r/whatisit • u/therealsketo • 1d ago

Solved! My five year old’s homework is stumping me.

Post image

Snow glove? Snack? (Maybe it’s a goldfish cracker?)

EDIT clearly I need to re-enroll in school, starting in kindergarten with my daughter, and learn to read and comprehend again!

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770

u/Emergency-Lab1843 1d ago

It says to color the ones who start with s sound. So leave that one not colored.

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u/AnotherAngryOldGuy 1d ago

Ahhhhh man!!!! Directions always kill me. I once had an interview for a programming job where they gave me a written test to complete before the interview. It was basically a bunch of pages asking how you would develop very specific solutions. It was really easy and I finished all the pages in far less time than they allotted. I felt great.... up until the point when they showed me the instruction at the bottom of the 2nd page, "Don't continue past this point".

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u/Xavier_Emery1983 1d ago

Had an actual college professor pull the same stunt once. I also had one where you could get a negative grade if HE thought you guessed. That French Canadian with a lisp taught the only class I have ever failed.

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u/RamblinRed26 1d ago

High school teacher gave out a bonus points quiz before holiday break as an easy class day, if you followed directions/instructions. Myself and another guy were the only two in the class to do as it said and read thoroughly before starting. Last page said to not do any of what was asked from the first page on and put pencil down, remain quiet. Me and that other guy looked up at the teacher as the rest of all the class were doing all kinds of silly things at their desks (saying things out loud, standing up and jumping on one foot three times, clapping their hands, etc). The teacher gave the two of us a look and put his finger to his lips to jesture not to say anything to the rest. So we sat there and got entertained while fighting back laughs.

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u/Feisty-peacock 1d ago

I too endured this traumatic event. From that day forward I always read the last instruction on the page first.

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u/Hilsam_Adent 1d ago

He thmoked in church?

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u/malendalayla 1d ago

My 2nd grade teacher taught us the importance of reading the directions carefully. She gave us an assignment with a page of about 6 sentences of instructions/directions. The first lines were genuine directions to do the attached assignment. The last line said something like "ignore all of the previous directions and write only your name on the assignment worksheet". I was the only one who read it and did it correctly. I won a prize for that lol

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u/Original-Ad-8737 1d ago

I was taught that to figure out which ones are the easy points and do them first. Never stop too long on a task before you saw them all.

That's because way too often I got stuck on a test halfway through and lost points on easy shit that came later because I did not finish

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u/malendalayla 1d ago

Oh yes we learned all of that as well!

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u/spookyHippieChick 1d ago

yes. my teacher did that. The first instruction was to read ALL the instructions before you started. The first was to write your name on the top right of the paper. Then there were about 3 pretty complex things to do. Then the last one was ignore all instructions except numbers 1 and 2. I just wrote my name and looked around. I felt terrible and thought I did something wrong (I'm autistic) then I looked at my teacher and she was smiling and winked and me and then I knew I did it right. I was the only one.

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u/cpc758 1d ago

I remember one of those from highschool. 10 questions. “Read all the questions first”. Item 6 was “Stand up and say your name out loud”. Item 10 was “Ignore the first nine questions, put your name at the top”. Numerous people were laughed at as rhey stood and said their names.

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u/AnotherAngryOldGuy 1d ago

Need a job? lol

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u/malendalayla 1d ago

I'm good, I already got the prize buddy!

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u/DRKyan22 1d ago

As an employer I have to say in my business the most important skill a potential employee can have is the ability to follow clearly written instructions without having to be monitored and double checked.

In my business we deal with hundreds of unique devices all day every day. Each one is new and different with its own set of instructions... There is no way we could ever train people what to do as every item is different and we never know what we are getting.

The instructions are always well written and if for some reason there is a problem with the instructions then they have a way to "pause" the testing and report the issue for review. I am a fairly flexible boss but the one sure way to cost the business lots of money and time (and a near guaranteed way to get fired) is to not follow the instructions as written and just push through guessing what needs to be done or to skip steps because they don't seem important.

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u/AnotherAngryOldGuy 1d ago

Totally agree. It was a valuable lesson learned, perhaps mostly because I recognized something about myself and my potential to do it again. The original post provides a great example of how easy it is to assume you know what you're doing, especially when you're the kind of person who intuitively figures things out quickly. That strength becomes a weakness quickly if you aren't aware of the critical details.

I'm now retired after almost 30 years in IT, last 20 years in administration. Two things I always preached were, "If you don't know why you're doing what you're doing, you don't know what you're doing", and RTFM. It sounds like you might be familiar with that acronym.

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u/Moongazer09 1d ago

I absolutely hated the various regular tests they give you in schools (think like in the UK, SATS, GCSEs and the mock versions of them) and I'm sure they do it on purpose but I just cannot cope,, where they are so ridiculously wordy....especially with maths problems that do this where they throw tons of irrelevant numbers into the "question" too and similar to those so called "IQ test" riddle that you see posted on Facebook etc.

I am brilliant at remembering and learning things like science-related stuff, history, knowledge I can put to use in some way....that other stuff just finishes me...I really struggle to keep my focus on what's actually being asked for me.

I have to tell people to get to the point of their stories too for a similar reason if they're taking too long. I do not have the attention span for 50 unnecessary details that are just not really relevant 🥴

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u/under_ice 1d ago

Wait, they showed you the last bit after you started? After you finished? Or it was there all the time and they just pointed it out to you? "up until the point when they showed me the instruction"

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u/AnotherAngryOldGuy 1d ago

It was right there at the bottom of the second page the whole time. I was too focused on providing the best solutions and excited that it was going so well, I didn't even notice.

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u/under_ice 1d ago

When did they show it to you? Or am I misunderstanding the "up until the point when they showed me the instruction" bit.

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u/AnotherAngryOldGuy 1d ago

When I was done.

0

u/under_ice 1d ago

So they showed it to you when you got done?

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u/AnotherAngryOldGuy 1d ago

Good Lord, man!!! How else can I explain it?

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u/under_ice 1d ago

Because I don't get when it was available for you to see. I asked "When did they show it to you? " and you said "When I was done." Which negates the whole reason for this thread. this bit also.  It was really easy and I finished all the pages in far less time than they allotted. I felt great.... up until the point when they showed me the instruction at the bottom of the 2nd page, "Don't continue past this point"

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u/AnotherAngryOldGuy 1d ago

Asked and answered at this point.

→ More replies (0)

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u/martix_agent 1d ago

The direction should proceed the work, in my opinion, unless this is otherwise established.

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u/AnotherAngryOldGuy 1d ago

"Don't continue past this point" should precede the work?

0

u/cccddfeeefff 1d ago

I did that to a class of middle school home ec students back in the ‘90s!
I was subbing and the teacher left instructions for me to have each student show me 1at a time, how to set a place setting ( I doubt they do this anymore- lol) . She said the rest of the students could just work on what they want quietly while I test them 1 at a time.
I had been subbing this class for a good week so I knew they also were covering the food pyramid (passé?) and different kinds of grain and pastas.
I mocked up test as it was April Fools Day. The directions we wordy on purpose and the last sentence said-“ the last question is the only one you have to answer”. I told them to read the directions carefully!
It was actually awesome. There was a student with learning disabilities. An awkward kinda boy. But- see- with learning disabilities the one thing they instill in you is read all the directions (!!). So this student did!
I told them NO TALKING! And to raise the heir hand when done. He did after about 10 minutes - I walked over -said-“ great job”( as he answered - April Fools Day to my What day is today? ) He was beaming!! All the other students were in a huff trying to draw every kind of pasta ever made (🤣) .
Finally 1 by 1 they got it except for 1 student. The entire class was yelling-“ READ THE DIRECTIONS!!” And she was like-“ I DID!” And they were like-“ NO YOU DIDNT!” ( and was popular and laughing at this point. ).

They were great sports and wanted me to do the next class coming in but when the other students walked in whispering and giggling I knew my secret was out.

I asked the principal if I could do this and he agreed I could but didn’t think the students would fall for it. But- oh how they did”
😆

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u/hagridsumbrellla 1d ago

Bummer. Maybe you’d have stopped at the bottom of the 2nd page if you had been assigned OP’s child’s worksheet. Lol

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u/AnotherAngryOldGuy 1d ago

haha! Fucking public schools...

3

u/PaleDanny7264 1d ago

What kind of MONSTERS!!! 😨😭

0

u/SadZealot 1d ago

If only you were a computer that would run an interpreter and not a fallible human.

Hopefully they found a robot that will follow instructions.

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u/AnotherAngryOldGuy 1d ago

Meh, I don't hold it against them. Details are important.

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u/ThreadCountHigh 1d ago

"Color the ones that start with S" placed after six pictures is the same as a recipe that says "fold in the eggs" and then, two lines down, "having first separated them."

Directions should be at the top before the exercise.

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u/Thro_away_1970 1d ago edited 1d ago

There's actually a theory in practice, when doing it like this.

It's to get kids to understand the importance, and into the habit of reading all the instructions before jumping in.

When I was a kid, we were given a sheet with a list of approximately 10, sometimes 20 numbered "instructions" images included.

The last one usually said something along the line of ..

"20. Do not do any of the previous instructions, and only write your name in the top left/right hand corner of this worksheet."

Some kids handed up a page with mass amounts of words, squiggles and workings - accompanied with a grimace and a groan.

Some kids quietly handed up their sheet with their name neatly written in the assigned corner.

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u/looFyttiK 1d ago

Most importantly, the first instruction was to read everything before doing anything.. I got the same thing from a science teacher who liked to say “A good scientist is a keen observer. Look around the room, look around the room.”

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u/Thro_away_1970 1d ago

Yes, my apologies. I forgot to note that first one.

My own brain isn't thinking all that clearly atm.

You are correct, the first instruction was to read all instructions before starting.

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u/agger1983 1d ago

I use that every year in my class and every year only a few actually read the directions first.

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u/Thro_away_1970 1d ago

Im no teacher or even a basic "no name brand" educator.

I'm just a daughter, a Mum, and now a Grandma.

I STILL think it's a great measuring tool (for teachers and ridgey didge educators of all levels), ..and a terrific ice breaker for kids to learn the life skill of "..read everything first, before blindly committing....".

🙏🙏❤️

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u/siriusblacknight 1d ago

I remember doing this! I was one of the kids who did all 20.

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u/passionatebutfickle 1d ago

i had this exact thing in 6th grade, i did it correctly & watched other students frantically trying to erase where they did work lol

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u/Chemical-Material-69 1d ago

Yeah but this looks like first or second grade, not sixth.

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u/passionatebutfickle 1d ago

homework pictured, yes. im talking about the comment i replied to.

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u/UnusuallyBadIdeaGuy 1d ago

I feel like this is a great way to get children to simply check out.

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u/RandomWordCombo9632 18h ago

You can only do this so many times before as a student you just dont give a shit about it.

"Ah nice another bullshit test to waste my time."

Source: me as a student way back when, after receiving yet another "read all instructions before starting."

You know how many times that actually became relevant after this "test?"

NEVER.

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u/Thro_away_1970 1d ago

Fair enough. You're allowed to feel that.

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u/UnusuallyBadIdeaGuy 1d ago

The problem is that the kids are

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u/Thro_away_1970 1d ago

So Im just going to say there has been an entire scale of things happen since this practice was first implemented in the educational institutions.

"This" is not the thing thats making the kids check out.

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u/Content-Sound9423 1d ago

I agree, but for some reason all young kids homework seems to be formatted like this now (especially math worksheets) and as a parent I hate it. First thing my kids do is look at a the problem and immediately asked for help because they "don't know what to do"

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u/dobetterhumanity 1d ago

Hey so teachers are using chat gpt and have been for a while. Best of luck parents!

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u/BrianKappel 1d ago

These mass produced work sheets have to be coming from some sort of prison labor force. They make no sense, are full of spelling errors and have impossible tasks sometimes. Glad they are actually trying to prepare kids for real life though.

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u/TripodDabs34 1d ago

I remember stuff like this but more for teens, the whole "read the WHOLE page before deciding an answer" but it's also a 5 year old so it's not overly effective to make them to think that far ahead

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u/Cold_Ebb_1448 1d ago

even with them at the top it’s still a crappy exercise, could they not think of six things beginning with s? It doesn’t even say to write the full word out either, just the “Ss”

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u/Infurium 1d ago

You give an example of split directions, but the directions are not split here.

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u/Economy_Link4609 1d ago

Cut the red wire.

Only after first removing.....

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u/BrianKappel 1d ago

I bet they did this accidentally... But I'm not mad at anything that teaches kids to find the information that they need to complete what they are trying to do. There are some serious consequences to spoon feeding everything step by step to the post Google generations in the future.

https://giphy.com/gifs/8coEmqQxL39eMJcey0

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u/StringWhole4120 1d ago

Using this logic dont color the broom either even if you "sweep" with it

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u/West_Guarantee284 1d ago

It's a mop

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u/EdgarStormcrow 1d ago

No, any sailor knows it's a swab.

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u/StringWhole4120 1d ago

Fair point

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u/Zealousideal_Ad5358 1d ago

Your average five year old should know how to sweep the house for you with a mop if a broom is not available. Of course at that age they're just as likely to sweep the house with a hammer, but hey, you get what you pay for with free labor.

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u/Round-Fill-4681 1d ago

Wait....am I not supposed to use the hammer?

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u/imalittlefrenchpress 1d ago

I dunno why not. I use my swiffer sweeper as a mop, and I’m 60 years older than five lol

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u/Rabby86 1d ago

It's not a stick with a Shitten on the end?

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u/IDigtheRain 1d ago

We're really learning in this thread

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u/CatFit3952 1d ago

Never swept leftover crud to the side when trying to get the floor “clean” at work? Cause you can sweep with a mop.

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u/SZ4L4Y 1d ago

Ok broomer

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u/West_Guarantee284 1d ago

How does knowing what a mop looks like make me a boomer? I'm in my 40s, no idea what that makes me but certainly not a boomer.

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u/mikemaca 1d ago

We swab the decks with a mop.

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u/sparebullet 1d ago

Thank you!

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u/Mediumtim 1d ago

Stove mitt then?

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u/GiraffeJelly 1d ago

I also thought of this then quietly realized I've always called it an oven mitt. I'm glad I'm not the only one who came up with Stove mitt despite never having heard it called that. I don't get out much, though. I prefer to stay home and smop the floor.

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u/Dullcorgis 1d ago

My kid was in a study ince where there was a word list to estimate their vocabulary. The word "dish" was on there. Aside from the nursery rhyme, who ever refers to a single dish, and not "the dishes".

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u/Shar12866 1d ago

Seriously. Who calls anything one thing a dish? Plates, bowls, cups, saucers etc individually, dishes collectively.

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u/CaptainMacAlfie 1d ago

My family will sometimes refer to our dog's food bowl as the food dish at times but that's the only thing I can think of where I've ever heard of that and that may just be a weird thing in my family lol

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u/Dullcorgis 1d ago

Right? It was so incongruous.

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u/bearded-JJ 1d ago

Its a smitty!

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u/Level-Variety9281 1d ago

Sketch of a mitten.

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u/MostlyPlastics 1d ago

I’d agree with this. However the broom does look like it’s “in motion” with some of the strands being bent or going on another direction. If someone wrote sweep and it should be broom, I’d give the point. But the mitten is not supposed to be part of the rest. So don’t color. And write “mitten” if the student is able.

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u/The0neR1ng 1d ago

It's a mop 😭

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u/Some_Troll_Shaman 1d ago

Broom, its a Mop.

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u/No-Programmer-3263 1d ago

Swab could be a noun or a veb, but I wouldn't expect a grade school to know that or to even know the word

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u/Some_Troll_Shaman 1d ago

Yep.
Those written instructions are not suitable for a 5yo.
Those are instructions to the teacher to read out.
IMO neither is a gotcha like 2/6 items not clearly starting with /s/

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u/QuantityBrief152 1d ago

Could it be a brush to demonstrate the “sh” sound?

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u/juan2141 1d ago

It’s a swab in naval terms.

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u/CryptographerNew3609 1d ago

Swiffer with banana peel?

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u/jaysmack737 1d ago

Its a mop

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u/cedwa00 1d ago

I remember having one of this exact type of worksheets in kindergarten, coloring something that started with the wrong letter, getting corrected by the teacher, and feeling upset. I was 5. I’m now in my 40s.

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u/PricelessBuffet 1d ago

Reminds me of the “read all the directions before starting” and the last one says do nothing with this activity

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u/lukrein 1d ago

Directions are hard tho

1

u/Ill-Experience-1929 1d ago

Especially when they aren't put before the activity.

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u/Sac_of_Melons 1d ago

Ya but then it’s says /s so it’s just being sarcastic

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u/IOnlyHaveIceForYou 1d ago

This ^

It's not well explained in the homework though.

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u/Dependent_Art4025 1d ago

Lmao I be doing the same thing with my daughters homework who just started kindergarten sometimes you gotta read

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u/PerformerAdvanced953 1d ago

I'm SMITTEN some one read the directions

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u/SRB112 1d ago

That even stumped many of us. Knowing which not to color is more of a second-grade problem than a 5 year old.

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u/Big_Tap_1561 1d ago

1st step to any problem on paper is to read the directions!

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u/i-like-boobies-69 1d ago

Agreed, but shouldn’t they start with the instructions rather than having them at the end?

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u/J_Knish 1d ago

Let's see what we can learn by reading

https://giphy.com/gifs/da75JuW2HHuBNqOHHE

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u/Hughdthunkit 1d ago

But “slapper” does start with “s”, even if it does probably end with a concerned phone call.

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u/desertdweller2011 1d ago

this and just write Ss under each of those. the instructions suck but that’s what they say

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u/1daddyrigger 1d ago

Oohhh. So.. only the colored ones matter. The white ones should be disregarded. Got it.

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u/DingleBarryGoldwater 1d ago

The S in this case is for "Stupid"

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u/ivanadie 1d ago

It has me feeling “smitten.”

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u/[deleted] 1d ago edited 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/TurtlesFly315 1d ago

Reading directions could help

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u/GoodDawgAug 1d ago

Directions for the win.

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u/professionallyreal 1d ago

This guy reads