to only want people on this thread who agree that school setting research topics for a 6 year old

[activate]

is lazy teaching

as a teacher you do not set homework for children that they cannot acheive without parents doing it for them - you set homework for them that they can acheive with parental support

it is two different things

and this time I am going to say something

What is he interested in? Thomas the Tank Engine and puffles.

I did talk to him, I asked him , OK who famous do you want to research? DS - I don't know) Me - what did your teacher say - Him She said we could chose Pixie Lott, PIXIE LOTT (tone of indignation) I hate that.

Me- OK what about someoneelse, was there a list of suggestions - Him - Queen Elizabeth I - Me- Are you sure?

If thye school want him to "research Queen Elizabeth I they need to send him home with a worksheet or book about her.

We don't have a printer for home use (I have one at work) and I refuse to reduce the filters to let him go googling. I can't be supervising computer stuff in the evenings whilst trying to do tea, supervise dd and everything else. Thats why the filters are so strict so I don't have to worry too much.

This homework would be much more appropriate for dd age 9, she would probably do someone like Idina Menzel or Sheridan Smith!!!!!

activate, as my previous post - the objective of research homework is not for reading and writing fluently. That should be addressed in phonics, literacy and guided reading, plus every other text-base lesson during the week. This type of homework is really to make a more-rounded person - one who can ask questions and knows where and how to find answers.

interestingly DD and I have just spent a happy time sorting through some cast-off 'treasure' and finding out about rocks and minerals, amethysts and diamonds

this was after instrument practice (piano for her and DS2, piano/clarinet for DS3, DS1 has virtually given up)

and after a family lunch

oh and before that a shopping trip for 4 of us

DS1 is now out of the house, DS2 is watching crap on TV and DS3 and DD are putting themselves to bed. DS3 may well be doing his homework upstairs - I don't know, he will show me by Sunday afternoon so I can check and comment.

I think that is a productive and enjoyable family day.

The ability to research is a very useful skill so I don't see the problem with introducing it at primary school level.

YANBU
still we do learn somethng every time we have one of these hideous long drawn out death by project sessions
No, I do not know how to do a powerpoint presentation
No, my child cannot google research topics without me wading through an awful lot of the wrong (overdetailed, inappropriate, not for six year olds) sites
No, I do not have a printer (well I didn't then, I do now)
No, my child could not write down things at six. Two sentences was probably his limit.

And another thing, why when the school has lots of perfectly good books on the topics do they not think to send the child home with them? Put out all the books on Famous People the school have (I know our school has at least 30, all designed for children of 6-11, I know because I personally catalogued them for the school library and donated quite a few (won't bother next time)) suggest the child chooses one to take home and use that as a starting point.? The same thing happened with animals. Research an animal for next week.

Do they take the children to the school library or look at the classroom shelf on animals? And show them the range of animals they could choose from? No...So your child again spends hours wading through the computer at homewhen they could be reading a lovely and entirely suitable book designed for 6-8 year olds on hedgehogs with tons of pictures and relevant short sentences...Or snowleopards.. And they could have started deciding what they wanted to research in class, and you could have looked up a bit more when they got home.

Still, as I say we have learnt something...
Gelada baboons, Kimonos, Dublin, local architrecture, History of Mexico, Aztec gods, Greek gods.
I have three children at primary school aged 8-10.

Exactly swanriver!

But Queen Eliabeth 1 is SO interesting. What did she put on her face? Who was her dad? Why do you need a worksheet? Google her. There are hundreds of sites about Tudors for kids.

Here's a page for starters:

www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/tudors/kings/elizabeth1.htm

at primary level you (the teacher/school whatever) teach my child how you deem appropriate. Outside of school, in my home, I will teach my child in my own way. I don't need a teacher to tell me how to spend time with my children.

At six years old they can learn in school. They can learn in a very different way at home. What they do not need is to study for subjects, or to pre-research class topics. That is a ridiculous notion.

But it's not teaching at home, it's learning together.

Even though swanriver was writing against it, she actually upheld my argument in her last paragraph:
'... Still, as I say we have learnt something...
Gelada baboons, Kimonos, Dublin, local architecture, History of Mexico, Aztec gods, Greek gods.'

He needs a worksheet or a book because I don't feel it is appropriate for a 6 year old to go searching the internet . Ds has a few pre vetted websites that he can access thats all. And is she classed as a famous person anyway? She is a historical fugure yes but she is dead.

Homework should not assume that children have internet access anyway.

Buzz give up - I don't believe Stoat will accept any viewpoint other than her own and has a slightly "I know best" air about her despite what parents and other teachers have said

Surely there is only one way to effectively teach our children - I wonder which part of the PGCE this was covered in

If we learn together I will decide how, what and why at 6 years old. What bit of that are you not understanding?

you are right activate, not listening at all.

This is a page from a school website. Of course she's a famous person!

I've given you the website address. All you need to do is click on it. No searching necessary.

Schools know who does and doesn't have i/n access or who speaks a diff language at home and will deal with that accordingly.

Why then do they ask them to research things which are so obscure and/or general? I mean famous people is a topic which you can't look up without being overwhelmed.
Animals similar.
Mexico similar.
Local area projects are the pits too. There is usually nothing on-line and you are required to walk around with your child photographing things with your "digital" camera, which you then use your "printer" to print out or "Download" onto your computer. Sorry, I do not know how to do these things, and I don't think my 8 year old does either. Is it compulsory for their education?

All the information is designed for adults to process and sort through and turn into a child friendly format. Very interesting I'm sure, but an enormous amount of "teaching" is required from parent. It is not something a child can do by themselves. Walk to library, sit by themselves on laptop, decide which bits of information are relevant and which bits are not. And put it all in context.

I am happy (well I do it) to do it, but I wish the teachers would stop pretending it is something the child could possibly do by themselves.

Find three facts about Penguins is good.
Draw a Penguin picture is good
Where do Penguins live, what are their babies like, and name three different type of Penguin is all good.

My child could do that. But they are usually set much longer rambling topics which kill their interest quite early on from sheer weight of stuff they are meant to cover.

Right, I am a graduate. I am SAHM. My house is stuffed with books. My husband is a bookseller. I love reading. I have loads of time really if you think about it.

But it is still a question of YOU CAN TAKE A HORSE TO WATER. The child is meant to do the project not me...

If you choose to have no interet in what your child is learning about at school and don't want to share it with them that's your look out, and of course, your perogative.

She's interesting if you have done the Tudors otherwise why would you know about her aged six to choose her?

of ffs

Your way or the wrong way, stoatsrevenge?

Clearly I have no interest in my childs education whatsoever, because I don't want to do stupid homework for him.

How the hell do schools know who has internet access or not. You don't fill in a form at the start of the year.

My work has a very strict rule that we don't share our computers with children. As it happens the grandparents bought the dc a laptop which they mostly use at their house. Dh set up parental controls, he works at the other end of the country in the week.

We both work in education, I don't think this benefits children of 6 at all.

I have quoted ks1 research objectives - all are 'with support'.
I would never expect a ks1 child to do a project by themselves OR do more than write down a few facts or a few categorised words, When they get back to school with their info, we use it in class (so it is useful if they've done it) and create a class project book / set of posters / non-fiction writing lesson, etc.

Parents sign internet agreements at the start of the year at our school.

Parental controls wouldn't block the woodlands site.

I'm not a big fan of stuff like this but I don't think its the end of the world if you have to help them do it.

with him, buzz....with him.
I give up.

I'm so uninterested in my children's education I fork out £4k a term for it.

"stoatsrevenge Sat 08-Jan-11 19:59:50
If you choose to have no interet in what your child is learning about at school and don't want to share it with them that's your look out, and of course, your perogative."

You see that comment there is where you have it so totally wrong

I take tremendous interest in how my child is progressing at school and in how she is seen by the teachers and staff - in her social life and abilities. What I take no interest in is YOU (meaning a teacher) dictating what me (parents) should do with my young child at the weekend in order to fit in with YOUR (teacher) lesson plans.

It is our perogative to have effective teachers who plan well