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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think this is a lot of homework for their age?

49 replies

jester68 · 17/01/2012 09:23

My daughter is 5 and in year 1 at school (she will be 6 in a few months).

They have started to bring home homework books every friday. Not a problem but was a bit shocked about how much they had to do this weekend. What do you all think?

1- the five senses- taste,touch,smell.see,hear. Under each they had to write 8 things associated with this.

2- a 20 question math sheet

3- learn that weeks five words. Then write out a sentence using one of the words in each sentence (so 5 sentences)

As well as all this she also had her reading book to do then a share book both of which also get changed on the monday.

AIBU to think this is a lot for her age group to do?She is my eldest so perhaps this is normal?

OP posts:
Seona1973 · 17/01/2012 09:27

is that just weekend work or do they have all week to do it? I'd be pissed off if it was work to be handed in on Monday as we dont really look at the school stuff over the weekend as that is family time. Both mine (age 5 and 8) get some homework to do each night Monday through to Thursday and then they have the weekend off.

GypsyMoth · 17/01/2012 09:28

I think that's a lot! My yr 4 child doesnt get that much, guess all schools are different tho!

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 17/01/2012 09:35

That's a lot, even if you have a week to do it.

I would tell the teacher that you feel it's too much. It could be that some parents have pressures her to provide more homework, and she's not that bothered about it being done. Ask if it is going to be properly marked and if not, I wouldn't make my child do all that at five years old, especially if the teacher was just going to look at it and not give feedback.

Doing the words (no3) and reading is enough, over a week, but encouraging children to take about the senses is a good thing. There is no reason why they would benefit from writing about them as well. A sheet of 20 Mathis questions is completely unnecessary for the majority of children.

Does the teacher think your dd is particularly able? I was wondering if she might be trying to stretch her, as not giving enough work is sometimes as bad as giving too much.

I work in a y1/reception class by the way.

northcountrygirl · 17/01/2012 09:37

I think it IS a lot but not really much you can do about it. My children (now in year 6 ) have had weekends like that. DD1 also had to do extra work because of her dyslexia and dyscalculia and it can be hard for them to fit it all in - especially if they have hobbies too. We never had homework until high school when I was their age but I guess all schools are the same now with the pressure on Sats etc.

Original poster
jester68 · 17/01/2012 09:37

The homework sheets and sentences get given on the Friday and have to be done for the Tuesday. We have tended to do it on a Sunday afternoon as she would struggle to do all that after school on the Monday.

Share books are changed every Monday.

Reading books are changed every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

They are tested on their words each Friday.

OP posts:
Mishy1234 · 17/01/2012 09:38

It sounds like a lot to me too, although neither of mine have started school so can't compare.

I would definitely mention how you feel to the teacher. She may have come up against criticism in the past that she hasn't been giving enough.

CrunchyFrog · 17/01/2012 09:41

That's masses. And completely counter-productive for probably half of the kids in the class.

DS1 is in P2 (Y1). Reading has only just started in earnest - because it has been demonstrated that the results at age 7 are the same whether they're force fed from 4 or not.

Original poster
jester68 · 17/01/2012 09:41

Problem with this school is a few of the children were kept back from last year. So normally them few would be in year 2 now but had to stay in year 1. But when they go up in September my daughter's original class will be in year 2 and the other few are going up into year 3 with their old class.

Part of me thinks they are doing this for mainly the year 2's so they are ready to join their class in september but have decided that all the year 1's will do it as well.

I would not mind if it was given on the friday to go in the next Thursday or something.

My daughter does enjoy doing it so would not want her to stop if she is able but I was just very surprised of how much there was.

OP posts:
seeker · 17/01/2012 09:44

Is this a private school?

WorraLiberty · 17/01/2012 09:45

That's far too much for a 5yr old imo

Mine just got reading and spellings for the week at that age and occasionally a worksheet for the weekend but even that was optional.

Original poster
jester68 · 17/01/2012 09:49

No not a private school. It is just the local one!

WORRA- before now she has just had her words to learn plus reading books. We did do a projects with her last half term about dinosaurs but nothing else. Until now....

OP posts:
randommoment · 17/01/2012 09:49

Wow, wish I had children who enjoyed homework!
It is quite a lot, and if she wasn't happy doing it I'd speak to teacher. I suspect you're right about it being to push on the yr 2s.

ConstantlyFrazzled · 17/01/2012 09:50

That does sound a lot for a 5 yr old to do. How keen is she to do it? My DD1 was always very keen to do sit down and do writing and reading, so it was never a problem to get her to do homework. I am finding it all a struggle with DS1, who is 4 and in Rec and less than enthusiastic to do work after school.

His homework looks like this:

  1. Daily reading (children read to TA or parent helper each day and books changed daily)

  2. Tuesday (to be handed in Fri) Phonics book - write words that include 2 new letter sounds, 3 new words to practice and try to write sentences using the words.

  3. Library book comes home on Friday with book review sheet to do.

Maths homework will be starting next week too Hmm.

Both DD1 and DS1 also learn the violin and have to practice daily. Due to this massive (and expensive) commitment, and trying to get reading done each day too, there is absolutely no time to do any other work, unless that was all he did when he got home from school. I spoke to the teacher and explained this and we now hand the phonics work in on Monday with the book review as I have time to sit down with him at the weekend.

I am a teacher myself and I can understand how teachers can get carried away with homework expectations. If the teacher is not a parent themselves, they will have no understanding of what life is like with little children after school (how tired they are etc) and may have set all that homework with good intentions, but not realising it is a bit impractical. If your DD is happy to do the work and it isn't too much of a chore I'd encourage her to do it, but if it's really getting too much then definitely make the teacher aware of this.

RuleBritannia · 17/01/2012 09:50

It's not too much homework. At that age, it's about time they became used to routine and things that had to be done with deadlines. They are at the age when they absorb more than older children/teenagers so it's a good idea to get them to do homework like this. When I was at primary school, I took home spellings to learn every day and was tested the next day.

ConstantlyFrazzled · 17/01/2012 09:51

Sorry - I see that she is not keen...

CailinDana · 17/01/2012 09:52

I'm a teacher and I think that's way too much for Y1. That would take some children 4 or 5 hours to complete.

wordfactory · 17/01/2012 09:53

That seems like quite a lot to tackle.
If your DC is happy to do it, then probably not worth worrying.

I always found that DC's teachers were very flexible. If you sent in a little note saying you had oter conittments or just that DC were tired, they didn't mind and extensions were always given.

CailinDana · 17/01/2012 09:54

Yes, I should add that I was never too worried about children sometimes not completing their homework when I was teaching - as long as they made a good effort at it and didn't miss out on it all the time. I'm not a huge fan of homework anyway so I never gave much.

Original poster
jester68 · 17/01/2012 09:54

Constantly- She seems fairly happy to do it at the moment which is a good thing I suppose.

Think I was a bit shocked as their was no lead up to it. Just after Christmas half term it started with the extra homework.

OP posts:
Elsjas · 17/01/2012 09:54

My ds was in year 1 last year. The homework was given on a Monday to be handed in on the following Monday. Each week, he got a literacy sheet (similar to the one you describe for your daughter), a Maths sheet (again fairly similar) and fourteen spellings to be copied out three times each and then learnt for a test. He also was expected to do 20 minutes reading each night to be signed in his reading record. He is at a small (and supposedly non-pushy) private school. I thought that it was a lot.

CailinDana · 17/01/2012 09:55

If it started suddenly there might have been complaints from other parents about too little homework being given, or there might be an inkling that an OFSTED inspection is coming up.

Original poster
jester68 · 17/01/2012 09:56

Think I was just see how it goes. If she starts to really struggle etc then I will have a chat with the teacher.

Her teacher is quite strict- but in a nice way so hopefully she would be OK if she did not get it all done etc.

OP posts:
sheepgomeep · 17/01/2012 09:59

no sats here in wales thank god. dd2 aged4 only has minimal homework which is a reading book and has this week brought home a handwriting book to practice her letters.

dd1 is 9 and has a reading book and a worksheet a week.

StrandedBear · 17/01/2012 09:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

funnypeculiar · 17/01/2012 10:00

Dd's homework (y1) this week was:

  • write 5 addition number sentances
  • write sentences for new phonics sounds (7 sentances)
  • write 2 facts about a London landmark (theme)
Plus daily reading.