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AIBU?

DD missed a cooking lesson so has to do it at home?

254 replies

EdwiniasRevenge · 11/11/2014 12:44

Last week DD was ill, had the day off school. First one this term. She probably averages 1-2 days off per academic year and only when genuinly ill. She had been up all night with fever and still had a fever that morning (38+).

She was due to bake lemon biscuits in her food class. Yr9, not an examined course. In fact it is an 'option' not a compulsory subject.

Today she has been told that because she missed the cooking session last week she must bake the dish at home (biscuits) and take a photograph with a name label shown in the picture. What is the teacher going to gain from this? What is dd going to gain from this?

Now - if it was an academic subject I would feel there was some justification for catching up on the missed class content. But to complete a practical she missed?

She cooks competently at home -bolognese/chilli/soup/cakes/biscuits all from scratch and with minimal input from me.

AIBU to think that this task is unnecessary?
AIBU to politely email the teacher and explain that I feel this is unecessary.

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19lottie82 · 11/11/2014 12:47

it's hardly the end of the world. the teacher has asked her to catch up on work she missed. have some respect for the teacher and the school, just leave it.

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Birdsgottafly · 11/11/2014 12:48

Are they putting together scrap books with pictures of the finished dishes in?

If she cooks at home, what is the issue of her doing these biscuits?

We have to do work that doesn't carry out any reward, or often recognition, as part of our employment.

I think that's what schools try to teach, yes it's pointless, but you have to just get on with it, depressingly throughout your life.

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Trickydecision · 11/11/2014 12:49

Yes, politely email and ask for an explanation. On the face of it, it seems quite unnecessary and pointless. There might be a plausible reason. Hmm

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bodhranbae · 11/11/2014 12:50

Lemon biscuits won't take long. Sound delicious too.
By the time you have faffed around emailing the school etc you could have made the biscuits. Grin

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itiswhatitiswhatitis · 11/11/2014 12:53

If you have the ingredients and your daughter can do it unsupervised then I woud just let her get on with it.

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flipchart · 11/11/2014 12:53

I don't see the problem?
What is the problem? You have to make some biscuits at home and take a picture in?

Blimey! Forget the email and make some biscuits and have a brew with them.

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PrettyLittleMitty · 11/11/2014 12:54

I don't think its unreasonable of the teacher to request she bakes the biscuits at home. If she is a competent cook and doesn't need much involvement from you I don't see who its hurting to just do as they have asked and bake the bisuits.

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EdwiniasRevenge · 11/11/2014 12:56

It's not the end of the world - it's a principle thing - I just don't see what is to be gained. She is effectively being an hours homework (at cost to me) for missing a lesson in school. This feels unfair. I wouldn't even expect my science students to do an hours homework in lieu of 1 missed lesson unless it was critical.

at home she cooks things that we are choosing to eat not a huge deal.

she does not provide ingredients to cook at school (Fsm) so I would have to pay for her to cook. Again not a huge deal.

It just feels like a strange and unnessary and unfair (given that she has a day off school and gets extra 'homework').

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Delphine31 · 11/11/2014 12:57

This one is really dividing MN opinion!

My gut reaction is that I think it's a bit ridiculous and definitely unnecessary.

But other posters have made me doubt myself. After all, if it was a request to spend half an hour reading a history textbook to cover what was missed in a history lesson, we wouldn't be put out...

It's obviously something this teacher has form for if she made the request for photographic evidence with name label in view (which incidentally you could easily photoshop but would take nearly as long as making the biscuits and wouldn't result in tasty treats).

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Vitalstatistix · 11/11/2014 12:58

It is never unnecessary to make biscuits.

Instead of thinking why should she, why not ask - why shouldn't she?

What's the downside? What's the harm or damage?

v what is the harm of you emailing the teacher and asking why your child should bother doing something you feel is unnecessary.

5 minutes to mix up a batch of biscuits, 12 minutes in the oven, 5 seconds to photograph them.

And at the end of it, your daughter has made biscuits, the teacher doesn't feel undermined or give you an interesting nickname Wink and you have - and I cannot stress this enough - you have biscuits. Grin

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musicalendorphins2 · 11/11/2014 12:58

No, it is part of her classwork. What harm is there, plus, you get to eat them too!

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TheGirlFromIpanema · 11/11/2014 13:00

DD had to do this once and it didn't cross my mind as odd at all.

Presumably there is a certain skill being put to use in the making of the biscuits and your dd would miss that skill if she didn't do the practical Confused

That being said, if cost was an issue I'd e-mail school and let them know it's not practical for her to do at home sorry.

If not, let her get on with it and ask for a Brew with yours when they are ready Grin

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edamsavestheday · 11/11/2014 13:00

Seems a bit odd and precious of the teacher - dd was ill, not playing truant. Have any other teachers demanded she do extra homework?

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Mrsjayy · 11/11/2014 13:01

I am assuming that her cookery class do a portfolio or something scottish home economics classes are not examined as such just internally n school its still school work really why doesn't she want to do the baking lemon biscuits sound lovely btw

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19lottie82 · 11/11/2014 13:01

as someone has pointed out, by the time you've sent the email, read the response, perhaps replied, and posted on here, you prob could have made the biscuits. (it won't take an hour to make lemon biscuits btw)

maybe you do feel it's un necessary, but you chose to send your child to that school, it's not up to you to directly question very minor way of doing things that you don't agree with. If you really feel so strongly about it, move her to another school.

teachers have enough paperwork to deal with (and thus less time to actually dedicate to teaching and pupil welfare), without having to deal with issues like this!

this is a good life lesson for your daughter that in life sometimes we have to do things we deem as pointless, that's the way the world works.

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edamsavestheday · 11/11/2014 13:01

"...and you have - and I cannot stress this enough - you have biscuits." TheGirlFrom has converted me! Grin

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flipchart · 11/11/2014 13:02

Unnecessary unfair to make a few biscuits?
Expense to you?
Christ on bike. Surely you'll have flour eggs, sugar, butter in. lemon is 25p.
If she is cooking biscuits already at home just take a picture of some.

I guess all they are doing is making sure that all the kids in the class have done all the same things.

Why not just roll your eyes, get on with it instead of firing of emails wanting reasons!

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LadyLuck10 · 11/11/2014 13:02

If it was a piece of written work then you probably wouldn't have an issue. Respect the teacher and how she runs her lessons. If that's what she requires then your dd needs to do it.

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EdwiniasRevenge · 11/11/2014 13:02

I guess I'm just surprised at the request.

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pantone363 · 11/11/2014 13:03

Buy some biscuits, plate up, stick name label next to them

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JoanHickson · 11/11/2014 13:03

I don't see the problem. I also don't like the incinuation that Children who take more time off are not genuinely ill.

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icklekid · 11/11/2014 13:05

Have you asked your dd if she minds/would like to?

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edamsavestheday · 11/11/2014 13:06

19lottie82, that seems like a very grim, limited attitude to schooling. Parents must never question anything, not even when chatting amongst their mates, because Teachers Are Gods Who Must Never Be Doubted in your view, it seems. Once you send a child to a school, that's it, no criticism allowed ever.

For heaven's sake, parents, teachers and children are all human beings, imperfect and full of foibles. Asking a sodding question is allowed. In fact it's what education is all about!

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5Foot5 · 11/11/2014 13:06

It sounds to me like a sensible suggestion from the teacher. After all you would have had to provide the ingredients if she had bee well enough for school so it is not like you are going to extra expense. Baling biscuits is a fun enterprise, not a particularly onerous task and you get to eat them!

As to what is to be gained - well the teacher doesn't necessarily know that your DD cooks and bakes at home and she may want to be sure that she has learned and practiced the techniques being taught for these biscuits.

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BranchingOut · 11/11/2014 13:06

I think it is fair enough - although obviously would be difficult for a child living in temporary accommodation or who would otherwise struggle to do this at home.

Maybe next week they are doing something using the same technique and this way she won't have a gap in her knowledge/skills?

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