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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

homework in reception?

16 replies

racmac · 13/09/2010 13:40

DS5 has just started reception - he has been there for 4 days - on Friday he came home with homework?

It says he is to draw/write something about his first week at school.

I hate homework - dont see the point of it especially in bloody reception class.

Now i dont know whether to go in and say to class teacher - he is not doing it please dont send homework home again

or just dont bother with it

or make DS do his homework.

We have kind of done this weeks - i wrote out the word good and he copied it - he didnt want to do anymore so I didnt bother.

He also has a reading book which he is quite happy to read.

WWYD

OP posts:

backwardpossom · 13/09/2010 13:46

Argh, I hate homework too and I'm a teacher (secondary). Could you have a word with the Headteacher? The reason I ask is because our school policy is to give out X amount of homework a week and it bugs me, because I'm giving stuff out just for the sake of it, rather than it being meaningful to the course, if you see what I mean? Don't blame the teacher, it's probably orders from above!

highlandspringerdog · 13/09/2010 13:46

I think I'd get my kids to do it, but not put any pressure on them. So we'd sit down and get the homework out and just see if he wanted to do it, and then just let him do as much as he wants and if that is very little, or even none, I'd just leave it at that. No pressure, no drama, just casual.

However what you want to e careful of is the teacher asking for everyone's homework and then if your DS hasn't done it but everyone else ahs, him getting singled out and asked why or whatever. Some kids wouldn't mind that, 2 of mine woudln't, one would be scarred for life!

I think you've played it perfect this week to be honest. A little bit of homework and some happy reading.

I doubt the teacher will change her/his approach to homework simply because one parent objects, but if loads of you do, then they might.

ShatnersBassoon · 13/09/2010 13:47

I have no problem with homework, even for very young children. Children do need to practise things like reading and handwriting at home, and I'm more than happy for the teachers to set the tasks to save me looking like mean mum.

Would your son mind drawing a picture for his teacher?

mrsflux · 13/09/2010 13:47

i think its a bit much but then i'm a teacher and i HATE homework!

these are the guidelines on homework here

it says nothing about yR.

i'd ask what the school's homework policy says and what their reasoning is.

TBH i'd think most reception children would be so tired after thier first week most people would be lucky to get any reading out of their dcs!

upahill · 13/09/2010 13:54

It's hardly a big deal is it to draw something about the week.
TBH it could be a good thing for either you or DH and son to chat about the week, talk about what he liked and didn't like and so on.

Can't see the problem.

Niecie · 13/09/2010 13:54

Since it isn't reading I wouldn't bother either. I have to say I really don't see the point. I thought homework was for reinforcing what the child has learnt in class. How can a child who only started last week have learnt anything meaningful that needs practicing at home.

I wouldn't bother speaking to the teacher. If they have any sense the school will be telling you to only do what the child is comfortable doing and if they do query it I would just say he was too tired.

Would I be right in thinking that gov't homework guidelines don't apply until Yr 1 anyway?

PerpetuallyAnnoyedByHeadlice · 13/09/2010 13:56

Oh come on - 5 mins to scribble a picture of themselves playing at school, its not the end of the world

and anyway, we all know its to suss out/test the parents' involvement in their kids education/support of the school

sadly, some parents dont even bother asking their DC what they did at school

roadkillbunny · 13/09/2010 14:03

Any homework in reception for us was talking or on occasion for example find things that show Autumn (like leaves, pine cones, conkers), we normally talked about it in the way to school on the Monday (it was always for a Monday at the start of a new topic to get them thinking of it ready for Monday talking group) and if needed collect things along the way. Now dd is in Y1 she has one bit of homework a week just now, a tiny bit of writing practice (the sounds of the week and then asked to write them out a few times between the lines and a pattern on top and bottom), after half term she will also have a couple of spellings.
I don't find this level of homework a problem, at the moment it takes all of 10 mins to do and they have a week to do it.
She has had a reading book from the first half term of reception and that is an as and when you feel like it kind of thing, the school ask that as parents we do 10 mins a day of reading but that is them reading or us reading to them if they are tired and can be the school book or any reading material that takes their fancy.
I am as I said happy with the homework policy of our school but I don't think I would be very happy about something in the first couple of weeks of starting school, especially a written/drawn piece.

Niecie · 13/09/2010 14:05

Yeah but my DSs would have hated to do a drawing and they couldn't read or write so it would have been torture. Neither of them would have enjoyed it and the last thing I would have wanted to do in their first week of school was make them think that school was anything but fun.

Besides, they can test commitment to a child's schooling by seeing who does the reading. Reading to a parent 5 times a week is a big enough commitment at that age.

If the child wants to do it, fair enough. If they don't then don't bother.

mummyrex · 13/09/2010 14:09

There is lots of homework I havn't bothered or refused to have my kids do over the years but this seems very harmless and telling your child not to do it might send a very negative message.

If you DS himself has a problem with it for some reason then fine don't do it but otherwise I'd encourage him to draw a really nice picture to be proud of.

fruitstick · 13/09/2010 14:10

DS1 has just started reception.

Today he had to take in a favourite toy and they could talk about it.

Before he started he had to do a couple of sheets of writing, drawing, colouring, dot to dot - but I think that was just to get an idea of what they could do. We didn't do the colouring page as he didn't want to do it.

Niecie, I'm like you, DS1 HATES drawing and colouring and, what might be 10 minutes for some children, is rife with frustration and trauma for him.

I think if they are going to set reception homework to instil a link between school and home (which is a good thing imo) then it needs to be a flexible thing with options that they can all do.

In racmac's case, I would either write something that he tells me to write about his week (surely they are not expecting him to write himself in the first week of reception) or cut out some pictures/photos to stick on a piece of paper about his week.

greentriangle · 13/09/2010 14:11

I would get the child to do the homework.

I do understand as my DS has just started reception as well - personally, I would ask him to draw something (my 4yo DS can't read or write anyway). If he couldn't think of anything to draw, I'd ask him to draw a picture of the teacher.

I think abiding by school policies/rules is quite important so I would do something - a simple 2 minute picture will get the job done.

I think saying anything to the teacher about not sending homework home/talking to the head would be counterproductive - the school are trying to involve the parents in the child's education and asking for a simple picture is not a big ask IMO. I'd be happy to oblige personally and think you would be very unreasonable to make a fuss over nothing at this stage.

diddl · 13/09/2010 14:15

It would never occur to me not to do homework tbh!

Niecie · 13/09/2010 14:28

Reading sets up the school/home link.

I am really surprised how many of you think this is a good thing!

Besides I remember how grey with fatigue my DS2 was on his first day of school and how tired he was in the few weeks - he is one of the oldest in the class too. Thankfully, his school had the sense to say that in Yr R reading was enough and if the child is too tired, don't even bother doing that.

OP I wouldn't speak to the school but I wouldn't bother doing more than you or your DS want to do.

SDeuchars · 13/09/2010 17:58

There is also a debate about the value of homework at any age. There is no proof that it does any good (and some proof that it can be harmful) - TES, June 2009.

Meglet · 13/09/2010 18:02

I hated school and hated homework, and forged my parents signatures in my homework diary.

But DS starts school next year and even if he gets homework in reception I will make sure he does it. I'm thinking I might sit at the table with him and use the time to do my 'homework' (ie: household admin / bills / filing etc). Might work .

Yabu, just give yourselves 15 min limit and crack on with it. Not great fun but better to get into a good habit now.

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