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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

Homework going straight in the bin!?

47 replies

afussyphase · 01/05/2015 22:49

DD (Y2) is at a school that's been OK for YR and Y1, but Y2 has been less good for her. She's bored, she doesn't want to do her homework and she's often disappointed or distressed at one little thing or another (whether the class gets the class treat; whether they are still/again doing the same story in literacy etc). The school doesn't have a good reputation for meeting the needs of the "more able", which we've been told DD is.
I talked to her teacher about the HW attitude -- I'd rather they didn't do any, but if they are supposed to, I feel I should help make it happen. Her teacher told me she doesn't have time to actually mark the HW; from our point of view it disappears into a void and the DC never know how they did or what to improve. When we talked, I said I thought DD would benefit from some positive comments if she'd done a good job; she might be happier to do it.
Today DD told me that the report she did over Easter (which her teacher did celebrate after our chat) was the only thing that hadn't been put in the bin. According to DD all the HW goes in the bin - in view of the DC. She was nearly in tears when she said it; said it had been going on all year.
Now, I don't save all the bits of paper the DC scribble on and I don't imagine any teacher does either, but I have the good graces not to bin stuff in their view right after they've done it, no matter what it is. I would have thought it might get filed for a term or half a term, reviewed to see if DC have made progress in line with school books, returned each half term, or at least binned discretely.
Can this be right? What would you do? If you're a teacher, do you mark it? Return it? File it?

OP posts:

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TheTroubleWithAngels · 01/05/2015 22:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

afussyphase · 01/05/2015 23:13

Thanks! I completely agree: if there is no feedback, it's pretty much just spinning wheels. Or repeating/reinforcing incorrect things, even worse. Sigh. I feel like I go in there and chat about something too often - probably once per term, but just before Easter. So I don't want to keep going and being seen to complain about things. But DD was really upset.
I guess I should go and ask what happens to the HW and when.. ? sigh. Or repeat what DD's told me?

OP posts:

Panzee · 01/05/2015 23:18

I'm not a fan of homework but we are expected to set it. I still mark it and praise those who have done it.

TheTroubleWithAngels · 01/05/2015 23:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

afussyphase · 01/05/2015 23:38

yes, that's probably best. I just can't go in and accuse this (newly qualified and very sweet, but ..) teacher of binning the HW in front of the DC.

OP posts:

Charis1 · 02/05/2015 11:35

I have friends in primary school who frequently bin work, as the alternative is "deep marking" everything, assessing and recording it in multiple ways on multiple spread sheets, which means staying up all night.

One started just throwing work away instead, and the others joined in, as it is the only physically possible way of making sure everything on the premises is marked and recorded to the standard required.

SisterMoonshine · 02/05/2015 11:42

My DD is in year 5 and never gets any feedback / marking for homework.
I guess it's up to me to big up her efforts before she hands it in.
The bin hadn't occurred to me. How horrible to do that in front of the children.

Schoolaroundthecorner · 02/05/2015 11:46

What on earth is the point of giving homework and not assessing it? Does this really happen? It sounds utterly ridiculous and completely demotivating for the students. And as for binning it in front of them....

Although I'd agree with a careful approach on the issue in case your DD doesn't quite have it right OP.

Charis1 · 02/05/2015 11:59

there's no point, like much of what happens in schools. the teachers are just desperately fighting not to drown.

Strictly1 · 02/05/2015 12:05

I would definitely go in to discuss (not accuse) about homework. If there is no feedback, there is going to be little motivation. And to bin it in front of the children, if this happened, is plain rude and cruel.

slicedfinger · 02/05/2015 12:10

It would be interesting to explore the school's marking policy. I bet it doesn't say to bin unmarked work!

slicedfinger · 02/05/2015 12:11

I just remembered! In secondary, I once got this as a punishment for talking in assembly. A HUGE maths homework sheet (over 100 algebra questions I seem to remember) that the teacher looked me straight in the eye and binned when I handed it in. It was an alternative punishment to being belted, really that huge a deal. Really not very nice for infants!

Charis1 · 02/05/2015 12:13

It is fulfilling the school marking policy that causes such situations. If any work that exists has to conform to ridiculous rules of marking and recording, then the obvious solution when you cannot humanly keep up is to stop work existing.

spookyskeleton · 02/05/2015 12:15

Can only share my experience but DS1's homework is marked and then filed in a folder which we are then given back at the end of every half term which I then throw in the bin. However I don't know if DS1 is given feedback on it, I suspect not as there just wouldn't be time to give feedback to all the pupils every week.

calzone · 02/05/2015 13:00

I work as a TA in Y1.

Homework is set but never marked by the teacher. She doesn't even look at it.

There is no time for her to do it.

Panzee · 02/05/2015 13:05

I must add that the marking I do is not in any particular detail. I can't use it for assessment as who knows who really did it? It really doesn't take that long for a smiley face and some stickers or class points. I don't give feedback either.

Charis1 · 02/05/2015 13:42

which is fine, panzee, unless your school insists you have to do far more than that, instantly, in which case you may feel tempted to take steps to ensure the sudden non existence of the work.

ltk · 02/05/2015 13:56

Dc's homework always comes back with some form of marking - even if it's just a tick or a smiley or a diplomatic 'try harder'. They have to mark it between Friday and Monday so I don't expect the teachers to produce essays of formative feedback.

Lindy2 · 02/05/2015 14:37

DD1 is in year 2. They get a little bit of writing homework and some maths homework each week. Each bit usually takes about 15 mins. It is always marked and a comment like "well done " made. The teacher also always sets out the next step to progress the work. I would be most unhappy if the teacher did not look at the work.

Panzee · 02/05/2015 15:36

Charis1 :o

soapboxqueen · 02/05/2015 16:35

I wouldn't bin it in front of the children either. However if I could do away with homework I would (reading and topic projects only). It's utterly pointless most of the time and takes a disproportionate amount of time.

negrilbaby · 02/05/2015 16:45

I'm feeling really lucky reading this. DS is in year 2 and gets homework most weeks - some maths and literacy sheets and the occasional comprehension exercise. All tasks are glued into a homework book. All work is marked thoroughly with formative feedback - usually requiring an additional comment from DS to show that it has been read.

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Wait4nothing · 02/05/2015 16:54

As a teacher I dislike homework. It's only positive is it encourages learning at homes (for some people - some would anyway and some don't bother anyway). It's pointless in terms of assessment (no idea how much/little support is given), I'm lucky that my TA marks mine and will stay if someone is totally off the ball or a question caught lots out for me to address but I/we don't give feedback - it would take too long. Merits or stickers when I get the chance. The worst part is our school has a detention (during the school day) for missed work - which is a nightmare to implement!

afussyphase · 02/05/2015 20:07

Does anyone have details for the studies that have found homework not to be useful? Would love to have these on hand (not that I'll bring them to the teacher but maybe to the curriculum committee or deputy head, some other time when I am not discussing DD!). Thanks for all your comments! Glad to know I'm not out to lunch here ...

OP posts:

Lucyccfc · 02/05/2015 20:17

DS is in Y5 and his teacher is fantastic with homework. Doesn't set a huge amount, but it's in a dedicated homework book and is always marked, feedback and a comment given. It really motivates DS, even with writing, which he hates.

Y4 was very different. Went weeks without homework being marked or any feedback. I asked DS's teacher why homework hadn't been marked and just received an excuse about not having enough time (although every other teacher managed to do this). After the third time of a few weeks of unmarked homework, I told DS's teacher that if she couldn't be bothered marking it, then he was going to be bothered doing it.

Thank goodness for his current, amazing and organised teacher.

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