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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is too much to ask of 7/8 (yr3) year olds?

197 replies

emkana · 25/04/2011 08:36

about a topic, read relevant books/websites, digest the information, then write about the topic (seven subheadings to cover) using all your own words, plus illustrate appropriately?

OP posts:
Original poster
emkana · 26/04/2011 11:49

If the school feels they need to learn it then they should do it in class.

OP posts:
BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 26/04/2011 11:50

Emkana - I agree. It's not that my DS COULDN'T do it...I just fail to see how beneficial it all is for year 3!!! I look at his homework sometimes and it is just complete cak........homework for the sake of homework!!

He reads every night, we learn 10 spellings a week, he has times tables to learn....I fail to see how doing a project on Samuel Pheeps etc etc is gonna help him...it;s all parrot fashion and ask him about that particular project in 2 months time and I bet its all forgotten.

I am sure I am of the minority but I just think we should let the kids enjoy their childhood without all the pressures - there will be plenty of those in secondary school and beyond!

goodbyemrschips · 26/04/2011 11:52

Your child could not do it on her own........she is behind then.

You would struggle to help her........you are lazy then.

COCKadoodledooo · 26/04/2011 11:56

This is the sort of thing that my ds1 (7, year 2) would do voluntarily - pick a topic, research and present it (though he'd almost certainly 'write' it up on the computer, probably as a powerpoint, because he detests handwriting).

I also know that if he's given something as a project, on a topic that's been chosen for him, he'd be a complete and utter fecking nightmare to get motivated. Has to be something that interests him.

If the timescale is half a term or so op, for stuff to be done in their own time, then I'd say it was reasonable. I'd also expect a year 3 pupil to be able to do what's required, maybe with a few pointers in the right direction, but substantially alone. That may be coloured by the fact that ds1 is easily capable of that already, and that I did similar myself at that age. I might feel differently if I had a child that struggled. If the timescale is 'in the half term holiday' or some such, then I think it is too much to ask, yes.

Original poster
emkana · 26/04/2011 12:03

Oh good, there's no hope for my family then.

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Original poster
emkana · 26/04/2011 12:04

Funny how in Germany they do nothing of the sort but still achieve better results in the PISA tests.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 26/04/2011 12:06

It wouldn't work in the same way doing it in school. As homework they can put in as little or much time as they want. That's not an option in school as much.

I think projects like this are great to encourage them to start to learn so independent research skills which are important.

I do wonder if some parents think teachers expect some sort of perfectly produced document - they don't, they just want to see how the child (with support) has gathered and organised the information. What has been described as being wanted here need not be more than a sheet of a4 - hardly hard to do in over a month.

Ladymuck · 26/04/2011 12:07

Yes, most year 3 children could do this, though I would assume some level of parental support. I wouldn't think it unreasonable for a parent to put in an hour or so of help over a 6 or 7 week period. There will always be parents who can't or won't, and usually the school will be aware of these and do their best to support the children.

goodbyemrschips · 26/04/2011 12:07

cock.........that is the main thing is it not.

If your child will struggle at something you are more likely to say that it is not necessary, if your child breezes through stuff you dont really give it any thought.

Interested though ''emkana'' why would you struggle to help you are obviously intelligent enough>

colditz · 26/04/2011 12:07

Goodbyemrschips - yes, ds1 cannot do this. Yes, he is behind. he has autism and ADHD. He has diagnosed behavioral problems, and almost ZERO concentration. Setting him homework he cannot do does nothing to remedy this situation.

Refusing to make him sit at a table for the ten hours it would take him to write a story without me practically doing it for him is not lazy. If I choose the subject, dictate the story, and sit and spell every single word out for him, including telling him contantly to sit down, pick up his pencil, and correcting his letter reversals, it will take maybe an hour, if I give him his Ritalin.

Now kindly stop being so judgemental. You're making the assumption of 'normal' when you have no reason to do so. Children have different strengths and abilities, and you don't know every single eight year old in the world.

goodbyemrschips · 26/04/2011 12:08

Funny how in Germany they do nothing of the sort but still achieve better results in the PISA tests.

I actually did roll my eyes when I read that......

colditz · 26/04/2011 12:09

And me tellintg him he does not have to do it simply does not work. He will OBSESS about it to the point of not sleeping at night because His Teacher Has Told Him To Do It.

goodbyemrschips · 26/04/2011 12:11

colditz I was talking to emkana [whose child I believe has no special needs, I may have missed something though and if I did I apoligize].

SN children should be dealt with completly different and I agree with you and did not mean to offend.

GooseyLoosey · 26/04/2011 12:14

As others have said, I think it is doable with some level of support. However, I am not clear what the point of homework is when it requires my input. It does not show me what my dcs can do, show the teacher what they can do,or make them learn how to work independently. It does take up a lot of my time and theirs, make us all deeply frustrated and make me query exactly what the point of it all is.

SardineQueen · 26/04/2011 12:15

mrchips plenty of people have said that their DCs would not be able to do this project alone

plenty of people have explained that they find it difficult to help due to having other children to look after, working long hours, other unavoidable reasons

Methinks you are being deliberately provocative

Original poster
emkana · 26/04/2011 12:18

I would struggle because I have a younger son with SN who would not just sit and play nicely while I help my dd.

Okay so roll your eyes at PISA, but you haven't explained why the need to do it at seven, when other countries show that the skills for research and presentation can be learnt much later and still learnt well. I would go as far to say that the
UK would benefit from not wasting young children's time on projects, but to focus on basic mathematical and linguistic skills instead.

OP posts:
SardineQueen · 26/04/2011 12:20

emkana it sounds a lot to me but my children are very young so I have no points of reference.

Colditz's homework sounds ludicrous. Draw a circuit diagram for an electronic device (presumably without dismantling it) and explain how it works? Seriously?

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 26/04/2011 12:23

I spoke to DS teacher about the homework just to ask whether I should be making him do it on his own or help him...she told me that her idea of year 3 homework is something for us and him to do together and that she doesnt expect him to sit down and do it all on his own.

colditz · 26/04/2011 12:24

SQ - the funny thing is, this is the literacy one he will handle. The story is just beyond him.

he hates puppets. They aren't real. he cannot make things up that have not happened, and watching him try to lie is hilarious. To him, making up a story is not possible. It didn't happen, so what can he say about it? There's nothing to say!

So far, he's drawn and coloured a picture of Pikachu. They're bloody lucky it's Pikachu and not a tank.

Mrschips, I can see that you aren't aiming the comments at me, but honestly, homework in this house is a huge bloody issue, and this homework is particularly difficult/ I've maybe reacted more sharply than I othrwise would have done, but calling people lazy for not having the time or ability to do something isn't on.

elphabadefiesgravity · 26/04/2011 12:26

I would have thought that plenty of children of that age would be unable to complete that particular project on that particular topic without substantial parental input.

colditz · 26/04/2011 13:37

GAHHHH Ds1 has found the story homework so stressful he has BITTEN himself on the arm.

Have sent him for a breakSad

Madsometimes · 26/04/2011 13:42

My dd does not have SN, she is the youngest child in the family. There is no reason why I could not sit down and help her. I have the time, we have Internet access and children's encyclopedias.

However, I fail to see how me doing helping her with homework is of benefit to her or me.

I'm not disinterested in her education, far from it. Luckily for us, she had no homework this holiday. Dd1 on the other hand had 5 past Sats papers to complete. She is older and was able to do them entirely on her own. My job was to keep my 7 year old quiet, nothing more.

shitmagnet · 26/04/2011 13:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

shitmagnet · 26/04/2011 13:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SardineQueen · 26/04/2011 13:50

Colditz can't you get him to do a story of something he has seen on the telly, so he doesn't need to make it up?

There seems to be little mileage in doing it "by the book" in your case.

Or does he insist on doing it by the book himself.

Sounds really difficult.