To think cooking isn't more important than woodwork (or the other way around)

[LittleMissCrankyPants]

Yr 7 son. They do cooking for the 1st half of the year and then woodwork for the 2nd half.

He has forgot his cooking ingredients on a couple of occasions since the start of the year. His teacher is already 'punishing' him by not letting him do the chocolate log next week. He was told if he forgot his ingredients again he wouldn't be able to do woodwork on the next half as he would have to redo the whole of the cooking part again.

After asking him all week what this weeks ingredients are he finally told me last night at 7.30 after finding out at school yesterday (its usually just flour eggs, that sort of thing so I usually have stuff in), I didn't have the stuff in so he's not taken them today.

I'm not saying he's an angel or shouldn't get punished, he is in the wrong for not taking them, I just don't think its right that he doesn't get to do his turn at woodwork. And I would still be saying this if it was my daughter! Is cooking more important?

I would say cookery is a more useful skill for life.

It's not about whether cooking is more important

It's about not switching til he can actually do cooking, a major part of which is remembering the bloody ingrediebts

This isn't really about whether one is more important than the other, it's about being prepared for a lesson which your child was unable or unwilling to do. He was told the consequences of his actions. To be then allowed to do woodwork wouldn't be teaching him much of a lesson - though he doesn't seem to have learnt his lesson anyway. I don't think you should be fighting his corner on this. By all means be sympathetic but this is his fault.

Sounds an appropriate punishment tbh, it's not about what's more important, more that he needs to get his act together. From what I remember yr7 cooking was decorating a shop bought Swiss roll, washing up and making bread rolls. My mum got a very ugly pencil holder from my woodwork endeavours. In the grand scheme of things neither were important, but your ds needs to learn that he is responsible for getting lists to you and ensuring he can complete the tasks set.

Cooking is more useful imo, but key point here is he needs to get organised and remember what he needs to take to school - an even more important skill!

When I was at school they provided ingredients. I think they should still do so and maybe a small charge could be made. It is difficult for parents to have to buy in small quantities of this and that whereas school could buy in bulk.

How often in adult life do most people need to make a wooden candle stick and how often do they need to eat food? I think that one is probably slightly more important for his continued healthy existence. He also needs to learn to be more organised.

It's about the fact that on more than one occasion he didn't do what was required of him. Doesn't matter what it was.

IMO there's also no point in 'asking several times' what the ingredients are. Look in his bag and find them yourself as most of the year 7 boys I know are like a tit in a trance.

If it had been the other way around so that he had woodworking first and then cookery, how would they have punished him if he'd forgotten his ingredients this many times? Would they have made him redo cookery the next year and miss out on woodwork then?

I'm assuming that half the year do cookery then woodwork, the other half do it the other way around so apologies if that's the wrong assumption. I'm also assuming that wood and tools are provided so that there's nothing to forget; thus others won't get the same punishment of missing cookery because they haven't remembered to bring things in for woodwork.

Do they do this with any other lessons - that if they don't do xxx for one subject then it means they can't do yyy subject?

I do think he needs to get more sorted for his ingredients though - easy to say, not so easy to do. Can you help by putting it on the calendar so you know to ask him what he will need for next week on the evening after his cookery lesson so at least you will know what needs to be in?

it isnt about cooking vs woodwork it is about completing his cooking modules he needs to finish part of the curriculum before he can move on to the next.

I think they're using it as a punishment though as he's looking forward to woodwork. I'm pretty sure if he sat in woodwork and did absolutely naff all then they wouldn't keep him in there another term, he would go on to do cooking, so the school are prioritising it really.

Just feel a little :( for him that he'll miss out on woodwork though, even though I will admit it's his fault.

Why didnt you get him the ingredients?

Just saw your post zipzap, yes you're correct, if he'd have done woodwork first then the only option for punishment for forgetting ingredients would be detention or something similar. He still does the lessons as teacher provides then I have to pay back next week.

LEMis at 7.30 at night with 3 other children to look after and no car as husband had it?

I bet he doesn't have to provide his own wood and tools for the woodwork!

You should rather be more concerned why he can't remember to take in his ingredients on many occasions.

Neither are more important than the other but it is right he should have some sanction for not bringing his ingredients in. And it's not fair on you for him to give you the list at the last minute.

Cooking is a more useful life skill I think. Also, food just doesn't get 'provided' for you, so why should the school provide it. It would be useful if children went to the supermarket and actually bought the ingredients with parents, learned how much these things cost, and learn that when you grow up, you actually have cook and buy your own food.

But your son does deserve to be punished! He couldn't be bothered and has missed 3 cookery lessons as s result. He was warned, he knew what would happen if he didn't pull his finger out but he chose to be punished instead if falling into line. It was his choice to retake the cookery module therefore.

I think it makes good sense for him to properly finish one cookery module before moving in to the next anyway.

I think cooking is a more important skill and the school should be prioritising it. I think they probably should have issued a detention but I bet they struggle to get so e kids to take cooking seriously and consequently come down hard on those that don't.

This will help your son learn to take responsibility for himself.

Agree cooking is something used daily and it's a must for generally staying alive.

He was told if he forgot his ingredients again he wouldn't be able to do woodwork on the next half as he would have to redo the whole of the cooking part again.

So it hasn't come out of the blue then. He was told what would happen and still couldn't get his act together to give you this list in time. Tough! It isn't about which is more important it is learning to do as he is told or there will be sanctions.

if he hadn't cpompleted al his woodworking whatever then i am sure they would make him re do it and miss cooking, your son forgot his ingredients therefore he didn't do his course don't feel sad for him feel sad for the teachers who need to run a class for pupils who refuse to do the work