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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My 4 year olds homework??

132 replies

pollylocketpickedapocket · 19/03/2021 16:02

This is my 4 year old homework. I need google to do it, seriously maths has changed since I was at school.

My 4 year olds homework??
OP posts:
Springingintospring · 19/03/2021 16:43

I think the title 'hexagons and pentagons' are the names of the maths groups.
Circles and squares would have got different work.
But yes, completely inappropriate for eyfs.

Original poster
pollylocketpickedapocket · 19/03/2021 16:46

Nope, it’s hers , glued in the homework book.

OP posts:
randomsabreuse · 19/03/2021 16:46

My P1 (Y1 age but half the class is reception age) has done some of this, just not vertices. Definitely knows how many edges and faces those shapes have. Also turns up quite early on maths seeds too. I think unless she'd memorised the facts in school I'd be finding actual things to handle and count.

CreosoteQueen · 19/03/2021 16:47

Honestly I would refuse to accept homework for a 4 year old. They’re way too young to be working outside of school!

bathorshower · 19/03/2021 16:47

DD did a very similar worksheet during the first lockdown - she was in Y2, and doesn't struggle with maths. The sphere isn't a trick question, but we had a chat about it. Definitely not reception level work.

onemouseplace · 19/03/2021 16:48

@ByTheNine

We had the same for my reception aged child during lockdown - they had to do a shape hunt but also a sheet like that, so it's not just your school and probably not a mistake. It was fine, vertices is a funny word but it just means points so we used that instead.
We had exactly the same! I just went through it with DD and I can safely say she didn’t retain any of it.
CecilyP · 19/03/2021 16:50

Not a pentagon or a hexagon to be seen on that worksheet!

You don't need to Google it as it is your child's, not your, homework! You could just ask your child to identify how many edges, faces and vertices there are for each shape. If they are unable to do any of it (which seems likely), then your short comment to explain how your child found the activity could be, 'my child found the activity impossible as I don't believe she has been taught this!'

Hesma · 19/03/2021 16:52

That’s about right... vertices are corners

Lulu1919 · 19/03/2021 16:55

Pentagons and Hexagons might be table or group names the school use to differentiate work.

Original poster
pollylocketpickedapocket · 19/03/2021 16:56

@CecilyP

Not a pentagon or a hexagon to be seen on that worksheet!

You don't need to Google it as it is your child's, not your, homework! You could just ask your child to identify how many edges, faces and vertices there are for each shape. If they are unable to do any of it (which seems likely), then your short comment to explain how your child found the activity could be, 'my child found the activity impossible as I don't believe she has been taught this!'

She does know vertices, we’ve done them before. I need to google to check answers are right!
OP posts:
Lulu1919 · 19/03/2021 16:56

Points not corners

Bu2014 · 19/03/2021 16:57

My son is in year 2 and this was his homework two weeks ago.

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 19/03/2021 16:58

At age 4, homework goes in the bin. No need.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 19/03/2021 16:59

Mine was given that when he was 8! And we did struggle with the sphere - 1 face, or infinite faces?

kowari · 19/03/2021 17:02

DS could do that easily at 4 but he was working at a year 2 level in maths. He didn't always remember the shape names but understood the concepts and could visualise anything.

Confrontayshunme · 19/03/2021 17:06

We gave this assignment in the home learning recently for Reception, and it was to find cones, cylinders and those shapes in your house or on a walk. We talked about corners, sides and edges, but this looks like a more advanced worksheet someone has just mass copied and thrown at you. Vertices was definitely not in the mix and our class teacher is the head of EYFS at our achool.

thecatandthevicar · 19/03/2021 17:12

I'd be very surprised if half the class could read fluently in reception, so the idea of "homework" seems completely bonkers.

If they can't do homework without their parents, it's a complete waste of time. So if half the class can't even read the assignment Hmm

CecilyP · 19/03/2021 17:13

She does know vertices, we’ve done them before.
I need to google to check answers are right!

Sorry, I underestimated her. Were they right?
Seems advanced for YR and I can't really see it going anywhere at that age.

Iusedtoliveinsanfrancisco · 19/03/2021 17:13

Is it a private school?if parents give honest feedback perhaps homework will improve.

Original poster
pollylocketpickedapocket · 19/03/2021 17:17

@Iusedtoliveinsanfrancisco

Is it a private school?if parents give honest feedback perhaps homework will improve.
No state.
OP posts:
minipie · 19/03/2021 17:18

We’re private prep and they did that last term in Y1. And only got sheets like this after doing lots of shape hunt type stuff on zoom.

modgepodge · 19/03/2021 17:18

@Lulu1919

Pentagons and Hexagons might be table or group names the school use to differentiate work.
Bet it’s this. And I be they’re the top groups (more sides=more able) so this is a (poor) attempt to differentiate by giving harder work.

I see little progression in 3D shape. Lots of reception parents saying their kids have looked at these shapes and learned their names etc. I teach y5/6 and would have to revise these shape names with them at the start of a shape unit. They start is really young for some reason but it just doesn’t stick. Anyway, I digress....

kowari · 19/03/2021 17:18

I'd be very surprised if half the class could read fluently in reception, so the idea of "homework" seems completely bonkers.
They don't need to be able to read fluently, except maybe for word problems, just recognise the relevant maths words.

Original poster
pollylocketpickedapocket · 19/03/2021 17:19

@CecilyP

She does know vertices, we’ve done them before. I need to google to check answers are right!

Sorry, I underestimated her. Were they right?
Seems advanced for YR and I can't really see it going anywhere at that age.

Yes, she did get them right for the most part. I asked her how many vertices in a crescent, she needed to look at a crescent but then said 2( I googled) I never heard the word vertices till my dd went to school.
OP posts:
CecilyP · 19/03/2021 17:19

I'd be very surprised if half the class could read fluently in reception, so the idea of "homework" seems completely bonkers.

Whilst agreeing the idea of homework is bonkers, I don't think it is a big ask for parents to read a worksheet if the children can then follow the instructions or answer the questions without too much help.