elementary #1)

Eerie Elementary is one scary school!This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!In this first book in the series, Sam Graves discovers that his elementary school is ALIVE! Sam finds this out on his first day as the school hall monitor. Sam must defend himself and his fellow students against the evil school! Is Sam up to the challenge? He’ll find out soon enough: the class play is just around the corner. Sam teams up with friends Lucy and Antonio to stop this scary school before it’s too late!

Penguin Problems (The Life of Ty Book 1)

 
Winnie Perry’s sweet baby brother, Ty, is the quintessential dreamer, full of big ideas and wacky plans that only a seven-year-old boy could hatch. Whether it’s battling the family cat with a Dustbuster or smuggling a baby penguin out of the aquarium, Ty is always in the middle of a well-intended, big-hearted scheme.
 
In the spirit of the Judy Moody spinoff Stink series, Ty will work his way into the hearts and funny bones of a whole new generation of Myracle fans.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants: Color Edition (Captain Underpants #1)

George and Harold are a couple of class clowns. The only thing they enjoy more than playing practical jokes is creating their own comic books. And together they’ve created the greatest superhero in the history of their elementary school: Captain Underpants! His true identity is SO secret, even HE doesn’t know who he is!

The No.1 Car Spotter

The start of an exciting new series about the irresistible No. 1, whose hobby is car spotting but who is good at solving all sorts of problems for his village.

When the family’s cart breaks down and there’s no way of bringing goods to market, it’s No. 1 who devises the Toyota Cow-rolla and saves the day. He runs errands for his family and helps Mama Coca-Cola feed the busloads of people who stop for her delicious fried akara. No. 1 even helps Grandmother get to the medical centre when she can’t afford treatment.

Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet

Fourth-grader Calvin lives near the beach in Oahu with his mom and little sister. Mom says: “You’re the man of the house.” But Calvin’s not great at being the man of the house, or taking care of his responsibilities. He’s too busy having fun with his pals, and avoiding Tito, the bully.

Trouble Magnet is the first book in a new series for younger readers full of all the fun of growing up in Hawaii. It introduces a wonderful multicultural cast of characters, including Mr. Purdy, who calls his fourth-grade class Boot Camp; Uncle Scoop, who runs the lunch wagon at the beach; Ledward, Mom’s 6’7″ boyfriend; and gorgeous, intimidating, 15-year-old Stella-from-Texas, who arrives to be the live-in babysitter—and to step all over Calvin’s turf.

A Bear Called Paddington

The classic novel about Paddington—who’s now a major movie star!

Paddington Bear had traveled all the way from Peru when the Browns first met him in Paddington Station. Since then, their lives have never been quite the same . . . for ordinary things become extraordinary when a bear called Paddington is involved.

Horrid Henry

Horrid Henry and his neighbor Moody Margaret decide to make the most sloppy, slimy, sludgy, sticky, smelly, gooey, gluey, gummy, greasy, gloppy glop possible. Is it the best glop in the world or the worst thing that’s ever happened to them? Plus three other stories so funny we can’t even mention them here.

Freddie Ramos Takes Off (Zapato Power)

One day Freddie Ramos comes home from school and finds a strange box just for him. What’s inside? ZAPATO POWER-shoes that change Freddie’s life by giving him super speed! But what will Freddie do with his fast new skills? Weird things are happening at the Starwood Park Apartments where he lives, and his friends at school need his help. Is Freddie Ramos ready to be a hero? In this imaginative new story by Jacqueline Jules, an ordinary boy in a city neighborhood learns how to use his new-found powers for good. Illustrations by Miguel Benitez lend just a touch of comic-book style to this chapter book adventure.

The Miniature World of Marvin & James (The Masterpiece Adventures, 1)

In this Masterpiece Adventure, the first in a companion series for younger readers from bestselling author Elise Broach, James is going on vacation for a week. His best friend, Marvin the beetle, has to stay at home. Without James to keep him company, Marvin has to play with his annoying cousin, Elaine. Marvin and Elaine quickly find themselves getting into all sorts of trouble—even getting trapped inside a pencil sharpener! Marvin misses James and starts to worry about their friendship. Will James still be Marvin’s friend when he gets home or will James have found a new best friend?

All About Sam

Sam Krupnik finally gets to tell his version of life with his big sister, Lowry’s popular Anastasia Krupnik.

Roscoe Riley Rules #1: Never Glue Your Friends to Chairs

When his classmates can’t sit still for a big performance at school, Roscoe Riley takes matters into his own hands with a liberal dose of Super-Mega-Gonzo Glue—which his mom calls the don’t-you-dare glue because Roscoe isn’t supposed to use it.

Roscoe doesn’t mean to break the rules—he just can’t help himself! After all, his teacher’s job might be at stake and desperate times call for desperate measures.

Roscoe and his comical misadventures will appeal to fans of Megan McDonald’s Stink series; Nancy Krulik’s George Brown, Class Clown series; Rebecca Elliott’s Owl Diaries series; and Dan Gutman’s My Weirder School series. This repackaged edition includes Roscoe Riley’s Time-Out Activities, featuring lists, games, and more.

Ballpark Mysteries #1: The Fenway Foul-up

Thanks to Kate’s mom, a sports reporter, cousins Mike Walsh and Kate Hopkins have tickets to the Red Sox game and All Access passes to Fenway Park. But as they’re watching batting practice before the game, the lucky bat of Red Sox star slugger Big D is stolen . . . right in front of dozens of people. Without the bat, Big D can’t seem to hit a thing. Can Kate and Mike figure out who pinched the bat before Big D and the Sox chalk up a loss?

Bad Bella

Bella is the very best dog a family could ask for. Only her family, the McBrides, don’t see it that way.

Ever since Mrs. McBride’s belly started growing, they don’t seem to appreciate the way Bella cleans the crumbs from the kitchen floor or how she’s always willing to play fetch after a long day. And when Bella’s valiant attempt to save the Christmas tree ends in disaster, she finds herself being swiftly abandoned at the pound.

As the reality sinks in that she is unwanted, Bella is heartbroken. Where did she go wrong?

Things look bleak until a kind couple, the Roses, take Bella in. Her new life is filled with wonderful things like parks and snowballs, vanilla ice cream, and the National Geographic Channel. But as the weather turns cold again, the Roses start acting strangely and Bella wonders if she can really trust them. Do they actually love her, or is history about to repeat itself?

And will Bella be able to find a true home in time for Christmas this year?  

There they are: 33 of the best early chapter books for boys between the ages of six and ten! Whether your boy is in first grade, second, third or fourth, I hope you find some fun choices here. Want more books for boys (and girls) of varying ages? Check out these lists:

More Books for Boys (and Girls)

• 77 Best middle-grade books for boys (about boys!)
• Best chapter books for second graders
• Funny middle-grade books to make you LOL
• 35 Best books for third graders
• The 33 best books for fourth graders
• 25 Best books for fifth graders
• 25 Chapter books for beginning readers

Which of these best early chapter books for boys have you read? And which would you recommend? I’d love to know!

Pin This Post – Best Early Chapter Books for Boys (Ages 6-10)

40 Fantastic Chapter Book Series for 2nd Graders

Your 2nd graders will love these fantastic chapter book series to keep them hooked on reading.

As 2nd graders gain confidence and skills with reading, every book they read helps improve fluency, a love of reading, and comprehension strategies. (Except in cases of learning differences. ) So we want these second-grade kiddos to be reading as much as possible!!

Which brings me to these chapter book series your kids will love . . .

(If you want to see all my book reviews for 2nd graders, visit this page for more 2nd grade book ideas.)

SHOP THIS LIST

Diary of an Ice Princess: Snow Place Like Home by Christina Soontornvat
FANTASY
This charming new series for early readers features magic, friendship, myths, and diversity in a story about a girl whose family are windtamers who live in the clouds, magical beings who control the wind and weather. Unfortunately, Princess Lina’s powers are going wonky, especially when she gets upset. Luckily, her wise (and loud) grandfather helps Lina discover her true talents. Cheerful pink chapter titles, as well as pink-and-gray illustrations, give this book a very princessy feel. (Book 2 is Frost Friends Forever.)

Bird and Squirrel on Ice by James Burks
HUMOR / GRAPHIC NOVEL
In this hysterical graphic novel book series, Bird’s over-confident, laissez-faire character pairs perfectly with Squirrel’s logical, fearful one. In this first book, the duo crash land in the Penguin world where Bird is thought to be the “Chosen One” meant to save the penguins from the Great Whale.

Zoey and Sassafras Dragons and Marshmallows #1 by Asia Citro, illustrated by Marion Lindsay
SCIENCE / FANTASY
Kids love these entertaining and well-written stories that have the coolest mix of science and magic, a diverse main character, and fantastic illustrations. Zoey, like her mom, can see magical creatures and is tasked to care for any injured creatures that might need help. In this story, she uses her science skills (including research and the scientific method) to figure out how to care for a sick baby dragon.

Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon
REALISTIC/HUMOR
Dory is one of my favorite book characters because her imagination is THE BEST! She has three imaginary friends: one monster friend, one fairy godmother, and one bad lady nemesis. This book is totally hilarious and you’ll love the child-like illustrations –– it’s a favorite chapter book series for second graders. See all the Dory books here.

The Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne
HISTORICAL MYSTERY
These are MUST-READ chapter book series for 2nd graders! The books combine mystery, history, magic, and adventure as siblings Jack and Annie adventure through time to solve mysteries. I highly recommend this series and if you get a chance, they’re GREAT on audiobook, narrated by Mary Pope Osborne herself. Boxed Set 1.

Meet Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqui, illustrated by Hatem Aly
REALISTIC
Yasmin is an exuberant girl who is interested in everything from exploring to building to fashion. This book tells four short stories from Yasmin’s life, all in chapters with lively, full-color illustrations. Each story shows Yasmin as a creative problem solver even when things get hard. Her Pakistani American culture is embedded throughout the story such as the foods Yasmin’s family eats like naan or how she calls her father Baba. I LOVE the diversity, the gutsy main character, and the beautiful design of the entire book.

Good Dog by Cam Higgins, illustrated by Ariel Landy
REALISTIC / WHOLESOME
What a sweet beginning illustrated chapter book written from Bo the dog’s point of view! Enthusiastic and full of personality, Bo adores his loving family and his life on the farm. But he worries when his dog tag goes missing. He searches the farm with the help of all the farm animals and his spider friends help him find it. Your readers will love this new series with a darling doggie narrator! Get the first 4 books in 1! 

Sofia Martinez My Vida Loca by Jacquline Jules
REALISTIC
My Vida Loca is the first chapter book in the series about the adventures of a spunky girl named Sophia — from her singing (that annoys everyone except abuela) to a cooking mishap of arroz con leche that her familia helps her fix. I love the bright pink text that indicates the Spanish words (maybe 1 or 2 a page). The illustrations are fun, capturing the emotions and action perfectamente.

Real Pigeons Fight Crime by Ben Wood
HUMOR / MYSTERY
In the first of three silly stories, Rock Pigeon is a crime-fighting pigeon who helps Grandpouter and the other park pigeons solve the problem of the vanishing bread crumbs. Hilarious disguises, charming illustrations, quirky characters, and funny mysteries, this is an entertaining romp that is sure to entice even the most reluctant of readers.

Rise of the Earth Dragon (Dragon Masters) by Tracey West, illustrated by Graham Howells
FANTASY
In the times of castles and kingdoms, Drake learns he is a dragon master (and that dragons are real!) He must train with the other kids to master his dragon, an earth dragon. This is a fun chapter book series that will interest almost any child as it has just the right amount of conflict, adventure, and excitement.

The Toad: The Disgusting Critters Series by Elise Gravel
NONFICTION
Visually captivating with interesting, just-right text that is informative and sometimes hilarious. I’m a fan of this kid-friendly nonfiction book series! (Also read: The Worm, The Fly, and The Rat)

Mia Mayhem Is a Superhero! by Kara West, illustrated by Leeza Hernandez
FANTASY
When Mia gets accepted into the Superhero training program, she learns that she is SUPER. She even learns that her parents are, also. After school at her new superhero training, she has a disastrous first day and learns that it takes work to become a superhero. Black and white illustrations, bigger print, and an exciting story make this a winning series for growing readers.

Sadiq and the Desert Star by Siman Nuurali, illustrated by Anjan Sarkar
STEM
Not only is this a great STEM story about a young boy who finds the stars to be fascinating, but it’s also a story with diversity because Sadiq’s Muslim family is originally from Somalia. The story is also about how after a field trip to the planetarium, Sadiq and his friends start a space club and work together to raise money for a DIY telescope. Growing readers will enjoy the friendship, teamwork, STEM topics, and diversity found in this first book of the Sadiq series from Capstone Publishing’s Picture Window Books.

Cat Ninja by Matthew Cody, illustrated by Yehudi Mercado
GRAPHIC NOVEL / SUPERHERO
By day Claude is Leon’s pet but by night, he’s Cat Ninja, Metro City’s protector! His nemesis is Leon’s sister’s evil hamster, Master Hamster. Learn the Cat Ninja’s origin story then follow his perilous, exciting, and humorous adventures!

The Bad Guys #1 by Aaron Blabey
HUMOR
Mr. Wolf invites other “bad guys” to a meeting with hopes they will join him in becoming good. Your kids will find lots of drawings and minimal text, making this series a favorite choice for second-grade readers who like ironic and potty humor.

Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot  by Dav Pilkey, illustrated by Dan Santat
SCI-FI
Get ready for an addictive, action-packed, engaging sci-fi series for young readers. With awesome illustrations. It’s not often you see a book in full color – love that! After reading this book, kids will wish they had their own giant robot friend to help them conquer evil in the universe.

Ninja Kid: From Nerd to Ninja by Anh Do
HUMOR
Nelson is a nerdy and likable main character who wakes up on his 10th birthday with perfect vision and… ninja moves! His mum and grandma explain that like his missing fisherman dad before him, Nelson is the last ninja in the world — and he’s destined to save the world. Action-packed and funny plus appealing illustrations and great characters.

Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business by Lyla Lee, illustrated by Dung Ho
REALISTIC
Mindy and her dad recently moved to Florida after her mom’s death. When the other kids at school make fun of her seaweed snacks at lunch, Mindy and her new friend Sally start a snack business to save money for a puppy.  This doesn’t go as planned yet it’s a big learning experience showing Mindy to be herself and be proud of her Korean-American culture.

The Fabled Stables Willa the Wisp by Jonathan Auxier, illustrated by Olga Demidova
FANTASY / MAGICAL CREATURES
Auggie, the only human, lives on an island of mythical creatures but he’s lonely. When a new stall magically appears, Auggie enters and meets a Wisp who is hunted by ruthless magical poachers. It’s a darling start to a new series perfect for fantasy-loving readers.

The Magic Mirror (Once Upon a Fairy Tale) by Anna Staniszewski, illustrated by Macky Pamintuan
FANTASY
Readers who love fantasy, adventure, and mystery are going to love this story of two good friends who solve two big problems to save The Enchanted Kingdom from everlasting summer… When Kara learns the ice princess is in trouble, she and her best friend Zed travel to the ice palace to help fix a magic mirror. They also want to help the argumentative sisters get along and share their beloved pet monkey between them. Will the friends be able to solve both problems? You know it!

Undersea Mystery Club Problem at the Playground by Courtney Carbone, illustrated by Melanie Demmer
MYSTERY
Not only is this beginning chapter book a creative, entertaining mystery story with adorable full-color illustrations but it shows the power of problem-solving, listening, and working together. Violet and her best friend, the always-hungry narwhal named Wally, need to find out who is sabotaging the playground. Helpful back matter provides information and photos about decorator crabs, narwhals, and civil engineers.

Creature Campers The Secret of Shadow Lake by Joe McGee, Bea Tormo
FANTASY
Readers will enjoy the full-color, expressive illustrations that accompany an entertaining story about mythical creatures (and one human) going to summer camp. A very tall Bigfoot named Norm doesn’t want to go to camp and hates being different. At camp, he meets a human kid named Oliver who thinks Norm will eat him. Little do the campers know that there’s a nefarious creature collector named Barnaby Soup lurking nearby preparing to capture a Bigfoot. Then, they have to go canoeing and avoid the scary lake monster… Relatable themes of feeling like an outsider and making new friends plus some dry humor make this a fun, readable story.

Mac Undercover (Kid Spy #1) by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Mike Lowery
ADVENTURE
This funny adventure is about a kid who the queen of England uses to solve an important mystery…You’ll need to withhold disbelief, or at least I did, but it’s super cute and popular with many younger readers. The story includes lots of illustrations, fabulous vocabulary words explained and repeated that perfectly fit the story such as regicide, and a kid-powered plot.

Notebook of Doom by Troy Cummings
FANTASY
I think your 2nd graders will love this engaging, slightly creepy chapter book series. Alexander discovers his new town is FILLED WITH MONSTERS! And, he’s right in the middle of everything– especially after he finds an old notebook of drawings and facts about monsters. Box set here.

Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
SCI-FI/GRAPHIC NOVEL
One of our favorite graphic novels, Zita the Spacegirl, is a true friend who not only saves her best friend  from kidnappers but also saves the entire galaxy!Boxed Set HERE.

A to Z Mysteries by Rob Roy
MYSTERY
This addictive chapter book mystery series will keep your kids reading for hours and days and months. My kids read them all more than once so we highly recommend this series, especially for second grade. Box set here.

The Dragonsitter by Josh Lacey illustrated by Garry Parsons
HUMOR
Written in increasingly funny (and alarming) letters we learn that Uncle Morton left his pet dragon for Edward and his mom and sister to watch — with no directions!! The dragon poops in their shoes, eats their pet bunny, and causes all kinds of destruction which all are the subjects of Edward’s letters to his nowhere-to-be-found uncle. Finally, Edward hears from his uncle who suggests feeding the dragon chocolate. Will Edward’s mom lose her mind? Will the chocolate work?

The Critter Club by Callie Barkley 
MYSTERY
The girls in the Critter Club love animals and want to help them any way they can. You’ll find plenty of sweet stories in this series for animal lovers.

Jessica Finch in Pig Trouble (Judy Moody and Friends) by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Erwin Madrid
REALISTIC
Jessica Finch is a delightful early chapter book with exceptionally pleasing and colorful illustrations. Jessica wants nothing more than a pig for a pet. For her birthday. When a misunderstanding happens with her best friend, Judy Moody, she learns a valuable lesson about not making assumptions and calling people names. This is one of my top picks for an early chapter book series for 2nd graders!

Stink: The Super-Incredible Shrinking Kid by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
REALISTIC
Stink is the brother of Judy Moody. He’s got a big imagination which he uses to imagine he has superpowers, helping him to deal with his daily life. The writing is funny and relatable peppered with incredible Peter H. Reynolds’ illustrations. Kids love this humorous series. Boxed Set HERE.

Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
HUMOR
Mercy is a pig who lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson. They feed her buttered toast and take her for drives in their convertible. One night, Mercy gets scared and decides to sleep with Mr. and Mrs. Watson. Can you imagine what happens next? Hilarious and quirky, this is a fun series filled with many amazing adventures. Boxed Set HERE.

Rainbow Magic Fairies by Daisy Meadows
FANTASY
These are very predictable but so many kids ADORE these chapter books – they are some of the most checked out books at our library. They’re about two human girls who are trusted to help the magical fairies search for something Jack Frost’s goblins stole.

Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey
HUMOR
My writing teacher’s heart adores this book about encouraging kids to write their own comics! Plus, it’s totally hilarious. Cat Kid teaches a class for the tadpoles about making your own comic books…which doesn’t go well until the tadpoles get excited about failure and get started writing and drawing. If you like a lot of silliness (including potty humor) with great messages about writing, creativity, and persistence, read this book next.

Jasmine Toguchi Mochi Queen by Debbi Michiko Florence, illustrated by Eliazbet Vukovic
REALISTIC
Jasmine is so jealous that the older kids in her family have important jobs on the mochi-making day — she wants to do what the older boys and men are doing, pound the mochi rice. Her understanding father figures out a way for Jasmine to join in. And even though it didn’t work out how she wanted, her family is proud of her and decides it’s okay to break some rules like who gets to pound the rice. Not only is the story’s message sweet, Jasmine’s Japanese-American culture and warm family community shine through.

Amelia Bedelia Means Business by Herman Parish, illustrated by Lynne Avril
ADVENTURE
I’ve been enjoying these updated Amelia chapter books by the original author’s son. In this story, Amelia tries to make money for a new bike. Great for 2nd graders (second graders) who love goofy humor and wordplay.

From an Idea to Disney How Imagination Built a World of Magic by Lowey Bundy Sichol, illustrated by C.S. Jennings
NONFICTION
I’ve read many other biographies about Walt Disney but this one stands out for its writing, pertinent information, and appeal. It shares about the business that continued on even after Walt’s death and his brother’s death including the merger with Pixar and the successful but controversial CEO, Michael Eisner. Fascinating!

Who Would Win? Whale vs. Giant Squid by Jerry Pallotta, illustrated by Rob Bolster
NONFICTION
Teachers tell me that their students, especially boys, can’t get enough of the Who Would Win? books, even if they’re a bit more challenging. This particular book pits two ocean carnivores against each other. First, you’ll learn facts about a sperm whale, then you’ll learn about the giant squid. Finally, read what happens when these two creatures face off.  Can you predict who will win? See all the addicting informational books in the Who Would Win series.

BUGS! Animal Planet Amazing Animal Facts Chapter Books by James Buckley, Jr.
NONFICTION
Full color with photographs, illustrations, and a kid-friendly design. The text size itself is perfect for elementary readers, slightly bigger than typical nonfiction books of this length with decent white space in between the lines and around it. Amazing Animal Facts Chapter Books is a stellar, highly recommended science chapter book series just perfect for elementary classrooms and libraries.

Also Read:
Nonfiction Books for 7-Year-Olds

Chapter Book Series for 3rd Graders

Best Books for 7-Year-Olds

Wholesome Beginning Chapter Books for Boys and Girls

Best Read-Aloud Books for Second Grade

Book Series for 3rd Graders (8-Year-Olds)

Book Lists by Age

Best Boxed Book Sets for Kids

55 of Our Favorite Chapter Books for 2nd Grader Readers

Time to inspire our next generation of bright minds and innovative thinkers to explore the joys of reading. At this age, kids are starting to be even more curious about the world around them. They want to read stories and go on adventures whether that is in real life or through books with more words and fewer pictures.

Here are 55 2nd grade chapter books and series that will get your kids excited about reading, improve their comprehension skills, and take them on literary journeys with relatable characters and engaging stories.

1. Rainbow Magic Collection

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This mystical book series by Daisy Meadows is great for 2nd graders who love fantasy characters and cute stories of adventure and overcoming challenges. The beautiful illustrations of fairies and other mythical creatures will delight and entertain your new readers.

2. Magic Tree House

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This #1 best-selling chapter book series by Mary Pope Osborne is the perfect read for any kid who loves the pursuit of discovery. The lovable characters Jack and Annie, find a treehouse filled with books that teach them about history and their world by taking them on amazing adventures!

3. Cam Jansen

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The Cam Jansen book series is a great starter series to get your 2nd grader excited about independent reading. Cam Jansen and her best friend Eric are the perfect combination of friends who love to solve mysteries using Cam’s photographic memory.

4. Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up

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Melissa Thomson is a natural storyteller in how she uses Kenna Ford to show the difficulty of trying to do the right thing in challenging situations. This is the 1st in a three-book series that should be put on every 2nd grade book list because each charming story teaches kids important lessons about life and choices as we grow up.

5. The Amazing Bees

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This inspirational book series is about a bee named Princess Debbee trying to save her beehive from humans and is dedicated to educating and empowering kids on their impact on the world. It is a great series to get students aware of important global issues and provides positive female role models for young boys and girls to look up to.

6. Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot Books

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Dav Pilkey gives us action and excitement with this new chapter book series for beginning readers (he also wrote the Captain Underpants series and Dog Man series). His books use lots of illustrations and simple stories to help kids fall in love with reading.

7. Katie Woo & Friends

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This feel-good 52 book series stars a lovable Asian American girl named Katie Woo and her two friends JoJo and Pedro as they try new things, have first-time experiences, and grow up. The authors do a great job in highlighting cultural diversity and providing safe and inclusive reading material for beginner to early-intermediate reading levels.

8. Owly: The Way Home

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This is the 1st in a series of three comic books written with your beginner reader in mind. With lots of colorful illustrations and simple sentences, these picture books will inspire your 2nd grader to get out in the world and meet some new people. Owly and Wormy are two unlikely friends that care for each other and take on the world together with their humorous adventures in this fun series.

9. Amelia’s Bully Survival Guide

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This adorable diary-style book comes from Marissa Moss’s series discussing the ups and downs of being a young girl in the world. From bullies to road trips, these artistic and creative books are a great gift for 2nd grade girls to read about similar stories they face from a first-person perspective.

10. The Judy Moody Most Mood-tastic Collection Ever

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Judy Moody is a sassy character your beginning readers will fall in love with. She is unapologetically herself and finds the goofiest ways to solve mysteries and learn about her world. Your kids can read Judy Moody books for years with 15 books in this set and more like it from the author Megan McDonald.

11. The Ralph S. Mouse Complete Set

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This adorable 3 book series follows Ralph the sweet and adventurous mouse as he meets new people and tries new things in and around the Mountain View Inn. He gets a motorcycle, goes to summer camp, and even makes a human friend named Ryan!

12. Ivy & Bean’s Treasure Box

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This award-winning series is written specifically with 2nd-grade readers in mind. Ivy and Bean are two very different girls that despite their dissimilar interests and personalities become best friends. Their funny stories will make these two your new favorite characters and you’re in luck because this is a 12-book series your new readers can enjoy for months!

13. Zoey and Sassafras

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This 8 book series by Asia Citro is all about magical creatures and kindness with Zoey the dragon master and her sassafras dragons. When Zoey discovers a sick baby dragon in her backyard, she uses science to help cure him. Thus beginning her new and exciting life of solving mysteries and saving animals.

14. The Guardians Collection

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This magical and holiday-inspired book series is bound to have your reluctant reader curled up in a comfy chair for days. With well-known characters like Santa, Jack Frost, The Tooth Fairy, and Sandman, your kids will get lost in these whimsical stories and fall in love with reading.

15. Junie B. Jones’s Second Boxed Set Ever!

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16. Nate the Great

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We all know and love Junie B. Jones with her quirky ideas and wild adventures. Good news, there are tons of books in this easy-to-read series, so your new readers can follow Junie B. along all her adventures for a year or two!

This mystery series by Marjorie Weinman follows Nate the detective as he solves mysteries through critical thinking and problem-solving. There are many books in this series (almost 30!) so it’s great for new and excited readers.

17. Amelia Bedelia

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This is the perfect book for beginner readers to get started reading independently and gain confidence and skills in comprehension and fluency. Amelia Bedelia is a sweet woman going through life as best she can, facing challenges, meeting new people, and helping people in small but impactful ways. Follow along with colorful illustrations and easy stories for all level readers.

18. Sofia Martinez

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Sofia Martinez is a young bi-racial girl growing up in America with her crazy and lovely Spanish family. She learns what it’s like to balance multiple cultures, and lets her mischievous personality gets her into all sorts of exciting adventures. Follow along with the 16 book series!

19. Gooney Bird Greene

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This 6 book series stars Gooney Bird, unique storytelling for 2nd graders with lots of unbelievably true stories, weird school lunches, and outrageous style. Her classmates are curious about who she is and so will your newly independent reader!

20. Stink the Incredible Shrinking Kid

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Stink is a super-incredible shrinking kid! He learns this one day when he measures himself and finds he has shrunk! Good thing is, the President is the shortest person in the country, so his size isn’t going to stop him from going on crazy adventures in this fun chapter book series.

21. Frog & Toad

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This award-winning series by acclaimed author Arnold Lobel stars two true friends, Frog and Toad, as they go through life always by each other’s side. Their loyalty and friendship make these lovable characters great role models for your young readers.

22. Eerie Elementary

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This spooky chapter book series stars Sam Graves, a 2nd grader at a scary school where, as the school hall monitor, he tries to protect and save himself and his fellow classmates from all sorts of creepy entities and situations.

23. Henry and Mudge

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Cynthia Rylant is an amazing author that created this fantastic book series specifically written for 2nd and 3rd grade level readers. You can find this series in many classroom libraries being used as a reading tool to help kids become independent readers and the adorable characters of Henry, a young boy, and his dog Mudge, will teach kids about friendship and loyalty.

24. The Secret Zoo Series

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These exciting adventure stories follow 4 friends as they explore and learn about the secret world hidden in the local zoo. Learn about animals and all the fun adventures these true friends go on in this fantastic chapter book series.

25. The Ramona Collection

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This classic collection by Beverly Cleary stars quirky Ramona as she goes to school, meets new people, and learns about the world one adorable mistake at a time. These stories are easy to read and relatable for kids in and around 2nd grade age.

26. Henry Huggins

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Another independent reader series by the talented and well-known author Beverly Cleary follows an adventurous young boy Henry as he gets his first job as a paper boy, explores with his dog Ribsy, and makes new friends like Beezus!

27. Bird and Squirrel

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This adorable and action-packed comic strip series is James Burk’s masterpiece. These two crazy friends are always getting into trouble and figuring everything out as they go. These books have amazing illustrations with a variety of villainous characters and lessons about what it means to be a true friend.

28. Detective Camp

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This classic book series features 3 friends as they solve mysteries at a camp for detectives. They must work together to find clues using science and common sense to solve curious cases around the camp. Will they be successful? They must follow their instincts and evidence to catch the culprit!

29. The Littles

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The Littles was initially written in the 1960s by John Peterson as a children’s book series. It was so widely adored that it was made into a TV series and had a spin-off book series called The Borrowers. The story follows a family of tiny humans as they live inside the walls of a regular-sized house.

30. From An Idea To Google: How Innovation at Google Changed the World 

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Lowey Bundy Sichol is an award-winning children’s writer and entrepreneur/founder of Kids Idea Tank. Her motivation in writing these “From an Idea to….” books is to inspire kids to imagine big and believe in themselves and their ideas. These books are a great tool to give your students confidence in reading and all aspects of their lives.

31. Diary of an Ice Princess

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Princess Lina is no ordinary girl. She has magical powers and lives in a castle in the clouds with her royal family. All Princess Lina wants to do is go to a normal school with her best friend, but if she wants to do that she has to pretend she is a regular girl with no magical powers. Can she do it? Read along with this innovative and diverse series following the Princess in each new adventure.

32. Dory Fantasmagory 

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This adorable book series features Dory, the youngest in her family and by far the biggest trouble maker! The illustrations are cute and simple with a childlike whimsy that your young readers will love. Follow Dory as she brings her imagination to life on every page.

33. Good Dog

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Dogs are humans’ best friend, right? Follow the enthusiastic puppy Bo Davis as he gets into all sorts of messes at Davis Family Farm. From running away to meeting neighborhood animals, and losing his collar, Bo is always up to something. Get this series for your dog-loving kids to read and improve their comprehension and fluency.

34. Real Pigeons Fight Crime

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This hilarious mystery series is sure to make your kids laugh all the way through. With the over-the-top illustrations and characters, to the storylines and jokes, these books have everything your young reader could possibly need to fall in love with reading.

35. Mia Mayhem

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This series can be read by 1st graders up to 3rd graders because its structure and language are accessible and relatable for kids with beginner to lower intermediate reading skills. Mia Mayhem has just started at a superhero school where she is learning all types of exciting skills like flying and defeating bullies. Enjoy the action-packed stories and colourful illustrations on each and every page.

36. Disgusting Critters Series

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This adorably disgusting educational series features a new animal for each installment. From cockroaches to rats, to toads, and mosquitos, each book presents these misunderstood critters in an acute and easy-to-understand way that teaches kids to respect and value all living beings. The simple but humorous language makes reading a treat and the cute illustrations are anything but disgusting!

37. Dragon Masters

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DRAGONS!!! Who as a kid didn’t dream of owning and riding their own dragon? This New York Times best-selling chapter book series was specifically written for newly independent readers with easy-to-use language, short chapters, and engaging plots. One of the best options for your action and magic-inspired readers.

38. Sadiq and the Gamers

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This diverse and inclusive series features Sadiq, a Somali American boy, his family, and friends as they explore the world and different situations. The stories focus on teamwork and friendship in an educational and engaging way with lots of pictures and creative ideas.

39. The Bad Guys

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Dav Pilkey does it again with this hilarious graphic novel staring Mr. Wolf, Mr. Piranha, and a whole host of evil-inspired characters that try to convince themselves and others that they are good. The references to old classic nursery rhymes and fairy tales make this modern take a hit from the start!

40. Mindy Kim

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Mindy Kim is an Asian American girl trying her best to get her father to smile, make friends at school, and get a puppy. This 6 book series is great reading material for 2nd grade students to understand the challenges of growing up in America with influences from another culture. The author Lyla Lee expresses her own experiences and stories of being born in South Korea but growing up around the United States to make these books accessible for the many immigrant children starting their reading journeys.

41. The Notebook of Doom

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This series Is part of a line of books specifically written for newly independent readers called Branches. It’s got jokes, it’s got mysterious crimes, and it’s got MONSTERS! Each of the 13 books in the series follows a young boy named Alexander as he tries to find and identify all sorts of crazy monsters.

42. Horrid Henry

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This giant book series has over 62 books for your reluctant readers to fall in love with. Henry is a mischievous little boy who loves playing horrid tricks on everyone, but he always gets what’s coming to him. Easy-to-follow stories perfect for 2nd grade reading level.

43. Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon

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Amber Brown is a very relatable character, a young girl having to deal with her best friend moving away. In this first book in a 10-book series, Amber Brown must tackle the reality of her world changing and the most important person in it leaving. Will their friendship survive this challenge or will things never be the same?

44. Cat Kid Comic Club

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This graphic novel series starring tons of adorable animal characters is written and illustrated by the award-winning Dav Pilkey. He incorporates a variety of different artistic styles to tell creative stories throughout each Cat Kid Comic Club book. There are 4 books in this series, each as captivating and hilarious as the next!

45. Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective

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There are smart kids, then there are SUPER smart kids…and then there is Encyclopedia Brown. He has a computer-like brain that he can use to do many things. In this 26-book series, he is on the mission to solve mysterious crimes. Can you figure out who did it before he can? Read along and find the answers at the back of each book.

46. My Papi Has a Motorcycle

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This beloved story of a girl and her father shows new readers the importance of family appreciation. As the city changes around them, their love remains the same, and Daisy will always cherish her motorcycle rides with her Papi no matter what.

47. Frindle

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A clever and witty chapter book by the award winner Andrew Clements, tells the story of a young boy named Nick. He is smart and a bit sneaky, so when he learns how words are created, he decides to make up his own! A pen is no longer called a “pen”, it will now be called a “frindle”! How will this little experiment play out for little Nickie?

48. The Chocolate Touch

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This new-age novel is based on the beloved story of King Midas and his golden touch. Now John Midas discovers he has a magical gift that makes everything he puts in his mouth turn into chocolate. Will his tale turn out differently than the original fable, or will we be learning the same lessons over again?

49. Who Would Win?

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Now, this popular 29-book series will be sure to excite your young readers into an imaginative frenzy! Each book pins two ferocious animals against each other to see who would win in a fight. The books go into detail about each animal’s skills, diets, abilities, and more! A great series for animal lovers or lovers of fighting action!

50. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish

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Even the title sounds ridiculous, but your 2nd graders will love this 7-book series! Two brothers get into some twisted evil science that ends up turning their pet goldfish Frankie into a zombie. Even worse, the new Frankie is angry and can hypnotize people, so… look out!

51. Little Bear’s Friend

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This beloved story is part of a darling series following Little Bear as he meets new friends and explores his little world. The characters and stories are easy to follow and great practice for new readers.

52. In Aunt Lucy’s Kitchen

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Here is a chapter book to add to your 2nd grade classroom book list. It tells the tale of 3 cousins living in their Aunt Lucy’s attic and making grand plans for their futures, but first, they need to find a way to make some money over the summer. Why not bake some cookies and see what happens!

53. Zack Files: My Great-grandpa’s in the Litter Box

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In this first book of this funny series, Zack is looking to adopt a kitten, but what he ends up with is an old cat that claims to be his great-grandpa! What absurdity will follow after Zack brings his old relative home? Read and find out!

54. Doctor De Soto

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A little unorthodox but ever so charming series tells the story of Doctor De Soto, who also happens to be a mouse. He is the best dentist in the city but doesn’t work on patience that might try to eat him until a fox in extreme pain comes begging for help one day. Will the Doctor take this patient and face being eaten or turn him away?

55. Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea

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The 1st of 7 in this fun series follows Narwhal and Jelly as they explore the great big ocean. These two unlikely friends meet and discover that despite having different personality types, they still can find things they both agree on and enjoy. Like making new friends, throwing parties, and eating waffles!

10 Best Book Series for 2nd Grade Boys

Looking for the best book series for 2nd grade boys? Here are my suggestions to inspire him on his reading journey…

When I had children, I had this vision of us all curled up on the sofa, reading together. The children would be respectfully quiet, but eager to hear every word I read.

In reality, this happens about once or twice a year. Most days, I am reading to my children over the sound of them crunching on cereal or while they intermittently fight over who sits where and who made what sound or smell.

Not quite how I thought it would go.

But they are still young and so I have hopes for a future read-along where the kids are calmer and I’m not reading at the top of my lungs.

My children read on their own with varying degrees of excitement. But my oldest son, in particular, has been tough to encourage in the reading department.

How to make reading interesting for your children

He showed interest in reading as a preschooler, but once he discovered the iPad and TV, it lost a lot of its appeal (mea culpa). So, now I am in the uphill battle of bringing a love of reading to a sometimes unwilling, sometimes indifferent pupil. But I know this is important, so I keep trying.

The reason I mention this is that one of the most important things to fostering a love of reading in children is making sure that they are interested in what they are reading. My picks are not going to persuade him the way his own will.

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So, we make frequent trips to the library and I am always on the look-out for a good book or series. Which brings me to my point.

I’ve compiled a list of 10 book series that my 2^nd grader loves. If you’ve been struggling to find something for your son (or daughter) to read, these are great books for this age and they caught and held his attention. He was able to read most of them himself and they were fun to read when I joined in.

I got these books for my son, but my daughter read some of them in 2^nd grade, too, and also enjoyed them, so they are good for both genders. But maybe I’ll put together a list of books that she liked as well, at a later date…

(the link takes you to the first book in the series)

These are awesome hardcover, graphic novels that are filled with the crime-fighting adventures of a half-dog, half-human. There are even drawing pages in the back to inspire children to try drawing characters themselves. This is also the author of the Captain Underpants series (my son hasn’t read those yet, so I can’t say how he’ll like them – but I have high hopes).

These hilarious books are full of wit and fun and follow the exploits of a mystery-solving gecko in elementary school. We discovered this series after laughing our way through The Big Bad Wolf Detective Agency by the same author. Oh, and the titles of each book in this series? Just awesome!

This series has a ton of books, so if your kids love it, there’s plenty to work with. They are a fun look at history and geography, and there’s even a corresponding Fact Tracker series that matches up to each book. Even with the educational elements, the books are still entertaining and my older kids love them.

Whether you prefer the original or this more updated version, these are great books for boys who like some mystery and adventure. I read Nancy Drew as a girl and these are basically the equivalent. They’re not too complicated, but depending on your child’s comprehension level, you may want to read along at first.

We stumbled upon this author with his book Odd, Weird, and Little. The kids all loved it so much, we had to try Guinea Dog. These books are about a boy who gets a guinea pig when he really wants a dog – and lands up with a guinea pig who thinks she is a dog! The antics are funny and thoughtful and we’re big fans of this author’s writing.

My nephew swears by these books, so I had to check them out. Basically, they are about a boy who is entering middle school and the growing pains that accompany it. Hilarious events, friendship challenges, and life with bullies abound. There are even movie adaptations if that might whet your child’s appetite for the series.

These books are a blast and my 2^nd and 3^rd grader have read most of them. These graphic novels follow a nerdy mouse and his robot friend as they battle otherworldly baddies and save the day. This is aimed at a younger audience than Captain Underpants, but my kids didn’t think they were “babyish” or under them.

These are classic and I love reading them even today. My son was fascinated by how the children moved into a boxcar and made it their home. I think he was impressed by their resourcefulness. The books go on to solve mysteries and they are a lot of fun to read.

These books are a fun adventure through a magical land by a boy who is trying to free an exploited dragon, with the help of some interesting friends. This trilogy is rather old, but my kids still enjoyed it. I think the fantasy world that is created is rich enough to nullify any feelings of it being dated…

These stories are great if your child likes quirky and funny tales about school. The books follow the students and teachers of Wayside School, which was accidentally built 30 stories high, with one classroom on each floor. My husband read these as a boy and they’re still fun reading for kids today.

Well, that’s my list of book series for 2^nd grade boys. But honestly, my kindergartner and 3^rd grader (both girls) have enjoyed most, if not all, of these books as well.

So, if you’ve been struggling to find a series that your child will enjoy, then give these a try. Reading can make such a difference in children’s lives. We just need to find the match that sets their passion for books on fire.

Happy reading!

Do you have any book series that should be on this list? Let me know in the comments!

Interested in more on reading with kids? Check out these popular posts:

How to Inspire Curiosity, Creativity, and a Love of Reading in Your Children

The Holiday Buying Guide

Christmas Books and Movies for the Whole Family

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Second Grade Summer Reading List with Printable Book List

This post may contain affiliate links.

Hooray! It’s time for summer reading lists & summer reading programs.If you’re looking good books for kids going into the second grade, these books will keep your 2nd grader reading throughout the summer, developing and practicing their reading skills with excellent books.

As you know, the more a child reads, the more vocabulary they’ll learn and the better their comprehension skills. (With the exception of a learning difference situation.)

So whether or not you do a summer reading program, or just read on your own, you’ll find great summer reads on this list. From funny to fantasy, there’s a book (or five) for every interest.

These books will work for children ages 7 or 8 who are entering second grade. For all my book recommendations with reviews, visit Best Books for 7-Year Olds.

Do you know how to tell if a book is just right? Do the 5 Finger Test.

If you specifically need harder-than-2nd-grade books, go to my 3rd grade summer reading list. If you need easier books, go to my 1st grade summer reading list. Remember it’s good for kids to read books that are JUST RIGHT but there are benefits in reading easy books and reading challenging books, too.

Download the FREE Summer Reading Packet so your kids can set goals and keep track of what they’ve read.

SHOP THIS LIST

Second Grade Summer Reading List (age 7 – 8)

If your reader loves GRAPHIC NOVELS, try these choices:

• Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey
• Bird and Squirrel on Ice by James Burks
• Mr. Wolf’s Class: Mystery Club by Aron Nels Steinke
• Cat Ninja by Matthew Cody
• King of the Birds by Elise Gravel
• Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye by Colleen AF Venable

If your second-grade reader like

FUNNY books, they’ll love:

• The Dragonsitter by Josh Lacey
• Stick Dog by Tom Watson
• The Case of the Weird Blue Chicken by Doreen Cronin
• Real Pigeons Fight Crime by Ben Wood
• Rabbit & Bear: Rabbit’s Bad Habits by Julian Gough & Jim Field

If your 2nd-grade child likes

MAGIC & MYTHICAL CREATURES, they’ll love:

• Dragons and Marshmallows: Zoey and Sassafras by Asia Citro
• Diary of an Ice Princess: Snow Place Like Home by Christina Soontornvat
• Rise of the Earth Dragon by Tracey West
• Magical Animal Adoption Agency by Kallie George
• The Fabled Stables Willa the Wisp by Jonathan Auxier
• Unicorn Academy: Sophia and Rainbow by Julie Skyes

If your 2nd grader likes 

ADVENTURE stories, they’ll love: 

• Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne
• Galaxy Zack by Ray O’Ryan
• The Notebook of Doom by Troy Cummings
• Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot by Dav Pilkey
• Ivy Lost and Found by Cynthia Lord
• Mia Mayhem Is a Superhero! by Kara West

If your 2nd grade reader like

MYSTERIES, they’ll love:

• Magic Tree House The Graphic Novel Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne
• Super Detectives Simon and Chester by Cale Atkinson
• A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy
• Secret Spy Society The Case of the Missing Cheetah by Veronica Mang
• Mac Undercover (Kid Spy #1) by Mac Barnett
• Crime Biters: My Dog Is Better Than Your Dog by Tommy Greenwald

If your 2nd grader loves 

REALISTIC stories, try:

• Good Dog by Cam Higgins
• Too Small Tola by Atinuke
• Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon
• Baloney and Friends Going Up! by Greg Pizzoli
• Bark Park by Brandi Dougherty
• The Amazing Life of Azaleah Lane by Nikki Shannon Smith
• Planet Omar by Zanib Mian

If your second grader likes NONFICTION, read

• Go Wild! Sea Turtles by Jill Esbaum
• Fox Explores the Night by Martin Jenkins
• What Do They Do With All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz
• Plants Fight Back by Lisa J. Amstutz
• The Rat by Elise Gravel
• BUGS! by James Buckley, Jr.
• Planets by Elizabeth Carney

More ideas for your 2nd-grade reader:
Free Summer Learning Printables for Kids
Activity Books for Kids
Summer Writing Ideas

ALSO READ:

Summer Reading Bingo

Summer Reading Printable Activities for Kids

Good Book Series for Kids in 2nd Grade

Summer Reading Lists for Kids

Your child is in 2nd grade – Center for Psychological, Pedagogical, Medical and Social Assistance

What do parents need to know if their child goes to 2nd grade?

At the age of 8-9, the child continues to grow, but the cardinal changes accompanying puberty are still quite far away. The body at this age is still childish, and, despite the seeming adulthood, is quite fragile. He needs proper rest, a normal amount of sleep (at least nine hours a day) and proper nutrition.

This age is one of the turning points in a child’s development. No matter when a child goes to school, at six or seven years old, at some point he goes through a crisis. During this period, it is especially important to learn to understand the child, to take into account his needs. Learning motivation will replace the game motivation, thereby he begins to understand that knowledge and its level affect the development of the personality of a younger student.

In the second or third grade, the school workload increases, and many children go headlong into their studies and stop noticing anything around them.

In second-graders, as well as in first-graders, visual-effective and visual-figurative thinking dominates over all mental processes. Thus, doing homework with a child, parents are encouraged to solve tasks on visual objects (apples, sweets, etc. ). Until the second grade, the child’s main mechanism is play, and in the second grade, learning activity becomes such a mechanism.

Primary school age is key in the development of self-esteem. It becomes more developed, mature than that of first-graders, and at the same time more integral.

There is a strong desire to be successful in school, which for the child is tantamount to being good and loved. In the second grade, children come already “experienced” schoolchildren. The period of adaptation of the child to systematic education, to new responsibilities, new relationships with adults and peers is over. Now the little schoolboy has a pretty good idea of ​​what awaits him at school.

Expectations of second-graders largely depend on how successful the first year of study was for them: “I think that I will study as well as in the first grade”; “I didn’t do well that year. I wrote badly. Now I don’t know how I can do it. ”

Parents of second graders have similar hopes and fears.

Second-graders’ self-assessment in educational activities differs significantly from that of first-graders. Most first-graders have high self-esteem. Children consider themselves “good”, “smart” and positively assess their school success only because they tried very hard, wanted to do the right thing.

In the second grade, however, many children’s self-esteem in educational activities drops sharply. Later, in third graders, the level of self-esteem rises again. This phenomenon is called “ phenomena of the second classes.

Decreased self-esteem among second-graders is associated with an increase in schoolchildren’s self-criticism, their increasing ability to focus on the quality of the results of their educational work. However, the possibilities of children in evaluating the results of their work are still quite limited, they are just learning this complex skill. This is where self-doubt and low self-esteem come from.

Another complicating factor is that the criteria by which learning outcomes are assessed are not clear enough for children and are largely vague.

In this regard, the problem of school grades and grades and the attitude of children and parents towards them needs to be discussed.

The grade is not the same as the mark. Assessment is an assessment process; mark is the result of this process, its conditionally formal reflection in points.

The assessment process should be presented in the form of a detailed judgment, in which the teacher (or other adult) first explains the positive and negative aspects of the student’s work, notes the presence or absence of progress, makes recommendations, notes the efforts and efforts of the student, and only then, as a conclusion from said, calls a well-deserved mark.

As a rule, in school practice, teachers limit themselves to only “announcing” the mark, without giving detailed comments on it. And therefore, the meaningful connection between the result of their own educational work and the mark received for it remains hidden for the little schoolchild. He does not always understand why yesterday he received a “five”, and today – a “troika”.

Parents also rarely explain to the student the connection between the mark and the quality of the performance of the educational task. On the whole, they themselves understand why the work is evaluated in this way and not otherwise, and in most cases they agree with the teacher.

It turns out that teachers and parents quite successfully interact with each other through marks, using them as feedback, but the needs and interests of the student are not taken into account.

However, without the help of adults, the child is not able to correctly identify the criteria for evaluating his work. As a result, the mark loses its content, acquires a self-suppressing meaning for children, turns into a school idol, about which V.A. Sukhomlinsky: “From the first days of school life, on the thorny path of teaching, an idol appears in front of the child – a mark. For one child, he is kind, condescending, for another – tough, ruthless, inexorable. Why this is so, why he patronizes one, and tyrannizes the other – the children do not understand. After all, a seven-year-old child cannot understand the dependence of evaluation on his own work, on personal efforts – for him this is still incomprehensible. He tries to satisfy or – at worst – to deceive the idol and gradually gets used to studying not for personal joy, but for marks.

Unfortunately, parents voluntarily or involuntarily build their attitude towards the child depending on his academic performance, marks. Children often catch this connection faster than adults: “Mom doesn’t love me very much, because I don’t always get “five””.

Psychologist Sh.A. Amonashvili made very accurate social portraits of marks. Their names speak for themselves: the triumphant “five”, the encouraging “four”, the indifferent “troika”, the depressing “two”, the destroying “one”.

Parents, linking their attitude to the child with his marks, especially if these marks do not meet their expectations, make it difficult to form an adequate positive self-esteem of the student, contribute to the appearance of self-doubt in him, and hinder the development of interest in learning.

Parents need to remember that in teaching it is not so much the mark that is important, but the real knowledge and skills of the student, his diligence, responsibility, the need to acquire new knowledge. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the success of a child in learning is determined by many factors. Not the last role among them is played by the parents’ faith in the capabilities of their child, as well as their ability to provide him with real help in his studies.

In elementary school, parents provide their child not only with moral and emotional support, but also actively help him in home learning activities.

One of the most important conditions for the success of homework for younger students is the cooperation of the child with his parents, most often with his mother. However, such cooperation often turns out to be insufficiently productive, not only in terms of the child’s assimilation of educational material, but also in terms of the development of the student’s personality.

Many parents are well aware of the feeling of helplessness that comes over them after repeatedly and, as it turns out, unsuccessfully explaining new or difficult material to a child. It is difficult for adults to imagine why a child sincerely cannot understand what seems to them so simple and clear.

It can be difficult for both a child and an adult to catch someone else’s logic of reasoning, to build new knowledge into an already established picture of the world, to see the problem under discussion from the point of view of the interlocutor. This discrepancy between the styles of cognitive activity is called “cognitive (cognitive) dissonance”.

Special psychological studies show that the mismatch between the cognitive styles of a junior schoolchild and his parents (especially mothers) affects the success of their joint academic work.

If the child is inclined to evaluate the work done by him as a whole, and the mother tends to pay attention to individual, sometimes minor shortcomings, then their joint educational work will also be ineffective.

The result of the emerging conflict between the cognitive strategies of mother and child may be the formation of a negative attitude of the latter to the educational work performed at home. The joint performance of homework begins to be complicated by stable conflict relations between the child and the adult. The daily repetition of such relationships can lead to the emergence of a so-called semantic barrier in the child, as a result of which he becomes less susceptible to the pedagogical and educational influences of this adult.

It is important for an adult helping a child with homework to be aware of the possible causes of difficulties in working together. Understanding by him the peculiarities of the child’s thinking, as well as awareness of his own cognitive activity, can significantly increase the effectiveness of the homework of a younger student.

In order to preserve the community with your own child and at the same time not to completely suppress his will, just try to talk to him more – in an adult way, without lisping and not in raised tones. Ask what happened at school, what situations arose, how classmates behave, what the teacher says. Ask leading questions, and the child will definitely tell what worries him.

How to help a second-grader – a reminder to parents

The transition of a child to the second grade is marked by the fact that homework becomes mandatory, and children begin to put marks.
All this is quite difficult for the child and there are special secrets for parents to support the child during this period

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2. The ability to do homework without the help and support of an adult is practically not formed, such are the laws of assimilation

3. If parents do not control and do not help to do homework, then the child may not do it and not write it down

4. Important initially check and compare what the child wrote in the diary and what was actually assigned – children sometimes do not write down part of the tasks in the diary

5. It is necessary to determine a specific time for doing homework and strive for the child to do homework at the same time

6. Help the child with homework and check what the child has done

7. Teach the child to organize his workplace for work

8. Show an example of organization and concentration

9. Accept that twos and threes are in progress studies are inevitable, so it is important not to scold the child for them, but on the contrary, to help them understand

10. It is important to perceive marks as indicators of learning temperature: a deuce is a signal that knowledge is sick and they need treatment, not moralizing

11. Do not think that if mom and dad studied well at school, then they will definitely have an excellent student or a shock student – we are all different

12. Parents’ stories that they graduated from school with a gold medal will not help a child in any way

13. If you scold a child for deuces, then he may develop school anxiety, which greatly affects the success of the child. Even the smartest child can get a low mark if he is afraid, because fear blocks cognitive activity

14. Do not demand more from a child than he can at the moment

the child develops anxiety and fear of not meeting the expectations of the mother

16. It is important to teach the child to compare his achievements with his own achievements, but in the previous period

17. Be sure to praise successes, create situations of success, note the slightest progress

18. Never compare a child’s achievements with other children

19. A child must see that making mistakes is normal, that mothers, fathers and grandparents also make mistakes.

20. Children often perceive a mark for work as a mark of their own personality, therefore, one must be extremely tactful in communicating with a child and teach them to share: “I am good, but I made 20 mistakes in work and therefore received 2”

21. Important to set the child on the fact that if you believe in success and try, then everything will definitely work out.

“The boy almost cried, I was ashamed.” Primary school teacher – about working with a child who does not know Russian

Adapting to a new school is not easy for any child. And if the transfer is related to moving to another country? Our new blogger, primary school teacher Maria Beketova, talks about her student, a boy from Azerbaijan, who had a hard time finding friends and mastering the program. But he succeeded.

New student

At the beginning of March 2020, just before the pandemic, a new student was assigned to my class. He and his parents, three brothers and sister have just moved from Azerbaijan to Russia. The five-year-old daughter was sent to the garden, and 9-year-old M. to school. The older children helped their father at work. At home, M. finished the second grade and was supposed to go to the third in the fall. But in Russia he was identified as the first – the boy did not speak Russian at all. I taught this first class.

On March 6, right before the holiday weekend, my dad came to me and, speaking in broken Russian, tried to “shove” a few bills so that I would pay attention to the boy. Of course, I didn’t take the money. After the holidays, we studied for a couple of weeks. For M. it was a big stress. When I turned to him with a request to hand over the notebook, he blushed very much and silently held out the diary; preparing for the lesson, looking at the textbooks that classmates put on the table. He knew how to copy Russian letters, but it was pointless to check dictations.

It was also difficult for him to communicate with children: M. did not talk to them, he was shy

The children perceived this as strange and at some point gave up trying to make friends. Once, someone even laughed at the way he explained himself in a mathematics lesson (M. considered it well, the desire to say the correct answer prevailed over embarrassment). Then I stopped the lesson and invited the children to imagine that they got to a lesson in an American school without knowing English. We talked about the feelings they would have, about how hard it is to learn a foreign language, and that our M. is actually great at it. Since that day, I have not heard any more ridicule.

Then the holidays began, followed by distance learning. I taught lessons with the help of a messenger. On the phone, I tried to explain to the boy’s mother that she needed to install the application and be online from 9 to 11. She, alas, understood Russian even worse than dad. But I must say that all family members looked very friendly and polite, despite the fact that we did not understand each other. The next time we met with M. was only 5 months later, in August.

Shame and despair

September has begun. I got a textbook on Russian as a foreign language and started studying with M. myself. Once a week, we tried to read, take dictation, and just talk. He was still shy and was silent for a long time. But at least I managed to find out that the boy wanted to study, because “dad said that I should become a dentist, and for this you need to have 4 and 5.”

By winter, he had made friends with the boys. Not with everyone, with the most “simple” and not demanding: there is a group of guys in the class who preferred to play cars and have a battle with pencil cases, rather than deal with complex topics. The leaders of the class – responsible and efficient boys – still kept their distance from M. .

We studied throughout the second grade with breaks during my sessions. And more and more often the thought flashed through my mind that it was pointless. M. was doing well with mathematics, there were problems with tasks – he did not understand the conditions due to the language barrier. With this, we began to slowly cope. He quickly learned verses, but could not place the stress correctly – even rehearsals and hints I had put down in advance did not help.

I remember I helped him do a project around the environment. We found a beautiful presentation on the topic, read it, discussed it. For protection, it was only necessary to read the text correctly – so that the guys understood. It seemed to me that there was enough time and M. would have time to prepare. But on the day of the defense, he came out with a text I had compiled and read everything in such a way that even I did not understand.

Then I could not stand it and reprimanded him in front of the whole class. It was such a shame for the wasted time!

The boy almost cried, I was ashamed. This was my last impulse to help him. I decided that if I couldn’t change anything, then by giving up classes (and hopes along with them), I would at least make life easier for the child. In mathematics, he already has 4, and in Russian 3, I always draw. And I drew. He finished the second grade with two triples: in Russian and environmental.

After reading, he performed all tasks conscientiously, read fluently, even understood what he was talking about. Who is to blame that the stresses are so complicated? I stopped dreaming and decided that the result we had achieved was acceptable. The child is trying, and this is the main thing. He is trainable and will be able to study for 3-4. Mission accomplished. We went on vacation. Ahead of us was the third grade and difficult topics. But the thought of a trinity that I can always draw still reassured me.

Druzhba

As you understand, by the end of the second grade and the first year of M. ’s studies at the Russian school, I stopped noticing progress, gave up and resigned myself to the fact that there would be one more “poorly successful” child in my class.

In September, our school speech therapist conducted a scheduled test and, as usual, identified a group of three children who needed her help. Among them was M. – the boy was entitled to one hour of group logo classes per week.

Only M. himself was informed about the new opportunity, because there was no point in talking with his parents – the boy had long been speaking Russian better than mom or dad, and could well play the role of an interpreter, so I only hoped for responsibility and conscience child. And not in vain.

During the entire academic year, he did not miss a single class. In October, he began to stay at the GPA

At first I didn’t understand why, and then I noticed: he only stays on the days when G. goes to the extension – a very adult and quick-witted boy, one of the leaders of the class. At some point, I once again felt sympathy for M.: he wanted to be friends with G., who is unlikely to be interested in this friendship due to the language barrier. Thank God I was wrong.

As a result, the boys became friends, and M. began to communicate with the rest of the guys from the company, he made friends – good and excellent students, who motivate the whole class with their activity, purposefulness and upbringing. These were the same students who are not afraid to ask questions, constantly stretch their hand and do not calm down until they understand a new topic. Six boys that I, as a teacher, can rely on.

A couple of months later, feeling the support of his friends and my approval, M. gained confidence and began to torment me with questions. I didn’t understand the explanation of the homework in the lesson – he comes up with questions during the break. Didn’t understand a new topic the first time – he’ll stay after class and get it chewed on. There are no resources to do the lessons at home (paper, computer, stationery) – will inform me and ask for help. I really liked the new approach, so I tried not to refuse.

Unexpected result

In February, I left for the last session, studied my diploma, and educational questions from M. did not stop pouring into the messenger, to which I patiently answered. She returned at the beginning of March. Just a week before the quarter tests. All this time, I saw that M. was trying, but still did not have high hopes.

A few days before the test, I always prepare to identify gaps and, if possible, catch up. And this time I gave the guys a variant with tasks for cases and declensions. After lessons, she sat down to check. At the moment when I was finishing checking M.’s work, a speech therapist entered the class. She asked me about his progress and said that she no longer insists on logo classes – the boy does not need them now. I hesitated, nodded, lowered my eyes to the sheet and did not believe it!

A foreign phone child who did not know Russian 2 years ago identified all declensions, indicated cases and placed endings without a single mistake! I put five – the first of three in the class – and agreed with the teacher. Then I walked for a long time and analyzed how he did it. I even thought I wrote it off. But a couple of days later we wrote the final dictation and M.’s only mistake was the letter “a” in place of “s” in the word “wings”. And that, because he did not know the meaning of the word “wings”.

As a result, by the end of the third quarter, in Russian, M. got a controversial one – between 4 and 5. Then I decided that I would write a post about this child. For 6 years of work at the school, this is the first time I meet such a student. Purposeful, diligent, attentive and quick-witted. I had a lot of good guys, but this is what I want to set as an example for adults.

This is not a story about a talented teacher who made a man out of his student. This is a story about a student who proved to the teacher that anyone, even the most hopeless, at first glance, child, must be believed.

Looking at M., I realized that I don’t need to wait for an opportunity to become better, but I need to find it or create it myself. And also – that if you really want something and make efforts, then everything will definitely work out.

You are in the “Blogs” section. The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.

Photo: fotosparrow / Shutterstock / Fotodom

Why a child misbehaves at school: is it worth punishing misbehavior at school | Foxford. Media

Survival Instructions

1.2.2022

3

minutes
Readings

Image: FAZE Design Studio / Dribbble

Parents

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ELENA PETRUSENKO,

Foxford Home School psychologist

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Causes of bad behavior at school

The Austrian educator and psychologist Rudolf Dreikurs has studied the destructive behavior of children all his life. He believed that it could be corrected without alternating between punishment and reward. In his works, he singled out four “erroneous goals of the child’s bad behavior”:

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1. The child requires attention. When “good” methods are not enough, he starts to distract students in class, interrupt the teacher and just fool around.

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Children often behave this way if adults only pay attention to bad behavior and take good behavior for granted. Or when they suddenly become not up to it. For example, if there have been changes in the family: moving, divorce, or the appearance of a new family member.

In elementary grades, this happens if the child did not have time to socialize before school. By his behavior, he tries to achieve the same attention that he received at home.

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2. The student wants to gain the respect of peers and elders, but does not know how to do it. Therefore, he conflicts with teachers and fights in every possible way with school rules. Usually in this way the child seeks to protect himself: he attacks first, because he is afraid of becoming a victim.

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To help your child feel important, you need to give him more independence – for example, assign simple chores around the house, praise and celebrate school success.

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3. The child has accumulated grudges against classmates, teachers or parents, and he wants to take revenge. Often anger spills out on older or weaker students.

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It is important to find and eliminate the causes of accumulated grievances. Dealing with the consequences is equally important, but it is best to do this with a specialist. The psychologist will help the child understand their discontents, fears and live them safely for themselves and others.

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4. A child who is desperate to succeed gives up. He becomes indifferent and helpless, does not respond to the requests of the teacher and can go about his own business for the whole lesson. Far from always such behavior is caused by boredom – most often the student simply does not believe in himself.

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A child can’t be bad at everything – he definitely succeeds in something. It is important to notice his achievements and discuss what he likes to do and how he does it. Later, he will be able to transfer these algorithms to other situations.

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There may be other reasons for bad behavior. For example, the bad influence of classmates, stress due to a change of school, teacher, or problems in the family. Or maybe the child is simply not interested in learning, so he is outrageous.

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How to deal with a child’s bad behavior at school

First of all, you should not look for someone to blame, but try to figure it out:

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• How often does bad behavior occur?
• In what situations does the child misbehave?
• To whom are his antics addressed?

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If it is difficult to answer these questions, contact a psychologist. The specialist will help to establish the cause and give recommendations.

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Remember that a child’s behavior cannot be changed without changing the parent’s behavior. Therefore, a good specialist works with the whole family. If the psychologist deals only with the child and does not include you in the work, you should not expect global changes.

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Foster healthy family behavior. If a child lives in an atmosphere of mutual respect and feels needed, most likely he will have no reason to misbehave at school.

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• Be friends with the child. It is important that the child feels needed and understood. Spend time together, discuss his hobbies, take an interest in successes and failures.
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• Consult your child. Before making a decision, ask your child for their opinions, such as where to go on vacation or what to get your sister for her birthday. Listen to the child, and he will understand that his opinion matters.
  ‍
• ‍ Teach your child to resolve conflicts. Show by example how to get out of difficult situations with dignity, find such examples together – in life, in books and in movies.
  ‍
• Help your child to believe in himself. He will need support to make others respect him and not fear him.
  ‍
  
• Foster healthy family behavior. If a child lives in an atmosphere of mutual respect and feels needed, most likely he will have no reason to misbehave at school.

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Can a child be expelled from school for bad behavior?

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For what exactly they can be expelled

For violation of the school charter and other internal rules (for example, orders of the head teacher or principal).

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In this case, the deduction is applied if:

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• the child repeatedly violated discipline,
• other measures (remarks, reprimands) did not work,
• the student violates the rights of other students and school employees,
• the violator’s actions interfere with the work of the school,

the student does not plan – for example, not attending school for a long time without a good reason.

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How the expulsion happens

The decision is made by the school, but the opinion of the parents is taken into account. You also need the consent of the Commission on juvenile affairs.

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The director dismisses the student and informs the parents about this within three school days. The order of the director can be appealed to the Commission for the settlement of disputes between participants in educational relations. If this does not help, you can go to court.

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Within a year from the date of expulsion, the school principal can change the decision at the request of the child or his parents. If no new disciplinary measures are applied to the child during this year, he will be able to return to school.

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Any parent will be upset if their child is reprimanded or given a bad mark at school for behavior and will think: “Did I raise a bully?”. But no matter what emotions you experience, it is better to first figure out what caused the misconduct of a son or daughter.

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If your child does not want to go to school: advice from a child psychologist.

So, what problems can prevent a child from going to school?

1. Unsuitable school schedule for the student. Sometimes the problem is that the child can’t stand the stress of school. Any training program should be slightly ahead of the child’s ability to master it, but at the same time, the student should not be seriously overloaded. In addition, you should not choose too many extracurricular activities for your child.

What are the symptoms of school overload?

• inattention, distraction during activities requiring prolonged concentration

• capriciousness, irritability, various manifestations of aggression

• the child does not sleep well, his appetite is disturbed

• the child begins to catch colds often, looks tired and depressed

Advice from a child psychologist on solving the problem of school overload:

• choose the optimal training program for the child;

• choose for the child only those extracurricular activities in which he is interested;

• devote time to outdoor activities

• set aside a reasonable amount of time for homework

2. Incorrect style of pedagogical communication in the classroom.

Quite often a child can be put in a difficult situation by bad treatment by teachers. Cooperation between the teacher and the child is an important method of maintaining a comfortable psychological atmosphere in the classroom. But, unfortunately, working conditions do not always allow paying attention to the problems of each student. In addition, there are various abuses: the insensitivity and rudeness of the teacher can be a serious reason that the child does not want to go to school.

How do you know if a teacher mistreats your child?

• a student does not do well in a certain subject, although there is an ability to master it;

• a student complains about the rudeness of the teacher, that he is deliberately underestimated;

• the student is afraid to go to certain lessons; What to do if you understand that the teacher mistreats the child?

• be sure to show your child that you trust him first of all: it is necessary that he does not withdraw into himself, but shares with you learning difficulties;

• support the child in any situation, regardless of whether he is really guilty or not;

• enter into a dialogue first with the teacher, and then with the school administration: it is important to listen to the opinion of each participant in the situation and convey their point of view on the issue;

• changing school for a child is a stressful situation, this way of solving problems should be chosen when all others have been tried;

2. Relationships with classmates.

Unfortunately, there is not always a favorable psychological atmosphere in the classroom. If your child is distinguished by isolation, shyness, and other oddities, he may become the object of ridicule of classmates. Do not let things take their course: school bullying can cause serious psychological trauma that can remain with the child for many years.

Signs that your child is being bullied at school:

• the child refuses to participate in group activities with classmates;

• gloomy, sad mood of a child;

• damage to things: clothes, school supplies, toys;

• minor injuries: abrasions, bruises and others;

• fear of sharing one’s problem, the student withdraws into himself, does not talk about school life;

• the child does not talk about any of his schoolmates.

What can I do to prevent my child from being bullied at school?

• ensure that the class teacher sets aside time for group activities;

• pay more attention to your child if they are new to the school or class;

• keep the class teacher, teachers and school administration informed, in a word, the people responsible for the safe stay of the child at school;

• teach your child to stand up for himself, but never call him to “strike back”.

3. Relationship with parents.

In some situations, the parents themselves provoke the child’s reluctance to attend school.

Excessive demands on a child, especially when not combined with his real abilities, can bring trauma to a fragile psyche, destroy mutual understanding.

What should not be done anyway?

1) Remember that the basis of helping a child is mutual trust. It is not always possible for a student to describe the feelings that have arisen, to defend his point of view in front of teachers and parents. The task of adults is to make sure that the little person is heard, no matter what problems he may have. Never become a prosecutor in relation to your child!

2) Avoiding adult punishment is not the best motive for learning. Yes, often we cannot avoid sanctions against children. But fear should not be cultivated: the motive for learning is the acquisition of new knowledge, and nothing else! But we always get new knowledge not for the sake of obtaining knowledge, but always for the sake of something. No activity should be fixated on itself.

3) Do not completely shift the care of your child to teachers: take the time to have a heart-to-heart conversation.

If you feel that you cannot figure out the situation on your own, you should contact a child psychologist. Working together with a qualified specialist, you will be able to clarify the essence of the problem and outline ways to solve it without injuring the child’s psyche. You can make an appointment with the child psychologist of the Art of Harmony Center by calling 8-495-776-00-61 or using the online appointment form.

See also:

• How to raise a real man?
• How to tell a child about a difficult problem in an accessible way?
• How can I participate in my child’s school life?

• 4 Ask a child psychologist online 9030

• Sign up for a consultation with a child psychologist

What if the child is offended at school

Julia Semenyuk

can stand up for his children

Author

Author

005

Many people think that I have a scandalous nature. I disagree and call it a fight for justice.

I have two daughters. During their six years of schooling, things were stolen from them, teachers unreasonably lowered grades, and an aggressive classmate spat in the face.

I wrote complaints to the school administration and the education committee many times, called the police and the juvenile affairs inspector, and appealed to the prosecutor’s office twice more. The case has not yet reached the court, but if necessary, I will go there too. This is how I protect the rights of my children.

I’ll tell you what situations I intervened in, where I wrote complaints and how the school administration reacted to it.

What rights do children and parents have at school

Although the right to free schooling is the most well-known, it is not the only thing that the law guarantees to students and their parents. To make it easier to defend your rights, you need to know about them. I will list the main things that parents may require at school.

Law “On Education in the Russian Federation”

Familiarize yourself with the license, charter, orders and regulations of the school. If a controversial issue arises, you can ask the school management to show the document that regulates it. I did this more than once: I requested lesson plans, criteria for assessing homework in some subjects, and documents confirming the qualifications of teachers.

Find out how children are taught. Each teacher develops curricula in their subject. Parents can check them out. I made such requests to the school administration, and the programs were sent to me by e-mail – simply and quickly. More work programs can be found on the school website, but sometimes they are forgotten to be updated.

/prava/school/

Parental rights at school

Check grades and progress. If there is any doubt about the grades, you can ask the school to re-assess with an independent commission. I did this, I will tell you about it later in the article.

Don’t pay for something that should be free. Parents are often forced to donate money for textbooks, school renovations, or gifts for teachers. But this is illegal: education at school is free, and parents can donate money for something only voluntarily. This also applies to workbooks for textbooks: the school must buy them at its own expense, but parents are not always informed about this.

Our school does its best to distance itself from fees in the parent chat. And during meetings, the class teacher offers to buy additional textbooks only if desired.

Protect the interests of children. Minors cannot protect themselves on their own. Therefore, parents should write a statement about offenders or deal with low grades.

The rights of schoolchildren are spelled out in the Law “On Education”, and they are also regulated by the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. There are many rights, I will list the main ones:

1. Together with parents, choose a school, form of education and language.
2. Study according to an individual curriculum, including at home, if there is a medical indication for this.
3. Express your views and beliefs freely.
4. Develop creativity and interests.
5. Refuse imposed circles and electives.
6. Claim damages. If a classmate broke a child’s phone during recess, the school is also responsible for this.

What to do? 10/25/18

A child broke someone else’s phone at school. Who should pay?

In my opinion, the most important right for a child in school is respect for human dignity, protection of life and health, protection from physical and mental violence, personal insults. If this right is violated, then it is most difficult to achieve justice, because the boundaries of psychological violence are very blurred: for some, spitting in the face is unacceptable, for others, it’s okay. We had such a case, I will also talk about it in the article.

What to do if a child’s rights are violated at school

I know from experience that parents often do not want to get involved in conflicts, even if their child is bullied by classmates and teachers lower their grades. I do not support this position and I think that school can be a very cruel place.

Art. 45 of the Law “On Education”

Here is what parents can do to protect their child:

1. send a request to the school management not only to sort out the situation, but also to apply disciplinary sanctions to teachers, for example, issue a reprimand;
2. apply to the commission for settling disputes between participants in educational relations, if the school has one;
3. use other ways to protect the rights and legitimate interests. For example, to file complaints with the education committee or the prosecutor’s office, call a juvenile inspector and, if necessary, involve a school psychologist in solving the problem.

I tried all of these methods, except for contacting the dispute resolution committee. Our school seems to have it – documents regulating the work of the commission are posted on the website. But in fact, they are long outdated. For example, there are teachers who have already quit.

My daughters are in the sixth grade at a very ordinary school in St. Petersburg. We didn’t choose it on purpose – we went to the one closer to home. Love didn’t happen. The children do not like the school, and due to conflicts with the class teacher, they even had to move to another class. I also have complaints: teachers miss mistakes in the work of students, demand that parents clean the classrooms at the end of the school year, and also buy printers and paper.

We have a good relationship with the children, so they tell me how their day went, complain if they are offended at school, and show what classmates write in school chats.

Often I prefer not to interfere and just go with the flow, because showdowns take a lot of time and effort. But there were situations that I could not miss. I’ll tell you more about them.

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Situation 1

The teachers were unprofessional

The first class teacher. When the girls started first grade, we had several skirmishes with the class teacher. Her son studied in a parallel class, but came to ours for an extension. At such moments, the classroom turned from a teacher into a mother and did homework for a long time only with her son. She gave much less time and attention to other students.

The boy also went on holidays not with his class, but with ours. It became so commonplace that one day the class told the parent committee to buy a gift for him, too, with money that the parents of our class rented for their children. Everyone decided that “this is also a child,” and did not object. The boy went to us the whole first grade.

Another class teacher mimicked students who mispronounced words. For example, she told at the meeting how one of the students often asks to go to the “toilet”, and demanded that the parents “do educational work”. The rest were silent: they were afraid that the classroom would start offending their children too.

At the beginning of the first term, she refused to help my daughter look for lost things because she was in a hurry to get home. After the end of the school year, the teacher left for Moscow, and the motives for her attitude to work became partially clear to me: she was not going to stay here. It was unpleasant to realize that for our seven-year-old children this was an important stage in life, and for the teacher it was only a staging post.

The second class teacher. Our next class teacher was a middle-aged woman of the old school. When one of the guys laughed out loud or ran, she put the violator in front of the class, scolded and said that this student was to blame for the fact that the whole class would not go for a walk or break.

Eight-year-old children were afraid of her. My daughters sometimes called me in tears. Once I asked the teacher not to use the Gestapo methods of education in elementary school and to be softer. The reaction was harsh: she declared that she would not work with our class at all. The situation was sorted out by the head teacher – he suggested that I transfer my daughters to a parallel class with a young class teacher. I agreed.

These were the first years at school: I had no experience of communicating with teachers, I did not know how to defend the rights of my children. But most of all I was afraid that if I complained to someone, the teacher would start treating my daughters worse. Now, years later, I understand that elementary school teachers actively use this. And also the fact that small children cannot stand up for themselves, which means they can be easily offended.

If I had a second chance, I would act more decisively. I would definitely make a remark to the first teacher – both about the teasing and about the constant presence of her child in our class. Perhaps she would not even agree to transfer her children to another class. And I would also tell the head teacher in writing that the teacher is extorting gifts for her child and is behaving unprofessionally towards the children.

Most likely, none of my parents would have supported me. But at least I would be sure that I did the right thing.

Situation 2

Things were missing from a child at school

In the first grade, the daughters in the wardrobe had individual lockers that were locked. The locks were flimsy, besides, the children often forgot to close them. Therefore, it is not surprising that one day her daughter lost her personal belongings: leggings, a folder for drawing, and some little things.

Daughters in elementary school had similar lockers. Source: evorastroi.ru

I asked the class teacher to look for all this together with the child, but she refused because her working day was ending. Then I wrote a statement to the police about the theft. A few hours later, things were found. The head teacher said that the pranksters threw them behind the locker, and I acted inappropriately and it was not worth calling the police. Then the district police officer came and took explanations from me and the school staff. After that, I was called to the head teacher for the first time.

At such meetings, the school administration, as a rule, takes a defensive position: either the child is to blame, or the parents who bring him up badly. Two head teachers and a representative of the school administration spoke to me. The essence of the conversation boiled down to the need to be more patient, there are many children and the teacher does not have time to look after everyone.

For my part, I tried to explain that the administration would have to reckon with me: I am not going to change schools and will protect my children. As a result, the head teachers gave me their mobile phones to quickly solve future problems, and we parted ways.

The second time the school lost was bigger – the phone disappeared. In fourth grade, my daughter gave it to a classmate to play with and forgot to pick it up when she left home. She just left it on the table in front of the watch – there are often lost things like mittens.

Since the table is not even inside the school, but between the entrance doors, I decided that it was pointless to look for the phone – most likely, someone had already taken it away. But just in case, she asked the class teacher to ask the children, suddenly someone saw.

Klassnaya, together with the head teacher, looked at the recordings from the video cameras, and a week later the phone was returned to us. True, they refused to tell who had it all this time. The smartphone was intact and working. The SIM card was not even taken out of it, which I immediately blocked.

Even children in the class were robbed of pocket money, pens, pencils and even food from briefcases. Parents discussed this in a general chat, but the matter did not go beyond conversations.

Situation 3

Children were unreasonably underestimated

I believe that only exact subjects, such as mathematics, can be graded. If my kids get C’s in history or biology, most of the time I think they missed something or didn’t finish their homework. I don’t understand at all how it is possible to evaluate art, music or technology. Therefore, both of my appeals about grades were related to technology – in my time this subject was called “labor”.

The teacher gave the task to draw up a notebook. She did not specify that it was necessary to use multi-colored shreds and buttons: in the electronic diary, it was simply indicated to “design the first page of the notebook” without additional requirements. Therefore, my daughters did it in accordance with their ideas of beauty.

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At that time, my daughters liked Pokémon, so the notebook was decorated accordingly

As a result, both got two. It was the fifth grade, the beginning of September – the desire to study even at the maximum. The daughters were very upset and could not understand why the teacher did not appreciate their beautiful notebooks, on which they worked for an hour. There were other girls who designed notebooks to their taste – they also got deuces.

I decided to clarify the criteria for evaluating this homework and contacted the school administration through the electronic reception on the school website. I was interested on what basis the teacher puts deuces for the creativity and imagination of children.

I was very angry, but I tried to keep a calm tone of the letter

The result was already a few days later: the deuces from the electronic diary disappeared, and the head teacher explained to me over the phone that this is how the teacher sets the children on a serious attitude to the subject. They didn’t collect a commission, but I was offered to study the written assessment criteria for creative subjects and lesson plans at school, in the technology room. It was important for me that the issue with grades was resolved, so I didn’t go to school in the end.

No one treated my kids worse because I decided to deal with low grades. Rather, on the contrary, the teacher became more attentive and stopped grading for educational and instructive purposes.

Because of the grades, I argued more than once. For example, in the sixth grade, my daughter again had problems with technology – I did not agree with two assessments. At my request, her assessment for the second quarter was extended for two weeks – the school can do that.

Now I communicate with the school only officially and demand a written response from them to all requests. The administration also learned to work with me – their answers became clear, quick and to the point

Situation 4

The school violated the rights of the child

In the sixth grade, I asked the class teacher to transfer one of my daughters: a neighbor on the desk showed her pornographic videos and called her names. She promised to solve everything. But there were not enough places, so the daughter wandered around the class and took the places of the sick.

10 rights that children have: from personal belongings to name changes and early marriages

After a while, I again came to the teacher. Then the classroom added a third desk in the first row, blocking the aisle with it. According to the rules, you can’t do that.

For the third time, I turned to the head teacher and asked to check the seating in the class. After that, the third desk was removed, a normal place was assigned to the daughter, and the children’s seating list was hung near the blackboard.

This is not our class, but similar: the classrooms in the high school are standard

But some time later, a classmate brought a certificate stating that, for medical reasons, she needed to sit exactly in my daughter’s place. The classroom again began to move Xenia from place to place. Then I applied to the school through the electronic reception on the website. This time she demanded an official answer.

The answer came two weeks later – my daughter had her own place again. It would seem that the issue is simple, but it had to be officially resolved within a month and a half.

I am still learning how to write complaints without emotion. In this appeal, I also asked to replace the damaged furniture – by the way, they also responded to this. This is an official response to my appeal. Our school likes to make the victim an intruder, so the daughter was accused along the way of transplanting herself

Situation 5

Children have been bullied

Bullying, or harassment, can manifest itself physically when a child is beaten, pushed, or things are damaged. Or psychologically, when they call names or humiliate. Now teenagers draw all sorts of photoshops, shoot videos and send it all to general chats.

The school does not like to recognize bullying, most often such situations will be called conflict and blame not only the instigators, but also the victim. Sometimes children won’t admit to being bullied at school because they don’t want to be seen as traitors and bullied even more.

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My longest and hardest showdown with school happened because of the aggressive behavior of a classmate of my daughters. He was a big boy, cursed a lot, pushed around, broke other people’s things, was rude to the class teacher, beat other children – in general, he behaved disgustingly. From time to time, the parents in the chat raised the topic of his behavior, but the matter did not go beyond conversations.

One day this boy started to terrorize my daughters: first he waited for them near the school and threw snow, then he started pushing and kicking, and it all ended with spitting in the face. Moreover, he spat in the face not only of my daughters, but also of other girls. However, none of the parents, except me, attached much importance to this.

In my experience, mothers and fathers are afraid to make any complaints in writing and are not ready to intervene, even if they verbally support the general complaint.

There are several entrance doors to our school, but there is only one exit. Therefore, if a classmate is waiting for the child after school, intending to throw snowballs, then the threat will not be avoided. Even the cool chat of daughters

says that the atmosphere in the class was not too healthy. At first, I tried to discuss the boy’s behavior with his mother on the phone, but she answered that doesn’t see the problem. After that, I wrote to the school administration. I was called in for a conversation with the head teacher, social pedagogue and the boy’s dad. The school even created an independent commission to investigate our case. As a result, the violator, and at the same time my children, were placed under intra-school control, and a school psychologist began to work with the class.

That’s how I learned that it’s not only disadvantaged children who are put under internal control. The school independently determines the rules for such control and prescribes them in the regulation. As far as I understand, in the course of further disassembly, this would characterize my children as bullies and violators, but if the children behave adequately and the family is prosperous, then putting on an internal school record does not affect anything. Although, of course, it sounds insulting, especially if children act as victims.

The school administration really wanted me to stop these fights, so they tried to influence me in every possible way, including by putting my daughters under control. They also put pressure on my children: they were called to the head teacher’s office and accused of foul language, until I forbade them to do this without my presence.

After the second spit in the face of my daughters, I realized that the school could not or did not want to resolve this issue. Then she turned to the police department, and also wrote complaints about the inaction of the school to the education committee and the prosecutor’s office. She also called the juvenile inspector: he can register the child and regularly check his behavior. In our case, I did not expect special help – rather, I wanted the bully, his parents and, at the same time, the school to be simply intimidated.

The school administration is obliged to call the inspector at the first request of the parents, but, as a rule, is in no hurry to do so. In our case, the head teacher convinced me that the matter was not worth the attention of the inspector, saying, “these are not drugs.”

I didn’t want to waste time, so I called the inspector myself through the electronic reception on the police website. She briefly described the situation and demanded that the inspector come to the school. They didn’t answer me, but they contacted the school and set up a meeting time.

In the second memorandum I list point by point what I have already done to resolve the issue – this adds weight to my appeal

I recorded all conversations – personal and telephone – on a dictaphone. She made out reports with incoming numbers to make the school stir and respond. When the appeal has an incoming number, the school administration will not be able to “lose” it – it will be obliged to respond within 30 days. If there is no number, you can always say that there was no call either.

At some point, I suggested to the social educator to lead an aggressive student by the hand and constantly correct his behavior. But the school administration said that this was impossible: there was only one social teacher, and there were 800 students in the elementary school. The mother of an unruly student was present at the school several times. But the results were short-lived: the boy behaved normally for a couple of days, and then everything started all over again.

My classmates’ parents did not support me. Most thought that spitting in the face was nothing special, so no one intervened. I was even condemned for the fact that, because of my complaints, our class teacher was punished – she was reprimanded.

Everything was decided by itself: schools switched to distance learning. And after the fourth grade, the boy was transferred to another school. After he studied with my daughters for 2.5 years, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Now the children in the class live quite peacefully.

Evaluating this situation today, I understand that the school has little ability to solve such a problem. It is impossible to transfer a student to another school or class without parental consent. Even a conversation with an inspector – a stern woman in uniform – does not frighten modern children in any way.

Later, the director complained that she could not significantly influence the work of teachers. She has the right to announce a reprimand or send her to advanced training courses. More serious sanctions, such as depriving a bonus or reducing salary, are not available to a director.

What parents should do if their child is bullied at school: advice from a psychologist

Nikita Karpov

clinical psychologist

Bullying has a negative impact on the emotional state of the child and his self-esteem, increases the risk of depressive and anxiety disorders, and can adversely affect academic performance.

If a child is bullied in elementary school, then parents should always act: go to the teacher, director, administration, the investigative committee, and so on. Worst case, change schools. In the vast majority of cases, a junior high school student cannot cope with bullying on his own.

You need to act more carefully with a teenager – it is important to coordinate actions with him so as not to spoil the relationship. A teenager already has the right to make his own decisions, he has his own motives and desires.

For example, it may be that some guys bully, but in the same class there is someone with whom the teenager is in love, and he does not want to go to another school, even on pain of death. In such cases, it can be dangerous for the relationship with the child to arrange a showdown and take him out of school. We need to look for ways to support and help him.

First, you need to support the teenager emotionally: listen, feel sorry, share his feelings and experiences with him. Also discuss the situation with him, look for options, what he can do, how to help himself. Perhaps find a training on confident behavior or watch a movie about bullying together. For example, the recently released “I met those who poisoned me.”

In any case, it is important for parents to indicate that they are ready to help and get involved in the situation to the fullest, and also to make sure that the teenager will ask for help when it is needed. Perhaps it is worth discussing the criteria with him when it is definitely time for parents to join.

Although, of course, a lot depends on the stage of bullying. So, if a child is already in a depressive-anxious state, he needs more active help. The teenager needs to be removed from the situation, to go with him to a psychotherapist or psychiatrist to help cope with this condition. Then, when the child is fine, it is worth discussing with him what he wants to do next: fight if he has a resource, or just change schools and forget like a bad dream.

Situation 6

Teachers neglected teaching a child with a disability

Due to health reasons, one of my daughters studies at home. She has a disability, and according to the law, the school must organize home-based learning: approve an individual curriculum and instruct teachers to remotely study one-on-one with her.

Lessons cannot be canceled – only rescheduled. According to regulatory documents, if a teacher falls ill, they must find a replacement within three days.

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This is what my daughter’s individual education plan looks like for the current school year This is a complete list of regulatory documents that govern learning at home

I suspect that our school has only one child at home – mine. Therefore, teachers could not competently integrate Alina’s lessons into their work schedule: in the first quarter they were constantly late, rescheduled classes, and did not conduct part of the lessons at all.

For a while, I tried to peacefully resolve this issue through the class teacher and the head teacher. But the situation has not changed. The last straw was a triple in technology, which the teacher gave Alina for a poorly copied assignment from her sister’s notebook. For six months, the teacher never spoke to Alina, taught her nothing, did not discuss her homework. And in the end, she gave it “satisfactory” for drawing patterns and sewing on a typewriter, which her daughter mastered on her own. I could not come to terms with such injustice.

I wrote a complaint about the violation of the rights to education of a child with a disability to the school, the prosecutor’s office and the education committee. This is a very serious charge – a parent can even be held administratively liable for false complaints. Therefore, I was summoned personally to both the prosecutor’s office and the committee. I provided evidence of my words: screenshots of being late, correspondence, my requests, grades in a notebook.

In correspondence, the teacher tried to shift the problem of finding a convenient time for the lesson onto my shoulders. But by that time I had already learned to answer correctly

The school responded promptly. All Alina’s classes, including physical education, fine arts and music, are now held on time, no one is late, the teacher’s electronic diary is filled out well. This is exactly what I was looking for.

But, as far as I know, the prosecutor’s office has not yet closed our case completely, and the education committee is still sorting it out.

This is the first page from the response of the prosecutor’s office. Supervisors considered my complaint justified, found violations and forced the district administration to resolve this issue

To whom and in what order to complain

Thanks to my experience, I have gained a lot of experience in communicating with the school authorities: I know what to demand, how to do it and which higher authorities to go to if the problem is not solved. I will share my algorithm of actions.

By law, a complaint can be sent at least immediately to the president. The appeal will be registered there, but will still be redirected for consideration to the very bottom of the bureaucratic hierarchy. Therefore, in resolving issues with the school, I adhere to the following order.

The first step is the class teacher. He communicates with children, parents and school management and in fact can do a lot. For example, involve a school psychologist and communicate with parents, if the reason for the appeal is the student’s aggressive behavior, assemble a conflict commission.

The second level is the school administration. She will get down to business if the teacher could not and did not want to help. Usually the head teacher acts on behalf of the school.

The situation should be taken under control and ways to resolve the conflict should be proposed. If the proposal does not suit you, you need to insist on your own options for the development of events.

At this stage, you can warn the head teacher and class teacher that if nothing changes, then you are ready to move on. The school really dislikes attention from higher authorities, so there is a chance that they will start looking more actively for a solution to the problem.

Third step – supervisory departments: education committee, police, prosecutor’s office – depending on the situation. For example, if we are talking about a missing thing, you need to write a statement to the police, and if the child is underestimated, to the education committee. You can write to two departments at once. When the rights to education of my child with a disability were violated, I wrote to both the education committee and the prosecutor’s office.

Supervisory authorities may call you and ask you to clarify the situation. You need to be ready to back up your words with evidence: documents, screenshots of correspondence, recordings of conversations. It will not be possible to stop or hush up the call at this stage.

I deliberately did not include my classmates’ parents in this list. In my experience, even if the cause of the conflict is in a particular child, it is pointless to communicate with his mom and dad. Most likely, the conversation will be in a raised tone and will lead nowhere. You can’t blame other people’s children. It is more correct to influence the violator through teachers and supervisors.

How to write a complaint correctly

There are no established rules and forms for writing. But there are a number of recommendations that you should follow. Here is what you need to indicate in the complaint:

1. Name of the institution to which we are filing a complaint, its address. Here you can also find the sender’s data: full name, contact phone number, e-mail and actual address of residence.
2. The reason for the appeal – it must be described without emotions and to the point. In my first complaints, I often deviated from this rule: I used a lot of exclamation and question marks, I tried to appeal to conscience and common sense. Gradually I realized that this would not work with the school: seasoned people work there who are indifferent to other people’s feelings.
3. Links to legislation. They are optional, but this will make the complaint more convincing. To be honest, I did not add them – this did not affect the result or the speed of the response. Parents are not required to know all the regulations by which the school operates. Moreover, in the response, the school administration itself must list the necessary documents. You can also specify a list of authorities that you already had to apply to earlier – also for weight.
4. The result you want to achieve. You can add your suggestions. For example, to involve a school psychologist or a juvenile inspector in solving a problem if it is a question of a student’s bad behavior.
5. Evidence, if any: screenshots of correspondence, copies of previous appeals.
6. Date and, in the case of a written complaint, signature.

Complaint example DOCX, 8 KB

Complaint example that takes into account the recommendations: situation explained, reference to legislation added, requirements clear, tone of the letter discreetly formal

After that, you need to file a complaint in person or via the Internet. I no longer take mail into account: it takes a long time and papers can get lost.

There is an electronic reception on the website of our school – through it I usually send complaints and appeals to the school management. This is convenient: confirmation comes instantly and you don’t have to worry that the request was lost or ended up in spam. In the regions, on the websites of schools, there is not always an electronic reception – in this case, the appeal can be sent to the school email.

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How to properly file a complaint with any agency

Management has 30 days to give an official response. If this does not happen, you can safely complain to the education committee. The school has never ignored me. Often they answered much earlier – within two weeks.

With complaints to the supervisory authorities, everything is the same: it is possible to file complaints remotely – through the electronic reception on their official websites or send them by e-mail.

Over the years of communication with the school administration, I learned one main rule: all serious issues must be resolved only in writing. Spending time talking – in person and on the phone – is often pointless. It’s safer with papers. If the problem reoccurs or the solution fails, then you will have proof that you tried to do something. This gives weight when you have to turn to higher authorities.

It is also better to demand an official answer or refusal on paper. School management likes to contact parents by phone and will try to resolve the issue verbally, but I advise you to ask for a written answer. It should indicate what exactly the teacher and school management did to resolve your issue. The school has no right to refuse a written response.

How other parents and teachers treat me

My reputation in the parent chat and school administration is not very good. What I call the fight for justice is considered by many to be scandalous. It doesn’t bother me anymore.

I used to react very emotionally when children were offended – I wanted to destroy the school. Now my daughters are older, and I am calmer and more prudent. I have mobile phones for the head teacher and director, today they are ready to help me with any questions. But I still participate minimally in school life – I donate money for the needs of the class, and that’s it.

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I’ve been a member of the parent committee for 9 years, and this is what pisses me off

Something else is much more important to me: my daughters know that I will always protect them. And also that other people’s parents cannot scold them. And that a school is not a concentration camp and no one there has the right to offend them.

I protect the rights of my children, but at the same time I make sure that their behavior does not provoke conflicts. We have rules: at school, you can’t beat anyone, call names, spoil other people’s things and be rude to teachers. When my daughters tell me about the bad behavior of classmates, I often focus on this and ask: “I hope you didn’t do this?” For example, they didn’t laugh during the film about the lifting of the blockade of Leningrad and didn’t trample on other people’s jackets in the wardrobe. I want my daughters to respect those around them and grow up decent and fair.

Yes, the school doesn’t like parents like me. But in rare moments of enlightenment, her leadership understands that my requirements help them put things in order and better organize the learning process.

Memo for parents of schoolchildren

1. Schoolchildren and their parents have not only duties, but also rights. They are spelled out in the federal law “On Education”, the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
2. If the rights of a child are violated, then parents have the right to protect them: file complaints with the education committee or the prosecutor’s office, call a juvenile inspector, involve a school psychologist in solving the problem. If necessary, go to the police, the prosecutor’s office, the court.
3. No need to jump over your heads and immediately write a complaint to a higher authority. It is better to try to resolve the issue with the class teacher. If there is no result, go to the school administration. The Education Committee, the police, the prosecutor’s office are already the third step.
4. Emotions and a bunch of question and exclamation marks in a complaint are superfluous. You need to adhere to the official style, clearly articulate what you are complaining about and what result you are expecting – this way you can change something faster.
5. You don’t have to go to the school to send a complaint to the principal. This can be done through the electronic reception on the school website or by writing to the school email.
6. All serious issues must be resolved in writing. Also require an official written response or refusal from the school: if the problem recurs or the solution does not suit you, at least you will have confirmation that you are not filing a complaint for the first time.
7. False complaints may be subject to administrative liability. Therefore, if you apply to the police or the prosecutor’s office, then it is better to have evidence of your words with you: screenshots of correspondence, copies of appeals, recordings of telephone conversations.
8. There is no need to be afraid that after you write a complaint, the child will start to find fault, lower grades and generally will not let you study in peace. Usually, everything happens exactly the opposite: teachers become more attentive and try to prevent the problem from happening again.
9. Protecting the rights of your child is difficult, very few do it: it takes a lot of time and effort. And there is also a risk of being known as a scandalous mom. Here you need to decide what is more important for you: a child or reputation.
10. School can be a very cruel and unpleasant place, so it is the responsibility of a parent to always support and protect their child.

what from the office is needed in the second grade

In the 2nd grade, the student will need, basically, the same list of supplies as when preparing for the 1st grade. With the difference that some part of the office probably remained in a usable condition, which means that you won’t have to buy it anymore. In any case, at the end of the school year, parents carefully inspect the child’s school inventory, compare the available items with those included in the shopping list for grade 2, and purchase only the missing ones. So, what does a second grader need to study, besides a diary?

Stationery

The first step is to check the pencil case and, if it has deteriorated or lost its attractive appearance, buy a new one. Optimal models such as cosmetic bags, compact, but roomy, where it is convenient to collect the most popular stationery: pens, rulers, erasers, sharpeners.

Pens
A child carries at least two pens with blue ink to school, 2-3 more spare pens are required at home. This is the main tool of the elementary school student, so it must be convenient and practical. The abundance of jewelry, some figurines, a thick artsy case for this accessory are superfluous. The best model is thin, comfortable in the hand, three- or multi-faceted, not smooth, with a rubber pad for the fingers, with a cap. You also need 1-2 more colored pens in the pencil case.

Pencils

Two simple pencils (plus a couple in reserve), a set of colored pencils (10-12 colors), sharpeners, an eraser, compasses are enough for the class. Usually in the 2nd grade they also use felt-tip pens.

Rulers

A small ruler (15-20 cm) fits in a pencil case, and a long one (30 cm) is needed only at labor lessons.

Notebooks

Workbooks are usually bought for the whole class, but it is also better to buy 10 regular notebooks in a cage and a slanting line. For drafts, a notebook or a couple more notebooks will do. Covers for notebooks and textbooks – 10 pcs.

A music book is required for music lessons.

List for labor lessons

Put in a separate folder:

• 2 sets of colored paper and cardboard;

• white cardboard packaging;

• velvet paper set;

• scissors;

• glue bottle;

• adhesive stick;

• plasticine with modeling board;

• natural material kit.

Lined oilcloth on the table, apron, sleeves will not interfere.

Drawing accessories

It is better to buy two drawing books at once (20-24 sheets each), renew sets of paints (watercolors and gouache), 3 brushes of different sizes. For fine art lessons, you also need a palette and a jar of water, napkins for hands.

Accessories

Many small details make learning easier: textbook holder (eg Rifforma accessories), wall or table timetable, textbook bookmarks.

Clothes, shoes, satchel

The child has probably already grown out of last year’s sports uniform, so the new suit is also included in the list of pre-school purchases. Ideally, it is recommended to take two – for indoors and for the street, but you can get by with one or separately pants and a windbreaker. To them – T-shirts, sneakers, a bag with a drawstring.