To wonder what year 7 pupils get from building a castle model

[Verycold]

In history? What is the point?? How does it actually improve their higher level history skills?

natweeb79 "podding on his/her fire somewhat" - you what now?

Don't be silly ilovesooty how will you be able to turn up at the school gate carrying a model and proclaim how awesome jocasta was at her homework if she's made it herself?

Haha I think I just invented a new verb! To pod. No idea what it means but it's supposed to be a direct synonym of 'to piss'

I have made the castle a bit crap, don't want the teacher thinking they have been disrepected

Judging by some of the models I have seen being carried into school over the years, I suggest that there is much parental input into the making thereof.

Very , I always let my 11 yr old do and make his own homework.

It is never perfect, never seems to get an A, but if is always made 100% by him.

You need to learn to step back a bit maybe?

I know plenty of parents who do their kids' homework ( and, mildly annoying, it gets the better grades) but really, it is not the point is it?

My Year 7s do this and love it, they have options of how to approach the task. Some draw plans , some make a castle out of cardboard , some use other materials .

I give them time after school to do it in my classroom and to use my craft materials if they wish.

They use the castles after having studied battle of Hastings . Just after they have an essay comparing the military techniques of great military leaders and a knowledge of castles and forts helps them do that.

I find it difficult to understand how some parents can be so brazen about doing their child's work for them, joke about the Disrespect to the school and the teachers working hard to plan and assess and fail to be embarrassed about their attitude. It's giving an appalling message to their children. The task doesn't matter. Teachers have mnothing better to do than plan and assess work not even completed by the pupils. And never mind, precious, if it's boring and you have other interests mummy will do it for you.

I have helped 3 of my children make their castles .

I have not helped them with the subject matter just the practicalities of putting it together .

What ilovesooty said.

I just find it really odd that you ask that question when you are a teacher??
It's the learning by doing approach, remembering the names of each part as you build.
Even if your daughter is not creative you should encourage her to learn a new skill whether you feel it's relevant or not.
Just as we encourage those who don't like writing essays to do so.
What do you teach and how long???

I don't believe she's a teacher at all.

I don't question the activity in principle, just as a homework and at this age, and also, dare I say, for a high ability pupil who is capable to do much higher level things.

Then go for differentiation by outcome. If she's G&T she can build the castle and write a piece describing how she built it and what the various parts do. Everyone's happy.

ilovesooty - at my DCs' schools, parents are encouraged and expected to be involved in and support their children's learning.

Can I take it that you leave your dC to it? Never listen to them reading, or help with phonics, or take them to places that may help with homework, or drive kids to sports matches etc etc etc.

There are many ways to support learning. Helping with making castles in just one of them.

Not in everyone of course, but for dd it is the case.

it isn't just building a castle, it is learning to plan, to research and to craft.

DS1 and I are researching pyramids and materials for brickmaking.

"capable to do..", what, like write a grammatical sentence? By that reasoning, the less able so should only ever be set colouring in and the high ability, given high ability "hard" work will soon work out that its more fun to be in the divvy class! There are plenty of ways that a high ability child can stretch themselves with this task - produce a scale diagram first, plan materials, budget for buying anything needed.

There's a vast difference between supporting DCs in their learning and effectively doing it for them.

A properly scaled working model in authentic materials and historically accurate features would be higher level.

Agreed with above, why does 'higher level' preclude creativity?

It is making learning accessible for kinesthetic and visual learners.

You lot are so po-faced.

It's also understanding the function of the building, it was built that way for a reason. Loads of history in the whys of how space is used.