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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

How do you encourage your children to do their homework?

17 replies

Mcdreamy · 19/10/2009 09:09

Simple question I know but we seem to be struggling a bit in the McDreamy household with DD (Y1). She's fine when it comes to reading, maths (normally a worksheet a week) but when it comes to the bigger projects she is disinterested.

This half term we she was supposed to do a project (book, power point, poster) on a member of her family describing and exploring their life. She decided to do her granddad, collected photos but that's as far as it's got. She has no interest in sitting down and making it into a project on paper/computer.

Time has virtually run out now and I feel like a really bad parent but apart from bullying her into it I don't know what else to do. Admittedly we discovered the project late as the school posted the details on the website but didn't really let us know it was there but we have had enough time to do something.

Last term she did one on birds and I feel I ended up doing it for her which is silly and not a great start in approaching homework.

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bigchris · 19/10/2009 09:15

my year one child only gets reading books home
Tbh i think they are too young for projects
Maybe she could just take in a photo album?

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Jajas · 19/10/2009 09:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mcdreamy · 19/10/2009 09:28

Well I did think about starting a thread to that effect, I think it's a lot for a 5/6/7 year old (she is in a mixed Y1/2 class), but I figured it was the same everywhere!

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Fennel · 19/10/2009 09:38

My yr 1 doesn't get homework, except reading. But my older two did sometimes at that age, I never forced it, if they didn't want to do it I wrote in their book that they hadn't wanted to.
I try to never get upset with them over homework cos I don't want it to become a stress point, and I think it is working because the older two, 9 and 8 now, have suddenly started comiing home and doing homework without any reminding, after several years of them not being bothered and us not forcing them.

If you do really want to do it, then I'd try at a weekend when the 5yo is less tired, and I'd keep it really simple, never do it for them, but just do a little bit that interests them.

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mimsum · 19/10/2009 10:09

what a silly idea! (by the school that is, not you ..)

I can't think of many 5 year olds who'd be able or willing to do that unaided

our school has a policy of no homework other than reading in reception and y1 and very, very gentle homework in y2 - this week dd (who's very able and does her homework in about 2 mins flat) had to do a fire of London themed word search and then use three of the words in a sentence

the head says she'd much rather have no homework at all but parents insist on it (not me!), and that whatever homework is set has to be capable of being done by children who have no help at home, either because their parents don't speak English or because they can't be bothered, which is a very sensible policy imo

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Chilimama · 19/10/2009 10:21

That does seem a lot of work for yr1. My ds is in yr5 and only gets a maths worksheet and a literacy worksheet plus a daily reading book.

Would your dd find it easier to manage in smaller chunks? I study myself and find large chunks of work very daunting and hard to negotiate.

Perhaps set aside 10 mins at a time to do something, maybe some writing for 10 mins then a break or snack before sticking the photos onto the poster etc.....

My ds needs persuasion to do his homework so I usually say "if we do one sheet then we can watch a dvd together or play a game of top trumps", it usually works.

Hth

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Madsometimes · 19/10/2009 10:43

A powerpoint presentation for 5 year olds

Come on, let's be honest, this is not homework for the children. It is for the parent's to show off. Totally pointless. I would not expect any primary school child to produce a powerpoint presentation.

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TheApprentice · 19/10/2009 10:55

As an infant teacher myself , can I say that this seems madness? Fair enough, reading and the odd worksheet, but a project in year 1 is way too advanced. A child that age cannot be expected to do a sustained piece of work like that, all the organisation and planning is way beyond them. No wonder she is not maintaining interest!

I agree with Madsometimes, it sounds like something for parents to show off with.

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Mcdreamy · 19/10/2009 11:36

Well judging by some of the posters etc in the playground this morning no only wasn't it done by the children but I think some of it was done professionally!!!!!!!!

I do have a bit of a confession, DD is in Y2 not Y1, she's in a combined class and I keep forgetting to 'move her up a year' so to speak but even so.........

I am so relieved to hear your opinions. I have always thought this project style homework is a bit much. DD is bright and is doing very well in her reading/numeracy/writing. It's just these projects that she isn't interested in.

I think she doesn't grasp the whole idea of a project as opposed to a piece of work like a worksheet or reading a book because she is only 6.

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TheApprentice · 19/10/2009 11:39

Exactly. Year 5 or 6 would be more appropriate for this kind of work.

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Sagacious · 19/10/2009 11:43

Even for yr2 its a bit much.

DD is in yr1 of a mixed yr1/2 class and we get reading and a few maths work sheets.

DS is in yr3 and has the same with additional spellings to learn plus 6 sentences to compose and write.

I have to bribe/threaten ds TBH as he really can't be arsed hates it.

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katiestar · 19/10/2009 13:25

Don't you know school projects are a fiercely fought battle over which parent can get the most gold stars ? Nothing to do with the kids !!

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fridayschild · 19/10/2009 14:04

We had a great teacher last year in Y1 who gave the kids quite a lot of homework. Graded too, so if you were good at maths you got different homework to someone who was not in the top set. She NEVER set projects. The closest we got to a project was having to write a photo diary for Edward Bear (the bear for the whole school) when we went away at half term, when I think I DS1 was just unlucky to get the bear. Most people who'd got Edward seemed to have taken him on an extended holiday to their ancestral homeland, judging from the other pictures.

The SAHMs are engaged in a lobbying war with our Y2 teacher to get her to raise her game to the standard set by her colleague - that's a different story.

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LB29 · 19/10/2009 14:09

Have you spoken to her teacher? My DD's teacher is happy for the parents to get involved so we try to make it fun together. Not always easy and sometimes she goes off track i.e. just wants to do some colouring or sticking.
We also do her homework as soon as she gets home so it is then out of the way.
Being a terrible parent I also bribe my DD, she isn't allowed to go to dance class on a Saturday if she hasn't done homework and tidied her room.

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Mcdreamy · 19/10/2009 14:12

We ALSO have the bear business too although for DD it is a rabbit. She had him this weekend and had to write about his weekend with her including photos and drawings. Now this she enjoyed very much and was able to do it herself with a little guidance and input from me.

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fridayschild · 19/10/2009 14:15

Sorry - I forgot to answer the actual question.

We do homework at mealtimes - both homework and reading practice. DS1 eats fast, DS2 eats slowly so it keeps DS1 at the table while his brother finishes. We will have to re-think this when DS2 gets homework of his own, which will be anytime soon.