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AIBU?

To think this homework is fucking ridiculous

45 replies

Hurr1cane · 23/09/2015 15:57

Back story. DS has severe learning disabilities as well as some physical disabilities. DS regresses in his learning so doesn't move forward much but it's important to keep him working hard at his own level to keep him at least on an even keel.

DS can't read at all. He can recognise some letters. He can't write, or form any letter, not even ones in his own name. He can't count reliably to 5 and can't count out objects 1:1 at all. He doesn't really understand the concept of number. He is 9 and in a special school. He also has very poor fine motor skills

Last week he got addition homework. Addition to 10, count some tiny pictures and add them up and write the answer.

I complained. Told them it was way above his levels (this is taking the levels off his school report not just me) and told them to either send him appropriate homework or send his targets home and I'd work on the targets. They did the homework at school with him. By did I mean they wrote the answers and DS scribbled over them.

So this week I get his homework and he is to draw a picture of something he likes (he can't draw) and then write a poem about it inside the picture.

I feel like crying. I know he should be able to do it at his age but he can't. Realistically he'll never be able to. He's going to regress and die young and I just want to be able to sit and enjoy doing some appropriate work with him.

OP posts:
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ohmyeyebettymartin · 23/09/2015 16:00

YANBU.

It sounds like you need to go in and have a 'come to Jesus' talk with the teacher.

Flowers for you OP.

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KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes · 23/09/2015 16:01

All homework is ridiculous.

Home is for homelife. Family. I don't bring my work home once my shift finishes. Don't get why school is the same.

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TattyDevine · 23/09/2015 16:01

That would piss me off too.

YANBU

Flowers

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TheSecondOfHerName · 23/09/2015 16:01

That sounds completely frustrating.

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cestlavielife · 23/09/2015 16:02

send it back with a little note saying "I think you have the wrong child and homework; please send in Hurricane's DS's appropriate homework"

but arrange a sit down meeting to spell it out to them...

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OurBlanche · 23/09/2015 16:04

Oh do have that "Come to Jesus" chat!

They know better. They will be funded to do better. They simply must do better.

SENCO and HT to be copied into letter 1, escalate from there.

Your boy deserves much more than such a shoddy lack of care and courtesy.

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RandomMess · 23/09/2015 16:06

Stop doing any school homework and just do some things with your DS that will encourage him and give you both pleasure to do together.

Write to the teacher and explain that he will not being doing inappropriate homework so to not send it home!!!

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LyndaNotLinda · 23/09/2015 16:06

Oh love Flowers

I'd tell them exactly what you've said here. That's really not okay

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claraschu · 23/09/2015 16:08

I am sorry OP. This sounds frustrating and upsetting for you, and I am sure you have enough on your plate without uncaring nonsense from school. I agree that you should have a sit down meeting with the teacher responsible for this.

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m0therofdragons · 23/09/2015 16:09

I would tell the head exactly that. You are completely right so don't let them make you think otherwise.

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claraschu · 23/09/2015 16:11

The school shouldn't ever make you feel I know he should be able to do it at his age but he can't.

He should not be confronted with this inappropriate work; he should be doing exactly what is right for him.

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coffeeisnectar · 23/09/2015 16:13

Paint his hands and let him print his hand prints all over the sheet. Then send it back.

Keep doing this until they get the message.

It's lime sending my 10 year old home with A level maths papers. It's just incompatible with his abilities.

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KittyandTeal · 23/09/2015 16:15

Bloody hell, that's not just a little bit hard! Setting completely unachievable homework is soul destroying for you and your ds.

I would also do the PA 'ds homework obviously got mixed up with someone else's, can I have his ar his correct level please'

Unless they're differentiating by outcome ie some might draw a picture, some might draw and write words and dime might 'scribble' but assign a meaning (as in 'that's me at the park') Still pretty shoddy if they are doing that

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CwtchesAndCuddles1 · 23/09/2015 16:26

I have a ds in special school - if he came home with that sort of homework I would be raging!!!
Meeting with HT urgently, ask to see evidence of his work and ask questions about why work is not being appropriately set and differentiated.

Does he have a new teacher?

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cjt110 · 23/09/2015 16:32

YANBU. I have no knowledge of special educational schools but it seems they are ignoring his capabilities completely and not setting something appropriate at all. I agree with coffeeisnectar on all counts.

Is your son statemented? (not sure if they need this if at a special school alread). If not, I would reiterate this back to them (I was statemented as a kid) and also contact any appropriate bodies involved with your son (social workers, educational specialists etc) and get them to speak with the shcool too.

YADNBU.

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BathTangle · 23/09/2015 16:46

Frankly my NT DS aged 10 would not be great at this homework: it just sounds like it is completely unconnected to your DS's abilities and makes them seem as if they don't know him at all.

If you actually want to do something with him then choose something that you and he would get something positive from and then go and set out to school exactly what you have put in your OP. Hopefully it was a genuine mistake.....

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InimitableJeeves · 23/09/2015 16:53

I would just send it back with a large note to say they know full well that this is absolutely beyond DS' capabilities and that you refuse to distress him by making him try; and asking what they are doing to differentiate work properly for him.

If you haven't got an Education Health and Care Plan for him, ask for one immediately. There are precedent letters on the SOS SEN and IPSEA websites.

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MollyBloomYes · 23/09/2015 16:55

He's not got a student teacher in at the moment has he? One who might be panicking about setting homework to pass a teaching standard? Still shoddy if that's the case, he/she should be mentored by normal class teacher to ensure appropriate work is set

It concerns me that the addition homework was done for him and he was allowed to scribble over it to make it look like he'd contributed. Not a meaningful contribution there, and if they're doing that with his homework how much of the same are they doing in class? Is there an over zealous TA who does it all for him while he sits next to her and watches? Seen that happen a few times (I taught in special schools). Definitely meeting needed, leave a paper trail as well summarising everything discussed.

Sorry this is happening, really boils my blood when pupils with SEND are fobbed off. They've just as much right to an education as any other child

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Lowdoorinthewall · 23/09/2015 17:06

Oh dear, sounds like a VERY inexperienced teacher or are they relying on supply for some reason?

You definitely need to go in and find out what is going on because something has clearly gone awry.

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MrsDeVere · 23/09/2015 17:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

glamorousgrandmother · 23/09/2015 17:08

This situation is ridiculous. It doesn't make any difference whether he is in a special school or not, giving a child homework he just can't do is pointless and counter productive. You need to talk to the teacher and probably the Head too. (ex teacher)

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Charis2 · 23/09/2015 17:32

Oh dear, sounds like a VERY inexperienced teacher or are they relying on supply for some reason?

not necessarily at all. One of the many insanities that ofsted perpetuates is this 2 sub levels of progress rubbish, ( or the current equivalent) It doesn't matter what level of learning difficulty a child has, even if they have a regressive disorder and are going backwards.

I've had classes with children with degenerative brain disorders in them, and have been forced to plan and provide work for the 2 sublevels of progress the HAVE GOT TO MAKE or the teacher faces competancy procedures.....

I had a foster daughter with a mental age in negative numbers, as in her mental capacity never has and never will reach that of a new born baby, unable to recognise her mothers voice, face or smell, no swallowing reflex, nothing. She was also required at school to make 2 sub levels of progress......

Don't take it personally. Write or email to say this is completely inappropriate and you've thrown it away. put it in writing so the teacher can file it in her evidence portfolio, as s/he might be made to show it at the end of the year.

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NotMeNotYouNotAnyone · 23/09/2015 17:37

Yadnbu

How disheartening for you and your boy to be reminded yet again that he's not at the level he "should be".

Complain. He should be given work appropriate to his level. Yes children should be challenged but it should be achieveable for them. The school should know what he can do, what he can do with help, and what he can't do.

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blaeberry · 23/09/2015 17:39

Forget the homework, what is happening in school? You definitely need a meeting and ask to see examples of his work. I would be furious and worried if this was my ds homework as it shows they aren't considering him at all.

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knittingwithnettles · 23/09/2015 17:40

I once had a abrasive conversation with a teacher in Year 2 that went like this...my son found that project really difficult (it was on Kimonos), now if it had been a project on Japanese swords he might have wanted to do some of it. To my amazement teacher said, oh you should have said and I would have let him do that..Confused at time I felt baffled and angry and frustrated (since I had forged the entire project on Kimonos for him..he was 6 and very poor motor skills etc) Now looking back I see what she was saying. I wasn't your enemy I was there to listen, and I wanted your son to enjoy learning something about Japan, anything really.

What I mean is...what sort of task would you like teacher to set? Playdough? Dominos? Sticking? play based task? You might have the ideas she needs. And your son might enjoy the fact that it is set by the teacher.

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