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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think 10/11 year olds should be given an actual book?

234 replies

DinDjarin · 26/01/2023 21:01

DD(10)'s homework this week is to read up to page 10 in the book they are reading in class. The teacher has scanned (badly, so there's an inch or two of black around the wonky page) every single page of the book and uploaded it as a pdf on google drive. DD says they don't have a copy of the book in class.

I think they should be reading from a book at this age.

YABU - this is fine
YANBU - they should be given a copy of the book

PS is it even legal to scan and distribute a book like that?

OP posts:
Bleese · 26/01/2023 21:51

DinDjarin · 26/01/2023 21:29

So why don't they use the books the previous classes read? DS always had books to read. In fact, he had both the class book and an easy-read edition of it.

Several possibilities:

  1. There are no previous books. As I said, I've never heard of or seen this in any schools. I've just worked out that to buy class sets for every term would cost more than our entire annual budget for all subjects, stationery and books to write in.

  2. They're on a 2 year cycle (e.g. schools with mixed year) so you'd actually need double the amount.

  3. The govt changes the curriculum all the time. Teachers also want to teach what suits their class. I have a low ability class on average this year. The books I would have read with my class last year would be too hard.

  4. It's not necessary. Of all the things I've wanted but couldn't have due to budget cuts, class sets of texts aren't one. I read books to my class and we study extracts from them, base writing on them but at no point do I need them all to have a copy to read from.

mikado1 · 26/01/2023 21:54

Bleese · 26/01/2023 21:46

To be clear, the laughing face wasn't at you - of course one might expect a rich country to have well-recourced libraries - it was at the absurdity of how very far from reality it was! It's absolutely ridiculous here.

Show quote history

It is ridiculous. I took the laughing faces to be 'How could you expect that?', when I thought it was quite reasonable as it's done here. I see now it's one of the things that's done incredibly well. Our libraries even get books from libraries around the country, if you need them, and you can borrow or return in any library in the country, which is very handy.

Onnabugeisha · 26/01/2023 21:55

It’s legal as it’s for educational purposes.
The school cannot afford to buy copies.
Many parents cannot afford to buy the book for their child.

vinoandbrie · 26/01/2023 21:59

It’s really poor, I wouldn’t want to read from some wonky photocopied nonsense that I was only given the first ten pages of, and I can understand a child not wanting to either, especially a reluctant reader.

If this happened to me I’d buy one off Amazon for delivery tomorrow, so then DC would have a copy, and at the same time ask DC if their partner for English / other kids on their table might like one too and get for them too. But not everyone can afford the book, so then there’s a divide between kids having the book and kids not having the book. More funding needed!

strawberriesarenot · 26/01/2023 22:00

DH (sixth form core subject head) has this for his last budget:
1 text book per staff member. Nothing for students.

The text will be scanned and photocopied relentlessly. The schools are absolutely broke in areas like ours (not deprived, but very far from wealthy).

RudsyFarmer · 26/01/2023 22:01

If you’re that upset just buy the child the book. It’s probably £7.99 max, couple of quid second hand off eBay.

ScrollingLeaves · 26/01/2023 22:06

What a travesty. No one can enjoy copied sheets book as much as a real one.

GraceAnatomy · 26/01/2023 22:10

I am not a fan of reading from a screen, neither is my daughter so I get the frustration! Just a suggestion, if you can afford it, have a look on Amazon or ebay for a 2nd hand copy, sometimes you get cracking deals on used copies.

I had to buy a copy of a book for my kid when they were in primary school and had a "Easter Holiday Reading Challenge" and I couldnt be assed trailing to the library as the book the school provided had pages missing due to being quite old and well used. Donated the book to the school after we had finished with it so at least the copy with the missing pages was replaced for the next kid to use.

Prescottdanni123 · 26/01/2023 22:13

It is not the teachers fault. There is a very high chance that this is the only way that she can distribute the book to the class.

Speaking as a teaching assistant in a school who often has to scan certain chapters of various books, getting them straight on the page can be bloody hard at times.

Scaredofmynipple · 26/01/2023 22:16

What book is it? Schools are so poorly funded. If you can provide a physical copy 👍

WhatHappenedToYoyos · 26/01/2023 22:19

Since COVID lockdowns and the introduction of the online teaching, there is a huge focus for schools to show advances in technology such as setting homework online in this way (one of many examples).

Although a poorly scanned copy isn't great, there are huge benefits for the pupils and teacher. You can zoom in or out to enlarge font, put a colour filter over to help with SEND like dyslexia, add a voice over so the pages are read out for pupils with SEND, set it up so pupils can annotate directly on to the page and so on. It can set children on an equal footing regardless of their background or circumstances. These aren't things that can be achieved when spending lots of money, that schools don't have, on a real, physical book.

We tend to purchase some of our SEND pupils Kindle Fires (from their personal SEND budget) but the impact of that in lessons is huge as they can use all the different tools to access their learning. Even if we don't like it, screens are very much the future for the next generations.

So in essence, I think the homework being scanned in can have great potential and maybe your feedback to the school could be suggestions of how they can access a better online copy rather than physical versions.

ScrollingLeaves · 26/01/2023 22:23

There is not necessarily the huge advantage to screens it might appear.
They can have a deleterious effect
on health

A book is a mind body kinetic experience that a screen will never be.

WahWahWahs · 26/01/2023 22:25

Got no money! I am doing this with everything. Study guides, class readers, everything. Needs must 🤷🏼‍♀️

Macaroni46 · 26/01/2023 22:27

The naivety of some posters thinking schools can afford to buy a class set of books! If only! When studying a text, we're lucky if we can afford one copy of the book between 3 classes.
Schools are seriously underfunded people!

BrightSaturn · 26/01/2023 22:29

Order a copy of the book off of Amazon if you’re finding this an issue.
Schools don’t have books because the amount that are ruined or not returned. They don’t have the budget to keep buying copies each year.

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 26/01/2023 22:36

DinDjarin · 26/01/2023 21:29

So why don't they use the books the previous classes read? DS always had books to read. In fact, he had both the class book and an easy-read edition of it.

Because books don't get returned.
They get lost.
They get scribbled on.
They get stuff spilled on them and become illegible.
The pages get ripped out
They get dropped in the mud or stuffed in lockers or at the bottom of bags.

Schools can't afford to spend thousands of pounds on books.

IDontCareMatthew · 26/01/2023 22:39

Are you still outraged op?

Or has the reasoning here about zero funds etc made you see sense?

Justalittlebitduckling · 26/01/2023 22:41

DinDjarin · 26/01/2023 21:29

So why don't they use the books the previous classes read? DS always had books to read. In fact, he had both the class book and an easy-read edition of it.

Probably kids in older years have lost them and the school can’t afford to replace the copies to make a whole set. (English teacher here).

Macaroni46 · 26/01/2023 22:48

ScrollingLeaves · 26/01/2023 22:23

There is not necessarily the huge advantage to screens it might appear.
They can have a deleterious effect
on health

A book is a mind body kinetic experience that a screen will never be.

I'm sure no teacher will disagree with you. However, without funding for even basic supplies such as paper towels, there is no way schools can afford to buy class sets of books, let alone to be sent home.

PriamFarrl · 26/01/2023 22:53

Forever42 · 26/01/2023 21:18

There is a school library service that schools have to pay to use. When I first started teaching I do remember we could get class sets from there. Not seen them in a long time (and we had to give up our subscription to the school library service as ot was too expensive!).

Show quote history

I remember when you could get boxes of resources. You would tell the library that your topic was Romans, and they’d send a box of appropriate books and other stuff.

Summerfun54321 · 26/01/2023 22:58

You can either 1. Complain to the school. 2. Complain to your local MP 3. Buy the book.

OP in the nicest possible way how do you not know schools are under funded and struggling?

junebirthdaygirl · 26/01/2023 23:05

Macaroni46 · 26/01/2023 22:27

The naivety of some posters thinking schools can afford to buy a class set of books! If only! When studying a text, we're lucky if we can afford one copy of the book between 3 classes.
Schools are seriously underfunded people!

I am in lreland too and shocked to see how underfunded your schools are. In a Senior Class here we would have about 4 sets of books and then if a teacher wants to cover a different novel we would, as already said, get a set from the local library. But if we wanted to buy a new set money would be available as long as we weren't getting too carried away. Here parents do a good bit of fundraising for schools and sometimes that money would be used to buy a new set. It gets very tedious for a teacher doing the same few.

But here parents pay for their children's textbooks so no school money goes on those. Children of disadvantaged families can get a back to school allowance/ book grant to cover their expenses.
In Secondary school parents buy their children's novels as well as all text books.

bluebeardswife7 · 26/01/2023 23:16

DinDjarin · 26/01/2023 21:29

So why don't they use the books the previous classes read? DS always had books to read. In fact, he had both the class book and an easy-read edition of it.

The school absolutely should be giving students a book. But they are fucked. Teachers don't have a pot to piss in. If you can afford it, buy the book.

bluebeardswife7 · 26/01/2023 23:17

What book is it? I will send you a copy

ScrollingLeaves · 26/01/2023 23:19

Macaroni46 · Today 22:48

^ScrollingLeaves · Today 22:23
There is not necessarily the huge advantage to screens it might appear.
They can have a deleterious effect
on health^

A book is a mind body kinetic experience that a screen will never be.

I'm sure no teacher will disagree with you. However, without funding for even basic supplies such as paper towels, there is no way schools can afford to buy class sets of books, let alone to be sent home

I appreciate what you are saying and don’t blame the teachers or school at all. But I am so shocked that such an important element is missing from children’s education. Out of touch, as you can see. I apologise.

Say books would cost £100 per pupil per year, exciting shiny new books to be proud of. If that can’t be provided by the government that is shameful for a first world country.