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AIBU?

Children in reception class.....

42 replies

rosieandjim2 · 24/01/2017 18:09

Hi our dd has started reception in September and has settled in well but when me or dp ask her dose she like "big" school she says no I hate going to school it's boring Hmm she is doing cursive handwriting (joined up) aibu in thinking 4 year olds should at least learn how to form letters normally before cursive handwriting is introduced. What are your dcs doing in reception class . Thanks

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IWantATardis · 24/01/2017 18:16

At DS1s school in reception , they teach the children to do letters with sort of flicks at the end.

So they're practicing writing the letters individually, but also practicing writing the bits that will join the letters together once they move to joined up writing. As opposed to just printing a b c etc.

It looked a bit odd to me at first - I was taught to print individual letters without flicky bits before I learnt joined up writing - but I can see how it'll make learning joined up writing easier for them when they get that far.

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BikeRunSki · 24/01/2017 18:17

DD is also in Reception but is now 5. She is also learning cursive writing, as did DS before her. What is the point in learning one way of writing only to learn another. I was greeted with Hmm by the teacher when I asked why they didn't have cursive reading books.

DD loves school though (not so keen on breakfast club though). Is she maybe just bored?

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IWantATardis · 24/01/2017 18:19

Oh, and we also get the whole "school is boring, I don't like school, I want to go to soft play / the park / do other fun thing instead", but he always goes into school happily enough when we get there.

I think in our case it's not so much actively hating school and finding it boring, as that he'd rather be doing other stuff given a free choice.

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smilingsarahb · 24/01/2017 18:23

I think they all seem to learn cursive from the start now.

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Aeroflotgirl · 24/01/2017 18:27

That sounds really early, surely they should be teaching them how to bloody write their letters properly first. My goodness, in Finland and other Nordic countries, they don't start school until 7. I think it is far too early tbh. I remember learning to write, when I was about 6/7 years. Joined up 7/8. The pressure they put on very young children, some only just 4 is awful.

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Mistoffelees · 24/01/2017 18:30

Lots of schools are doing cursive from reception now as a knock down effect from higher up in school. For some reason the thinking is, the earlier we start the better they'll be, instead of following the eyfs curriculum and doing what's best for the children now.

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fiorentina · 24/01/2017 18:31

Are you talking positively about school though as you sound very down on it?

In my experience this is quite normal and for lots of reception my DC said playtime was the best bit. They did cursive letters and lots of learning through play as well as more structured learning, it gave them a great foundation.

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rosieandjim2 · 24/01/2017 18:36

Seams like most dcs are doing it then Shock personally I don't like it and agree with areo it puts a lot of pressure on 4/5 year old children, we get reading books and home work which is only a work sheet with words they need to know sounds they need to know but still homework is homework x

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empirerecordsrocked · 24/01/2017 18:38

Cursive from the start in dts school too. I like it, it's quicker and nearer once they master it.

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Aeroflotgirl · 24/01/2017 18:38

It just takes the joys out of learning, and they burn out at a younger age. They should be following the EYFS curriculum, not doing something that should be done when kids are older, and have better motor skills and concentration.

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CigarsofthePharoahs · 24/01/2017 18:40

My son learned to write letters with the flicky bits on in R year.
It's funny, his school has a reputation for pushing children quite hard and yet (yr 1 now) of all his friends in other schools he has the least homework. He just has to read me his set story book from school, and it's one they've already looked at in school anyway.
He does protest about not wanting to go and today was looking mighty upset by the door. However his teacher told me he always settles well and is really improving with his concentration.

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Aeroflotgirl · 24/01/2017 18:41

All well and good empirer, but children develop at different rates, and some won't be able to just yet, but they will be seen as underperforming, even at 4. The pressure comes down from the government, to schools, and then teachers, which pressurise the children. In Finland they have high success rates in Education with starting later, and having a varied curriculum, involving a variety of teaching, practical and traditional.

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Dahlietta · 24/01/2017 18:41

No cursive at my DS's school in reception.

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megletthesecond · 24/01/2017 18:42

DS started with cursive 5 years ago when he was in reception. I thought it was silly at the time, then I saw a MN thread explaining why they started with cursive and it made sense. It meant his writing fell into place in year 3. He didn't have to unlearn anything to join up.

Hang in there. She won't click with it yet but long term it seems to pay off.

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Stitchosaurus · 24/01/2017 18:43

my ds in reception does cursive writing too. He'd been printing letters at pre-school but seems happy enough with the change. I can see the sense behind it and the improvement in one term has been amazing.

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rosieandjim2 · 24/01/2017 18:45

That's what we got told she was in the low end of the class because of her handwriting, we have parent's evening soon so we will see how much she has improved x

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Adsss · 24/01/2017 18:48

Cursive from the beginning here too. Means when they start writing more they have more fluency when writing bigger words and sentences later on it is faster and they can get down faster onto paper.

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Adsss · 24/01/2017 18:50

Unlike me with fat fingers and a phone. grrr. Must remember to preview before posting

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witsender · 24/01/2017 18:50

Cursive early here. DD hated school though. With a passion. Was pretty much a refuser from 5.

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SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 24/01/2017 18:51

DS is in y1. They seem to be taught a mix of print for most of the time and being gently introduced to cursive for future use.

TBH I think I'd rather that he just learns cursive. He's just done a homework writing out the letters and he's done a better job of writing them with strokes in the right direction and facing the right way than he normally does with print. He's still writing 3/5 letters in his name the wrong way, and has very jumbled letter formation even if the shape is right. Cursive seems to flow more smoothly and logically, and I think I'd rather he just learned it once, well rather than getting confused in two styles.

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simplysarcastic · 24/01/2017 18:58

In my DD's first week in reception she said "I don't think school is for me, mum"

I asked her the other day what her favourite part of school was she said "my lunch"

Grin

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ArabellaRockerfella · 24/01/2017 19:05

Yes we teach cursive with the 'lead ins and flick outs' from Reception. The thought behind it is that they learn one form of handwriting from the get go rather than learn to print for 2yrs and then have to learn to join in Yr 2. There is anecdotal evidence that it can also help children who reverse b, d, etc.
It can be very tricky for the little ones but by Yr 1/2 it has really paid off.
By the way my dd is 11 and still thinks school is boring!

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bumsexatthebingo · 24/01/2017 19:13

Yanbu. Cursive letters in reception are unnecessary and put kids off writing imo. It also doesn't make it any easier for a lot to transfer to joined as their writing is either illegible from trying to do the in/outstrokes or they put the instroke and the flick.on.after writing the letter normally which is just a waste of time. Nothing the teacher will be able to do as it will be a whole school policy.

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OopsDearyMe · 24/01/2017 19:14

Do not get make started on cursive writing!!!!!! I know for a fact that it is cursive bloody writing that's ho!ding my son back.why teach the children a way to write that is pointless and confusing. Argh !!!!!!

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KateDaniels2 · 24/01/2017 19:16

Its not actually joined up writing though is it?

Its letters with flicks on, so they can eventually join the writing up. Ot makes sense.

Both my kids did it. One was the youngest in the year and it hasnt harmed tgem not have either felt too much pressure.

Both have said they dont like school. Its just what young kids and older kids say. Unless there is a real problrm i wouldnt worry.

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