To think my son should not be asked to write F*ing poetry in year 1 for homework

[Reallytired]

I feel its too soon. My son cannot spell and I would prefer it if he was given spellings for home work.

Frankly I think he should concentrate on basic literacy skills and hand writing.

No, poems are lovely homework as they can be as free as you like. No need to rhyme/scan etc. Don't worry about the spellings, they are probably doing emergent spelling, so it's good for them to 'have a go' unhampered by having to get the spelling right.

Y1 kids come out with amazing ideas!

yes basic literacy skills absolutely

with nothing at all to encourage him to think that learning is fun

drill him with many spellings that'll fire him with childhood enthusiasm

Don't see the problem . It can be really simple and good practice for rhyming words/similar patterns.

Dd loved writing poems for Y1 homework. They gave them this to do for fun, rather than always having to do "work".

In any event working with rhyme can help them with spelling, and can also help teach the different ways of making each sound.

There's plenty of time for bashing on with literacy skills and handwriting, and believe me they will be working him hard on those soon enough.

You have a valid point of view - it's too difficult a task for hw, requiring a lot of adult input. But maybe the hw is more a case of finishing off classwork?

Of course he can't spell in Yr 1.

There will be lots of things he still can't spell in yr 6. or even at university.

When might you think he could start to use his creativity within his writing?

Don't you think teachers encourage them to write things that spark thier imaginations as a way to get them to be keen to write, and proud of it?

Sorry - can't understand why anyone would describe poetry as 'fu**ing'.

They're not exactly going to be expecting Shakespeare, you know. Just a few lines that rhyme.

For God's sake don't let him pick up on your negativity about it. He certainly won't enjoy it then.

poetry is soooo not about spelling - he can use onomatopoeia to convey sounds

Dog woofs, cat miaows, psssshhh rain etc

Its a fabulous way to learn language and its supposed to be fun

yabu

Really?

I would much prefer my ds, who also struggles a bit with spelling and struggles a lot with writing, to be given something like this.

He loves writing stories and poems. Spelling and handwriting will come (I am assured ).

elasticwoman I would far rather sit down and write a poem with my daughter than bang my head against a wall with spellings; it is fun

"it's too difficult a task for hw, requiring a lot of adult input" - but that depends, soesn't it?

DS is a long way from being the most accomplished writer in his class (in terms of actual writing) but enjoyed composing small pieces of poetry with higly idiosyncratic spelling. You don't have to pore over it and get him to spell every word correctly and agonise until he is writing in perfect iambic pentameter!

have to disagree with you Reallytired - poetry is a fantastic way to get children writing and thinking about words, doesn't need to rhyme or scan as tortoiseShell says - lets their imaginations flow..when I did reading with children at school they always loved doing poetry.

Testing spellings requires my input. Ds can write a poem by himself.

Sorry reallytired but i am with everyone else! Much better than learning spelling - how dull!!

Thinking about it, I remember now I actually wrote quite a bit of poetry myself at age 6 - but it was not a set task. In fact, in those days (late 60s) the school day didn't end till 3.50 and there was no set homework.

Ah nostalgia! It ain't what it used to be.

And I think learning lists of spelling is a waste of time too. Spelling should be taught but not by rote.

yabu
blimey...give us poetry any day

oh YABsoU

dd, year 1, loves homework when it is writng a poem/little story/rules etc, it is creative homework and I bet your ds will enjoy it a lot.

My DS1 wrote some gorgeous poems in Y1. I was so proud [proud emoticon]

Yes you're being unreasonable. It stretches their imagination. Poetry is a wonderful literary form.

Totally unreasonable. He will learn to spell when he feels he has a valid reason for spelling. If he writes a lovely poem which is admired by his mum and/or teacher, then maybe he will care enough to write it out again, with accurate spelling. And maybe he won't - but he will have enjoyed being creative - providing nobody gives him the idea that poetry is a waste of time.

I think you're being hard on him at 5 or 6 to expect him to concentrate on spelling

he needs to be excited by learning new things and being proud of himself

I hope you are not saying 'you can't spell' whenever he writes something

what if on Sunday he presents you with a card saying 'Hapy Muver's Day'?

will that not do for you?

I'm a bit depressed by reallytired's thread title - poetry is fantastic

I think that writing a poem at the age of 5 or 6 is homework for the parents rather than the child.

My son can barely form his letters, yet he is being asked to write a full poem. The teacher wants it to rhyme.

Last week he had to write a different poem and even though its was all his words he did not get his star because I wrote out the poem.

This week my son has written the poem, he has plenty of good ideas, but I know he will not get a sticker because his writing looks like a dog's breakfast. His poem even rhymes.

I want my son to be set a task for home work that is achievable and to get his sticker that he fully deserves.