When does homework start?

[Azzie]

My dh and I were discussing school last night, and he said that he never had any homework until he went to secondary school at 11. I know that I had homework much earlier than that (although I went to a private school and he didn't, which may be the difference). What age did you or your children start doing homework? It turns out that dh and I have different views on what is acceptable, so I'd like to have some idea what is common practice.

[Bozza]

Like your DH - no homework until 11. I actually felt very grown up first getting homework! but the novelty soon wore off.

[winnie1]

Hi azzie, I too didn't have homework until I was at secondary school at eleven (in the early 80's). However my teenage daughter had small pieces of homework from the start of her schooling (as does my niece at 5 yrs), the amount increased gradually in yrs 4 & 5 and was quite significant in year six (three or four times a week). Now well into secondary school she has homework every night and has to be very organised to get through it. HTH

[Copper]

Too soon, lasts too long and is a real pain - especially at primary school. Our head teacher admitted that they only give it because the middle-class parents expect it. Causes more upset and friction than it is worth - especially as you never see any evidence of marking

[oxocube]

Hi Azzie, I guess it really depends on what you mean by homework. I remember teaching 5 year olds and asking them to try, over the course of the week, to get some info on the topic we were discussing (spiders!). None of the 'homework' was compulsory, the parents and children all knew this, but we were all so into the topic that we got some great stuff back, lots of great drawings, info kids had found out from the internet with their parents, books from home, such as 'The Very Busy Spider etc. Should add that this was a one off over the course of the year.

Wouldn't be comfortable giving conventional h/work or for my kids to have to submit this under the age of about 9 or 10, though.

[aloha]

I didn't do homework until I was 11 and at secondary school (in the 70s) my stepdaughter has had homework from start of (private school) which I think is mad. It causes so much stress and hassle and tears - and on occasion she's had so much to do (still only 10) that we haven't been able to go to visit a museum or stately home or aquarium or other event at the weekend that would almost certainly have provided more education as well as more fun and bonding for whole family. I worry about the amount of homework my ds will get when he goes to school as I really disapprove of it for under 11s. There is an interesting US pressure group against homework. They say is it divisive by class (posh kids have books, private quiet space to work and internet access etc, while poor kids often don't) causes stress in families and forces parents into role of coercive teacher when working parents have little enough time with their kids as it is. They suggest tht if homework is appropriate, it should be done in after-school homework sessions of no more than 30mins- 1 hour, depending on age, where all kids have access to same books, computers, teacher etc. I have to say I agree with them.

[Azzie]

I've been talking to a colleague at work who has a 7yo. She says he gets homework, but it's usually to read something with his parents, or perhaps 5 words to learn to spell with a week to do it in, or to play shops with mum or dad to practice adding and subtracting with money. I guess I'd be happy with that level of homework.

[mears]

Homework here is given out and expected to be done. Both primary schools and secondary schools have a homework policy.
My children started to get 'proper' homework in primary 3, age 6-7.
My eldest is getting swamped by homework which he is rebeling against. Have discussed th eisue with the head teacher. Basically he is capable of working to the level where there is a lot of homework. Children need to be 'stretched' he said. If, however, ds is not coping he can be moved to a less demanding class. He ofcourse doesn't want to change classes. We have had a big discussion and he has made the choice to stay where he is with the understanding that huge amouts of homework go with the territory. He has got ot be organised this session and not let it pile up.
I did get homework at school but no where near the level he does. I feel really sorry for him at times. Doesn't help the Kevin type behaviour either.

[Bozza]

In my previous posting I forgot that we got sent home a book to read with parents/by self at primary school age. I suppose I forgot because it was no big deal to me and formed such a small part of my voracious reading habit. But could have been helpful to children who didn't have books in the home etc. We were definitely working class but I had all my Mum's childhood books plus she took me to the library every week from a young age but I still read every single book in my primary school.

[threeangels]

My daughter started at age 8 with just simple ditto papers. Ex like tracing letters.

[SueDonim]

I didn't have homework until the age of 11 and I agree with Copper that homework at primary school age is a pain. I find it hard to believe that a 5 or 6yr old child who spends maybe 6 hrs at school needs to do yet more work at home.
Hopefully, school lessons are reinforced at home by parents reading to the child or being involved in other ways. And if the parents don't read to them, they're unlikely to comply with homework, either, I'd have thought.

Maybe the last year of primary school is an apropriate time to introduce homework, otherwise, I'd rather see children doing what children do best - playing!

[tigermoth]

I sometimes wonder who the homework is really for. I am expected to hear my 8 year old son read from his school library book at least 5 times a week. I then have to comment on how he's read in his reading note book. Writing variations on the theme' good expression' and 'read well tonight' takes some doing over the year. The book is checked every Monday. He, or rather we, get bonus points if there are lots of entries.

When my son first started two terms ago, he forgot to tell me that I had to fill in the reading book myself. He's always liked reading and can read well so I suppose he decided to take things into his own hands. The first entries therefore are written by him and say, with his inimitable optimism 'excellent' and 'very good'. The teachers were not impressed, however!

I think parents and children at this school ( a church school) are expected to keep this reading record from year one.

Also, my son gets about 5- 7 homework sheets a month to complete. Takes about 5 hours. Sometimes it's a struggle. Sometimes we have rows. I don't like waving a stick at him as it were. 8 years seems too early for this. I find myself saying things to him that my mother would never have dreamed of saying to me at that age: ie 'no cake until you have written 5 more sentences neatly' Yes, it does interfere with the bonding process as you say, Aloha.

And I agree with much of your messsage Aloha but haven't the time right now to say more. You've raised some really interesting points.

However, I must grudgingly admit that hearing my son read has made me more aware of how he reads, and what he likes reading.

[bells2]

Tigermoth, I love your son's comments on his performance - very amusing!.

I definitely had no homework before 11 at my primary school in rural Australia. I then went to boarding school at that age and prep had to be done in silence in a hall with all the other girls. As you can imagine, most of the time was spent trying not to laugh rather than doing anything constructive.

All these stories make me feel that it will be even harder to continue working when my children are at school. Not sure I could cope if I had to devote an hour or two in the evening to helping with homework.

[Harrysmum]

I started P1 in 1979 at my local primary school and had homework from the outset - learning words, things that took 5 or 10 minutes but did require some parental involvement and so I guess started the educational process off on the right foot with parents being aware of what's going on at school. Progressed to writing 3 sentences using particular words etc plus reading and gradually increased in amount and type over the years. I don't remember, esp at primary level, ever being a big deal but I was quite academic and had very interested parents.

[sml]

Tigermoth,
obviously your son's initiative is Excellent!

[threeangels]

Bells2, I will say being a SAHM is great when your child comes home and says he has a major science project to do in 3 weeks. Talk about stressing.

[tigermoth]

and it's not just working away from home that causes problems. I am a SAHM at the moment, so should have it easy, but no. Try getting one son enthused about homework while you have a toddler clamouring for attention, or finding a quite 10 mins to hear him read aloud. Ok it's not so bad if your toddler settles easily in bed, but mine takes up to an hour. If I haven't managed to do the homework/reading with him earlier in the evening, my oldest son has to wait till we're finished. Many is the time I've come to find him, reading book at the ready,`fast asleep in his bed.

[threeangels]

Tigermouth, I have been finding myself lately wondering if Id have less stress working part-time then staying home all day. Sometimes I feel more stress being home and trying to do my daily duties. Im thinking about working maybe 5-6 hrs a day in the near future just to get out of the house. I said I was going to stay home till my youngest starts school but I keep finding myself contemplating going back to work. I always want to be here for my kids after school till who knows when. That is important to me if I do work. Im really having a confusing time in life with this issue.

[threeangels]

Sorry I spelled your chat name wrong.

[ionesmum]

I had basic homework from about the sage of six or so, perhaps reading a chapter of a book or a basic piece of comprehension. We also had 'topics' which we were expected to work on in our free time. Regular nightly homework didn't start until secondary school. Both were state schools.

I have heard that my cousin's daughter had homework on her forst day at 4 and a half which I think is mad (another state school) and friends who have teenagers at private school say that their daughters are cracking under the strain. Mind you, they do get up at 5.30 each day for music practice!

[WideWebWitch]

I don't remember having homework to do before I was about 11 and at secondary school either. I agree, the US pressure group have a point Aloha. I also wouldn't mind the odd 10 minutes reading with (nearly 5yo)ds once he's at school in Sept but feel that much more would be too much for him. Interesting point about middle class parents expecting it and it being more for them. I also agree with Suedonim about play.
Tigermoth, at your ds!

[Kia]

I know a parent who wrote something very rude in the homework diary and waited for nearly a term before the teacher found it!! It was hard to see who had the higher moral ground!

My teen comes to my office on the way home and does his homework here in our office canteen or the meeting room if it's empty, and although some days he spends it staring off into space, it's become a regular time set aside for study with the advantage of all the high tech office equipment that teachers of GCSE seem to think children will have easy access to these days! For example, my daughter's entire food technology evidence had to be on A3 paper with colour pictures! How many people do you know have colour printers that take A3 paper?

And I know how lucky I am having a child friendly boss, and other offices who take a positive attitude to him whilst he works! It's surprising how many people go up to him and tell him what a great thing he's doing and how they wished they had done that at his age. And I dont have to bribe them, either!

[Copper]

Kia, I love that story. I do think that setting homework and then not commenting on it gives the kids entirely the wrong message - that it's OK not to do it. Is this really what schools want? It's not like that at secondary school ... so they are going to be in for a shock.

I do wish they would let primary school children just be children for a bit longer - especially the boys, who seem to grow up slower than the girls. My boys (now 10 and 8) could play for their country - at playing! Not at schoolwork, or football, or anything organised - but at long, involved, self-created games requiring lots of imagination and plenty of home-made or home-gathered props, lots of negotiation, some flouncing about - but most of all time. We usually spend all summer with dens of one kind or another all over the garden. When teacher (local resident and friend) came into the garden, she failed to recognise the pile of boxes as a den, let alone a space ship. And I know of children who are organised into everything who have no idea about playing let's pretend. It's wonderful to listen to my two when they are in full flow - really funny and very interesting to get a glimpse of their world view.

Three Angels
I've worked full time and part-time - part-time is great as you all appreciate each other a bit more. 5-6 hours a day sounds like nearly full-time though. Best of luck with whatever you choose to do.

[emsiewill]

After dd1's first year at school, I must say I'm very happy with the amount of "homework" she's been set - ie hardly any at all! She started bringing home a book to read once a week from the beginning of term 2. This comes with a "homework diary" where we fill in what we read, who read it and some comments. As soon as she was able, I've been encouraging dd to fill in the comments herself. As it happens, this has been quite a bonding experience, as the books are in Welsh, and it's usually me who reads them with dd. My Welsh pronunciation is fine, but my comprehension is sketchy! So we've sat for ages looking at the pictures and guessing what the words could mean (yes, I realise we could buy a Welsh-English dictionary, but that would spoil the fun! ). The school also provides a tape with the book, so we can hear how it should sound. She's also had 2 "projects" to do - make a book about herself, and make a spider. For both, we had plenty of notice. If the school feels it necessary to provide homework, then I feel quite happy with that level for the first year. My friends' children (same age as dd) who go to other schools locally seem to have had much more homework - words to learn every week, reading to do every night etc... Yet another reason to be thankful we chose the school we did!

[threeangels]

Copper, Thank you for your comment. I guess 6 hrs a day does sound more closer to full-time. I did work 5 hrs a day in the past and it felt like it was enough. Maybe I'll try for the 4-5 hrs a day. Now my only problem is trying to figure out what to do. I only have daycare experience. Ive done it for 15 years and honestly could not handle that anymore. I love children it just got so stressful towards the end.