So, DS1's homework is to find the area of shape A (and B and C). These are drawn on a grid. They are irregular shapes with curves, in fact C is a circle. Anyway, he doesn't remember how he is supposed to do it so I ask him what area means, he says 'how many squares it covers' (owtte) so I say, 'count the squares then', which he does. He adds up any half squares to make wholes as he goes along and pairs of bits of squares that he also thinks will add up to whole squares. It is easy for him but he has the feeling that he is doing it wrong...
Thanks if you are still with me .
I saw this piece of work in his folder at open book evening yesterday and nothing on the sheet is marked right. DS1 says that he is cross with me for making him do it wrong! I decide to ask the teacher how it should have been done and it turns out that they were supposed to draw a rectangle around the outside of the shape and work out the area of that . What DS1 did was apparent Yr5 and 6 work (he's in Yr4).
My problem with all of this is how DS1 reacted when I asked him (in front of his teacher) how he found the work - he said that he thought it was DIFFICULT. He did NOT, it was NOT!!
My conclusion is that my child has been institutionalised somehow to think that things are too difficult for him (when they are not) and so he sets his expectations of himself way too low. Can that be right? His confidence seems shockingly low given that he is a bright boy.
Sorry it's so long but I would really appreciate some responses...AIBU?
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49 replies
pickledsiblings · 19/03/2013 12:14
OP posts:
tiggytape ·
19/03/2013 13:22
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