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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Was the

238 replies

WantToBeAMamma · 06/07/2023 16:48

AIBU to be upset that my daughters teacher took off 5 marks from her exam total because she doodled on the back of the paper while waiting to be allowed to leave the exam. She would have got 96% without the deduction. See attached the offending doodle. Teachers comment was "minus 5 marks for graffiti at the back. I have told you many times its not on."

Was the
OP posts:
BakedTattie · 06/07/2023 16:49

Your daughter did it, despite being told not to?

yabu

Caravanvirgin · 06/07/2023 16:49

Does this exam mean anything?

WonderfulUsername · 06/07/2023 16:51

YABU, she's been told so it wasn't very bright to do it again was it?

Why have you included a photo of it? Is that supposed to sway opinion or something? Confused

TonTonMacoute · 06/07/2023 16:51

If the teacher has repeatedly asked your DD not to do this, then frankly the deduction is well deserved.

What will it take for your DD to do as she’s told?

ManateeFair · 06/07/2023 16:54

YABU.

First of all, it's a school exam set and marked internally by the teacher, so they can assign marks in whatever way they choose. If they want to remove marks for things like doodling, untidiness, writing in green ink or whatever, they are allowed to do that. A school exam is a piece of school work. Drawing pictures on it is no different from drawing pictures all over an essay or a maths worksheet. Why would you expect her to get away with it?

Secondly, your daughter has been 'told many times its not on' to doodle on her school work, but she's continued to do it. Therefore she needs to learn that there are consequences for ignoring rules at school. You're being precious and your DD is being tiresome.

ManateeFair · 06/07/2023 16:55

(Also, nobody but you gives a shit what marks your child gets on their school test, or is interested in the quality or lack thereof of her her doodling.)

Spinet · 06/07/2023 16:57

I think the key part here is 'I have told you many times it's not on'.

Plus if that's doodle of the teacher she's lucky she only got 5!

Original poster
WantToBeAMamma · 06/07/2023 17:05

Why take the time to give your opinion if you don't care for my post?

OP posts:
Original poster
WantToBeAMamma · 06/07/2023 17:07

Thankfully it's not a drawing of the teacher. Thanks for the laugh.

OP posts:
readbooksdrinktea · 06/07/2023 17:08

ManateeFair · 06/07/2023 16:54

YABU.

First of all, it's a school exam set and marked internally by the teacher, so they can assign marks in whatever way they choose. If they want to remove marks for things like doodling, untidiness, writing in green ink or whatever, they are allowed to do that. A school exam is a piece of school work. Drawing pictures on it is no different from drawing pictures all over an essay or a maths worksheet. Why would you expect her to get away with it?

Secondly, your daughter has been 'told many times its not on' to doodle on her school work, but she's continued to do it. Therefore she needs to learn that there are consequences for ignoring rules at school. You're being precious and your DD is being tiresome.

All of this. Perhaps she'll learn now. You're both unreasonable.

soundsys · 06/07/2023 17:08

Is your daughter neurodivergent? I only ask because I am and I absolutely couldn't sit still waiting for everyone else to finish an exam so the doodling would be the much less disruptive option!

WonderfulUsername · 06/07/2023 17:08

Why is your question "AIBU to be upset that my daughters teacher took off 5 marks from her exam total because she doodled on the back of the paper?"

And not

"AIBU to be upset with my daughter because she lost 5 marks for disobedience, having already been told off before?"

ThickSkinnedSoWhat · 06/07/2023 17:09

WantToBeAMamma · 06/07/2023 17:05

Why take the time to give your opinion if you don't care for my post?

Why take the time to make your post if you don't care for other people's opinions?

P.S. I am with the teacher on this one.

LadyLaLaa · 06/07/2023 17:10

Yes YABU. She has been warned not to do it.
If she likes to doodle buy her a pocket notebook to carry about with her.

Harebrain · 06/07/2023 17:10

The marks were actually deducted for the lack of respect towards the teacher. Your DD needs to remember that for next time.

RhymingGuitars · 06/07/2023 17:14

I guess it comes down to the teacher preparing your DD for the actual GCSE paper. Quite often they have very specific instructions regarding writing (or not) on specific pages. Better to have a 5mark deduction now than in an exam where failing to follow the rubric may get her a much larger deduction/fail.

Ladyoftheknight · 06/07/2023 17:16

Maybe try to discipline your child so she does better in exams! Doodling on exam papers is not acceptable, and if she's so bright she should know that. It's not like a squiggle of pen, that's a drawing she knew she shouldn't be doing.

ManateeFair · 06/07/2023 17:19

WantToBeAMamma · 06/07/2023 17:05

Why take the time to give your opinion if you don't care for my post?

Why take the time to ask people for their opinions if you didn't want people to give them to you?

chickenwings2 · 06/07/2023 17:20

Those who can't HEAR must FEEL

Sissynova · 06/07/2023 17:21

So your daughter did something she was asked by her teacher not to do several times and you’re upset she got a small punishment for her actions?

PerspiringElizabeth · 06/07/2023 17:22

Failing to see why it’s ‘not on’? 😵‍💫 if this was an important exam then you wouldn’t have access to the paper to get a photo of it/DD wouldn’t have had a phone to take a pic of it.

Teacher needs to get over herself. And appreciate the arts 😄😄

Aquamarine1029 · 06/07/2023 17:23

Your daughter was disobedient. She can deal with the consequences.

Kangarude · 06/07/2023 17:24

If only she'd done as she was told!

PerspiringElizabeth · 06/07/2023 17:24

Wow I really need to get in the zone for high school 😂😂 (3 years away for us). Don’t get this outrage at all!

ManateeFair · 06/07/2023 17:26

soundsys · 06/07/2023 17:08

Is your daughter neurodivergent? I only ask because I am and I absolutely couldn't sit still waiting for everyone else to finish an exam so the doodling would be the much less disruptive option!

If she is neurodivergent then the OP should have had conversations with the school about additional provisions for her daughter's SEN, such as being allowed some sheets of blank paper to doodle on at the end of the exam.

Being neurodivergent doesn't mean she just gets to do exactly what she likes. I am neurodivergent myself and I wouldn't have expected not to get marked down for ignoring the teacher like that.