My ds has done no school work all summer

[molk]

I am starting to feel a bit anxious because, apart from reading, my ds has done NO school stuff all holiday. I had intended to get him to do a bit of writing and maths a few times a week, but it hasn't happened.
He is about to go into year 2.

[usualsuspect]

He will be fine

The summer holidays are for relaxing ,not doing school work

[LawrieMarlow]

Neither of my DC have done any school work all summer either. About to go into Year 1 and Year 3. Might get them to do some "school" reading at some point before they go back but I am really not concerned.

[Pelagia]

My DS is also about to start Y2 and has spent the summer playing. Hes been reading to himself and has done a bit of writing/maths where it was part of whatever game he wanted to play, but we haven't done anything purposeful. And its been GREAT

[Bonsoir]

Could you play a few board/card games with a number element to them in order to get him thinking about numbers again?

Lego is good for focusing the mind and practicing concentration - buy him a new model with instructions to follow.

And accelerate the reading a bit now that term is approaching!

[limetrees]

My DS is going into Y1 and I have done a bit of reading with him and that's it. I thought that was appropriate.

[mankyscotslass]

Not done any with mine either, DS9, DD7 and DS5.

I had intended to do a bit of writing with the two younger ones, but never got round to it.

They have all read a lot though (for pleasure).

These holidays have flown past

[LaLaLaLayla]

Oh, that's not good. Sorry. Don't want to make you feel worse. You need to adopt a 'drip, drip' approach. A little every day. I don't know if you read Freakanomics, but they found that the reason middle class children do better at school than working class children was because they did more work over the holidays. Not sure if it's true.

Maybe give this book a go: "Could Do Better" by Noel Janis-Norton. Her central philosophy is that our children's education is far too important to be left up to the schools.

Hope you had a nice summer break anyway

[molk]

Oh dear. He has done a lot of reading to himself for pleasure. Done a lot of lego too following instructions, but thats about it.

[usualsuspect]

Hes done enough ,unless he's a middle class child

[LawrieMarlow]

Why are you saying oh dear? My DC (who have done reading of books other than school ones btw) are both doing very well at school. Having time off in the summer does not seem to be a problem for them. Getting up early in the morning may be more of a problem (for all three of us ) but I am very happy with how the holidays have gone.

[Pelagia]

LaLayla, why isn't it good? I'd be surprised if molk's ds has done nothing educational all holiday. It just doesn't need to be 'work'. Reading for pleasure and playing lego is a brilliant way to spend the holidays.

[LaLaLaLayla]

Don't worry too much, but try to do a little bit each day through the term. For example:

Practice times tables in the bath (5 mins a day)
Handwriting (1 page - 5 mins a day)
Maths (1 sheet - 10 mins day. Here's some good ones: Worksheets
Reading (10 mins a day).

That's only 30 mins a day and over the course of a year, would make the world of difference.

[LaLaLaLayla]

Well, molk is obviously not happy that he did no work, as she wouldn't be posting.

[LawrieMarlow]

LaLaLaLayla, if I did that with both DC every day there would be mutiny. And really I don't think that their results would be any better than they are. And we would all be more stressed I think. They do other things after school which enrich their lives in other ways.

[blackeyedsusan]

I had good intentions too... have done a bit, but not aas much writing as I hoped. (she needs help with writing) I think that life and having fun and just relaxing all get in the way and it seems easier to fit it in in the routine of a school day.

have you read to him? (increases vocabulay)

have you played any games with him? (maths/speaking and listening)

have you talked to him about what you see when out and about? (geography/science)

let him play on the computer? (ict)

design and technology.... lego models, will help his handwriting too by improving his coordination.

playing football/riding bike(pe)

Do you feel better now?

[LawrieMarlow]

molk may be feeling that she should have done work because she thinks everyone else in her DS's class will have been. Chances are that they have been enjoying the holidays as well :)

[MumblingRagDoll]

My DD hasn't done any either and she's about to go into year 3! I am planning to implement early bedtimes in the lst week of hols plus reading every night.

Layla Sorry but snigger!

DH and I are both high achievers, professional and yes...probably would be considered middle class if you wanted to label us....but we're both from working class backgrounds. No pushy parents....both have excellnt degrees.

[LaLaLaLayla]

Lawrie you obviously don't need to do any work with your DC, but that is not the case for every child. Many, many children struggle at school and need the extra help.

[blackeyedsusan]

there are a lot more ways to do maths than doing worksheets. they are often more fun too.

[Haberdashery]

If he's reading for pleasure, it sounds like you have already done the most important work you could ever have done with him! Holidays are for playing at this age, surely?

[LaLaLaLayla]

Yeah, I'm with you MumblingRagDoll, truly! I was just repeating it as I thought it was an interesting conclusion.

My son will be starting school this term (he has been HS'd up until now) and I will do a bit with him every day. I just need to know that he is where he should be. Also, things that are important to me may not be important to the school, eg handwriting, times tables, grammar, proper punctuation, etc.

God, I sound like a right old battle axe

[Pelagia]

'Practice' times tables? DS wouldn't know a times table if he pulled up a chair to it. Do many children learn times tables in Y1?

[flashback to miserable summer holidays as a child when my (middle class ) DF had me learning times tables. I didn't want to and it put me right off maths]

[LaLaLaLayla]

No, by 'practice' I meant 'learn'.

[AvonCallingBarksdale]

LaLaLaLayla, you do a bit
btw, why would you send your child to a school where you thought handwriting, times tables, grammar and proper punctuation mightn't be important to said school
As for the OP, I wouldn't worry. You've probably covered more than you realise with him. don't worry

[lovecheese]

At the risk of being slagged-off, I do get them to do 10 minutes a day, the eldest always maths as she needs more help here, and I will ask her to read her current book to me a couple of times before they go back, even though she is going into year 6 and is a free reader.

The middle one, in year 3 in September, reads almost daily to me or DH for pleasure, and she gets to choose either 10 mins of maths or english a day, and that could be from a workbook (She is one of those freaky kids who DOES enjoy workbooks BTW) or a computer game or suchlike. Obviously this is in addition to playing games - pontoon is a current favourite of them both - baking, grubbing in the garden, watching TV etc.

I do not see it as an issue; they know they have to do a bit every day and that's it.