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TROUBLE WITH HOMEWORK

QUINNEY5643
QUINNEY5643 Community member Posts: 5 Listener
edited September 2014 in Education
My 10yr old with CP is in mainstream middle school and is now receiving homework that has to be handed in the next day. He is so physically and mentally tired after school that he simply cannot cope with more learning when he gets home. Do I suggest to school he gets 'special treatment' and be allowed to get away with homework and perhaps just get it at the weekend or is this a contradiction when I ask that he be treated just like everyone else????!!!!

Comments

  • James2
    James2 Community member Posts: 16 Listener
    I think he should have more days to hand in his homework to help him.
  • Ikeysmum
    Ikeysmum Community member Posts: 10 Listener
    I'm an experienced teacher and I don't expect ten year olds to hand homework in the next day. It is generally school policy in most schools to allow 2-3 days for homework completion. Ask your school if you could see their homework policy, or look and see if they have it on their website, if you want to find out without asking them direct. Sometimes all the school policy documents are on there. It's a list of agreed practices. If it states there that they receive it three times a week, but have 2-3 days to complete, for example, then you can ask why they are being given it to be completed for the next day.
    My son is four with mild cp, and has started mainstream, and he is already being given written homework, but he is exhausted after school, so I understand your concerns completely. You could also ask to discuss this with his teacher. I didn't realise just how tired cp sufferers get, but then until I had my twins, I didn't come into contact with anyone who had it. So perhaps they just don't realise his fatigue will be more so than in a typical child his age. I'm sure they won't think you are contradicting yourself. I wouldn't. Good luck.
    Sarah
  • poppymarydaisy
    poppymarydaisy Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    I think there's a difference between treating someone with a disability 'just like everyone else' and making acceptable adjustments to the curriculum or activities in order to encourage effective learning.

    I think it's totally acceptable to ask for the teacher to change how they issue homework, whether it's to give everyone longer to do the homework (so your son would still be treated the same as everyone else - everyone gets longer to do homework) or to give your son extra time when he needs it.

    Ideally, the teacher would extend the time allowed for everyone, so as not to single your son out. Despite legislation and training, lots of teachers still don't understand disabilities. Education is key.
  • abstractLucas
    abstractLucas Community member Posts: 76 Connected
    I'm with them!
    I think it's really important to talk to the teacher so everyone know what's going on - I wouldn't try and drop it into a casual quick conversation - make an appointment so you have time to talk it through properly.
    Also, for your info, my (mainstream ordinary) ten year old daughter gets homework Monday to be handed in Wednesday, Wednesday to be in Friday, and Friday to be in Monday, and spellings handed out each Friday to be tested the following Friday.
    Let us know how you get on!
    Lucas
  • AllisonRCann
    AllisonRCann Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    I think that Poppy really nailed it, you do not want to give ‘special privilege’ and suggest that they just make work ‘easy’ for your child – instead you are asking for an honest delay because of an otherwise crippling disability. I think it would be more than fair to ask for one or two days extra.
  • Farshideh
    Farshideh Community member Posts: 6 Listener
     A SIMPLE FACT 

    Generally cp person burns three more energy at the muscular  level than normal. The second most important issue is that often they have visual tracking difficulty which exhaust them as they have to work that much harder to follow which in turn affects their  sitting posture .
    At school the sitting posture is ignored so that effort to maintain the posture and concentrate also makes them exhausted.
    Therefore is important to have a conversation with the teacher and   explain that he needs to rest in order to carry on the next day and that he could have more time  to   handle his home work.
     Farshideh

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