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Michael Rosen joining us on Mumsnet on Friday 7th May from 12 - 1pm

110 replies

RachelMumsnet · 04/05/2010 17:57

We're delighted that former Children's Laureate, Michael Rosen will be joining us for a live chat on Friday at midday. It's a topical webchat as Michael is supporting the SATS boycott and has set up the campaign, Authors Against SATS. Please post advance questions to Michael on this thread and join us here for the live chat on Friday.

OP posts:
JustBlameSue · 04/05/2010 17:59

But what about Sue?

smallishsheep · 05/05/2010 10:06

Ah, I love when he reads on Ceebeebies
I will, along with most of MN I should imagine, be nursing a hangover and a sleepless night so this will be most welcome

squeaver · 05/05/2010 10:07

Oh don't know anything about SATS, so can't contribute, but we LOVE him in this house.

Dd: "I don't want a boring story, Mum, I want POEMS".

Babbit · 05/05/2010 10:16

We love Michael in our house too. My kids' favourite books are Bear Hunt (as it is known here) and Little Rabbit Foo Foo.

Don't know a great deal about SATS as were are not at that stage yet (but if MR's against I am sure I am!!).

GothAnneGeddes · 05/05/2010 10:27

I'm really looking forward to this. He's a fantastic writer and old school lefty too.

GothAnneGeddes · 05/05/2010 10:27

I'm really looking forward to this. He's a fantastic writer and old school lefty too.

deepdarkwood · 05/05/2010 10:44

Oh, we LOVE you, Michael. I'm afraid the dcs call you 'the lovely bulgy eye man' though.

Will try and think of a question - can't guarentee it'll be on SATS (although I agree with your boycott)

popmum · 05/05/2010 11:23

Hi Michael - My daughter is about to do her KS1 ones and despite the teacher saying not to worry she is worried and I think it's terrible! I just want her to play and learn gently with no pressure. I also think it is a lot of pressure on teachers. So my question is are you boycotting/ against KS1 sats as well as KS2 ones? Anyway I said you were coming on MN and my DD wants to know how many poems you have written for kids and how many for adults? Thanks

MmeLindt · 05/05/2010 12:16

No idea about SATs because we are abroad, but just wanted to say how much Michael is loved in our house. We have the Puffin Book of First Poems and it is often one of your poems that they want to hear.

Can anyone recommend some other books by Michael? My DC are 5yo and 8yo.

Hassled · 05/05/2010 12:20

One of my sons had KS2 SATs last year - the school sent back most of the English papers to be remarked and still didn't feel the results were fair. And then when DS2 got to High School they were all immediately tested again; the High School just disregarded the SATs completely.

There is so much continual assessment in schools already; the schools already know where a child has made or failed to make improvement, and can use tracking software to demonstrate that. I used to see SATs as a valuable tool to monitor performance, but increasingly realise that they really are completely pointless.

Sorry - I realise this is less of a question and more of a rant.

LostArtOfKeepingASecret · 05/05/2010 14:02

MmeLindt my two (6 and 4) love this one. It includes a CD with Michael reading all of the poems. The are a couple that are a little dark - one is about been stuck on the underground line with an oncoming train! - but that's my 6 yr olds favourite one.

Michaels readings are, as to be expected, excellent and the book has inspired DD to compose her own heartfelt poems.

I shall go away and think of an intelligent SAT question.

elkiedee · 05/05/2010 14:22

Ooh, I'll have to look at the book recommendations later. Something to look forward to after the election, even if I only get to read it later.

sallyJayGorce · 05/05/2010 16:46

Hello Michael, thanks for your wonderful stories and your stance on SATS.

How would you phrase advice to an anxious child forced to stop reading for pleasure and made to start reading for tests?

I am completely against them and so far my children are too young to have had them. By the way you are an excellent whistler. I saw you on Upper St last year, you were with some children and I recognised you too late to speak to you. My son would have loved to say hello.

Sneaky extra question - have you heard The Testimony of Patience Kershaw sung by The Unthanks? No need to answer, just look it up if not. I think you'd like it.

CoupleofKooks · 05/05/2010 18:10

Oh hello Mr Rosen, we all adore you in this house!

My son, who is 7, would like to ask you:

How much did it hurt the boy, on a scale of 1 to 10, when he fell off the go kart, in 'Go Kart'?

My partner would like to know if the Go Kart story is true?

(you can tell this is their favourite at the moment)

I would like to ask what age reader you had in mind when you wrote the Sad Book? I haven't let my son read it yet as I don't want him to know that Eddie died. We all love the poems about Eddie as a toddler so much. I am so sorry about his death. I think the Sad Book is a work of genius - thank you very much for it and for the enjoyment that all your books have given us.

WilfSell · 05/05/2010 18:15

I don't think there ARE any questions about SATS are there, since we all know they're pointless.

Last night at 10pm, my 11 year old son came downstairs in a state. He felt sick, he said, and thought he might be sick. He has done this often this school year, pretty much every time SATS are mentioned. Yesterday the school ran another 'test' paper. We kept him off school today because he didn't fall asleep till after midnight, having panic attack after panic attack.

He does have an issue with anxiety in general, and we're going to try and get some help with that. But when we spoke to the Head this morning, she agreed they are pointless, though the school are not boycotting them. The school will let his new high school know his achievements and talents anyway. When we discussed this again this afternoon, I was very hard pushed to answer the question 'well if everyone thinks they're pointless, why do I have to do them?'

The only vaguely plausible answer I could give was 'well perhaps later in life, this might be useful practice for other exams you might do...' Quite why he has to worry about this kind of stuff at 11 is a bit beyond me.

Will now go and look at the authors against SATS site...

WilfSell · 05/05/2010 18:18

Have read. I certainly concur about the teaching of literature. My son despises the comprehension reports. But this is part of the broader so-called literacy strategy which seems designed to turn enthusiastic imaginations into dead wood.

midnightexpress · 05/05/2010 18:51

Hi Michael. My DCs are too young for SATs and we're lucky enough to live in Scotland where they are not going to have to sit them, but it is really vexing me that if we move back to England (which looks likely) we'd be sending our children into that system. The programme on TV a couple of months ago about maths teaching showed how pointless and anxiety-inducing SATs are for children. How depressing that the powers that be consider this to be the best we can do in educating our children. Awful.

Anyway, i don't really have a question for you, but just wanted to say thanks for trying to raise the profile of the boycott. More power to your campaign!

becaroo · 05/05/2010 18:52

Hello Mr Rosen!

(We are big fans of your books here too, especially "We're going on a Bear Hunt" and Little rabbit foo foo")

I took my ds2 (aged 6) out of school to home educate him in January of this year and one of my (many) reasons was that he would now be sitting SATS.

My son was labelled a "struggling reader" at the start of year 1 (about 18 months ago) and to watch him struggle with the label, with the other childrens attitudes to him and the schools ineffective "help" was heartbreaking. He came home from school one day after being in year 1 for about a month and told that he had "a stupid brain"

He has the vocabulary of a 10-11 year old, an amazing imagination and loves numeracy and science, but because of his early experiences with literacy he now sees it as something he cant do/is bad at. I would call him "reading phobic" if there were such a term!! Ironically, his handwriting is very good and he is getting better at spelling.

My question is; Should I be worried that he is still not yet a fluent reader and should I still be getting him to read a little to me every night before bed? I try to pick books with an animal theme (he is animal mad) and/or non-fiction which he seesm to prefer.

I dont want to make him hate literacy more than he already does, but I also want him to understand the importance of literacy and why we need to be able to read and write to communicate with others.

Any thoughts?

activate · 05/05/2010 18:53

Mr Rosen, I have no questions but wanted to commend you for your SAD book which has been so helpful in dealing with child bereavement. You are a wonderful conceptualiser and author. Thank you.

Oh and I heartily support the anti-SATS campaign - not against testing per se just the way they are implemented and used

becaroo · 05/05/2010 18:53

Ooops, I meant my ds1!!!! Sorry my brain turns to mush after 6pm!!!

activate · 05/05/2010 18:58

Actually I do have a question. That links is to a blog page, is there an actual campaign as well as that page and signatures?

spudmasher · 05/05/2010 19:39

Hello Michael. Thank you for your wonderful work. I use it a lot in my job and we love reading your stuff at home. Magical. (You've also made me a hit with Year 3....read your Chocolate Cake poem in assembly today)

Anyway, here's the question....
How do you feel about the shelving and possible scrapping of Sir Jim Rose's New Primary Curriculum, and do you have any plans afoot for campaigning about the Primary Curriculum?
(Don't know what government is in at time of posting!!!!)

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MrsJamin · 05/05/2010 20:11

No particular question but just wanted to add to the love for your work! I read We're Going on a Bear Hunt to my 2.4yr old son this morning and he was spellbound, said "again!" as soon as I'd finished- I read it 4 times today!

Also as an ex-teacher I'd like to applaud you for your position on SATS - we are missing out on so many months of missed educational opportunities for 10 year olds due to these stupid tests that only serve statisticians and politicians, not teachers, pupils or parents.

nowit · 05/05/2010 20:20

Hello Michael, I am very proud to say that I My DS knows all of the words to 'Bear Hunt', it is a firm favourite in our house. Thank you.
My DD is 6 and does NOT ever read with a teacher only at home. The school says, that as we read with her often (I am a 3rd year literature undergrad with a massive interest in all things literary) they don't need to !

'Do you think that literacy could/should be taught in a better way?'

I feel that we could be using new technologies in a better way, but also going back to basics. I read with the children who struggle in my local school and they are bored with Biff, Chip etc. If authors, such as yourself, were part of the curriculum then maybe children (and adults) would be more inclined to pick up a book and read!

controlfreakery · 05/05/2010 21:42

no questions here either.... just a hello and a wish to say how moving and brilliant you book about your son and the sad book are. keep on keeping on!

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