Primary Teachers Help please...DS 7 upset today, hates writing, how can I help him?

[clottedcream]

In a nutshell...

Likes to do drawings and lable things, write at his own pace, write stories about star wars, adventure etc... even written a couple of songs all at home. BUT at school he gets all worked up. For instance last night at bedtime, got really upset, "dont want to go to school tomorrow" etc... got it out of him because they are writing a story using a 5 tier story mountain??? I think he means they start off with a beginning, a middle, there is a problems, solve the problem, end the story.

He says he is always crossing out and his work looks scruffy and he never completes a perfect piece of paper.

Ive told him that all he has to do is try, he has such a great sense of imagination and it doesnt matter if he doesnt do a perfect piece of work. In the past he has got upset about writing at school, I did speak to the teacher about this and she was wonderful, had a word with him, reassured him etc..

not sure if I should have another word? Im getting worried as he is 7 now and I thought this would wear off.

what do you think?

I would go to the website I posted below and go to the Story Mountain Planner and sit down with a couple of books that he likes and use the planner to see how those books fit in the story mountain. I.e. the beginning (introducing characters and setting of the book) to the end (conclusion of the story). Your son sounds a lot like my five yr old. He too beats himself up because he is a perfectionist. I keep telling him how he should never say "can't" because he is really good at things and its ok to not know everything. They are not expected to know everything and that's why they should have fun learning. Try and make him see that's its not as daunting as he thinks.
Anyway here is the link and wish you all the best.

www.primaryresources.co.uk/english/englishC1.htm

I use this one in school.

I agree with toofattorun's idea. Talk about how other stories fit into a story mountain. I usually do this with my class using different coloured post-it notes, but whatever is handy.

Alternatively, he might mean these, which are used for Big Write (if he does that).