To think 'no pen Wednesday' is a silly idea?

[Dancergirl]

I don't know if other schools do this - at dds' school last week they had 'no pen Wednesday' which meant all the children and staff couldn't use pens, pencils or other writing implements for the day. They had to be creative and think up ideas that didn't involve writing, eg in English they did drama.

I hope I'm not being a misery and I know it's only one day and a bit of fun etc but both dh and I feel that they've really missed out on a day's education because of this. Dd1 is in Year 6 and is working hard preparing for 11+ exams (which start in 6 weeks), as are most of her class as the majority of the schools round here are in a consortium which requires a Maths and VR paper. The school don't help prepare the children at all for these papers as apparently there isn't enough teaching time, however they manage to find time for no-pen Wednesday.

Your thoughts?

Sounds like a lovely, creative day. Perhaps the teachers were allowed the freedom to deliver more interesting lessons. I would be complaining if my child was being taught to pass an exam at that age. It would make a seriously restricting (and dull) timetable.

I think that is a brilliant idea.

No pen Wednesday is an excellent idea.

its not about being addicted to pens though, its about finding different ways to learn and look at things surely

thehat - you would really object to the school teaching a bit of exam technique?

if they are a state school they absolutely should NOT find time to provide you with free 11+ tuition!

Why on earth not, if they are in an area with state grammars? - do you think it better that only kids with parents able to help/pay for tutors/pay for private primaries get a decent shot at 11+?

I agree with grumplestilskin

I would be complaining if my child was being taught to pass an exam at that age. It would make a seriously restricting (and dull) timetable.

When I was in top juniors we were ALL taught for the 11+ - it was way more fun than most lessons, it was like playing games. We didn't do it all the time, obviously - it was neither restricting nor dull.

i think it sounds great and will be recomending it to my sons school :)

Fantastic idea.

"What would you think about a 'no-screen Wednesday' then? Surely we are all more addicted to the internet, interactive whiteboards, laptops etc these days rather than pens...? Might be an interesting experiment...?"

OP, it's not that there is anything aversive about pens, it is just that a lot of schoolwork relies on writing things down. A no-screen Wednesday would be a good idea, but will not engender the same kind of creative learning that 'no-pen' will, as screens are often used in schools as a pen substitute. I would hope that word processing is also banned on no pen Wednesdays?

FWIW, the only passage of Shakespeare I committed to memory was one from Macbeth that my English teacher made us sing to the tune of "All that she wants is another baby". No pens involved, but I was able to recall it and quote it in my GCSE exam. Had I written it down, I would never have done.

My point was that you can teach to an exam without pens- in fact, in many cases it is a more effective method of retaining information.

(but 11+ exams aren't about retaining information)

aren't a lot of 11+ questions to do with reasoning anyway not parroting learnt off by heart stuff?

Grimma I see your point, but this is my POV. In my school about 10/60 children do the 11+ every year. a significant percentage, probs the vast majority or the rest simply DO NOT POSSESS the intelligence to pass, or even access the 11+ material. For many reasons - neglectful households, undevelopment, learning difficulties, etc. Should we coach these children for the 11+ in curriculum time?

Sorry for typos - eating!!

OP- I totally agree with you. I wouldn't be overly amused ever. The number of children leaving school with literacy and numeracy problems is the highest it has been since the seventies yet teachers have time to do idiotic "creative days" etc. Perhaps if they went back to basics 1 in 5 of our young people would not be virtually unemployable due to poor educational levels. My best friend is an English teacher in an under performing secondary school- she told me she has to "put on a f**king puppet show to keep the children entertained every day, rather than teach boring stuff". They don't even do traditional comprehensions anymore as the children don't find it exciting!

No state school should prepare for the 11+ it isn't part of the curriculum. If you are lucky they get a rehersal and a practice paper the week before.

The 11+ is more or less compulsory here regardless of ability - you have to withdraw your child if you don't wish them to sit it - not enter if you do!

Actually scarlettsmummy - if more parents did a decent job of raising their children properly, particularly ensuring they come to school with:
a) the understanding of right and wrong
b) an ability to sit quietly for 5 minutes
c) an understanding that if an adult tells you to so something you do it,
then MAYBE pupils would be fit to learn and would reach required standards of numeracy and literacy in the precious small amount of time we have with them.
"teacher have time to do idiotic creative days?" Shows what you know about education!

Missed the 11+ bit, sorry.

I still think it's a brilliant idea.

As opposed to the 11+, which is a terrible idea.

Gin - presumably in such a class there's some differentiation for maths etc - so, have something like 'puzzle time' - developing logic/thinking skills could be applied to quite a range even if not likely to pass 11+. Its a crying shame that kids who should be able to pass 11+ but who are from neglectful or otherwise underpriveliged backgrounds aren't supported by the state system to go to a state GS any more.

Bright kids will pass what ever their back ground. The 11+ was/is the best social leveller. My son can mix up and down; he has no colour prejudice, no religious prejudice; friends who come from millionaire families, friends who come from sink estates. He values people for who they are. They are all on an equal playing field.

I dont see that myself, working in a comprehensive.

Hi Grimma! Obviously there's a massive amount of differenaitation in the class - I currently in maths have a range of 1a to 5c. (I am for streaming but that's another issue.) And I know I certainly include activities of an investigative/logical nature, particularly within the higher ability groups. But IME the 11+ needs real spoon feeding - particularly the verbal and non-verbal reasoning. The kids who pass will sadly often be the ones who HAVE had a tutor to go through past paper after past paper.
My job is not to prepare children for non-necessary exams, and I don;t feel guilty that I don't.
I took and passed the 11+ with no tuition and I know a couple of my kids will this time round. Sadly I know which ones don;t stand a hope in hell, and know I will have to deal with the arsey parents complaining that we havent done enough to help their child. But it's NOT our job.

Butwhyisthegingone- I feel I do know a fair amount of what is going on in the current education system since I spend everyday with 16 year olds who have left school with absolutely nothing to show for it. And funnily just gave a presentation today on why there are increasing numbers leaving school every year with no hope of a positive destination.

While I totally accept that parents have to take a large amount of responsibility for poor parenting, can you please explain to me an educational policy that says that my 13 year old foster son with an IQ of seventy and unable to tell the time has to do a full secondary educational syllabus, including separate sciences, despite being unable to do his three times tables, or read 'Fantastic Mr Fox'. Perhaps if he spent a bit more time in English and Maths and less time being creative and being encouraged to think of x factor as a suitable career option, he would be a lot less likely to be another one in the NEET group.

My dd has a no pen day, she's in year 4. Actually I think it's a brilliant idea - it encourages creativity, conversation and sharing of ideas, problem solving and logic.