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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think this piece of homework is crackers

75 replies

slightlymad72 · 08/02/2011 19:13

just had a look at yr4 DS homeowrk on Moodle, he has to draw a plan of his home and download it to Moodle.

So how do I do this? I have no drawing package on the computer and I have no scanner to scan a hand drawn picture into the computer.

So my son is in tears at the moment because he can't fulfill the requirements set out by his teacher.

I have explained that he will have to draw it on paper and take that in, as there is no alternative.

OP posts:

radiohelen · 08/02/2011 20:08

Slightlymad you sound like you are in a bit of a flap and so is he.

Being in tears about a crappy homework exercise like this can't be good for him. I presume you are giving lots of reassurance and praise for the work he has done. Don't get any more stressed about it. Just take in what he has produced and leave it at that.

I would have a large glass of wine and write a letter (on paper) to his teacher requesting that they always accept homework through the computer and in hard copy. Explain that you had difficulty this evening because of the percieved expectation that it would all be done on the computer.
You are right in that not all parents have access to the internet. Internet poverty is a real issue that rarely gets talked about. A lot of poorer families just can't afford PCs and the internet. Loads of rural kids still only have dial up internet and there are still places where even that doesn't work so it still has to be possible to work offline.

Original poster

slightlymad72 · 08/02/2011 20:09

Telling them its Upload would be way too much for them, they haven't discovered spellcheck yet. Believe me the amount of letters I get with spelling mistakes in unbelievable

OP posts:

Goblinchild · 08/02/2011 20:11

moodle is what it's called in some authorities, like Sussex. In other places it's referred to as a VLE.
There's usually a link from the school website to the moodle that the child can access with the password they are allocated from school.

Original poster

slightlymad72 · 08/02/2011 20:11

@ Ragged the plastic tubing I can help you with, would you a variety of diameters.

OP posts:

diddl · 08/02/2011 20:14

I´m with you OP.
I´d be pissed off about having to do this.

I think in these cases notice should be given so that people can install it/get it up & running or inform school that they don´t have it so could provision be made at school.

kittybuttoon · 08/02/2011 20:17

Yep- I found it and drew a creditable plan of the ground floor of our house in less than ten mins - and I'm pretty rubbish on the computer.

When your lad has worked it out, get him to show you how - could come in handy!

redoneslast · 08/02/2011 20:21

Our school started a vle this term with no instruction or explanation of what it is. I have no idea what the thing is for or about. Its only half done by the looks of it too

Original poster

slightlymad72 · 08/02/2011 20:23

Who ever suggested the glass of wine......... GOOD IDEA!!!!!

Son has pencil and paper, and husband is overseeing. I think I might run myself a bath.

If its getting you down, annoyed, frustrated and your on the verge of CBA, DELEGATE.

OP posts:

kittybuttoon · 08/02/2011 20:25

Nice one, slightlymad!

IThinkTooMuch · 08/02/2011 20:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

brass · 08/02/2011 20:32

The principle is you should set homework the child can do with little or no assistance and is likely to have access to the resources needed.

This is either lazy prep by the teacher or not administered very well providing instructions for parents to be able to facilitate their child.

I would do it in paint (which every pc with a microsoft operating system should have in the start - all programs- accessories menu) or I would get him to do it on paper.

IThinkTooMuch · 08/02/2011 20:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

brass · 08/02/2011 20:36

Haha - Someone with a mac will come along, I'm strictly pc chick.

Panzee · 08/02/2011 20:41

Just checked. I have Pages and it works!

Panzee · 08/02/2011 20:41

I mean on a Mac.

PatriciaHolm · 08/02/2011 20:54

Keynote would work too, on the Mac...

GloriaSmut · 08/02/2011 20:56

Pages will open anything!
(Unlike the poxy products of Microsoft)

backwardpossom · 08/02/2011 21:00

Seashore is a good free paint package for using on Macs. Kind of like Photoshop, but free.

Madmartigan · 08/02/2011 21:54

I'd be pissed off. Yes, the pragmatic thing is to feel obliged to figure it out - but it wasn't reasonable to send the lad home without the necessary information and resources. If he goes to after school club, couldn't they be set up for him to do bits of homework like this there. I'd be properly grumpy, I'm quite grumpy on your behalf. Moodle my arse.

elphabadefiesgravity · 08/02/2011 22:06

I don;t think that any school shoudlo assume internet access. We have it but our computers are strictly work only (that is a ruleof our Head OFfice).

As it happens the dc were bought netbooksby their grandparents so probably would be able to do this.

I have tried and failed to use paint on many occasions. Dd on the other hand is perfectly able!!!!!

jenga079 · 08/02/2011 22:07

I'm a teacher (secondary though so maybe a bit different) and often set work that needs to be done on computer. However, at our school pupils can access computers in the library during lunch and break time and there are after school homework clubs where they can use computers and get support with the programmes. I'd also always allow pupils a week to complete this kind of homework so that they had time to get to a computer and get it done.

Is it worth checking whether your school offers anything similar? Alternatively, a polite note to the teacher explaining that you simply don't have the technology to do that should suffice (especially if you sent it in before the deadline). I doubt s/he is trying to make life difficult; they'll simply be wanting to make the homework relevant and interesting to pupils.

cumfy · 08/02/2011 22:11

Mehhh.

What's wrong with a screenshot of Google Earth ? :o

Original poster

slightlymad72 · 08/02/2011 22:17

Jenga, my other son is at high school and we have never had any problems with his computer based homework, there are always clear instructions for him to follow, all his work has been either maths worksheets or researching which just requires him to copy to Word and then up load.

Giving an 8 year old homework that requires him to use computer software that he has no understanding of, very little instruction of what is required and then assuming he has computer access seems stupid (frankly) The school, does not allow access to its computers outside of class allocated hours. Creating problems for children and parents that don't have computers.

If the primary school computer homework was to follow a similar protocol as the secondary school and the children could have computer access during lunch etc then there would be no problems.

OP posts:

spanners80 · 08/02/2011 22:21

If you don't have Office, but you're running windows download Dia - it's a drawing package I use with my students (and it's free!!)

projects.gnome.org/dia/

it does seem a bit harsh to expect yr 4 to pload their homework, half of my year 10s can't manage that (or that's what they say).

jenga079 · 08/02/2011 22:55

In that case, if the school don't offer internet access for homework then it's clearly ridiculous. Is all homework set via moodle? That would seem to suggest that all pupils have internet access online (which seems unlikely!)

One final thought, if you've got secondary aged pupils they might be able to help your 8 year old with one of the drawing programmes? I agree they shouldn't have to, but they're likely to be more computer literate than you and I.

Anyway, it's late... Good luck with getting it sorted.

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