Thread by @folkycat, Here’s another thread in my very occasional series of “Ways in which [...]

Here’s another thread in my very occasional series of “Ways in which #teachers are unintentionally confusing #autistic children”.

Original thread below (art-related), this time it’s about #Science homework.

#EduTwitter #SEN #inclusion #ActuallyAutistic #NeurodiverseSquad https://twitter.com/folkycat/status/1168960037764706304

https://twitter.com/folkycat/status/1168960037764706304

Yesterday’s Science homework followed on from a lesson on the planets. What the teacher wanted the children to do was research a planet and find out some facts about how it differs from Earth in various ways.

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What the teacher *actually said* was “Imagine you’ve gone on a trip to one of these planets, and write a postcard home. You must include information about these things in your postcard: atmosphere, gravitational field, [about six other info points, you get the idea]...”

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Most #teachers might wonder why this is a problem - boring research task made a bit more fun!

These are the steps we went through in between Eldest having done all the research necessary for this question and submitting it to the teacher:

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1) Work out which parts of the homework are actually being assessed:

Does it matter who the postcard is to? Do I need to write it on an actual postcard? Am I being assessed on my creativity? How long should the postcard be? Will all that information even fit on a postcard?

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[Thankfully the teacher had indicated the number of marks available for the inclusion of each info point (eg atmosphere, gravitational field, landscape).

Now we have worked out that this is a *research* homework. The info points are the important bit.

]

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2) If all they are marking me on is the info points why do I have to pretend I’m on holiday? If I’m pretending anyway, why can’t I make up my own planet? How can I write a postcard from Saturn when I couldn’t survive there? Who writes postcards about gravitational fields??

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3) I try to suggest a compromise. Eldest has done the research, found out all the information plus a bonus fact from their own curious mind (I wonder if you can stand on the rings of Saturn?). I suggest they just hand this in.

BUT THAT’S NOT WHAT THE TEACHER HAS ASKED FOR!!

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4) I suggest another compromise. The info is the important bit; write ‘Dear Mum and Dad... the temperature on Saturn is..’ and just do it as a list of facts.

BUT WHAT IF I’VE MISUNDERSTOOD AND THE WRITING PART IS IMPORTANT AFTER ALL? WHY WOULD THEY ASK FOR IT IF IT WASN’T?

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5) OK why not just have a go at writing a postcard, you’re good at creative writing.

BUT HOW CAN I WHEN I WOULD NEVER GO ON HOLIDAY TO SATURN IN THE FIRST PLACE AND IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO WRITE A POSTCARD FROM THERE *IT* *JUST* *MAKES* *NO* *SENSE*!!

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6) OK. I’m going to write it for you. You’ve done all the important work, there is literally no point in stressing over it, so I will use your information and put it into a postcard format.

BUT WHAT IF YOU DO IT WRONG AND THE TEACHER THINKS IT WAS ME?!?!

[

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7) I write the postcard.

8) I write an explanatory note to the teacher explaining which bits of the homework Eldest did themselves and which they had help with, and why.

9) We are all exhausted.

10) Oh good, maths homework next

/end

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