Learning poems by heart

What is the problem?

Like other threads I am dismayed that the principal of learning should be classed as stupid or interfering. Surely children have the capability to learn poems. What do they do when they recite a nursery rhyme, sing a song or do a nativity play.

Why is it O.K. to have a bash at Gove when teaching has let so many children down over the past years. Kids that cannot read or write, add up or become employable is hardly a state to be smug about.

Spike Milligan

Things that go bump in the night
Should not really give one a fright.
It's the hole in each ear
That lets in the fear.
That, and the absence of light.

DD's class enjoyed my book of Shel Silverstein's poems (^Falling Up^) when she took it in to school last year. Doubt if they learned any by heart, but I don't think that matters.

What poems would you suggest for six-year-olds to learn by heart? I like Michael Rosen. Can't find my copy but there's one that begins:
'I've had this shirt
That's covered in dirt
For years and years and years...'

I have three grandsons who would love that one.

If a school is not 'supplying' the National Curriculum to its pupils, there are already systems in place to sort this out. Mr Gove does not need to pronounce about anything that is already in the NC.

There are, in any case, limitations to learning by rote, as all good educators know. That is not to say there is anything wrong with learning poems; it's a wonderful and rewarding thing to do, but if you can't remember them five, ten, or twenty years later, it doesn't actually matter.

What if they are not actually doing this already in all schools? My GSs are too young to go to school so I don't know.

Was it Terry Waite?

Wasn't there someone who preserved his sanity when kidnapped and kept in solitude by reciting every poem he could remember daily? Clearly my memory is packing up as I can't remember his name – might even have been a woman – or the precise circumstances, but I do remember trying to list all the poetry I knew off by heart when I heard about this person.

poems. I love 'em. What I like especially is being able to access them without having recourse to a book. Slowly, silently now the moon... I wandered lonely as a cloud.... When I was young and fair.... I wish I lived in a caravan... Oh` For a muse of fire, and many other bits of Shakespeare.... Much of the Lady of Shallott...Is there anybody there... Softly along the road of evening....Milton's sonnet on his blindness....and many more.None of these were learned in the Infant school. It's Juniors and secondaries who should be learning poems by heart. Is he going to include them?

Wonderful, isn't it?

Good heavens! Bags or should that be Great Scot?

This is one of the ones DD learned (and loved) at school recently — part of the kids' Scottish heritage too. I'm sure you did similar things at your school, ej, as appropriate:

Street Talk by J K Annand

There was a rammie in the street,
A stishie and stramash.
The crabbit wifie up the stair
Pit up her windae sash.

"Noo, what's adae?" the wifie cried,
"Just tell me what's adae."
A day is twinty-fower hoors, missis.
Noo gi us peace to play.

"Juist tell me what's adoo," she cried,
"And nane o' yer gab," cried she.
D'ye no ken a doo's a pigeon, missis?
Noo haud yer wheesht a wee.

"I want to ken what's up," she cried,
"And nae mair o' yer cheek, ye loon."
It's only yer windae that's up, missis.
For guidsake pit it doon.

Haud yer wheesht a wee — translation: be quiet for a while

Absolutely! Children have been doing this for years and Govegrind just wants credit for 'introducing' things that are already happening successfully! That is my gripe..he is trying to undermine professionals by suggesting this is not happening already.

In the last school where I was HT wwe introduced a rhyme a week so by the time kids left us they had a huge repertoire of rhymes and poems! We were not alone in this!

Baa, baa, black sheep
Humpty Dumpty
Twinkle, twinkle little star
.....

Go away, Mr Gove.

Every child should be able to recite at least three stanzas of In Memorian by the age of five and a half.

Seriously, I agree with Alison. It's nothing new.

Learning poems is good.

I thought practicing rembering things (poems recitations etc) was a brain exercise designed to assist us in learning generally. Good to hear the chidren on the news reciting lines from The highwayman - they seemed to be enjoying the story. I have always loved this one.

My five year old GDs know many rhymes and songs off by heart - their latest offering starts off quite innocently, but ends with reference to the Queen's knickers and bum!

Apostrophe usage, Alison!
What a novel idea....

Has he specified which poems in the same way as he has specified the words children must be able to spell?

nanaej

I think most children already know 'poems' by heart, wheels on the bus etc. Didn't we all learn by rote before understanding set in? Was that such a bad thing?

I believe he is also insisting they learn what to do with an apostrophe, whatever next?