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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that this is an unsuitable school project?

108 replies

loadofoldcobblers · 21/10/2013 12:28

I've NC for this because of the identifiable details.

DS usually gets a craft project every half term, to be done at home. The usual approach is that they do some drawings in class at the start of the half term, and then are asked to make it at home.

This time, they've been asked to make a shoe.

Now, there's nothing inherently wrong with this. I'm not currently undergoing shoe aversion therapy, and I didn't have a traumatic childhood experience involving a moccasin.

But... DS is only 5 years old (Y1)!

I could understand if he was in a high school design & technology class, where as part of a term project he was asked to make one. But in primary school?

It's not like they gave out pre-drawn templates for the children to colour in & cut out / stick. The parents are just left to work out how to make a shoe.

I we made one yesterday and I'm he's quite pleased with it, but it was such an involved process, and he was so bored by the end. I can't see that I could have made it much easier or quicker, unless he'd done a flip flop like the genius who got in first with that idea

It's parents evening today, so WIBU to mention to the teacher about the suitability of the project for the age group?

OP posts:
GW297 · 21/10/2013 12:32

I would have a quiet word with the teacher if I were you. I am a teacher and although I don't give my 5 year olds holiday projects as such I would appreciate the feedback.

RobotLover68 · 21/10/2013 12:33

we did similar in cubs and did a very simple moccasin with felt and blanket stitched around the edges - having said that I HATE holiday homework for little ones - I think they need a rest and yes I agree you should have been given guidance

CecilyP · 21/10/2013 12:34

I read as far as moccasin and thought UWBU. I thought that was the sort of thing I would have liked to have done. Except I would have liked to have done it at 9 or 10 years old. So YANBU. I would hand it in and with great pride and say, 'here is my homework, miss - never thought I would still be doing homework at (insert age)!'

redskyatnight · 21/10/2013 12:35

I think you may have overthought it (which is why adults shouldn't do their children's homework).

If you'd said to your child that they had to make something to go on their feet and just left them to it, what would they have done? I suspect my DC would have stuck their foot in a box and then decorated the box.

Original poster
loadofoldcobblers · 21/10/2013 12:35

Sorry, to be clear, this is term time homework - half term for us is next week and we'd left it until the last minute

OP posts:
hiddenhome · 21/10/2013 12:37

This is done to ensure that parents spend time doing things for their child. Some schools seem to think that all we do is sit around on our backsides drinking lager and watching X Factor. Giving a homework project which is clearly impossible for the child to do is ridiculous.

It's a form of social engineering aimed at the lowest common denominator, but, unfortunately, we all get targeted.

CecilyP · 21/10/2013 12:37

But if they didn't want a professional looking product, the children could have done it in class. Sounds like homework for parents to me.

TEErickOrTEEreat · 21/10/2013 12:39

"all we do is sit around on our backsides drinking lager and watching X Factor"

Wait, we're suppose to do other things? Like what?

TheCraicDealer · 21/10/2013 12:40

Get some clay from your local art shop, show DC picture of a moccasin and twenty minutes later you shall have an item resembling a shit that you can wheel out for said DC's prospective spouse in years to come.

DeWe · 21/10/2013 12:40

But that sort of thing I would pass onto my dc to decide what to do. They could make a model out of playdough, stick together one with card, sew together one (with very large stitches) I'd cut out, an old shoe with stickers stuck on, or another option they suggested.

I suspect when they bring them in you will see all varieties, from the child whose drawn a picture of an unrecognisable shoe, to the parent who has made a pair that the child will wear into school and looks fantastic.

I definitely prefer that one to the homework dd1 had "using a 2 litre bottle, fill it up using the lid and count how many lid fulls fill the bottle." I didn't really just do 10 lid fulls and then multiply up

SouredStones · 21/10/2013 12:41

As said above it's to ensure you don't let your child actually be a child and spend their holiday time playing and forces you to interact with them.

We have the half term project of 'design a poster outlining your unrealistic dream then explain why you can't manage it'

Very positive stuff that!!

We've gone with 'I want to be queen of Mars' and 'I want to rule the world'

Utter stupidity!!

HorryIsUpduffed · 21/10/2013 12:42

This kind of homework annoys me too, but we get very little of it.

Collaborative homework should be at least 75% child - eg last week we had to draw round our feet and see how many 1p/2p/5p would fit in the space. We all had to work together but DS was the one doing all the counting and writing.

loveandsmiles · 21/10/2013 12:43

YANBU ~ I hate DC being given craft to do as homework. Happy for them to make anything at school but really object to making things at home ~ they invariably get bored before its finished, have grand ideas that don't work, make lots of mess etc. Then you get other children bringing in fantastic models that their parents have obviously spent all weekend makingSmile......

I've worked out that every year primary 1 make a cave ~ DD1 made a brilliant cave (with help from DH), so kept this and DS took it in when he was in P1, followed by DD2 last year ~ always been told about recycling so 2 birds.........

Original poster
loadofoldcobblers · 21/10/2013 12:44

Cecily I might sign it "by Cobblers, aged 34 1/4"

redsky maybe, but unless you're Mr Maker you're unlikely to have a variety of boxes just waiting to be turned into a shoe, so he needed to have guidance about how to make one.

OP posts:
hiddenhome · 21/10/2013 12:45

Parental homework is very common and something to be rejected at all costs. It's time parents stuck up for themselves and see it for what it is. Children should have meaningful homework that teaches them literacy and numeracy, not 'Make an Exact Replica of The Taj Mahal out of Matchsticks' and impossible rubbish like that Hmm

WetGrass · 21/10/2013 12:47

I think you are over-anxious about the form of the outcome - and in fact slightly defeating the 'creativity' learning point by 'rescuing' your DS.

My 5 year old recently went through a shoe-making obsession. (Genuinely!)

He'd pad around the house in these paper and selotape concoctions and go all Sad - face at me if I suggested that they weren't suitable footwear to go to the park on a rainy day.

I keep recycling under the sink - any such projects get directed there - you can make an approximation of almost anything if you start with a fairly rigid box & add selotape.

Alexandrite · 21/10/2013 12:48

I'd have just got a bit of A4 card and drawn a line in each corner where child needed to cut. Then wrapped it round childs foot and got child to stick bits of sello on to hold it on place, then cuts off any excess card. Maybe got child to draw some pictures on with felt tip. 10 minute job.

Alexandrite · 21/10/2013 12:50

If the child doesn't need to be able to put the shoe on their foot id have got them to make one out of playdough as mentioned above

Original poster
loadofoldcobblers · 21/10/2013 12:51

hidden Yes, I hate the implication that anything I choose to do with my DC won't be as worthy as what they're suggesting. And presumably if someone doesn't spend much time with their children, a school project is unlikely to change that.

Cecily I've never heard him say that he's been doing craft at school, and he's certainly never brought anything home.

smiles I've pre-empted the need to do the same for DD by making a ballet pump with her at the same time...

OP posts:
BackforGood · 21/10/2013 12:52

YANBU - if the school sets homework, then it should ensure it sets homework the children can do on their own.
I did my homework when I was a pupil, I'm not doing it as a parent.

MinesAPintOfTea · 21/10/2013 12:53

TEE sit around on MN obviously.

OP yanbu.

WetGrass · 21/10/2013 12:53

In fact - I know exactly how to do it:

Materials:
Cling film
Two rolls of parcel tape
Two cans of lager
Scissors

  1. wrap child's foot in cling film.
  2. provide roll or parcel tape with the end slightly lifted.
  3. instruct child to keep wrapping the tape around until the end of the roll.
  4. crack open the lager and enjoy X Factor
  5. with craft scissors cut the top of the shoe enough to wriggle foot out of. Tidy up the top with scissors.
  6. repeat on other foot
hiddenhome · 21/10/2013 12:54

Yes, that's it exactly loadofoldcobblers. It also takes time away from other extra curricular things that we may do with our children and takes it for granted that we're all feckless layabouts who don't spend time with them.

Kaekae · 21/10/2013 12:57

I hate this sort of homework. At five my son was asked to design and make a flying contraption. He designed it at school and he was asked to make it at home, which I had to go out and buy the long list of materials. However, he couldn't do it and I gave up when I found myself doing all the work. We didn't continue with it because I felt it was pointless if I was doing most of the work. I am all for homework and I spend time with my children helping or supervising them with it, but project work like this annoys me.

Greendove · 21/10/2013 12:58

I recently helped DS with a complicated project which I'm embarrassed to say was 75% me and 25% him. And I he got no feedback from the teacher! The value of overly difficult homework tasks is very questionable.