standards of writing in year 1

[magic18]

I am finding it hard to know what standard of writing to expect from my year 1 who is in a mixed year 1/2 class. He generally spells things correctly, and usually remembers full stops and capital letters, but i don't think he uses many descriptive words or conjunctives apart from 'and' and 'but'.
I don't know why i have started thinking about it, but i think i feel i haven't done a lot with him at home this year and just left it to school. Yesterday i found a story he had written at the start of the year 1, and to be honest i don't know if he has improved that much since then.

My year 1 seems to have regressed a bit with his writing. Won't write at home if asked to. When has to it is as if he is writing in his own blood the 'I'm too tired' fuss he makes. Not worried at moment and not pushing it.

Yes, that is like my ds. I think you are right not to push it and i need to relax myself. I get into little panics every now and then which do nobody any good. But i also worry that i cant totally rely on school, with him being in such a big mixed class.

Same here with big class- though only year 1s. My ds will only write if he sees a purpose/ worthwhile. At the moment he will write for his teachers but not for me! I at the moment am leaving it to the teachers as don't feel like battling with him. [Good reader and content of writing ok but will do as little as he can get away with].

My sons YR1 is shocking as far as I can tell, I am very worried about it as he him seems to be doing well in reading and maths but his letters are still big his spelling is awful and he hates writing or so he seems to.. Part of me thinks he will get better in his own time, other times I panic and think he has really regressed in YR1 and stress. Your son sounds alot better than my son but I understand how hard it is when you see no or little progress.
We try to get him to write something every other day but its like pulling teeth . Don't know if to back off or keep going..

Um, it is perfectly normal for writing to be big, ungainly, backwards, and without descriptive words and conjunctives!

Any spelling at all, beyond sosijus for sausages is extremely good!

If they are reading well, all the rest will follow - many hard practical tasks in writing.

Don't be too pushy and put them off befpre they have even got started..

I was amazed this week when I saw his Y1 spelling test. The writing was small, neat and regular for the first time ever. It's normally legible but large and slightly scrawling. It looks like he's made this quantum leap in one week! No explanation though. Just to say it suddenly happens.

i think i feel i haven't done a lot with him at home this year and just left it to school. don't beat yourself up. Learning stuff - isn't that why they go to school ?!?

Thanks blu. I think that is what i needed to hear. I do need to back off. I think you are right too curtaincall, that it happens when they are ready.
I hate it when i fret about things, thanks for all the replies. I feel better now.

I'm another one with a yr 1 DS who's writing has gotten scruffier. I think it's because he's writing at speed to try and keep up with his brain so doesn't think about his handwriting if that makes sense?!

Actually after reading curtaincall's reply I want to add that DS has lovely writing for spelling tests so I think that just confirms my suspicions!

Tried to get ds to do his homework last night and it was like torture. He couldn't think of anything to write and forgot how to spell the most basic words that he could spell no problems a few months ago.
I found myself getting cross with him. I know that is counterproductive. What different approach should i take?

Why does he have to do homework during the week? DS is also in Y1 and they get given a few sheets to do at the weekend but nothing apart from reading during the week. He is far too tired after school to do homework. Could the homework wait until the weekend or will school not allow that? Alternatively is he better in the mornings? We only do reading in the mornings due to this. We also were told that so long as he is spelling words phonetically ie not necessarily correctly then there is no problem. They have no spelling tests what so ever in Y1 and I don't even think in Y2 as DS is also in a mixed class.

No homework and no spelling tests here in year 1. Just reading.. phew..

What really interests him? He'll be more likely to write about something if he likes it? even if its a Twister ice cream, a copy of The Beano and a box full of Lego.

Try not to be attached to the outcome re. homework. He'll pick up on your stress and it'll make it worse. Be encouraging and offer a treat/star etc if he completes even a part of it. Chances are once he's started, he'll want to finish. And even if he doesn't, it's the school's job to be teaching him. Don't feel bullied into thinking it's your job.

You wouldn't expect the teacher to do your job of being his mum