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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is a ridiculous homework for a 4 yr old?

79 replies

deaconblue · 08/11/2010 07:14

"take a photograph of something from the natural world. It could be a tree, a plant or animal. Write a report about it."
No joke. I thought ds had been given the wrong homework slip but his friends had the same.
We have taken some photos and he has written on the computer "yelo flowa" and "pee shoots" which I think is pretty good for someone who's only been at school for a few weeks but how ridiculous!

OP posts:
seeker · 08/11/2010 07:16

It's the use of the word "report' that makes it ridiculous.

"Write about it" would be fine!

Decorhate · 08/11/2010 07:17

My 9 year old would moan about having to do something like that....

bruffin · 08/11/2010 07:18

Sorry I don't understand your problem, they won't be expecting any more than that. It's the type of home that is as hard as you can make it.

FreudianSlimmery · 08/11/2010 07:19

What about families who don't have a camera?

Original poster
deaconblue · 08/11/2010 07:19

But even "write about it" is a bit ambitious for a 4 year old isn't it? So far he has only been taught half the phonic sounds in class. The fact he can write at all is because we've done more phonics with him.
Also I thought the take a photo bit was a bit crap too as not everyone has a camera.

OP posts:
Numberfour · 08/11/2010 07:20

YANBU.

Drawing a picture would be more reasonable and being asked to "write something" as Seeker says, would be far more reasonable.

What about families who do not have cameras or have no access to printing or run out of ink or or or or or. So many variables that land up making task Too Much of a Pain, imo.

lostinafrica · 08/11/2010 07:21

Hopefully it's the kind of homework that is quietly optional. I've quietly not enforced homework in the past and had no comeback... But some parents (especially at dc's school) really nag for it.

FreudianSlimmery · 08/11/2010 07:21

Would make more sense if it was "draw something from the natural world and write about it"

Did everyone get that homework btw? Surely some kids can't even write yet?

herbietea · 08/11/2010 07:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

RobynLou · 08/11/2010 07:40

thats silly, we've got quite a decent camera in our house, but no printer, and expecting a 4 year old to 'write about it'? blatantly homework for the parents to do which is just stupid, there should at least be a veneer of pretence that the children do their own homework!

Hullygully · 08/11/2010 07:43

Nonsense. He should be learning Latin declensions, not swanning about taking pics.

oxocube · 08/11/2010 07:46

herbietea, I was just about to post the exact same thing!! Any homework for a 4 year old is ridiculous Hmm

oxocube · 08/11/2010 07:47

and Grin at Hullygully

Goblinchild · 08/11/2010 08:00

Yes, I do think it's ridiculous.
I had to buy a digital camera when DS was in Y10 for his Art homework and projects and I resented the expense.
He puts his images on a memory stick and prints them at school.
As for the writing, many of our 4 year olds would have written random letters and then told you what it said, along the lines of:

ldsuvhrn siggtb hrn

it says

'This is a lovely leaf from the tree in the garden that my nanny likes and my nanny is called Mary and she has a cat called Albert and the leaf is brown.

notyummy · 08/11/2010 08:18

Grin at Goblin. That is what DD does....she can write her name and a few other words, and is good at copying (from any random thing) but then just writes an assortment of letters and tells you the long convoluted story that they apparently tell you!

piscesmoon · 08/11/2010 08:26

I would also say that homework at that age is silly. It is also making the assumption that everyone has a digital camera, not something that I would do.
I think it would be much better to look for some picures (magazines etc)of the natural world and take them in if they want to and if they can find any. Do something with them in school-the teacher making sure that he/she has a collection.

seeker · 08/11/2010 08:39

If they are writing random letters and telling you what they say, then that's what this homework is asking for. It's all about gettingused to the idea of using written language in differrent ways.

I think any homework at all in Primary school is bonkers, by the way, but my dcs and I always enjoyed what my mum used to call "Run and Find Out' tasks.

Better than a work sheet any day!

piscesmoon · 08/11/2010 08:40

At this time of year they could get out in the fresh air and bring in an example of the natural world.

Original poster
deaconblue · 08/11/2010 09:14

We had a home/school agreement through on homework that ds also had to sign - it takes an A3 sheet to fit his name on in his massive writing so they just got the first three :)
I was convinced that it had to be the wrong homework as most of the children won't be able to write anything at all. To be honest ds really enjoyed writing what he did on the computer and was very proud of his first homework but there would have been some children in his class with no camera or computer to do that with

OP posts:
Goblinchild · 08/11/2010 18:03

'At this time of year they could get out in the fresh air and bring in an example of the natural world.'

Now that is a sensible homework for a 4 year old, and a minute in class on the sandtimer to say what it is and why they chose it.
Then the teacher takes a photo and hurrah!

Rhinestone · 08/11/2010 18:09

4 year olds shouldn't get homework and that is stupid homework anyway.

Reminds me of when I was 9 and it was winter and we'd had the first snow. Teacher says, "It's a fun homework tonight - I want you to go out and find an animal print in the snow, draw it and write about it."

Unsurprisingly, it turned out to be no fun whatsoever being outside in the dark (because it's winter) and trying to find an animal print in a suburban back garden!!!

What a fucking waste of time. Teachers - WHY do you set homework like that?? Really genuinely interested to know.

Unrulysun · 08/11/2010 18:20

Rhinestone - teachers set homework like that because they have to think of something off the top of their heads sometimes when there is no obvious homework to go with the activities and learning of this lesson or to prepare for the next. Even in these circumstances they still have to set homework because the thing parents complain about most to schools is lack of homework and schools therefore insist that teachers set it. it's completely ludicrous and setting it, collecting it and marking it takes a huge amount of time which could be spent preparing better lessons and resources.

Horton · 08/11/2010 20:35

I think it's quite nice homework, although agree that the photo part is stupid and what if people haven't got a digital camera or printer at home? My DD is four, although only at preschool tho she does get homework of sorts, and would enjoy this. Yelo flowa and pee shoots sounds like he did really well. FWIW, the teacher would probably be happy to have some letters underneath the picture in any order or combination at all. It's only about ascribing meaning to writing and attempting to do it yourself, surely?

Rosebud05 · 08/11/2010 20:40

A teacher friend of mine was telling me about the pressure they come under from parents to set homework from reception. She works in a very middle class area, which I assumed - wrongly (?)was a factor in this. Is this pressing for homework a common phenomenon?

My dd starts school next year and I already feel vaguely depressed about having weekends and evenings intruded into with 'set tasks'.

Feenie · 08/11/2010 20:40

Absolutely mad homework - my ds would have to dictate his, he wouldn't be able to write anything (he's been in Reception for 6 weeks).