2 questions from a rookie year 7 parent!

I think the wall planner's a good idea. It's easy for both of you to see what needs to be done and when.

With 3 boys, I think a wall planner for us would quickly become too complicated so we stick with the homework planner and my diary!

Seeker, Imo some support with homework as you describe is fine if the child wants or needs it and if they haven't been told specifically to do it on their own. I'm also sure they learn more if you do discuss it with them and it can help them with their own reviewing/checking strategies later to have some guidance on how to do it. One year 6 teacher I know strongly encourages parental help for this reason and felt there almost couldn't be too much. However, in year 7 they are at an age where they either have or are about to become increasingly independent, so don't be surprised if she wants less and less parental involvement in the near future (one of my dcs had a bit of help from me in year 7, the other none - their choice).

My boys have a homework planner provided by the school. They have to write down their homework when they are given it and also write down the date when it is due in. As each piece is done, they either tick it or cross it off in their book. I check their books on a daily basis so that I have an idea of amounts and timescales.

They both have after-school activities and often ask to go to friends' for tea or have friends here. On those nights it is difficult for them to find the time for homework, so it's useful for me to know roughly what they have and when it's due so that I can say yes or no to the tea requests.

Seeker you are right, that is why I brought it up with her teacher. Like I say the answer I got is that is the way it is. I do thinks she sometimes panics and does everything on the night she gets it, but I think she is frightened of it backing up. It isn't just the one night that she has been doing homework this long. I'm hoping that it settles down a bit as the year goes on.

mine are past year 7 now but I always asked if they had done their homework. Didn't usually discuss it unless they wanted to do so. It's now getting to the stage where I couldn't help if I tried!

At our school if you miss a test you have to do it as soon as possible. I can understand that - it discoursges kids from bunking off/ trying it on.

I did rite a polit note onc about the length of time a piece of work had taken. Response was that they should stop after 30 minutes.

I support in a secondary school & for one homework, a pupil admitted that his mum had done it - the teacher thanked him for his honesty and wrote a note to the mum, saying she had done a good job & gave her 10/10

I think if your child is taking a long time completing homework, you should write a note either on the homework or in homework diary etc to explain. The guidance we say is that a subject shouldn't take longer than 40mins

Thanks for the links ejt1764

My ds's geography teacher says she marks the work what she thinks should be half an hour of work, but she does understand that some children will spend more time, just because they want to. However she would be quite happy for the parents to sign off after 30 minutes, if the parents feel the child has made a good effort.

As a Year 9 form tutor, I always ask my pupils how long they have been spending on their prep when I sign their diaries. I also check the work that has been set.

As a parent, I read my children's diaries when I sign them. Other than that, I don't get involved unless asked.

Slayerette, I have just been to my Yr 7 dds target setting day and when I said that the homework was taking an inoridnate amount of time - sometimes up to 7 at night from 3.30 he just said that is the way it is.

just a quick hijack for christywhisty ...

here are sone good websites for your dc to help them with their French and German ...

zutsection

languages online

bbc

As a teacher, I'd be happy with your approach to homework ... it's when you do it for them that problems start!

As a Yr 7 teacher, we encourage parents to get involved with the homework side of things. At least check that she's doing it, plus we also like to know if homework takes longer than the allocated time or if a student is struggling significantly at home but not wanting to tell us that they are. I ask parents to help students work on their punctuation - so a student might read her story aloud to a parent and the parent helps point out where the child paused when reading - then child can check for full stops/connectives used appropriately. Please don't stop doing what you're doing - it sounds just what's needed from a teacher point of view!

SueW -when DD did clarinet she always used to ask at the end of the previous lesson if she could be excused from the next (ie, if she would be missing science, she'd ask at the end of the previous science lesson)

At my school, girls who can't make it to a lesson because of a school activity have to excuse themselves ahead of time. They can't assume that a subject teacher is going to know about everyone who is in a special activity, doing a peripatetic music lesson, etc.

I would have someone who missed a test make it up during lunch, but I would not prevent them from having lunch. A core (or indeed any) lesson has to trump drama club.

I too leave dd to get on with homework, if it is English she will often tell me what she has written and I have to encourage her to write some more. Any other subject she works out for herself and does seem to put more effort into Secondary School homework than she did in Primary.
She has also had a couple of things that have happened since starting Y7 that I have felt haven't been wholly fair, but although she tells me about them to get them off her chest, we both agree that life can be unfair sometimes and leave it at that.

On q1 we leave ds to do his homework in his room on his own but if he asks us for help with something specific we give it (as best we can!) I keep track of what's going on by taking occasional looks in his books and seeing what marks he's got and why but generally I think it's best for them to get on with it independently.

We adopt your approach to homework seeker. She always asks us to read over her work and I'll suggest she rewords something if it doesn't make sense for example. I'll also test her on her french vocab. She sometimes comes through though to say she doesn't understand something (usually maths) - we'll try to explain but if she still doesn't get it we tell her she has to go and ask her teacher for more help.

Ds's (yr 7) school is similar to your DD's with lots of clubs at lunch time. DS usually buys a sandwich at break and eats it at the club.

DS is not very organized so I do have to make sure he is doing the homework that is due, but other than french and german we leave him to get on with it unless he asks for help. Usually he is asking how to spell things.

French and german he has a mental block on at the moment and I have to make him flash cards to help him learn numbers, colours etc.

I;ve started giving DS2 some high-energy snack bars to keep in his bag in case he has to miss lunch. That way at least I know he's had something at lunchtime, even if it's not the nutritious hot meal I was expecting him to have.