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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

simpson · 09/11/2010 21:49

I think that its the photo part thats unreasonable tbh.

As someone else said, it would be far better to get them to draw something and write about it.

My DS (5) is in yr1 and had to write about Autumn.

He wrote:

I can heer (hear) leeves (leaves)

Bless him I thought he did really well!!

gaelicsheep · 09/11/2010 21:49

Feenie - I wouldn't call learning through play itself a fad. It's the child centred bit that I think is a fad, for the reasons I stated before. If your child is not inclined to try new things without strong encouragement, then I think they could really miss out. I think my DS is missing out.

TrinityTheTwattyRhino · 09/11/2010 22:13

ok I'll leave now

all my girls want to leanr as soon as they realise they can (18 months to 2 years)

I have to get a grip and sort shit so I can let them

I suppose I would be drowning in not understandin if they didn't

learning is amazing, habing more knowledge is a gift that you can give yourself,

never known small kids that didn;t feel the same

badfairy · 09/11/2010 22:15

Personally don't agree with 4 year olds getting any sort of homework !

gaelicsheep · 09/11/2010 22:30

Trinity - not sure if you're referring to mine. But my DS is really keen on learning all sorts of stuff. He asks questions all the time about everything, is great at counting, loves being read to and remembers stuff you wouldn't believe. He is definitely scared of "doing" things as opposed to absorbing information.

simpson · 09/11/2010 22:36

Trinity - I do agree with you

DD (2.9) is desperate to start learning letters/reading etc...

But tbh my gripe if DS was given this homework would be the actual photo as we don't have a digital camera or printer

gaelicsheep · 09/11/2010 22:40

I tell you, this thread is breaking my heart. My little boy is as bright as a button and I feel like he's really missing out. Things better buck up next year or we may be moving back down south.

gorionine · 09/11/2010 22:41

"What about families who don't have a camera?"

Just cut out a picture from a magazine

thecaptaincrocfamily · 09/11/2010 22:50

I think the point of homework beyond a reasonable expectation is to see which parents will help their dcs and contribute at home, not because they expect children to do it. Lots of families don't engage so it helps in assessing who needs support.

elphabadefiesgravity · 09/11/2010 22:55

I agree it is ridiculous for a 4 year old who probably can't operate a camer themselves even if the family has one.

I do have one now but I had to buy it specially for something else and we don't have a printer that will print photos.

Much better to ask the child to draw something.

We don't do homework that requires parental input. Dh and I both work, including evenings and weekends and if homework can't be done in the waiting room of dance class or at the grandparents house it isn't done.

jade80 · 09/11/2010 23:14

To gaelicsheep I would say, forget pencils for now. Get him to make marks with a paintbrush and water, painting it on slabs etc. Or get a small tray and some coloured sand to shake over it so he can draw in it with his fingers. Pin up a huge bit of paper and let him loose with paint. If you have a pc get him some phonics games e.g. the phase 1 phonics series from smart learning.
Most of all let him see you writing and why, give it a purpose. Does he love building? Give him a clipboard and pencil as part of his builders set (or whatever else his interests are).
Disagree that 4 year olds can't work cameras- they 3 year olds I teach are capable of doing it if shown how and given chance to experiment.
Don't forget some boys aren't physically ready to write as their hands aren't developed enough (mature later than girls).

gaelicsheep · 09/11/2010 23:19

Ooh, thanks for the phonics game recommendation. I have been looking for something and was unsure what was good. We are trying to do other stuff with him, as you suggest. To be fair to his teacher she made some similar suggestions. I can see what she's saying that if he is being creative in that way, and if he can hold a pencil (he can) then when it comes to writing letters he'll physically be able to do it. It's his strong awareness that he can't, but the unwillingness to learn from me, that is a bit worrying. That's why I think a little gentle pushing at nursery might be what he needs, but they are simply not allowed to do it.

elphabadefiesgravity · 09/11/2010 23:27

Guess it depends on the child. My camera was bought for work so I wouldn't have allowed mine at that age to use it.

jade80 · 09/11/2010 23:28

Hope you'll find the games good- they certainly seem popular with children and have different difficulty settings so they should be useful for a while.
You mention his strong awareness that he can't, that reminds me of a child I taught, a few months later he had really gained confidence, so perhaps just give it a while!
Why are the nursery not allowed to do it? Do they have a learning journey or similar at the nursery that you can contribute to? If he shows any interest in mark making at home, can you let them know/write in the learning journey so they can plan to meet his interests or does the interest have to be observed by them at nursery? If they say the latter is the case I would ask them to justify why tbh. As your input should be considered by them when planning for him.

Cam I ask if you know what phonics teaching methods they use, if any? As then I might be able to suggest other games that would complement what they do at his nursery.

jade80 · 09/11/2010 23:30

I suppose so elphaba. The ones I teach use a standard adults compact digital camera. Haven't broken it yet! I might not let them loose with a top of the range dslr though!!

gaelicsheep · 09/11/2010 23:36

WRT to phonics methods jade - none. There seem to be very low expectations of four year olds up here. The inspection report for the school seemed surprised that most of the children in nursery could count to 10 and knew their colours .

I think DS's teacher has taken on board some of what I said to her, or perhaps she's just telling me more. She's been getting DS, with his friends, to pretend to write shopping lists, and he's been coming home with zig zaggy scribbles etc. The other day was the first time DS would allow me to help him write his name, so perhaps he is being encouraged more now. Which would bear out what I said all along.

Regarding letters, what I'm doing with him at home at the moment is games about what starts with what letter - just made up stuff. He knows by heart an alphabet song thing on one of his preschool CDs - A is for apple, B is for bone, C is for carrot, etc. so we've been expanding on that. We also have the Dr Seuss ABC book and he enjoys that. But I really have no clue how things are taught these days, or what will happen when he gets to primary.

As far as I can tell, the nursery is not allowed to do it because of the sodding bloody Curriculum for Non Excellence.

gaelicsheep · 09/11/2010 23:38

An example of how child led it is. I mentioned a concern about how much DS is drinking (not much) and asked the teacher to watch what he had at snack time. He had half a small cup of milk. They can't get him to have a full one apparently, has to be his decision.

jade80 · 09/11/2010 23:50

Well it sounds like his teacher has some good ideas and it's good you've been able to talk to her about it.

Phonics teaching is quite contentious, believe it or not! I like Letterland, children love the stories and finding all the things in the pictures, also the pc games are good. Some don't like Letterland though, but I think as long as you remember to move on from the character names to the sounds they make it's fine. The 'Letters and Sounds' document (think you can download) has some fun games in you could play- some are better than others. Some kids really love e.g. one called 'silly soup'. You'd want phase 1 and phase 2 of Letters and Sounds I think. The games I mentioned before go with that.

It sounds like they have an interesting interpretation of child led! Making sure a child that age drinks (especially if a parent is worried about them not drinking) seems like a no-brainer. Although obviously depends how long the session was, how hot, what he drank the rest of the day etc. At that age they are developing an awareness of how to look after themselves- they shouldn't be expected to know what's best for them all the time, in my opinion. Does the same go for suncream and sunhats- are they optional?! It does interest me how differently different places interpret things.

gaelicsheep · 09/11/2010 23:56

Not much call for suncream and sunhats here since August. Only a 2.5 hour session so not crucial. It would be good to have the backup I suppose, so DS knows it's not just Mummy nagging.

jade80 · 10/11/2010 00:01

Lol ok, a coat and scarf then :P

Qoute 'Maslow's hierarchy of needs' at them and say that if those needs aren't met, a child can't learn effectively. Therefore they should make sure he drinks properly!

Hmm, but don't all DS's know it is just mummy nagging!!

Good luck anyway :o

LeninGrad · 10/11/2010 00:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PinkIceQueen · 10/11/2010 17:06

Hi again Gaelicsheep, sorry if it sounded like i was having a go before, just makes me cross (down south) when parents just sit back without interacting with their children and just expect the school to take up the slack. There is a very marked difference between the kids that get help at home and those that don't, not only academically, but self esteem too.

Sounds like you are doing all of the right things, good for you, boys are very much "doers" at your sons age, but the suggestions from jade80 are most excellent. Sand in trays and joining dots for names are all tried and tested methods that work.

Sparklebox has some excellent free downloadable resources you could look at too.

Hulababy · 10/11/2010 17:12

It is the wording that makes it sound hard, and the fact that they have to take a photo.

I imagine all they are looking for is a picture (photo, drawing, cut from magazine) with an attempt at a few words underneath.

prettybird · 10/11/2010 17:27

Ds started school just before he turned 5 (the youngest in the class would have been 4.5 - this is in Scotland). They didn't get any writing homework in the first year they were still just learning their basic letters. (They did get reading homework, which we had tolisten to)

As it was, ds didn't learn to read (as opposed to "memorise off by heart! ) until he was over 6.5.

YANBU.

prettybird · 10/11/2010 17:30

Oh - and ds is now 10 and free reads for pleasure: he finished the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid two weeks ago after Amazon sent it to us in advacne of the publication date and has just finished Vile Victorians :)

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