To be pissed off at my 6yr old having 3 lots of homework!

[MeMudmagnet]

My dd2 (6) is really struggling at school.
She can barely read, so writing is a struggle too. Has trouble forming her letters and getting them the right way round. She also has an IEP for focusing and concentration.

I've just started paying for her to have some private tuition outside of school in the hope that she won't fall much further behind.

I can't help but think that the school isn't supporting her at all.
I can see a gradual improvement in her reading (I read with her nearly every day). At school last term, she only had somebody listen to her read, on average once or twice a month.

Her writing appears to be getting nowhere fast.

This Friday she came home with 3 lots of homework.
One arty type homework, spellings to be leart over the week (we will have to practice them every day, for her to have any chance of them sinking in) and also came home with the bloody class teddy to write about in it's special book.

AIBU to think she should be doing some actual learning at school and that she should be able to play and switch off a bit from it all at weekends.

[tellnoone]

Sounds like a poor school if they are only listening to her read once or twice a month, it should be per week!

[MollieO]

Why are you paying for extra tuition? If she has an IEP why isn't she getting support in school? Ime absolutely pointless in having an IEP if nothing is being done at school.

Ds (6 - yr 2) has reading every night, spellings to learn over the week and maths homework (that seems to be every other night). He has an IEP and has two 30 min sessions with the SENCO each week to help improve his reading and visual memory issues.

[rpickett]

YANBU I think 3 lots of homework is too much for a 6yr old especially if your having to read and write with her on top of this to help her where the school seems to be failing.

[lostinwales]

YANBU. She's only six bless her, there is plenty of time for homework later. DS1 came home with a diary he had to write every day over the summer holidays in welsh, he got sent back to school with a letter saying he had been told he didn't have to do it as it was the holidays signed by DH ( a primary school teacher!). He goes up to secondary in 12 months and then it is wall to wall homework for YEARS.

Your lovely daughter shouldn't have to have private tuition, she should be out playing instead (she sounds alot like my boy, he can't concentrate for toffee either, makes even small pieces of homework like Everest dosen't it?)

[activate]

speak to teacher and tell her the problem

and tell her you won't be doing homework until you deem her ready

she's 6 - she doesn't need homework until she enjoys it IMO

[aleene]

I agree, I would be less worried about the homework than the poor support in reading she is getting at school. Have the school told you if they have done any formal assessment regarding her difficulties?

[MeMudmagnet]

That's what I think. They say they can't manage more without more parent help. I've volunteered, so have a few others.

DD1 (11) did very well there. But she is a high achiever, taught herself to read, etc etc. I'm now seeing the other side of the coin with dd2!

[VoldemortsNipple]

We were in the same boat last year with DS. The teacher would set a literacy task, numeracy task, spellings and sometimes something else. It would have taken me all weekend to keep him on task.

His teacher said dont let him work for more than an hour. He would only manage to write a couple of sentences in an hour or work through his numeracy task. So we would just send it back uncompleted.

I never attempted to teach him the spellings, they were just too hard for him.

He started doing Easyread to help with with his reading which he did every night. When we started this, we gave up on homework all together as I felt he was doing enough and Easyread was more beneficial.

If your DD is already doing extra lessons outside school, speak to the teacher and ask if she can be excluded from homework so she can concentrate on her extra support.

DCs usually like bringing the teddy home though. Why dont you ask her to draw a picture of what she has done or put some photos in instead. If she has an IEP Im sure the teacher wont mind.

[MollieO]

What does the IEP say about support?

[Anenome]

It sounds bad...only reading with her once in a month! Have you considered trying to find a different school?

My 6 year old DD gets a LOT of homework...reading and maths every night and sometims an extra topic type thing...at weekends it's spelling and reading...we basially have homework nightly.

I thik the real problem here is that she is not getting the daily attention from her teachers...have you hassled them? Asked if she read today...tha kind of thing?

[MeMudmagnet]

When she was put on the IEP, she was meant to be doing games etc in school to help with her concentration and we were meant to do them at home as well. We were never given any explanation about these games at all.

Her IEP is meant to be reviewed on a regular basis, but we have'nt been consultated about any of the reviews. Does anyone know if we are supposed to be ??

I've already been in and spoken to the teacher about the fact that she's in the bottom group (no surprises) and as a result is working with more of the disruptive children. Given that her IEP is for concentration issues, I thought they could have given her half a chance by putting her in a group of children that are able to sit still for 5mins!
When she is able to focus she does so much better (the teacher did actally agree with this) she is just so easily distracted.

[MeMudmagnet]

I have considered moving her.
The school she's at has a very good reputation and is over subscribed every year. As I said dd1 did very well there, but I'm starting to wonder if that was because she was very able.

The other schools in the area are all very small, so generally have year groups mixed and I'd imagine get less funding.

I don't think they would offer to diagnose any problems at her age.

[MollieO]

Have you arranged a meeting with the SENCO? You should be part of the reviews especially as if you are supposed to be doing support at home too. Sounds as if you have to be more proactive imo. When ds was put on an IEP we had a meeting with the SENCO and his form teacher to discuss proposed support. I also see the SENCO at parents' evening for a progress report and am in contact by email too.

I don't understand why you have arranged a private tutor (presumably at considerable expense) but not looked at what the school should be providing for free.

[MeMudmagnet]

I did ask her teacher last year, when the IEP would be reviewed as I'd heard nothing from the school. I was told it would be reviewed half termly but that we wouldn't need to be involved. I don't know if this is normal or not.

There's been no mention of any meetings with SENCO. Do you have to arrange this for yourself? Apart from the parents evening, when the YR1 teacher set up the IEP and me asking about when it would be reviewed, there's been no other contact from the school.
I've arranged the private tuition, because she's falling behind and didn't know what else I could do.

[MollieO]

Parents' evening isn't the time to review the IEP, it should be done in a separate meeting. Why haven't you asked the teacher and SENCO for feedback following the reviews?

If I were you I would be seeing the teacher tomorrow to arrange a meeting with them and Senco asap.

There is a SEN section here that may provide you with more info and guidance on what your expectations should be re IEP.

[IreadthereforeIam]

My ds1 (age 6) has been having problems with his numeracy and literacy at school - I have been hounding them since he started in reception to be honest. I think the teachers run and hide when they see me coming!!

As far as I'm concerned, his education should be of concern to both his teachers and me. I suppose we have the added 'bonus' that ds is physically disabled, so he is in the loop (although, I think last year they were a bit too laid back until near the end of the year, and then panicked when they realised he wasn't making enough progress). So I've had meetings with his ex-class teacher, the Head and the SENCO. I also get daily updates from both his assistant (who he shares with another child and the rest of the class!!) and his now new class teacher! I don't care what they think!! I will not have them telling me in July (like they did this year!) that he is behind the rest of the class (their words).

DS1 has an IEP, but I felt that they had completely down-played any difficulties. Not a good move, in my opinion. They won't be doing that again!! I'm an ex-teacher (Oh dear, probably the worst type of parent!!), and I will not be kept in the dark! Education is a home- school partnership. Get in there and find out what you need to know. You have every right to have meetings with any/ all of the people involved with your dds education - just get an appointment/s!!

It's not a very promising sign that they aren't keeping you informed. It looks like you're going to have to give them a kick up the jacksy!! Believe it or not, I'm NOT a really bolshy mother - I just want what's best for my child - he finds day to day life difficult enough without these people making his life more complicated!!

I wish you luck!! (And I'm sorry this is a long answer - I get a little heated about this - you may have noticed!)

[MeMudmagnet]

Thanks all.

I went in to the school office today, to make an appointment with SN.
I'm really miffed that I've been kept in the dark about all this.

DD had her out of school tutorial session today and has been given some games and worksheets to go through before next week.
She seem to be gaining more out of this 1hour session a week, than is out of 5 days spent in school.

Somethings not right about this.

[cuteboots]

I agree. My six year old has just gone up a year and comes home with more homework to do. They seem to be under so much more pressure nowadays and some evenings when we are trying to catch up on his reading he just cant keep his eyes open..I try to fit as much in over the weekend as I work full time but I do have the urge to go up to the school and ask them what they expect from a 6 year old. Grrrrrrr!

[TruthSweet]

I'm sorry your DD2 is having difficulties and the school really don't seem to be helping by just setting homework but no back up help.

My DD1 has just started reception and she has a book to read/be read each night, word bingo to do for 5-10 minutes a night and we are expected to do a list of things each weekend (this weekend it was playing taking turn games, counting objects, a bug hunt and draw pictures of said bugs, talking about wool [where from & how it's made] and challenging your child to do star jumps/run around the garden/bunny hops).

We went to the tip, did a supermarket shop and went for a picnic at the park instead . I'm all for homework but for 4 y/o? When do children get a chance to relax and play? I know you could incorporate some of that list into playing but it just seems a bit scheduled after a week at school.

[GrungeBlobPrimpants]

My ds struggled in y1 & y2 and had an IEP. Y1 teacher - I always ahd to be proactive, what was happeneing, why wasn't he getting any extra support etc etc. Wished I'd pushed more. Y2 teacher - brilliant, she kept me fully infomred, I was inolved in all half-term reviews, he got extra support.

Also a 'good' school which was great with the many v bright kids, not so good with average or those who needed support.

Sounds as though you have the first type of teacher. You should NOT have to pay for outside tuition. Your dd should not be doing this type of homework if she's struggling with basics.

Keep pushing, keep nagging, see the SENCO, if you continue to get no joy then go to head. Good luck