DD missed a cooking lesson so has to do it at home?

[EdwiniasRevenge]

Last week DD was ill, had the day off school. First one this term. She probably averages 1-2 days off per academic year and only when genuinly ill. She had been up all night with fever and still had a fever that morning (38+).

She was due to bake lemon biscuits in her food class. Yr9, not an examined course. In fact it is an 'option' not a compulsory subject.

Today she has been told that because she missed the cooking session last week she must bake the dish at home (biscuits) and take a photograph with a name label shown in the picture. What is the teacher going to gain from this? What is dd going to gain from this?

Now - if it was an academic subject I would feel there was some justification for catching up on the missed class content. But to complete a practical she missed?

She cooks competently at home -bolognese/chilli/soup/cakes/biscuits all from scratch and with minimal input from me.

AIBU to think that this task is unnecessary?
AIBU to politely email the teacher and explain that I feel this is unecessary.

[Mrsjayy]

Yes if it was a recipe planner or an art project bet you would tell her to get on with it

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

I get that making biscuits is nice, but I think that's quite rude of the teacher.

Is it possible she knows your DD cooks without much input from you, so thinks this would just fit into her normal routine? If so, maybe she just figured 'oh, that'll be a nice thing to do'.

But it's kind of an imposition on you, isn't it?

[AesSedai]

What is dd going to gain from this?

To learn how to make delicious biscuits. And as for at cost to me - surely you would have had to send in the ingredients if she'd gone to school.

YABVU and huffy. And why would you deprive your DD the experience?

[edamsavestheday]

OP already said the school provides the ingredients for lessons, do read the flipping thread before having a go.

[Chopchopbusybusy]

I really don't see the issue. Just because it's an 'option' it doesn't mean it's 'optional'. She chose the subject.
Plus as others have said there will be biscuits at the end!

[19lottie82]

edamsavestheday - I don't think I said they must never question anything, did I? If you re read my post, you will see that I was referring to MINOR issues (like this). Teachers are not gods. I did not imply this, but their work should be respected. However, common sense, of course, should prevail.

[StrattersFeeear]

It's not odd, far too many people can't cook these days; just because your DDS can, doesn't mean she shouldnt have to make the biscuits. The teacher is merely ensuring that all her pupils complete the course, and she has to treat them all equally.

Just get her to make the biscuits.

[RiverTam]

hmm, I think it's slightly petty of the teacher, but it would be far more petty of you to kick off about it.

[StrattersFeeear]

*DDS - DD.

[JoanHickson]

I think it's the done thing now. One of my DC had to make scones at home and bring in a photo. Due to a hospital appointment.

[GingerCuddleMonster]

I'd just go buy a packet of buiscuits roughen them up maybe place one or two in the oven to over brown dust with icing sugar take picture job done .

I'm a bad person I know but I couldn't be bothered with baking in the hone for a bloody picture.

[EdwiniasRevenge]

And no she has not been given any catch up work from other subjects.

I don't have all the ingredients (I don't even have the recipe yet) in at the moment so will need to go shopping before she can do it and check expected timescales.

once again I'm questioning if it is right for her to be given additional homework for being ill. Academic subjects - it rarely happens but I could understand that it would be part of scaffolding the further learning. It would benefit her teacher (by making the next lesson more understandableto her) and would benefit dd.
This homework - does it benefit the teacher? Does it benefit dd?

in the schools ive taught in we are not allowed to give "finishing off classwork" as a homework task let alone doing classwork. We also have to ensure all homework has a purpose - and because I can't see the benegit to teacher or dd I can't see the purpose.

[ICantFindAFreeNickName]

I think it's a bit unfair unless the teacher explains why it needs to be done, for example if she needed to have mastered a particular technique before the following lesson. If she had missed a chemistry experiment would she have been expected to perform it at home.

Although maybe the teacher thought your dd she might be disappointed to have a gap in her workbook, and knowing she is a keen cook, said she could do them a home.

btw Lemon biscuits would be thrown away in my house, as none of us like them

[AesSedai]

This homework - does it benefit the teacher? Does it benefit dd?

Maybe DD will become a baker? Maybe it will become her signature bake on Great British Bake Off? Maybe she will wow the WI with her biscuits?

Who knows?

[Trickydecision]

I agree with you, Edwinia, partly because I think you do have a good point, and partly because I am on Team Edwinia regardless of the merit of your views, because I remember how you helpful you were with CandyCrush queries.

[KoalaDownUnder]

I agree with you, OP, on all counts.

[sickntiredtoo]

Food tech is a dt subject isn't it where you have to do the 'plan, do, evaluate improve' thing.It is more about teaching this process than teaching cookery.if she hasn't done it she can't evaluate

[EdwiniasRevenge]

Bloody hell tricky that was eons ago (you've just reminded me I need to do my daily spin ).

I was just about to make comparison to science practicals.

And it is most definitely an imposition on me - if (depending on timescales) I need to get to the shops. I will have to tidy after her...she coukd def do with more practice at that....and the biscuits will make me fat.

I take on board - would you question if it was written? Probably not because I would see the academic value. It is no imposition on me. But this seems - as others have said - petty on the point of the teacher especially when the academic subjects she missed have not set extra work to be done at home.

But have taken on board what has been said. I won't email the teacher unless when I get further info there are further issues raised (e.g. timescales I cant meet).

[ILovePud]

I'd be a bit riled about this too, she was ill and it seems strange that she's being told to catch up on the class work she missed but I'd pick your battles and suggest that this isn't one of them (if it was something like bastard macaroni cheese I'd be writing to the governors mind you). Hopefully she will enjoy making the biscuits and you will all enjoy eating them.

[BoyFromTheBigBadCity]

When I was at school, it was always your responsibility to catch up and complete a homework task if you missed a lesson, even if you were 'genuinely' ill. If it's food tech, rather than straight 'cookery' then actually this part can be important to a project; if dd decides to carry on with foot tech or dt at all will help her. I agree it seems a bit much with a cooking thing, but as other pps have said, you wouldn't moan if her maths teacher asked her to copy up.

[Hakluyt]

How funny- I would automatically assume that my children would catch up with anything they missed when they were off sick. Why wouldn't you? And tec subjects usually have an evaluation (www-ebi) type task. If she hasn't made them she can't do that.....

[bigTillyMint]

Actually, I would have been very happy if my DC had been asked to do some cooking at home for homework. Cooking is a life-skill (as is clearing up afterwards) and that would be far more worthwhile way of spending an hour than doing some of the homework they have been given in academic subjects.

However, it does smack of the teacher handing it out on a whim - has anyone else's DC ever been given an actual cooking homework to do?

[BoulevardOfBrokenSleep]

Er, no, this is crazy.

She was off sick the day they made lemon biscuits, so, she missed it. Too bad.

Even if, absolute worst-case scenarion, she never learns to make biscuits (and the OP says she can anyway), I struggle to foresee a life situation where this would be of critical importance.

[JockTamsonsBairns]

Why on earth couldn't your Y9 dd go shopping for the ingredients, then tidy up after herself?

[steff13]

I don't think it's weird that the teacher asked her to do it. But, here if you are off sick from school, you're expected to make up the work you missed.