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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is bloody ridiculous?

31 replies

MrsSnape · 19/10/2008 14:13

I posted about this a few days ago but I'm even more annoyed after looking further into it.

DS (10, in year 5) has been given a sheet of homework to be returned by Wednesday...

"First Steps to Telling The Time" ?????

It features a load of blank clock faces with the time in digital form underneath and he has to "draw the hands" on the clocks.

HE'S 10!!!

WIBU of me to go into school and tell them he will not be completing anymore 'reception style' homework after this one??

It's not as if he's behind, he's actually on the 'top table' and, I am told is "above average" so why the hell give him such ridiculous work to do??? I'm so annoyed.

OP posts:
nickytwoooohtimes · 19/10/2008 14:15

YANBU.
What a pointless piece of work for him.
I'd be inclined to return the homework with a note attached saying what you have just written above.

childrenofthecornsilk · 19/10/2008 14:16

what times are they? If they're o' clock then yes it's ridiculous. If they're 10.48 etc then that sounds okay really.

beanieb · 19/10/2008 14:17

can he do it? Get him to do it and if he has trouble then you don't need to complain.

lulumama · 19/10/2008 14:19

maybe there are a lot of children who can;t use an analogue clock to tell the time due to digital watches/mobiles/computers etc and this is important for all the children?

homework is not just about your child's level though is it? if he can do it without a problem, good for him! other children may need help

bloss · 19/10/2008 14:19

Message withdrawn

Original poster
MrsSnape · 19/10/2008 14:20

He did it in 5 minutes!

One of them was 7 o' clock FGS.

I am going to put a note in and say he needs more challenging work. What a complete waste of time. I actually find it quite insulting.

OP posts:
grouchyoscar · 19/10/2008 14:21

Hello

I posted (and killed) your last thread.

Again I would ask what the school policy is for differentiation of work within the class. If DS is not being challenged it can lead to difficulties with school.

HTH

Original poster
MrsSnape · 19/10/2008 14:23

He's finished it now, I wish he hadn't bothered to be honest then I could have sent it back and made out that I thought he'd brought it home by mistake.

I still might put a note on saying "although DS has completed this homework, I assume it was sent home by mistake as it is clearly from the reception end of the school".

Lulumama, yes there are probably some that can't tell the time but why should the others have to waste their time just so that they're all doing the same thing? I'm sick of him being kept back just so that he remains at the same level as the others. It really annoys me.

I wouldn't expect everyone in DS2's class to do really easy work as DS2 struggles with what they do.

OP posts:
childrenofthecornsilk · 19/10/2008 14:23

It's only homework though isn't it. If the teacher is differentiating appropriately in class, then I wouldn't be bothered at all by easy homework at primary level.

nolongeraworriedmummy · 19/10/2008 14:25

I would check he has the correct homework as I went in a few weeks back and questioned a homework sheet, turns out that dd had picked the homework sheet for the gifted and talented child up, which in maths she definatley isnt bless her.

Original poster
MrsSnape · 19/10/2008 14:29

I will do nolongerworried, Tomorow I'm going to go in and ask the teacher if he'd picked it up by mistake. If she says no I'm going to tell her it was far too easy for him and a bit of a waste of time.

OP posts:
lulumama · 19/10/2008 14:30

agree with cornsilk

my DS has dyslexia, he is in year 4, and i doubt very much he could do the homework you describe, i would be cross if other parents felt p*ssed off that their children were being 'held back' or 'bored' by homework being pitched to different levels

Rubyrubyruby · 19/10/2008 14:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MrsSnape · 19/10/2008 14:31

Well my DS2 would have trouble with stuff the other kids in his class would find easy but I'd never expect them to all have to do really easy work just so that DS2 could catch up.

OP posts:
lulumama · 19/10/2008 14:31

unless it took him an hour , it is hardly a catastrophic waste of time is it?

i couldn't really get that irritated about one piece of 'easy' homework if he is being challenged in class and doing well

childrenofthecornsilk · 19/10/2008 14:31

personally I wouldn't risk getting the teacher's back up (which you almost certainly will) over homework being too easy.

childrenofthecornsilk · 19/10/2008 14:33

lulumama my ds can't tell the time either - also dyslexic!

Original poster
MrsSnape · 19/10/2008 14:34

It's not just the homework though. Last week he brought home a level 7 reading book. To put that into context...DS2 (who is 'behind academically) and in year 3) is on level 6!
DS1 has been used to reading Harry Potter novels etc and now all of a sudden he's expected to read:

"Ben wen't to Mr McDonald's Party. He had fun there. Until...a baloon popped! " I mean, come on!

And the reasoning behind this was..."well most of the kids in this class are around level 6,7 or 8...its better if they're all at the same level..." better for who exactly?

OP posts:
childrenofthecornsilk · 19/10/2008 14:36

Well yes, that does sound a bit crap Mrs Snape.

Rubyrubyruby · 19/10/2008 14:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lulumama · 19/10/2008 14:37

he also can;t tie laces.. harder and harder to find velcro fastening shoes at this age.. anyway, i digress,..

DS is on level 10 , he as on nine, but as he was finding htem boring, and reading at home independently, i wrote a note in his reading folder to ask for more of a challenge, to keep spurring him on.. the teacher was delighted to put him up a level

there are ways of broaching things, and going in saying the homework was a waste of time and clearly a mistake is going to put the teacher on the defensive

but a the end of the day, no-one is gping to ask him what level of the ORT he got up to when he is applying for a job

childrenofthecornsilk · 19/10/2008 14:40

LOL lulumama we're still on velcro shoes and an elasticated tie in year6!

Agree with lulumama that tact is important. My ds2 chooses his own reading books as he's a free reader and brings home the easiest thing he can get away with. It doesn't matter though as he's got loads of books here we read with him.

Rubyrubyruby · 19/10/2008 14:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MrsSnape · 19/10/2008 14:41

lol I know you'e right Lulu, I do keep trying to tell myself that it doesn't matter.

I mean, he's still reading proper books at home anyway, we just send the school books back unread.

It just frustrates me, I don't really know why

OP posts:
KerryMumchingOnEyeballs · 19/10/2008 14:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.