Holiday homework

[faverolles]

DC's break up today for their half term break. Last night they showed me the homework they've been set. It's very labour intensive and, if done properly, will take up quite a chunk of their time.

I am really pissed off about this.
DH has taken this week off - his first break in months. He is knackered. We're all knackered. The last thing any of us needs is to have to put loads of energy into school work, when it's the dc's break from school, and dh's much needed break from work.

During term time, we are behind the dc 100%, they do everything they need to do, we don't take them out of school in term time, we are responsible parents who care about our dc's education.

AIBU to think that during their holiday, they should be able to have a complete break from school? They have one week off, surely they need some time without the pressures and demands of school life?

If anyone took time off work, and were given a "fun
project" to complete during that time, there would
be uproar.

ilovesooty's point is a good one. Many schools have strict policies on homework, even to the extent of saying which days each subject must set work on. This makes nonsense of the way teaching and learning actually happens, but makes perfect sense if you believe, as this and previous governments do, that every lesson can be planned and taught and learned down to the last jot and tittle, fully differentiated and half a term in advance.:o

I should have said on a lesson by lesson basis. A broad scheme of work is quite another thing.

Totally against homework except if necessary to complete coursework for exams. As OP has said who does work at home unless they really really need to? And then if it was regular you would expect to be paid extra or on a decent salary to reflect the level of input needed to do your job. I hate having our family time intruded on with school, we're rarely all off together. But then again I would simply tell DS1 not to do it and then tell the school why he had not done it. If they want to make something of it then fine.

My DD (Y9) was given History homework. Today. Due in the first lesson back. Which will not be done.

However - there is a GOOD reason for the homework not being done. It is an internet only homework. DD is spending the whole of half term in Scotland with her father. From where we live in Essex, about 600 miles away! Her father does not have internet access, because where he lives there is no broadband. DD got home at 3.30pm from school, and was picked up at 4pm. She will be returning at around 7.30pm on the Sunday - enough time to eat dinner, have a bath, and go to bed before school the next morning.

If her History teacher tries to give her detention for not completing the homework (I will write a note in her planner), I WILL be going MAD at the school and refusing permission for her to have the detention. There are extenuating reasons for her being unable to complete the homework - if it had even been given out yesterday, it would have been done - but DD will not be seeing her father again until at least February, so this visit is more important than her History homework being in on time - she can do it after school on the first day back.

Bloody holiday homework. The ONLY reason my 7yo DS2 didn't get any is because he had a supply teacher today, because his teacher got sent home by the HT yesterday (I mean, she must have the plague or something - ill teachers never get sent home - I hope she is OK!). DS1 is 9yo and has 6 bits of homework, so his dad told me on the phone (when he asked if it had been sent here and not done - nope, they just like to make the holidays miserable for young dc!)

YANBU!

DD's school gives holiday homework intended to get them thinking and often the entire guideline is something like "Produce a project with the theme 'Orange'"
and...thats it for guidelines!

Most parents grumble but I love seeing what DD comes up with when given such a loose theme.

A lot of parents children have hugely complicated projects (one year the theme was family trees and somebody brought in AN ACTUAL TREE with family members faces pasted onto baubles and very artistically hung. It was particularly hilarious as the child was 4...)
But there are plenty of kids cutting out pictures on the theme to make a collage or writing an acrostic poem or something nice and simple like that :)

Anyway, i've gone very off topic, my actual point was that holiday homework can be fun..and as long as it is i'm happy for DD to receive it.
(we have "nocturnal animals" for this holiday btw!)

Oh and I don't give detentions for lack of homework.

I put a note in the student's diary, send an email/letter home, record on student files.

All late homework goes to the bottom of whatever tottering pile is in the study at home.

An irate parent once demanded to know why I wouldn't supervise her son's homework to make sure it was done. I said the clue is in the name homework. She wasn't happy, but did go away.

My school offers supervised homework after school twice a week, but amazingly the slackers never attend it.:o

Exactly custardcake. I wanted to write to the head, but dd is too terrified about repercussions to let me do it.

As for changing schools in year 9............no chance.

This is a good school, we are lucky to have the place, as many of the schools round here are not so good. However, I think the problem is that each teacher thinks that they are the only one setting homework - hence the 4 separate projects.

Well done Custard, I don't blame you (hope you get a good mark). Although I'm sure it still impacts on your time too and is a pain.

Again I will say if schools cannot be reasonable, unfortunately some parents will find another way without seeing their children take the rap. Some might say how does what Custard (and me, I've done it before too) has done help a child. I would argue that setting a ton of homework for young children who are ready for a half term break is equally pointless.

DD always does her own homework. She is hardworking and conscientious. But for pointless projects, I too would help her out because she is absolutely exhausted and needs a rest.

The thing is, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if half of this work isn't marked.

I am disgusted about holiday homework being set that involves group work with other classmates. whilst I agree that the ability to work in groups is a valuable skill a lot of children will spend half term with their NRP or other family, how are they supposed to meet up? Totally impractical.

I had a teacher who in her lack of wisdom decided we should do 2hrs per subject per night, then the same on Saturday and Sunday. Even when we pointed out that we all did at least 8 subjects and there were only 24hrs in a day she still didn't see the problem. I would have hoped there was some improvement by now.

Having said that I do think homework is essential. I just don't think it should take up all day, every day and it certainly shouldn't be set at a level that necessitates the parent doing it all, otherwise what does the child learn?

You know what, teachers just can't win. I don't really approve of homework at primary age, but as long as it doesn't stress them out, it won't hurt. I set holiday homework for my GCSE classes, but not the lower school and I guarantee you than when I get back I will have parental complaints that I haven't set any and parental notes from the GCSE pupils saying they were too busy. For every complaint I get saying that the homework was too easy I will get one saying it is too hard.
I know that there are teachers who are bullies and who are unreasonable, but most of them are committed professionals doing their best in difficult circumstances. If you think the homework is pointless, or if it is unmarked, then a letter to the headteacher will probably cause enough hassle for the teacher that she/he won't forget to mark it in future.
In my previous school I damn well set homework for holidays because those kids didn't have anything to do and it might just have helped them climb out of the poverty they were in.
If all middle class parents united in righteous indignation against something like the KS2 tests - which really do poison the last year of primary school and discourage kids from learning, and pit schools against one another in an unwinnable game, then I'd have more sympathy for you.
OP, just tell the school that your kids didn't do it. With parental permission, it won't be an issue.