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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:
thecattleareALOHing · 15/12/2005 12:34

I find this unbelievably patronising tbh. I will bite back my strong desire to tell the teacher to f* off if she tries to tell me that she is going to teach me how to interact with my own child, but I shall certainly think it.

acnebride · 15/12/2005 12:46

hilarious thread but i'm with you easy, i can't do any of this stuff. 5 years of needlework lessions and i produced one garment that i'd grown out of before it was over. how my mother's fingers must have itched to help me. what a heroine.

walkinginawinterBundleland · 15/12/2005 12:47

I helped all the boys in my needlework class to do their snakey draught excluders...once i'd finished my own

thecattleareALOHing · 15/12/2005 12:56

Am simmering gently at the thought of being told that I have to make a sodding galleon for my own good! Pah.

PotPourri · 15/12/2005 13:01

Well, the fun shouldn't be in winning, but in creating something and working at it so that you are proud - and I think parents who do the homework for their kids are teaching them that winning is better than taking part. Cna't see what benefit it will do a child in their future if they have won lots of prizes, but none were on their own merits - they will either think it's ok to cheat (means to an end) or will realise that actually they are not as good as everyone thinks and therefore have low self confidence. They may of course be just fine, but why take that risk??

Caligyulea · 15/12/2005 13:02

I agree with Aloha, it's deeply patronising to the majority of parents who do interact with their children.

I really dislike this whole thing in all areas of life now, where we are all treated like the lowest common denominator. For example, because a tiny minority of patients, passengers, parents etc. attack nursing staff, bus drivers or teachers, huge notices addressed to all of us are put up saying "If you attack xyz..." as if it's the norm. And because a few saddoes out there don't talk to their kids, we've all got to be treated as if we're them. I really resent it.

I don't say anything about it, obviously, because anyone who does notice and objects to it is treated like a nutter and given patronising lectures about the need to protect staff/ talk to your kids or whatever, as if we're not aware of that. And of course I'm aware that the minority who cause the problem are a hugely disproportionate problem, but there must be a way of dealing with them which doesn't reduce all of us to their level of being a problem.

SueW · 15/12/2005 13:12

Thing is, I'm not sure with DD's galleon that the original idea was that aprents would get involved - just the gossip at the gate fuels it!! So each year the parents hear about the spectacular models from the year before and they decide they'll give it a go.

All the mums have a good laugh at how competitive the dads will get about it. It's not a big deal (she says safely from the 'other side'! When I first got whiff of this homework, I too was up in arms at the whole perceived concept)

thecattleareALOHing · 15/12/2005 13:13

As it happens, I quite enjoy art projects, but then I don't work full time long hours, and I would prefer to do thing I wanted to do rather than being set homework as if I was a schoolchild.

Tortington · 15/12/2005 14:31

thing is - i dont know how i did it in junior school.

i remember having to do 2 presentations - had to be different of course and to the childs level ( twins you see) for same subject about arundel cathedral and st philip.

bored the shit out of me.

took me 3 solid nights after work.

god help you lot with more than 2 in junior school

Tortington · 15/12/2005 14:32

and more importantly - i did interact with the children - but they were in no doubt how fking pissed off i was at having to do it every night after i got home at 6pm

Original poster
Eaney · 15/12/2005 15:59

Thing is I am useless at making models. I will help him with the usual academic stuf for as long as I can but the arty stuff is beyond me. Funny cos I did art in Secondary school and got good grades in it but it seems to have completely left me.

OP posts:
BluStocking · 15/12/2005 16:15

I am quailing at the thought of DS being sent home with any kind of model or costume making assignment.
When on earth does it get done?? And what with? Do you all have a wide range of galleon-making and materials stocked at all times?

Original poster
Eaney · 15/12/2005 16:16

I went to the local art shop and asked for help.

OP posts:
Blandmum · 15/12/2005 16:19

I, sorry dd and I made a superb working model of a knee joint this term I, sorry dd , got three merit points for it. It even had bone marrow and blood vessels.

All joking asde the teacher gave dd ages to do it, and we did enjoy making it. I had the basic ideas and she was the slave labour, sorry, artistic production staff!

I just hope I get it back at the end of term because I want it for work!!!

BluStocking · 15/12/2005 16:30

Thanks to a scene in the old version of the Willy Wonka film, DS firmly believes that he will be asked to make a bomb at school.

Caligyulea · 15/12/2005 17:56

pmsl at making a bomb! Now that's the kind of challenging bonding project which would interest me!

SueW · 15/12/2005 20:44

Our galleon was made of boxes (the sort you get 24 cans of beer or cider in!), an old piece of cotton pillowcase (recently recycled to duster) and some dowelling.

LOL @ mb and working knee joint!

stleger · 15/12/2005 21:08

I got a+ for my son's model Aztec pyramid made out of pizza boxes.

bigbaubleeyes · 15/12/2005 22:10

I am shocked to read some of the posts on this thread - i think its apalling that parents have overly helped their child to do homework - they are denying their child the opportunity to develop whatever skills the homework task is designed to do and also teaching them that they don't need to work in life as somene else will bail them out - probably the same parents who condone holidays during term time and unauthorised absences

...and no these are not just harmless little play/arty homework projects - it also undermines the teachers efforts and unfair to other kids - do you really want your child to think its ok to lie and cheat? They will also be the parents who wonder why their child has underachieved in their formal assessments and complain to school.

Learn to facilitate and not do it for them fgs.

Tortington · 15/12/2005 22:21

most parents do ith with them, which isn't facilitating but isn't doing it for them either. i think teachers also have some responsability to think about the type of homework they are giving in these instances. The thing that always got on my nerves was the assumption i could afford to go out and buy the materials for these things and in my case it was x2.

i dont condone unauthorised absenses but i do think that my children deserve a holiday. that holiday can only be afforded in term time. i wont be doing this around GCSE's but my children have wonderful memories and experiences and are no further behind the rest becuase of it.

Harktheheraldcabewillsing · 15/12/2005 22:57

big bauble eyes... good for you - I'm not shocked but guilty I was home schooled for five years so just think of the homework my parents chose to deny me!!!

bigbaubleeyes · 16/12/2005 04:01

Fair enough I know there's always two sides - Stickcustard - you do have a point re type of homework set it should be 'doable' for all and not cost money.

I suppose its fair to say that nearly all parents on this thread a least take an interest in their childs homework and you could argue its sets a good example to child as it adds kudos to the importance of homework in the eyes of the child.

Hark interesting - did you benefit from individual attention though? In my uptopia of parenthood i wud love to homeschool my children.

Harktheheraldcabewillsing · 16/12/2005 06:49

Big Bauble Eyes - I'm not really that much of a fan of the Home-school idea from my own experiences - what you gain in individual attention and personalised curriculum is all lost in the very important aspect of school which is socialisation. I've found it harder to find a niche in the world than my contemporaries partly because my experiences have been so different... I posted earlier on this thread and you might see that though I've over-helped my dd it has had it's positive side

bigbaubleeyes · 16/12/2005 09:59

Hark - yes i agree your help and encouragement has had a positive affect - this age is crucial in preparing for the GCSE's - I refer to my last post seond comment!

Hmm - sorry you notmuch of fan - where do you find the balance between the two (state vs home)

Caligyulea · 16/12/2005 10:08

here is an interesting link, where I am somewhat alarmed to find myself in agreement with the conservative education spokesman!