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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

This is a test for 6 year olds. How would you score? DD (aged 6) got a D.

160 replies

Greythorne · 09/02/2014 22:42

This is the question:

  1. Rewrite the correct sentences.

a) Mum goes to work on the train.
b) what lovely weather!
c) We're singing in the rain

OP posts:
Original poster
Greythorne · 09/02/2014 23:08

I think there are two issues:

  1. Rewrite suggests you need to reword it in some ...."copy" would have been better
  2. Saying "sentences" when there is only one correct sentence is confusing. They are 6 not 14.

Surely the question should have read:

read the following sentences carefully. Copy out the one sentence which contains no punctuation mistakes.

Grrrrrrrr.

OP posts:
breatheslowly · 09/02/2014 23:09

Rewrite normally implies revising something definition.

I think it is poorly worded and not a valid test for punctuation.

Caitlin17 · 09/02/2014 23:09

Show the teacher this thread. I'm a 54 year old practising solicitor and I didn't follow her badly worded question.

Feel free to point out sentence one, whilst grammatically correct, is ambiguous in meaning.

HerRoyalNotness · 09/02/2014 23:09

My 6yo came home with class work marked the other day that it wasn't want she wanted, she wanted to know how the story made him feel.

He'd written, the lion was caught in a net and the mouse helped him. Then for himself, I was caught in a net and my brother helped me. Pretty sure in a 6yo's world that means his brother is there for him and loves him.. Or people help each other when they're in trouble.... No clue what the teacher actually wanted him to be able to write, he's 6!

hippo123 · 09/02/2014 23:09

My ds (6) would have done the same as your dd. In fact I (34) would have as well!

Original poster
Greythorne · 09/02/2014 23:09

Compos....Er, they are 6!

OP posts:
Marcipex · 09/02/2014 23:10

I would say it's deliberately ambiguous and designed to catch the children out.
Did any child get an A?
I'm glad that teacher isn't teaching my 6 year old.

BeaWheesht · 09/02/2014 23:11

OED definition of rewrite is :

Pronunciation: /ri??r??t /
(past rewrote; past participle rewritten)
[WITH OBJECT]
write (something) again so as to alter or improve it:
I cobbled together a rough draft and then rewrote it

Original poster
Greythorne · 09/02/2014 23:12

The sheet was a photocopied sheet which looks like something she had done herself, as opposed to something photocopied from a text book.

It is not the first time we have had issues like this.

OP posts:
iklboo · 09/02/2014 23:12

b) What lovely weather?

Teacher is being a bit sanctimonious. The question is ambiguous & almost designed to trip them up. Not many 6 year olds would think that laterally.

BeaWheesht · 09/02/2014 23:13

compos all kids do that 'test' don't they?

Mimishimi · 09/02/2014 23:13

a) Mum goes to work by train.
b) What lovely weather!
c) We're singing in the rain.

deakymom · 09/02/2014 23:14

totally ambiguous and they should not be giving them bad marks at that age its a bit soul destroying especially when the kid sees the parents reaction they KNOW they got it wrong then

my daughter got a problem question wrong she was devastated i asked it her again a different way and she gave me the correct answer so i pointed out to her the school was flawed for not asking her questions in the correct way (in front of the teacher too) the teacher was a bit taken aback by it so i rang later and explained to her since she had been cut off by her biological father's family she was determined to be the best at everything and a wrong answer was devastating to her i simply had to rebuild her lost confidence very fast or she would tantrum till she was sick she was four years old at the time

i really hate testing young children

Original poster
Greythorne · 09/02/2014 23:14

Mimishimi...you get a D for that :)

OP posts:
BeaWheesht · 09/02/2014 23:14

My ds is 7 and has never been given a mark as in ABCDE etc and not would I want him to be. Is this common practice?

Mimishimi · 09/02/2014 23:15

It should be "Correct these sentences" though. Asking them to rewrite the correct sentence implies that they are already correct.

campion · 09/02/2014 23:15

Does the teacher have trouble with singular and plural?
Did the question say sentences but only one was required? A tad confusing.

BookABooSue · 09/02/2014 23:16

Rewrite suggests you need to reword it in some ...."copy" would have been better
^^ This
Honestly, a teacher should know better. She obviously doesn't understand the difference between 'rewrite' and 'copy'. I'm Shock that her question needs rewritten!

brokenpurpleheart · 09/02/2014 23:17

I would just write out A as the question asks to rewrite the correct sentences, not rewrite into correct sentences ....

Caitlin17 · 09/02/2014 23:18

Composhat the situation you describe is fair game, except here, the OP's daughter did read and follow the instruction. "Re-write" does not mean "copy"

Re-write means revise, amend, change. When I was a baby solicitor my elders and betters used to re-write my letters;now I get to re-write the juniors'work(and I'm sure they love me for it)

FunkyBoldRibena · 09/02/2014 23:19

If the sentences are correct, then there would be no rewriting needed, just copying.
If the mum worked on the train, serving snacks, or driving, then that sentence would be correct. One cannot assume it was wrong just because the other two are correct.

You definitely need to have words with the teacher.

nothruroad · 09/02/2014 23:19

Is it definitely D as in A-D? We sometimes mark work as Developing, Consolidating or Secure at second, third or fourth level so if it was a third level test I might put D / C / S on it. I'm in Scotland though so ignore me if you are not.

thinking101 · 09/02/2014 23:20

There is not learning benefit to copying out either unless she was assessing handwriting too.

Why couldn't they just tick or underline the senetence that has the correct punctuation.

Much quicker for the child and it tests knowledg eof punctuation the same.

Maryz · 09/02/2014 23:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Greythorne · 09/02/2014 23:20

The marking scheme is A-D with A being excellent and D being...well, crap.

OP posts:
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