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Education

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Original poster

What do you think of PARENTS DO THEIR CHILDREN'S HOMEWORK???

92 replies

Eaney · 13/12/2005 20:00

My ds(6YRS)has a homework project do make a 3d model. This is not DS's forte. Indeed it's not mine and as you would expect his model is a little (ahem) rough. Anyway you should see the models apparently done by the children. Call me a cynic but if 6yr old can produce what I have seen then they will be winning the next Turner Prize.

Perhaps if I was a little more artistic I may have helped DS and maybe this is sour grapes. What do you think?

OP posts:

hana · 13/12/2005 20:01

teachers always know when parents have done more than the child inj question

CliffRichardSucksEggsinHell · 13/12/2005 20:01

I think the teachers are fully aware of what goes on so don't worry about it!

santabops · 13/12/2005 20:01

the teacher will know

WigWamBam · 13/12/2005 20:02

I think the teachers will give him far more credit for it than they'll give to the masterpieces done by the mummies. I'd have to hope so, anyway.

Hulababy · 13/12/2005 20:02

Agree; the teacher will always know if it was the child or the parent who has done it. The teacher will know the general standard of the child's work from observation/assessment in class.

potatolegs · 13/12/2005 20:04

it ain't helping is it? I mean when it comes to exams - ma and pa won't be there!

Stilltrue · 13/12/2005 20:04

Oh don't start "helping" in that way! Rod for back/what about independent learning etc. My eldest is 12 and doing a lot of stuff I simply don't understand; I'm not thick - have a good degree from a top university etc. Therefore he has to manage for himself...and my being a slack mummy on the Help with homework front has done him no end of good.

Stilltrue · 13/12/2005 20:05

Oooh great minds eh?

Furball · 13/12/2005 20:06

I always used to think that about pre-school 'art' competitions like design a pumpkin face for haloween etc. I used to give my DS the free use of the crayons and maybe suggest to try and draw a black triangle for an eye etc. But the winner was always one that no way could a 3 year old have done. I feel that OK yours/mine children arn't the most gifted maybe when it comes to this stuff, but, at least they tried and at least THEY did it.

Original poster

Eaney · 13/12/2005 20:09

It is quite funny really as DS's model is about 5 inches tall made from modeling clay that has babdly cracked and painted white (you guessed it a snowman). The one I saw today had to be carried in a Bin Liner it was soo big.

OP posts:

Glitterygook · 13/12/2005 20:11

I think it's a complete and utter waste of time. What's the bloody point in doing it for them?! I won't be!

santabops · 13/12/2005 20:14

My year 5 class did a project on Ancient Egypt. One child brought in a pyramid made from concrete

They did admit that grandad had helped him with it though!

bauble99 · 13/12/2005 20:15

I love the Easter Bonnet/ Favourite Book Character/etc. dress-up days at school.

Most (including mine) turn up in a crappy bit of cardboard and tin foil but there's always one in a full Louis the Sixteenth outfit that the (usually) mum swears they made 'all by themselves'.

motherinfurrierfestivehat · 13/12/2005 20:19

I had to kind of help DD1 with her term project - I mean it was all done in terms of something you did with the kids, and she's only in Reception; but I do rather feel that I've done my lifetime's slog of homework thank you very much and my input now should be that of nagging while sipping a glass of nice wine.

And when the teacher read out some of the homework I'd done with/for DD1 (because it was good homework, you know) the little bugger got arsey with me because she said I'd misquoted her

Kathlean · 13/12/2005 20:26

This is a subject dear to me. DS started in reception in Sept, first week he was doing some 'homework' with DP.

They were sitting at the table and DS said 'you could do this and we will tell the teacher I did it'

That is starting early!

Caligyulea · 13/12/2005 20:38

I thought you were supposed to do your child's homework nowadays.

Isn't that what continuous assessment is all about? Parents doing their kids' assignments so that all the kids get A's?

LIZS · 13/12/2005 20:51

At half term ds had to construct a model of a greek temple to given instructions. There was wide variation in the standard of completion, from those half finished, slightly crooked to very professional, almost architect standard. tbh the spec was way beyond your average 7yr old, involving a lot of accurate measuring, cutting and folding, and required a certain amount of adult input.

For us I did the measuring, cutting and folding but very much with ds by keeping him focussed, particularly with deciding the dimensions, drawing the templates, cutting, gluing and decorating so that it was still his model. A number of parents did complain that too much of their input was necessary. Some other parents had to complete it for their children who had lost interest along the way. Had it been a cardboard box and loo roll project the children would have been more independent. I'm sure it would be fairly obvious to a teacher as to who had done what.

Nightynight · 13/12/2005 20:55

wow Kathlean, your ds is evidently going to be successful in life

MIstletAOU · 13/12/2005 21:15

What is the point of the teacher setting such a homework project? He/she must know that at least half will be completed by the parents alone, and many will be finished off by a parent because the child got bored - what are they supposed to learn from it?

LIZS · 13/12/2005 21:28

We did wonder too but ds was proud of the end result. Perhaps he learnt a bit about measuring, using a ruler, scissor, planning, following instructions etc. Personally would have preferred a loo roll and shoebox job, especially since I was recovering from Gastroenteritis at the time we had to finish it.

Easy · 13/12/2005 21:35

I think parents who do this are mugs, who over-protect their children, and don't give their kids the experience of finding out what they are, and are not, good at.

If little johnny's papier mache volcano looks like a heap of sh%te, but he spent hours making/painting it, that's worth more than a perfect working model of vesuvius made by an architectural model-maker.

I do think it's okay for parents to offer encouragement and a little help here and there.

tuppenceworth · 13/12/2005 21:47

I think just so long as you use the Dorling Kindersley or Letts revision books to make sure the answers you're dictating are correct I don't see the problem!

TurqtheHeraldAngelsSing · 13/12/2005 21:59

I do ds's colouring in. But that's because he hates it, he's dyspraxic and rubbish at it, and would rather be doing the academic stuff anyway.

roisin · 13/12/2005 22:00

Our school sets this sort of homework a couple of times in yr3 and 4 - build a model of the Iron Man, or a working vehicle, or a centurion's shield, or a model of a building in our town, etc. with specific instructions that adults should assist. I presume it's supposed to be some kind of parent-child bonding exercise.

It drives me absolutely barmy as dss have very clear ideas as to what they want to do, and how they want to do it, and they will not accept any guidance or assistance from me!
And I want to do it my way!

We've come to a compromise now ... dh does any assisting that is necessary, and I keep well out of it!

SueW · 13/12/2005 22:19

roisin, same as DD's school. Half term hols in autumn for Y4 is a Spanish Galleon, basically to be built as a family project it would seem.

Half term is when most families seem to snatch the last chance for a week away and are not impressed by the idea of craft by the pool!

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