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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

im livid at teacher for telling off a 6 yr old kid for not doing her homework..

96 replies

ihatethecold · 12/11/2009 17:37

since when did it become compulsory for a yr 1 child to do homework, i always presumed it was optional at this young age. so this last weekend we didn't do it..
she had to write a few sentences about a charity of her choice including a picture..

for the love of god she couldn't understand the concept of a charity,
so at parents eve the other night i said she hasn't done her her this week , thinking the teacher would say thats ok. but no she told me how to do it with her. i was annoyed enough at that, but then she came home from school today to tell me she got told of for not doing it..
im so cross
i really want to mention this tomorrow, AIBU?

OP posts:

Sagacious · 12/11/2009 17:42

dd is in yr1

Am currently going through a family crisis (which the school are fully aware of) and they've decided in spite of me saying I don't even know currently which way is up let alone down, to up the ante and give her yr2 homework this week.

I've attached a note saying i'm sorry she will not be doing it, I can squeeze in the book reading/odd maths sheet but extra on top of that?

(but i would check again with your dd as to what the "telling off" was exactly as I KNOW my DD would exagerate for effect (JMO)

EvilTwins · 12/11/2009 17:43

It depends. Did you sign a home-school agreement that mentions homework? If so, you will have signed to say that you will support the school's homework policy. Therefore, YABU. If there is no home-school agreement, or it doesn't mention homework, YANBU.

Sagacious · 12/11/2009 17:43

If they tell her off for not doing it I will be up the school with an Uzi

[half joking]

MmmHmm · 12/11/2009 17:47

Yes YABU.

Ultimately it is helping your daughter's education. A few sentences and a picture isn't too much IMO and as for understanding the concept of a charity then (a novel idea here maybe) you could fill in the gaps ie wider education, learning at home etc.

You could have explained the concept of charity by saying something like "There are puppies and kittens with no homes, so people who like animals offer to help look after them. But there's so many they don't have the pennies to pay for all the food and collars and leads they need, so they ask other people to give them a little bit of money to help buy things for the animals. And even though those people might not ever meet the puppies and kittens they still want to help them. That's called Charity.

Then point out charity shops, poppies collections etc.

It's not rocket science. It's only part of letting your child in on the general goings-on of the world. And no, they're not to young to learn things like this at 6yo.

Don't be so lazy (frankly).

pigletmania · 12/11/2009 17:47

IMO yabu, it not like they have to write an essay or thesis, it actually sounds quite interesting. NOthing wrong with a bit of homework at that age, when i was in Primary i used to get the odd homework and really enjoyed doing it with my dad. Thought getting some homework was normal imo.

QandA · 12/11/2009 17:48

Well, you presumed it was optional and now you know it isn't.

YABU, to be livid, the telling off was more likely to be a reminder to your DD that she needs to do her homework as asked. Your DD will feel it was telling off however it was phrased as she knows she didn't do what was asked of her.

pigletmania · 12/11/2009 17:49

I remember doing a family tree homework with my dad when i was about 7-8years old, and it was the most fascinating thing to find out about his side of the family and different generations and what occupation they were etc. Wish that i had kept that family tree as he has passed away when i was 11 so cant talk to him about it now.

pigletmania · 12/11/2009 17:50

Children will think that any raisedvocegentle reminder was a telling off, 6 year olds perceptions are quite different to adults.

QandA · 12/11/2009 17:50

Hopefully you haven't let on to your DD that you are 'livid' that the teacher has told her off for not doing as she was asked?

mumblechum · 12/11/2009 17:52

I wouldn't have presumed that homework was optional tbh. DS didn't get much at that age but always did it. Quite sweet to look back at, actually, eg his weekend diary written at 5.

Casserole · 12/11/2009 18:02

Why didn't you do it with her when it became apparent at parents evening that it wasn't, in fact, optional?

I don't understand your outrage at all.

Original poster

ihatethecold · 12/11/2009 18:03

jesus some harsh comments there..

so this is normal then that a 6 yr old must do homework.

i dont remember my ds now 9 getting homework in yr 1.

we did the homwework earlier about the poppy day as she has one on her coat, but i dont like the thought that at such a young age it is COMPULSORY..

OP posts:

tinkerbellesmuse · 12/11/2009 18:05

YABU especially since the teacher made it clear that it wasn't optional and took the time to explain to you how you could assist your DD.

Original poster

ihatethecold · 12/11/2009 18:12

you lot all teachers then??

OP posts:

RumourOfAHurricane · 12/11/2009 18:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

halfcut · 12/11/2009 18:14

I think that homework for 6 year old is ridiculous ..They need to switch of from school when they get home so YANBU

Hulababy · 12/11/2009 18:15

If you had no intention of her doingit then IMO, when a child is 6y, then YOu should have sent a note or spoken to the teacher about it and why.

Although I think this particular homework does spund beneficial to your DD, and in such a situation I would have wanted to do it with her. You say your DD doesn't understand charity - surely this homework was an excellent way of you both sitting together and finding more out about it . A 6y is perfectly old enough to learn what charity is about. This could have been a really good learning experience for her.

ChunkyKitKat · 12/11/2009 18:16

YANBU

IMO 6 yrs old is too young for homework. My ds is year 3, 7 yrs old, and I think he's too young for homework, yours is still in year 1. I do cooperate with the school and get it done, though. But if he got stressed and really didn't want to do it I wouldn't force him.

The worst thing I can do is put him off learning by pressurising him too much.

I didn't have homework until secondary school.

PavlovtheForgetfulCat · 12/11/2009 18:17

YANBU

Vivia · 12/11/2009 18:18

I second the opinions here: the teacher made the situation clear and advised you. Also, why can't you teach the meaning of 'charity' or any given topic to your DD? You appear to think that your DD's education is solely school-based. That's not good.

You risk sounding thoroughly PFB about this and YABVU.

Morloth · 12/11/2009 18:19

DS has had homework since the last term of Reception. He loves it, we set up a special area for him at the desk and he does it ASAP on getting home, it usually takes him 5 mins tops and is more about getting into the habit I think.

He had his first little project last night, which he did himself (with a little assistance/spacing on page). Felt really accomplished.

Homework can be made into something positive.

micku5 · 12/11/2009 18:19

My dd has had homework since day 1 in reception, be it phonics, reading and now in YR2 a numeracy, literacy and spelling sheet every week.

pigletmania · 12/11/2009 18:20

Nothing wrong with a bit of homework, i am 32, and did a little homework in Primary school, i actually found it very interesting, gosh children now are very mollycoddled today. Though i dont believe in SATS and that type of thing in Primary school though!

Tortington · 12/11/2009 18:21

if you are not going to do homework you really need to send in a letter explaining why and asking the teacher to speak to you directly.

otherwise th teach gets a kid who hasn't done homework and imo quite rightly gets annoyed about it.

halfcut · 12/11/2009 18:21

Theres plenty of opportunities for a 6 year old to learn at home without the need for homework

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