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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

That homework diaries are a bit Big Brother?

84 replies

carocaro · 25/01/2011 21:54

DS primary school seem obsessed about having comments from parents about reading, what they read, when they read, how they read etc etc. And I get it, they want us to read at home and we do, but what I don't like is feeling like I have to write something snippy and gleefull every week or day.

Teachers are public servants and provide a service for which they are paid and are therefore accountable. As a parent I am not accountable to the school and I refuse to prove myself as a parent helping my child to read with notes in the homework diary.

As if you don't write anything you don't care. I speak regularly to his teacher and do write in his diary and he reads stuff from school books to text on TV to magazines. Do I have to tell them that every second? Are they going to use it against you?

OP posts:

Litchick · 26/01/2011 07:52

I really don't understand why parents find these tiny things so taxing.

Surely you are not too tired/busy/stressed to write 'p.21. next.'

Chandon · 26/01/2011 07:56

I read with children at school.

Some children do not progress very quickly, if you check the diary (or ask the child)you may then see that they do not read at home.Then the teacher may want to remind the parents it is useful to read one on one at home, at least once a week. If they do not want to, there are NO repercussions! We are all just trying to help the children...

Reading at home makes a HUGE difference. I see it as a two way thing anyway, both the teacher and I want my DS to learn to read. She writes in it, I write in it. I like it.

slightlymad72 · 26/01/2011 08:02

We don't have a communication system, I write new book please, they change the book, the only comment off a TA/teacher is needs to read more, they are not interested in whether any other material has been read.

Once we put a comment in stating that DS had read 4 books in a weekend, (quite substantial books) and the reply was xxx isn't going to progress if he doesn't read his school book.

I have also had to request higher reading levels because no one was checking on the progress, just dishing out new books. You can tell when Ofsted is visting though as there is more monitoring in school and more comments in the reading books.

Litchick · 26/01/2011 08:02

It makes a huge difference Chandon.

And it also sets out the tenor for a child's education in the early years.

They need to know yo are interested and supported. Not too busy.

Also, how can one expect a teacher to give a shit, if you don't?

TigersChick · 26/01/2011 08:04

I think that it's very cynical and a bit arrogant to think that teachers have nothing better to do than 'check up' on parents

I totally understand that some comments can be seen as 'snipey' and in cases like boobum's it is inappropriate ... but IME as a teacher and a parent reader, reading records are a very useful way of keeping in touch with parents without being in the least bit onerous.

Also, many schools have a whole-school policy on how often children should be heard read; if your child happens to be a good reader this doesn't necessarily exempt them from the normal way of things. And just because we are good at something, does that mean we don't need to do it anymore?

TigersChick · 26/01/2011 08:06

Oh, and Rhinestone, erm yes. The teacher/TA/parent reader is "hardly going to start reading to each child in turn at the point his / her parents stopped." That's the point!!

ThreIsNoSpoon · 26/01/2011 08:07

We write in ours and when the teachers are read to, so do they. It only takes an extra second to write a sentence in the book. I like seeing the teachers comments as well.

Dancergirl · 26/01/2011 08:08

So don't write much in it if you don't like it. How old is your ds - 5,6? It's hardly going to affect his long-term education if you don't write in his homework diary. As long as YOU'RE happy with his reading and his overall progress I wouldn't worry about the flipping diary.

compo · 26/01/2011 08:09

Can I ask what people actually write in the Reading diary? I get a bit bored of writing 'ds read xxx fine last night, no problems'

notevenamousie · 26/01/2011 08:12

We have a home-school diary where I have to write 3 times a week what I have been doing with DD out of school so the staff can talk to her about those things. It seems a bit strange to me and DD jokingly calls it "Mummy's homework". I only write a line in the reading diary thing.

TigersChick · 26/01/2011 08:14

Compo - if that's the case then maybe ask if he can try the next level of books - unless he's a free reader in which case maybe encourage him to try something new.

I also comment, if appropriate, on any words that DD struggled on or anything else that has happened ... like she's noticed rhyming words or she guessed what was going to happen next etc. There's a little slip in her book with 4 or 5 things in it that the teachers are 'looking for' in her reading - she' in reception.

Tho more often than not, I just put that we've read and it was fine

gorionine · 26/01/2011 08:15

Compo, that is all what they want to know. You can also add if your Dc has enjoyed/understood the story or not. You do not have to write a novel on the diary.

compo · 26/01/2011 08:17

Tigerschick - he does enjoy the books and he dies read other things. I've never been told what to write in his diary. Sometimes I just tick and sign

Jamillalliamilli · 26/01/2011 09:03

Filled them in religiously for years.

Youngest had notably advanced reading age, but barely functional writing and spelling, no matter what we tried at home.

The only interventions where kept in constantly to try and get a bit more written, and put on lifeboat spelling scheme for one term.

Reading records became vital evidence later in refuting the claim that continuing struggle with writing was because he didn?t read enough, or had a disinterested parent.
Very grateful that I was asked to keep a record.

Chandon · 26/01/2011 09:24

all you have to write IS:

BOOK: A FRIGHT IN THE NIGHT, p 15 next.

BeerTricksPotter · 26/01/2011 09:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mamatomany · 26/01/2011 09:30

I feel so sorry for teachers, all they want is a bit of give and take, parent scream at them when in year 6 their child isn't ready for senior school and yet I wonder if we went back and looked at the reception reading record whether the parents really did their bit ?

compo · 26/01/2011 10:01

Really? So I just write : book: fright in the night: finished.
God I've been wasting my time

Chandon · 26/01/2011 10:17

compo, if you add things it is even nicer, but that is the BASIC option.

I read with one girl, who always has lovely things like: "Isabelle read very well, I think her confidence is improving! She ahd some trouble sounding out tricky words, but persevered. I am so proud of her, well done" signed by her Granny.

I do think the teachers, TA's and PHs should elaborate a bit more than just the basic.

Chandon · 26/01/2011 10:21

If you want to jazz it up, you can add how she is getting on with HFW (High Frequency Words), her "sounding out" of new words, her fluency, her understanding of the story and her expression

can you tell I do this a lot

stoatsrevenge · 26/01/2011 19:33

I spent my lunchtime today (when I wasn't running a club) signing the bloody things. I had to do 30, not 1.

It's a means of communication. I'd much rather answer a quick question in a HRD than see 5 parents with piddling questions after school.

I can't believe some of these comments - for the sake of 2 or 3 words a night.

Acanthus · 26/01/2011 19:37

Neither can I stoat, neither can I.

atswimtwolengths · 26/01/2011 19:54

Christ, we're really in a mess if parents are too lazy to write a couple of words in their children's reading diaries.

And as for public servant, ffs! I can't believe that comment.

wildspinning · 26/01/2011 19:54

It takes 30 seconds i.e. the length of one ad on the telly to write a short comment in the book.

This is not in the least bit onerous or difficult for even the busiest parent.

Can't see the need for mounting one's high horse on this tiny, tiny issue myself.

compo · 26/01/2011 19:56

Maybe if teachers said at the start of reception what they want us to do it would be helpful!

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