School making DC wrote a letter of condolence for the Queen

[wheredidIleavemystyle]

The school are creating a book of condolence for the DC to write in.

On the surface of it, this is a nice idea, and I can see

I do have empathy. I just don't think this is an appropriate piece of work.

I was a teacher, maybe that is why I am happy to talk to teachers about this stuff.

And how is this comparable to a teacher using a current event to teach formal writing?

So do something else. Don't force them to write a letter of condolence. We're in forced mourning for a woman who stole millions of pounds from society and her "empire" was built on slavery and colonialism. What an awful example to set to young children.

I have never sent one under orders. I have both drafted them at work and sent them personally but I have never been made to do one from myself to someone I did not choose to.

But this is just a way of teaching children what they are and why and how we write them.
Using a real event, something that is happening now is a a great way to add context and aid understanding.

I am a total republican but even I think you are missing the point and being a bit OTT

Firstly, a letter of condolence has got nothing to do with grieving. We often write cards etc to friends who have lost family members to express our support, but we ourselves are not grieving for them.

Secondly, we have got such a ridiculous attitude towards death in the country and have also lost so many of the rituals etc that give us comfort that anything that introduces this to children in an age-appropriate way can only be a good thing

Lastly, at the end of the day it is just an excercise in writing, just like any other.

I never understood what people mean by this phrase.

When I was a teacher we liked the parents who thought about and were engaged in their kids' education. The parents we viewed negatively were the ones who were unpleasant to their kids or who actively undermined learning in general.

But relating it to a current event, something that is happening now is an excellent way to help children understand.

It's common practice in schools.

It is not a great way to do this.

There are strong anti-monarchy views in the world. It is a poorly-chosen exercise for that reason.

Surely it’s easier to get children to learn to write something like this when they are not emotionally involved with the person who has died or who is grieving. There won’t be many children who won’t have heard about the Queen dying (in fact school will most likely have an assembly on it). They will probably have done a few lessons around the subject (again easier to explain things if topical). Maybe something like how things were different when Elizabeth became Queen e.g the Coronation saw many people getting a tv as it wasn’t common then to have one, no mobile phones, looking at different clothes people wore, how some foods were still rationed etc

Oh, give over. The children are not being forced to mourn. They are being asked to write a condolence message. By your logic nothing would ever be taught in case some element of it was upsetting for someone.

But relating it to a current event, something that is happening now is an excellent way to help children understand.

But in this context, it's just another part of the forced mourning that is highlighting the gross inequalities in this country. Get them to write a letter to their grandparents, or to the school, teach it in a way that doesn't glorify a massively racist and frankly disgusting regime.

It’s called ‘writing for a purpose’. Other examples include

writing a newspaper report of a fictitious robbery in school
writing a shopping list and recipe for making Goldilock’s porridge
writing a new ending for a traditional tale
writing a balanced argument for removing school uniform rules
writing a fantasy story set under the sea
writing a letter to your parents as an evacuee in WW2
writing a persuasive letter to apply for school council
writing a postcard home from an imaginary trip

and so on. As teachers, if an opportunity arises to write about something that’s actually happening, then we take it. Context is important. We wrote welcome letter to refugees arriving from Afghanistan telling them all about the local area and our school. We’re actually writing newspaper reports about the queen’s death now.

It is not a great way to do this.

There are strong anti-monarchy views in the world. It is a poorly-chosen exercise for that reason.

I respectfully disagree.

In my DS's school and the school where I'm a governor teacher often use current events as a 'hook' to engage learners. It's not about pushing a particular view on young people, it's about having a real life example to draw upon.

I teach at university level and have been known to do this as it works!

I think people are letting their strong anti monarchy views cloud their thinking.

It's a writing exercise.

Interesting take - maybe now’s the time to discuss with your child why you think the Queen was racist? Or perhaps tell us.

But children aren't being forced to mourn. They're engaging in a writing exercise linked to a current event.

@TwinGirlsOnTheWay are you suggesting that they write a letter to their grandma expressing sadness that their husband (the pupil’s grandad has died) as a writing exercise to learn how to write a letter of condolence. Getting them to imagine that scenario might upset a few people.

Easier to write to King Charles who they personally don’t know and aren’t emotionally involved with, to learn how to do a letter of condolence

Treat it like learning to write a sympathy card. These are a really important thing to learn. With the Queen it's a book of condolence but if it's the neighbour next door you do it in a card, and

If a letter of condolence is causing you such outrage on your dc's behalf @wheredidIleavemystyle then you really will have a fraught time getting your dc through formal schooling.
Treat it not only as a writing lesson but also as an exercise in tact and diplomacy.

I don't mean using ANY current event is wrong - that is a very good teaching tactic - my view is using THIS current event is wrong due to strong anti-monarchist views held by some people... as evidenced by some of the people on this thread.

It is equivalent making people pray, IMO. Even if 90% of people support, you have to leave room for the minority to quietly not join in - and views on religion, monarchy and politics are very personal and families should lead on instilling those.

Pop it through their door.

In this case its daft to do it if you don't want to because you usually put a lovely memory of them in your words and most of us haven't met the Queen. It's not unreasonable to learn to write one though.

Sympathy cards can be lovely to read when the time for a family is right.

Treat it like that.

Having seen the disgusting accusations that my Scottish relatives have shared on fb it doesn't surprise me.
Ironically their dc go to a Catholic school!

I also don't agree with your angle that death is an inappropriate topic. The fact some children may have experienced grief means more education may be helpful not less. I think you're overthinking the "compulsory" aspect. If someone doesn't want to do it for whatever reason I doubt the school is going to think twice, especially if the parent has a quiet word, but yabu to think it should be a taboo. Also, I'd be amazed if your school didn't mark the jubilee. I'm a republican too but you can hardly expect your local primary school to be a bastion of subversion.

For goodness sake, why do we get our hair off about nothing? Few lines saying the Queen was the longest reigning monarch or something and thanks very much. Why stress? It’s an exercise. Like writing a thank you letter to an aunt.

I think people are missing the point that the school has made this, and this alone, compulsory. As no other homework has been, I'd find it odd too.

As a teacher I would never set this as a piece of work. The potential for it upsetting some children who've had a bereavement is real, and in general I just think it's not appropriate. Making it compulsory when homework at this school normally isn't, is just weird

Meh compulsory. "If you don't get it done in class finish it at home" is hardly enforcement

I would support writing newspaper reports about the Queen's death. That is so very different.

Some families do not want to send condolences to the RF. They are not an imaginary family, they are each of our own Royal Family and we should therefore be free to respond to this death personally.

If you want to write a condolence letter then do. But you should not be made to do that and neither should a child.