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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:
Roshbegosh · 22/10/2013 07:58

Great way for teachers to humiliate the kids whose parents don't help or have interest in them and praise the ones that have parents that do their projects for them. Fucking stupid. Nasty even.

SoupDragon · 22/10/2013 08:02

No, because what the teacher wants is something a child would have made. Not a completely accurate scale model of something clearly made by an adult.

The problem lies with the parents who don't let their child do their own homework.

3bunnies · 22/10/2013 09:54

Maybe in your school soup but here it seems to be the ones which are the parents work which are most praised. Also if any teacher realistically thinks that a 5/6 yr old can construct a medieval village alone then they are a bit mad. Dd did do much of hers but she needed help with setting up painting, cutting out houses etc. I didn't do most of the actual work but I needed to supervise. Some parents don't have that time or want to spend their free time doing things their family enjoys.

3bunnies · 22/10/2013 09:58

Oh and I am lucky as mine love craft and will spend hours on it but some children have little interest so their parents have to finish them off. Papier mache is probably the worst for this as it takes so long. And is fairly repetitive.

pudding25 · 22/10/2013 10:06

I think that you are the one with the problem here. The homework is for the child to do on their own. As others have said, it doesn't need to be something fancy. A couple of bits of paper/box etc and some decorations.
As a teacher, we sometimes will give home a craft project and specifically write on the homework letter that parents do not need to get involved.
Unless it is supervising your children and helping because you want to, then children should get on with homework on their own. If they can't do it, then a note to the teacher should suffice.

Primrose123 · 22/10/2013 10:07

I used to hate all this sort of thing when mine were in primary school. I like sewing, crochet and things like that, and loved doing crafts with my DDs but when we had to 'make a dragon' etc I knew we were in for a bad time.

Imagine my utter delight when DD2 comes home from secondary school and tells me that over half term we have to make a motte and bailey castle (didn't know what that was until I looked it up) with two of her friends. One friend was on holiday all week, and the other friend's mum was was working all week, so I had to make the stupid thing with DD and her friend. It was a complete disaster. She went back to school and told me that half the people hadn't bothered, and the teacher didn't make that much fuss about those who did. It would have been much better to get them to research a motte and bailey castle, or draw one. DD learnt nothing from our wasted day with papier maché.

SoupDragon · 22/10/2013 10:08

so their parents have to finish them off

No they don't. They don't have to do anything. People seem to be unable to comprehend it is the child's homework, not theirs. The teachers are not stupid, they know full well when a child has done bog all.

I encourage my children to do the HW, I give them ideas, I provide the materials and they do what they want - often nothing like what I had suggested. I have, on occasion, sent them in with something that is, quite frankly, crap.

Contraryish · 22/10/2013 10:10

My daughter (Y2) has to make a model of our house of between 10 and 20 cm in height for homework. The idea is to recreate the village!

Not only has our house been extended in virtually every direction possible, we don't even live in the right village. So I've vetoed realism, given her a shoebox and told her to get on with it.

I'm sure some of the other families will produce architecturally-accurate scale models of their own homes, because that's the kind of school it is. But as I couldn't do that even if I wanted to, I'm going for the child-led approach.

Contraryish · 22/10/2013 10:12

She's actually in Y3, how quickly time flies. Another part of her homework is 'research your family tree back as far as you can go'! How is that even possible without massive parental input?

laughingeyes2013 · 22/10/2013 10:12

I'm led to understand homework in primary school is optional.

My sister sometimes opted out of her son's big projects when he had no interest, and helped him with the ones he wanted to do.

He understood that when he is older he doesn't have the option to opt out, (i think it helps he has older siblings to role model this) and it seems to be fine with the school who admit the parents do the big projects anyway!

TwickOrTweasels · 22/10/2013 10:18

I hate homework. We have never had a project like this that hasn't ended in tears (usually mine)

I would honestly just send in a normal shoe and if they question it and say it was something that should have been made at home. Claim to be a shoemaker!!

WetGrass · 22/10/2013 10:30

contrary - l

Family tree

DC
^
DMum & DDad > DAuntie
^
DGrandparents

Then hand the child a phone / take them to visit nearest living relative. You'll end up with:

DC
^
DMum & DDad > DAuntie
^
DGrandparents
^
Granny's Mummy

If you're an overachiever you might find that Granny's Mummy was called Mary

I actually think that's quite a sweet & meaningful homework!

Mumsyblouse · 22/10/2013 10:39

I think the people saying just let them get on with it might be thinking of slightly older children. At five, one of mine could barely hold a pair of scissors and building things was very frustrating, she wouldn't use the right materials say to stick stuff and it would all fall apart. That's without the fact that as a parent, you had to provide all the stuff and lay it out/help them clear away, whereas now she's 8, it's great fun as she is able to do much more by herself and paint/label things if necessary.

Model-making is great as an activity for slightly older children, but adding 'just add labels' or 'take some photos' or 'design it first then build it' is all stuff they can't do unaided. Schools aren't just content with asking children to build any old thing, they want it structured and discussed and for a five year old, that is just too much.

3bunnies · 22/10/2013 10:40

My point is that the homework should be realistic. A medieval village or make a shoe is not realistic for a 5/6 yr old. Draw a picture of a prince/princess/knight would be realistic. As I said mine are happy to sit for hours doing craft but it still impacts on family time because they want to spend hours on homework while dh is wanting everyone to go out together. Set homework which will only take 20mins and let families get on with their lives and don't set homework in holidays, it is a holiday

Rhienne · 22/10/2013 10:41

Anyone who gets this assignment in the future could print out this for their DC and hand them some tape...

www.wired.com/design/2013/09/can-this-origami-shoe-change-the-way-we-manufacture-footwear/

Contraryish · 22/10/2013 10:43

WetGrass - all well and good, but if she asks either my father or my MIL she'll get the whole story back to the industrial revolution!

3bunnies · 22/10/2013 11:01

I agree Mumsy maybe teachers should apply the classroom test - 'if I would be happy to supervise them in class doing this work with minimal input in 20mins (or however long the homework is meant to be) then it is appropriate as I am expecting them to do it on their own at home'. If it would be a nightmare doing it in the classroom then don't send it home. Don't think dd's teacher would ask them to make a model village on their own in 20 mins during class time.

WetGrass · 22/10/2013 11:55

Maybe - but surely thats no bad thing?

I grumbled & grumbled about DC school asking for 'international food contributions' - but in the end I sat them all down, pulled down grandmas recipe book, and it prompted us to take a bit of time to chat about family history.

I wouldnt lump that with Matchstick Taj Mahal type o projects

Alexandrite · 22/10/2013 12:27

I googled "Taj Mahal school project" and have found a blog of someone who made an actual Taj Mahal model for their kid's school project. (Kid looks about 5.) I don't think the dd contributed much to it!

cardsandschoolprojects.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/taj-mahal-model.html

WetGrass · 22/10/2013 12:32

Ha ha - the mothership of parent homework!!

pudding25 · 22/10/2013 13:05

That is hilarious! I am sure the teacher complimented the parent on her fantastic craft skills!

nancy75 · 22/10/2013 13:08

I started out thinking the school wanted DD to do the stuff herself, I soon realised I was wrong when one on the homeworks was to make something out of recyclable stuff in your bin - with a prize for the best one.

The best one turned out to be a life size bike made from empty water bottles and other bits, it was so good you could turn the pedals and make the wheels go round - apparently this was made by a child in reception (age 4 or 5!). Even with instructions I couldn't have made the bloody thing, so I struggle to believe a 4 year old did it with minimal help!

MrsCakesPremonition · 22/10/2013 13:14

I would have given my DC an empty tissue box, a stick of pritt stick and the craft box and told them to knock themselves out with the decorating.

I bet the teacher remembers from 1970s schools TV.

JohnnyUtah · 22/10/2013 17:02

we're not thinking of older children, just let them get in with it and send in crap if that is what they make!

BarbarianMum · 22/10/2013 17:09