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Original poster

DD has brought home work from school that she didn't do

64 replies

mollycoo · 08/04/2023 09:36

I was emptying the book bags this morning and DD had been given her writing lessons to take home.

It was a report All About Caterpillars, which is lovely, but she hasn't written a single bit of it herself. When I asked her she laughed and said she copied it from her teacher.

I feel a bit off about it. She can write CVC words and short sentences, but she definitely can't spell any of the words she's written down.

Is she behind? Should she be making more progress? Is copying something out like that beneficial? It's really playing on my mind.

OP posts:
Slimjimtobe · 08/04/2023 09:56

????

I don’t get what you are worried about - she brought home a little project that the whole class would have done

how can we tell if she’s behind if we don’t even know what age she is ? Just give her a big hug and tell her is fab.

Original poster
mollycoo · 08/04/2023 10:03

But isn't it.... cheating? (for want of a better word)

She's in Reception. I always thought she was doing fine but this is far too hard for her to have done by herself. Is she behind?

OP posts:
CaptainMyCaptain · 08/04/2023 10:04

Could it have been a handwriting lesson and that is why it was copied? Alternatively she might have dictated it to the teacher who wrote it down for her to copy.

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CaptainMyCaptain · 08/04/2023 10:06

mollycoo · 08/04/2023 10:03

But isn't it.... cheating? (for want of a better word)

She's in Reception. I always thought she was doing fine but this is far too hard for her to have done by herself. Is she behind?

Being supported in her writing isn't cheating.

Towmatertomato · 08/04/2023 10:06

Take it for what it is, a cute bit of project work that's been brought home to show you.

thegrain · 08/04/2023 10:06

I'd assume the teacher knows what they are doing and is trying to get them used to writing. If you're concerned about your child's progress speak to the teacher

namechange3394 · 08/04/2023 10:07

mollycoo · 08/04/2023 10:03

But isn't it.... cheating? (for want of a better word)

She's in Reception. I always thought she was doing fine but this is far too hard for her to have done by herself. Is she behind?

Cheating...at what? She's not writing "All About Caterpillars" for her GCSE exams!

Stop overthinking this. She's a little girl and she's copied out some words her teacher wrote. Handwriting and spelling practice. Learning about the life cycle of caterpillars turning into butterflies etc. All good stuff.

Original poster
mollycoo · 08/04/2023 10:08

I would have loved to have seen her own writing about a caterpillar, that's all. The school made a big fuss about how they are play based and child led in Reception so it was a bit jarring. Maybe it was handwriting.

I don't want to ask the teacher and look like a nightmare parent. Definitely not.

OP posts:
duvetcovereddissident · 08/04/2023 10:09

sometimes children write freely, and sometimes they copy, both help the development of writing in different ways, nothing to worry about

liveforsummer · 08/04/2023 10:10

The learning intention here would have been the life cycle of caterpillars not sentences and spelling. The fact a reception age child is producing this at all is fairly impressive but the teacher will have given them sentences to copy for them to take home and show what they've been learning - about caterpillars- not what they've been learning in literacy. You're massively overthinking this

namechange3394 · 08/04/2023 10:10

mollycoo · 08/04/2023 10:08

I would have loved to have seen her own writing about a caterpillar, that's all. The school made a big fuss about how they are play based and child led in Reception so it was a bit jarring. Maybe it was handwriting.

I don't want to ask the teacher and look like a nightmare parent. Definitely not.

So do some writing with her at home?

I'm sure she does do "her own writing" at school too - why not ask to see her books?

2ndGenerationHomeEducator · 08/04/2023 10:10

It was likely set out for the children to copy, if they wanted to at Reception level. Otherwise I very much doubt she would remember the spellings etc if she copied it out later.

BillLius · 08/04/2023 10:11

mollycoo · 08/04/2023 10:08

I would have loved to have seen her own writing about a caterpillar, that's all. The school made a big fuss about how they are play based and child led in Reception so it was a bit jarring. Maybe it was handwriting.

I don't want to ask the teacher and look like a nightmare parent. Definitely not.

Well then you’ll never know the truth.

Original poster
mollycoo · 08/04/2023 10:15

So it's okay for children to copy sentences they can't read or write on their own?

At her parents' night they said she was doing well etc so it just surprised me to see 'The caterpillar comes out of the chrysalis as a beautiful butterfly' etc instead of her usual little sentences.

OP posts:
liveforsummer · 08/04/2023 10:17

mollycoo · 08/04/2023 10:15

So it's okay for children to copy sentences they can't read or write on their own?

At her parents' night they said she was doing well etc so it just surprised me to see 'The caterpillar comes out of the chrysalis as a beautiful butterfly' etc instead of her usual little sentences.

Yes it's fine - in a lesson about caterpillars. Not so much in a lesson about phonics

OnTheRunWithMannyMontana · 08/04/2023 10:17

Reception class? So she is 5??

If you are worrying about this now I dread to think what you will be like when she is in secondary school.

Just relax. It's a little piece of writing designed to help her learn about butterflies. The teacher will have put the writing up on the board for the children to copy. A bit of writing practice and a bit of learning. It's not like she has plagiarised her GCSE coursework.

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/04/2023 10:19

mollycoo · 08/04/2023 10:15

So it's okay for children to copy sentences they can't read or write on their own?

At her parents' night they said she was doing well etc so it just surprised me to see 'The caterpillar comes out of the chrysalis as a beautiful butterfly' etc instead of her usual little sentences.

I used to do 'shared writing' where children contributed to forming a sentence which I then wrote on the board with their 'help' with some of the spelling. Your DD might have copied something like this. Children having a go at their own writing is great and they should definitely be doing that but they also need some input i.e teaching. I'm guessing it was something like this.

namechange3394 · 08/04/2023 10:20

mollycoo · 08/04/2023 10:15

So it's okay for children to copy sentences they can't read or write on their own?

At her parents' night they said she was doing well etc so it just surprised me to see 'The caterpillar comes out of the chrysalis as a beautiful butterfly' etc instead of her usual little sentences.

What do you mean "it's okay"? Why would it not be ok?

How would you like the teacher to teach them about the life cycle of the butterfly without using the words "chrysalis" or "butterfly"?

Original poster
mollycoo · 08/04/2023 10:23

It's just so grown up looking. Like a little essay! I didn't think she would do so much copying so young.

OP posts:
Expo23 · 08/04/2023 10:27

Does she now understand this concept or have awareness of it? Speak to her about it? She won't remember the word after the first time maybe but it's new vocab that she can learn. She is being taught after all.
What do you want her to 'copy out' so that she can learn how to write/form words? Bearing in mind she won't have 1-1 help sat with her to write down anything she comes up with for her then to copy. If they had been learning about butterflies then I'd assume the teacher got them to write the sentence as they had been learning about them. I don't see your issue. If you'd rather her write 'a cat sat on a mat' then speak to the teacher. I'd be happy that such words and concepts were being introduced as they wouldn't be plucked from thin air but from the broader context of their learning that day or week?

LeafHunter · 08/04/2023 10:27

It’s a lesson about life cycles - it’s science. Can you imagine the teacher having 30 children all wanting to write something different. Some won’t even remember what the lesson is. Children used to learn it, draw a picture or move on to the next thing but now it needs to be documented that they’ve learnt it - hence a sentence. Is this about something else ie are you sad she’s growing up and doing stuff you don’t get to see?

YukoandHiro · 08/04/2023 10:28

She's in reception! She's not going to be achieving "her own writing about caterpillars". That's much more mid-late year one stage.

RachelSq · 08/04/2023 10:28

Blimey, this is hardly “cheating” and I have no idea why you’re getting worked up over it.

Of course the teacher knows a 5 year old doesn’t write like that.

It’s obviously been copied (either from a teacher like you say, or a book) but it’s all writing practice.

MrsSkylerWhite · 08/04/2023 10:29

mollycoo · Today 10:15
So it's okay for children to copy sentences they can't read or write on their own?

At her parents' night they said she was doing well etc so it just surprised me to see 'The caterpillar comes out of the chrysalis as a beautiful butterfly' etc instead of her usual little sentences.”

Of course it is! All practice is good.

TeenLifeMum · 08/04/2023 10:29

She’s in reception! Chill out.

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