To do my daughters GCSE course work?

[LolaLouise]

My daughter is adhd diagnosed, probable autism which she is still on a waiting list for years after the referral was submitted, she gets frustrated and gives up quickly, she tries, she really does, but sometimes gets overwhelmed and cant continue a task.

Her art GCSE course work is due in this week, she was very behind. I have spent all last weekend and this weekend helping her get it done. Up until now its been sitting and encouraging her, ive done some of the research whilst shes been doing the sketches needed, and then shes re-written it out, suggestions of sketches she could do, and cutting it all out so she can place everything into her book, helping her with layouts and ordering, but mostly just keeping her on track and focussed in 2 hour windows. There was one piece of art required for it to be done, she tried, for hours, yesterday to do it, but she got so frustrated and couldnt do it, its a portrait of a person. She ended up getting quite upset with the drawing and the looming deadline. This isnt the first time she has attempted it, shes been trying to draw it for weeks, but i put it to one side as she was hyperfixated on it, and in order to get everything else done, i took it off the table and said we would do that last. The sketch is needed as her final piece was based around this portrait, though her final piece was just shapes no details. The teacher has told her she absolutly must include this portrait in her project. Her final exam has already been sat so she cant just change the direction of the project now.

So ive drawn it, its not great, i can draw a bit but not even close to being skilled, but its better than what she was able to produce. She doesnt know ive drawn it last night. Ive started the shading to block out the main shadows, but it needs finishing, which she can do in the same way she has shaded all her other work, it looks vaguely like the person its supposed to be if you squint a little bit. We are going to try again today, ive even suggested to her tracing the facial structure today if we can figure a way to do it as we have no thin paper left to trace with, just really thick watercolour paper and card left. But it needs finishing today to hand in tomorrow. Then we can focus on her other much needed revision.

Her college plans do not include something even close to art related, its one drawing in amongst probably 100 others over the 2 years of project work, in the grand scheme of things i dont think it will make a difference to her grade, but her teacher has said it has to be included, so she is building it up to be the most important thing ever. I just want to help her, and ease some of her stress. Would you give her the drawing and help her finish it? Or is it too much help? Ive convinced myself if she does the shading then its no different to having traced the initial drawing, which is perfectly acceptable in her work, we just dont have the access to do that easily today. Do we try the tracing first and it that goes wrong then i just give her this one to shade over? theres a chance she has tried tracing in school on the lightboxes and they have been discarded already, as i know she traced other images.

How much help is too much, considering her SEN, but also that this is GCSE work?

No. Allegedly my eldest dcs art teacher was sacked for helping the students with their projects...

Of course everyone isn’t at it, not sure what that poster was on about. Of course some do. Frankly if one of my kids asked me to help with a university essay I’d tell them to save their money and leave uni. Why get into a load of debt if you don’t have the ability or motivation to do the work?

I guess some helicopter parents take it to next level and can’t butt out and let their kids stand on their own two feet. I was far too busy with my own life and career to do their life for them!

I think the support you gave her to organise herself was fine, obviously not ok to include your own work as this could mean she's disqualified from all her GCSEs for cheating. Much better to get a lower grade for Art. I also think it might be good to be clear to her that the teacher has advised this drawing to help her get the best grade possible, but she will still get a grade if she doesn't do it. It may not even be a lower grade depending on the rest of her work. She can choose to include something she's not completely happy with or not to do that picture at all and she won't fail, it's not all or nothing.

It's one tiny picture. Just do it and don't worry. But hopefully once she sees your not brilliant attempt she'll realise hers doesn't have to be perfect and just copy yours.

Isn't that what Prince Harry did with his A Levels? Got the nanny to draw his pictures for him?

You will be doing her a massive disservice in life by doing this.

It's art. They'll know she can't do it well as soon as they see her working. They'll probably be able to tell it's not her work.

She could get kicked out of the exam for plagiarism. How would you feel then?

She'd be getting a place at art college deserved more by another kid. Bang out of order.

@Maray1967and @moanafanmy recollection of DD’s GCSE is they had a themed sketch book that was separate to the exams. This included start to finish projects, and the preliminary planning for the examination piece, plus artist research etc. I think something in this is what the OP might be referring to?
OP I believe it’s important to show drawings where it didn’t work out - you then annotate what was learned from the exercise. The proportions off? Recognise that and explain it. That sort of thing. Encourage your DD to see those drawings as learning opportunities and to be included as such. Do not do the work - it already seems like you are doing too much (the research, the planning, the laying out). This is her course, and she should be graded on her ability. Progression is a big part of the grade isn’t it? Seeing how her rough ideas and planning allows her to produce well thought out pieces? This will not happen if you do much of this work for her.
I think too many believe Art is a less intensive alternative when it really isn’t, there is a ton of work involved. I hope she gets it done.

OP is not trying to save her forever - just helping nudge her over a line that finishes in 24 hours and enabling daughter to focus on her work without the unnecessary distraction and hyper focus on this portrait/one element

It’s cheating end of

It's a bit of a leap that a trivial portrait the OP heavily steered/created is going to a lifetime of screwed upness and getting fired

It's life and pragmatism (and not that uncommon) - end of

OP you sound like a great mum. Give her the sketch. Support your child as you know her best x

I was astounded when I found out my friends routinely helped their children with marked work. Two of them secondary teachers. So you are not alone.

However, YABU, as were they. You are giving your child an adbantage - cheating - against other children who don't have parents to help or whose parents won't help. It leads, eventually, to more and more pressure on all children as the expectations become to work at adult level.

Step back. Let her fail in the moment. Support her to understand why that it won't matter in the long term.

P.s. Autistic-ADHD child and autistic partner here, so I know the struggle.

What meds is she on

I think all of the things you've said in this post are lovely, thoughtful and helping your own child- I wish some of the parents of the children I teach took such an active role in their children's education. I do think doing the artwork is a step too far- this is cheating, albeit with the best of intentions (it's still cheating). The support listed in this post is just that- support- whereas doing the work is cheating.

As I said DD is doing GCSE art. Her teacher is more than happy for them to use light boxes, transfer paper, photocopying to get the work done. There is no skills requirement to do art GCSE so they just need to be able to get work done.

I also did Art GCSE and a level. Coursework we took home, final piece timed under exam conditions. That hasn’t changed.

Yes but, (another invigilator and former teacher) final piece coursework, after the exam, should not leave school. We had some students taken out of lessons last week in order to finish it up in lessons. The teachers are not allowed any input apart from technical help, no matter what their ability, sen or anything, so a parent helping would similarly be cheating. And if your “style” is identifiably different to your dds, and the moderator, teacher or exams officer notices, she could be disqualified.

I feel my grade :) and happily

I’m sure the OP will too :)

OP, I suggest you leave this thread

Honestly everyone is helping their kids in different ways. You have a way forward with the grid which is helping but not cheating. Ignore all the rest now !

@LolaLouise hope you found a solution.

I really wouldn't worry. I had to make a jigsaw for woodwork. My sister drew it, dad cut it out and my mother painted it.

I have a first class degree in science and a post grad- no one has ever asked me to demonstrate my GCSE woodwork skills or lack of them.

It freed me up to do the project based work and the courses that really mattered.

If she wanted to be an artist or take art a level it would be different but she just needs to get it done and it will count for a very small fraction of her overall mark.

Reduce the stress in your house over something that really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of life.

People are being so over the top on this thread. As the mother of a Year 11 autistic daughter, am surprised you asked on here and didn’t just do it. I totally sympathise, it is just the hardest time and it sounds like your child has done so well to do so much work without much help already.

Exactly.

What else do you enable, what else do you pick up that she can just not do? what are you "teaching" her?

Well she did both ways, the grid and the tracing. Shes written a little bit about the technique used and what she found better, and why she is happy/unhappy with the result. They are both great but traced one turned out really good, she put alot more time into the shading on that one (in my somewhat biased opinion). Shes not completely happy, of course, but ive explained as best i can what people have suggested that she needs to explain the processes and reflect to get the marks, not just produce a photocopy of an image.

Whilst she was doing the traced one, i erased the grid off mine and shaded it myself, possibly why she spent longer on that picture as i was doing it with her, and asking for her tips. It was quite therapeutic and all though it looks slightly (completely) like a face thats been flattened, i enjoyed it, might have found myself a new hobby from this very stressful few weeks.

Thanks again for the helpful replies and the advice on how she could do better. Im going to try some myself with her now discarded art supplies.

Well done! Sounds like a good result and I'm glad you enjoyed it too.

Glad it’s all done OP. I’m sure your daughter will look back and appreciate what a loving and supportive mum she has. Good luck to her in the rest of her exams.