Tuesday Teatime: Gaynor

Dear Julie,

I thought you’d like to see us enjoying poetry tea. It is one of our favourite parts of the week, and just after this picture we all chose poems and the boys read theirs aloud.

After tea, my seven year old wrote a whole book of poems – seven in all. He illustrated it and stapled the pages together and it is lovely. However, I do worry about his spelling. I’ve not tackled it as I don’t want to temper his enthusiasm but I wondered if you thought it would improve on its own or if I should intervene, and if so, how? He reads a fair bit, but not a huge amount, and has been reading fluently about a year. Here’s an example:

Spider
Spider, Spider,
kaching fly’s
lisning for
busis and bis
sudnle see a fle
cum to me cum to me
kach it run o lords,
ti it up with lots of cots.

(Spider, spider,
Catching flies,
listening for,
buzzes and byes,
Suddenly, see a flea,
Come to me, come to me,
catch it, run, Oh Lord!
Tie is up with lots of cords.)

I’m so impressed with the rythym and the imagery and the lovely picture he drew. How do I help him spell better?

Thanks,
love Gaynor
http://navigatingbythestars.blogspot.com/teatime

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4 Responses to “Tuesday Teatime: Gaynor”

  1. kate in seattle says:
    November 5, 2008 at 12:26 pm

    I am not Julie, but I think if MY seven year old (or my children when they were seven, long past that now) were reading and writing such wonderful poetry, spelling would be FAR down the list. I think some kids are natural spellers – they don’t need spelling programs. Others will always need spell check. Spelling programs just irritate them. Reading will naturally improve spelling. I wouldn’t do anything just yet. Enjoy your TALENTED young man and congratulations to you for letting his natural voice emerge at a young age.

    kate in seattle

  2. Gaynor says:
    November 6, 2008 at 12:02 pm

    Thanks for your comments, and compliments, Kate! I have just done the One Thing Copywriting Bravewriter Workshop and we touched on spelling in that and I picked up some great tips. I would rather he spelt badly and wrote with style than didn’t write because he was afraid of spelling things wrong. Although, of course, I hope he will eventually write with style and good spelling!

  3. Anne says:
    November 7, 2008 at 10:44 pm

    I agree with Kate. Your son has a joyful voice, an ear for rhyme, and his writing is natural and active. Keep having tea parties and reading to him. I bet in a year or two you will be wistfully missing his creative spelling.
    Anne

  4. Michelle says:
    November 20, 2008 at 12:44 am

    I agree. What fun! Just think of the stuff your son will have collected of all these wonderful things he “published” -he did make a book, right?-and can look back on when he was young. Someday you will look back and smile. I already do for you. 🙂 My kids are 15 and 12-and they have never taken an interest in writing poetry. What a blessing!! Enjoy!