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Why do teachers set homework that obviously has to be done by the parents?

78 replies

Twiglett · 21/03/2006 18:23

I've been quite well educated and feel I've done my stint ..

so I would balk at any homework that involved me making something for my child

recently had a dress up for book day .. fine he went as a power ranger (well there's annuals aren't there?) .. but I actually resent the fact that many parents have to either buy something or make something

so what's the benefit then?

OP posts:
lionhearted · 21/03/2006 20:29

The local school here had to abandon the yearly Easter Bonnet parade because the parents took it so seriously (they obviously spent weeks making the bonnetsvery OTT). It was fantastically competitivedon't know why--reliving past glories? revisiting missed opportunities? or just plain old fashioned showing off .... (not to mention the poor children who had to parade around the playgorund in front of all the parents is these get-ups ...What homework have they given you... I mean, your son or daughter?

Caligula · 21/03/2006 20:31

I think it's part of this paternalistic agenda of making us all spend "quality time" with our kids.

Because otherwise we'd plonk them down in front of CBeebies and sneak off to Mumsnet and never do any reading with them. So we have to read Biff and Chip instead.

lionhearted · 21/03/2006 20:48

so does that mean they are really testing you?

elastamum · 21/03/2006 20:48

I think they think it gives the mums something to do. so far we've donecostumes for victorians, 1960's an easter bunny, christmas trees, shepherds, made a guy, decorated countless cakes and on it goes {grin] Not to mention all the homework which has mum getting out the sizzors, glue, taking photos etc etc I love it!!

elastamum · 21/03/2006 20:49

Oh Yes, definately a competitive sport Wink

swedishmum · 22/03/2006 00:57

I'm only up at this time because I'm finishing my project. Alexandra the Great. To be honest I've only been entrusted with sticking as dd is much better at putting cool watermarks on her paper than me!

swedishmum · 22/03/2006 00:57

Er, Alexander.

corblimeymadam · 22/03/2006 08:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tortington · 22/03/2006 09:19

how dya think a 6 year old does homework instead of watching telly? its becuase the parent is supervising the completion of said homework and are interested int heir childs education. if a child never hands in homework ( as opposed to a communication failure) then you know which parents doesn't give a shit.

therfore teachers imo should lay off with dress up homework and such.

my children aged 10 had to each (twins) give a 5 minute presentation on Arundel Cathedral. using props. well kids were coming home with xxxxxxwas using a projector and such. i mean purlease.!

that doesnt sound hard does it. ok research the cathedral - and try to encourage the children to each use different infromation from the other.

get flip chart paper stolen from work. stick in pictures, write up presentation and go throughit endlessly with the twins.

thats just one stupid homework.

now why not say - find out some facts about arundel cathedral and write it up?

its terribly unfair - i can make my kids sit and do homework, i can supervise them, i will look over it when its done -but i am not spending my precious evenings preparing something for some teacher who thinks we should be more involved.

many women work full time, come home make tea, do homework - me with three kids - who each need individual time fro these stupid pissin projects, at what point do i get to just sit down? god help those mothers who then atend netball and football practice.

then the teachers will give you this tripe about not spending more than an hour on homeowkr per evening or something.

i wish i could spend an hour - if teachers had their way - i would be spending three hours "interested in my childs education" per evening. well to be honest i value quality of life too. not only do i want to sit and watch telly but i may want to - oh i dunno, attend an evening class, or err, go swimming after work, or err walk along the beach.

teachers should seriously think things through.

singersgirl · 22/03/2006 09:41

I don't really mind the dressing up stuff, as the children enjoy it, but we go for minimum effort stuff - we have plenty of books about pirates, so DS2 is going to be a pirate for their school's book day, and DS1 wants to be Sunny Baudelaire, so we will be making 4 sharp teeth.

So far we have had first 100 days at school (anything with numbers on), various book days, Deepavali, Chinese New Year, Christmas colours, pattern day.....

Caligula · 22/03/2006 09:47

I agree with Custy on this. Teacher's wanting parents to be "involved" with their kid's homework is deeply patronising, because as Custardo points out, forcing the little blighters to do it at all is involvement. And if you have three kids and have to make dinner, get ready for next day, get them to bed with story, there is no way you can spend the time doing more than about 10 minutes homework with them. And it does end up, for some families, with them just all doing homework together, rather than reading other books or doing other stuff. The assumption behind it of course, is that most families would be watching TV or playstationing, not doing stuff together. Deeply patronising. (But in many unfortunate cases true!)

Bozza · 22/03/2006 09:53

I sort of see what you mean here. DS went as Willy Wonka on book day - we made him a top hat and a cane - got him to decorate the cane and a band to go around the hat - because he is 5, he cannot make a top hat. The sent him in trousers and a shirt. So it was DH and I sat at the kitchen table doing it after he had gone to bed - then a sticky moment in the morning when we thought the hat didn't fit. Grin Although I had gone up to his bedroom while he slept and held the card to his head. But in a way it was fun because DS was so excited about it. Smile And the card cost us about £2 btw.

Chandra · 22/03/2006 09:56

I think that school is for learning and that parents should take interest in helping kids with the homework but, if that homework involves sacrificing hours of quality time with your children or lots of expense, please, let the kids be kids.

I hate dressing up days, not for what they were but because they have become sooooo competitive that if you don't spend ages making the costume, searching for one or paying loads for a a good one, it makes your child look as if their parents were not really interested in him... what ever happened with wearing a witch hat and saying you were a witch? Now if you don't have all the parafernalia a witch will wear and require for flying you are not up to standard... provided that you are in a school that has not deemed Halloween politically incorrect.

seems your child is going to feel a bit "

Chandra · 22/03/2006 09:56

last sentence should not be there Wink

Caligula · 22/03/2006 09:59

I can't understand dressing up days. Schools should be discouraging mad competitive parents, not giving them the opportunity to express their lunacy.

iota · 22/03/2006 10:01

at ds1's school they make the Easter bonnets in class ( thank heavens) Grin

Chandra · 22/03/2006 10:04

That's a good idea! I'm going to suggest it for DS's class!

Chandra · 22/03/2006 10:05

Class in which they give a first, second and third prize for the quality of the custome! FGS they are not even 5 yrs old!!!

TearsBeforeBedtime · 22/03/2006 10:10

One thing that concerns me about this type of children is that if they have parents who can't or won't help, they could be embarassed/penalised.

Chandra · 22/03/2006 10:11

I very much agree with that...

TearsBeforeBedtime · 22/03/2006 10:12

aaargh I meant "this type of homework" not "this type of children". Looks like I'll be more hindrance than help with DS' homework!!!

Chandra · 22/03/2006 10:14

somewhat I understood what you wnated to say :)

SleepyJess · 22/03/2006 10:19

Humph. I need to embark upon my third (and hopefully final) Easter Bonnet as DD is in Y2 so its the Juniors in Sept. Thank God.

It isn't a competition though.. just a parade.. not that's you'd notice. So far I have bought a large piece of red card !

TinyGang · 22/03/2006 10:19

So does ours iota. It's really sweet and we all watch them do a lap of the playground in their paper hats. It's mad to get parents competetively making them at home. Things like dressing up and making things are an extra bit of fun.

Dd's class had to dress up as pirates - I went and bought a plastic (harmless) toy cutlass as did everyone else it seems. The children arrived and all swords were duly whipped off them..a pirate with no cutlass fgs??!

Our school doesn't lean on the parents for anything more than backing up the basic stuff they are already doing like reading, a few kitchen type science experiments, looking up some facts, sourcing books etc. I'm happy with that. Anything more is great if you wish to bring it in but not too much pressure.

Mind you we haven't got further than infants yet. I've got twins Custardo - your post made me gulp a bit..sympathies!

TinyGang · 22/03/2006 10:23

I agree about the children who's parents can't get involved.

Parents are invited in at Christmas to help make decorations for a morning at school here. I usually go, but dd's little best friend was in floods of tears because he mum had to work. She's a sweetie and stayed with me but I could see she was upset and her poor mum couldn't be in two places at once.