Help me talk to DS1's teacher about lack of writing in class

[bisous]

I'm horrible about not coming across as accusatory.

DS1 doesn't write very often in class. He's always struggled with writing but made tremendous strides in 2nd grade thanks to a teacher that wrote every day, sometimes multiple times a day and expected precision, proper spelling, good penmanship etc. I seriously cannot believe how much he improved last year.

This year, however, I haven't seen ANY writing come home at all. I'm hoping they do more at school but I'm not optimistic. DS says they have "Writer's workshop" written into the schedule every day but often move it for extra programs. Last week it was "Women in History", the week before he had a mini course called "Creature Feature" and a marble jar party. Evidently this week, they're too busy studying earth science.

All of these things are good but writing is so much more important IMO.

I feel like I need to contact the teacher. I need to know if DS is mistake about how much they write. I feel like I need to express my frustration that writing is being set aside for "fun" programs.

But how do you approach a teacher on these issues without seeming accusatory?

[speo]

I feel like I need to contact the teacher. I need to know if DS is mistake about how much they write. I feel like I need to express my frustration that writing is being set aside for "fun" programs.

I would first try to talk to the teacher about how much writing is really happening in the class. There may be more than you know. And if there isn't enough, then you will be able to frame your frustration better.

DS1's school spends a lot of time on science. However, incorporated into that is lots of writing by answering questions with complete sentences and small paragraph writing. I would want to determine if a lot of that type of thing is happening. Do you think he just isn't even writing sentences or do you want longer paragraphs?

[Pyrodjm]

I was going to say something similar. Just because "Writer's Workshop" isn't happening doesn't mean writing isn't being incorporated into science, women's history or another fun activity. It wouldn't surprise me to hear a second grader say "We didn't do writing today, instead we did a science lesson I put my hypothesis and the results of the experiment in my science notebook" or "instead I wrote why Florence Nightingale was important in my social studies book". You could ask to see some of your son's work that may be kept at school. Teachers sometimes have to keep writing samples for student portfolios.

[PZMommy]

I do writing in my first grade class daily. Most of it never goes home, as it all gets saved and put into a portfolio that goes home at the end of the year. I would just ask the teacher about how much writing is being done. These days we are supposed to incorporate writing into everything, even math, so odds are the writing may be "disguised".

[mcmanutm]

When I taught we had Writing Workshop daily. Yes, you are right it is very important. Generally, when you have Writing Workshop all writing stays at school until the students "publish" their one piece which may be saved and is usually graded on a rubric (depending on grade level they write more than one piece...older grades have writing notebooks). At the end of the unit most teachers have a writing celebration to celebrate the students' published work. You could ask the teacher questions such as: "What genre of writing are you working on in writing workshop right now? I'd like to help my child...and write some at home." "When is this unit's writing celebration going to be? Will parents be invited?" "Could I see my child's last graded writing piece and rubric?"