Should a 7-year-old be able to write a five-paragraph essay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We talked to a tutoring agency who told us that the some privates teach 5 paragraph essay formats at the end of 3rd grade. Public schools (we are public) are a year behind. The tutoring agency's syllabus starts with a descriptive paragraph but with many details and iterations, then a persuasive argument that is 3 paragraphs long, then a 5 paragraph essay.

IMO, this is too early and doesn’t make them better writers. What makes great writers is focusing on reading high quality literature and copy work from high quality literature; studying and imitating the writing of great writers. Eventually kids gain enough mental tools to begin writing their own words into paragraphs. But I would focus on the former until grade 4-5 at least

[Anonymous]

I can’t believe you’re even pondering this question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We talked to a tutoring agency who told us that the some privates teach 5 paragraph essay formats at the end of 3rd grade. Public schools (we are public) are a year behind. The tutoring agency's syllabus starts with a descriptive paragraph but with many details and iterations, then a persuasive argument that is 3 paragraphs long, then a 5 paragraph essay.

IMO, this is too early and doesn’t make them better writers. What makes great writers is focusing on reading high quality literature and copy work from high quality literature; studying and imitating the writing of great writers. Eventually kids gain enough mental tools to begin writing their own words into paragraphs. But I would focus on the former until grade 4-5 at least

I am a writer and agree. There is no benefit to being taught essay structure that early. Learning the structure of an essay is actually quite easy. What is hard, and what children in 2nd/3rd grade should still be working on, is understanding the components of an argument, and the difference between evidentiary facts and persuasive argument. Until kids clearly understand that and can apply that knowledge in multiple contexts, what is the point in telling them how to compose am essay?

[Anonymous]

Genuinely, what is with this spate of crazy striver questions involving young kids (this, the one asking whether 5 was too late to start violin and prelate for Ivy admission, I think there was a similar math one)? Are these all troll posts? Or are the parents of young kids losing their minds Boomer style with the baby flash cards and baby Mozart?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Genuinely, what is with this spate of crazy striver questions involving young kids (this, the one asking whether 5 was too late to start violin and prelate for Ivy admission, I think there was a similar math one)? Are these all troll posts? Or are the parents of young kids losing their minds Boomer style with the baby flash cards and baby Mozart?

It’s not the parents. It’s the curriculum developers pushing spiral learning. They introduce concepts ridiculously early and then it’s unclear to parents whether it’s just for exposure vs mastery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We talked to a tutoring agency who told us that the some privates teach 5 paragraph essay formats at the end of 3rd grade. Public schools (we are public) are a year behind. The tutoring agency's syllabus starts with a descriptive paragraph but with many details and iterations, then a persuasive argument that is 3 paragraphs long, then a 5 paragraph essay.

IMO, this is too early and doesn’t make them better writers. What makes great writers is focusing on reading high quality literature and copy work from high quality literature; studying and imitating the writing of great writers. Eventually kids gain enough mental tools to begin writing their own words into paragraphs. But I would focus on the former until grade 4-5 at least

Nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You dolt.

Even middle schoolers have trouble with 5 paragraph essays.

Do not traumatize your kid. I can see you're well on your way, so stop it right now.

I was coming here to say that! My son just learned how to organize a paragraph in 9th grade. I’m sure he was taught before but this is something constantly work on. He is required 6 sentences for essay tests IN 9th grade.

You are expecting too much.

Is he in special ed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You dolt.

Even middle schoolers have trouble with 5 paragraph essays.

Do not traumatize your kid. I can see you're well on your way, so stop it right now.

+100

Kids do not possess adult brains. My kid could not write more than a few sentences in 2nd grade and didn't produce a decent 5 paragraph essay until about 5th grade without help.

Baby steps. It will come, but not if you force it. Their brains aren't even wired for that yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Genuinely, what is with this spate of crazy striver questions involving young kids (this, the one asking whether 5 was too late to start violin and prelate for Ivy admission, I think there was a similar math one)? Are these all troll posts? Or are the parents of young kids losing their minds Boomer style with the baby flash cards and baby Mozart?

Generally I agree with you, except Violin is it's own thing. Many start at age 3 because it's basically the only real instrument you can begin that young. You wouldn't necessarily know unless you're in the Suzuki violin community, but it's not a crazy question.

-signed, a Suzuki parent whose kid started violin very late at 6.5

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Genuinely, what is with this spate of crazy striver questions involving young kids (this, the one asking whether 5 was too late to start violin and prelate for Ivy admission, I think there was a similar math one)? Are these all troll posts? Or are the parents of young kids losing their minds Boomer style with the baby flash cards and baby Mozart?

Generally I agree with you, except Violin is it's own thing. Many start at age 3 because it's basically the only real instrument you can begin that young. You wouldn't necessarily know unless you're in the Suzuki violin community, but it's not a crazy question.

-signed, a Suzuki parent whose kid started violin very late at 6.5

Tiger?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Genuinely, what is with this spate of crazy striver questions involving young kids (this, the one asking whether 5 was too late to start violin and prelate for Ivy admission, I think there was a similar math one)? Are these all troll posts? Or are the parents of young kids losing their minds Boomer style with the baby flash cards and baby Mozart?

Generally I agree with you, except Violin is it's own thing. Many start at age 3 because it's basically the only real instrument you can begin that young. You wouldn't necessarily know unless you're in the Suzuki violin community, but it's not a crazy question.

-signed, a Suzuki parent whose kid started violin very late at 6.5

Tiger?

I don't know what that means

[Anonymous]

A 5 paragraph essay? From a 7 year old? NGL you may have some rude awakenings coming for you if you think this is realisitc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is in 2nd grade at a well-regarded DCPS school. He’s doing fine overall, but when I asked him to write about what he did last weekend, he gave me six short sentences with almost no detail. I tried to walk him through writing an intro and some supporting ideas, and he got frustrated and said, “I don’t want to do paragraphs.”
I know writing develops at different speeds, but is it unreasonable to expect basic essay structure by this age? I’m not pushing for college-level writing, but I don’t want him to fall behind either. Do teachers focus more on structure later?

It was unreasonable. He gave you your answer, he said “I don’t want to do paragraphs “. Stop trying to make your kid grades ahead. He’ll end up dreading you and your assignments. Leave it to the teachers and you do the fun stuff including educational games and throwing a ball around.

No 6 or 7 year old wants to do a written report on how his weekend was.

[Anonymous]

Just focus on one paragraph