To think fuck right off?!

[Aspiemum2]

So yet again ds1 comes home with homework and instructions to sit down and do it with an adult. It's a decent amount, about an hours worth.
He's 12

I am up to my eyeballs with other stuff to do and pig sick of this from schools. When I was at school we were always told that they wanted our own work and not to get help so they could see what we'd taken in.

I'm quite sure this has come up on MN before but I wanted a rant so

Aibu to think I've been to school, done plenty of homework in my time. I do not appreciate being told to do more when I left 20 odd years ago!!

Very true VoiceofUnreason. The only thing i agreed with in primary was reading and learning their spellings, everything else went in the bin!

Decide your sub contract rates and submit an invoice.

I do think putting such an emphasis on parental input does mean that those with academic parents are going to be advantaged over kids of less academic parents. Surely this is unfair??

I believe a child person is either academic or not.

The reality would be only a few parents would do this, so totally unfair on other children. Parents who are interested in what their child is doing will find out, its not hard just look in their books. Anyway isnt that what parents evening is for?

I had to make a bloody loaf of bread with my DS the other day. Biology apparently.

The only hw my DC get that requires my input is either: get someone to answer 5 questions/ or assess your cooking; or occasionally explain X to your parent and get them to sign that you have done so.
I would complain otherwise, and do if the work is too hard for them to do independently.

What about the children whos parents are EAL or who have problems understanding what they are meant to do? What about children who have parents who dont give a damn, what about the parent who has other children, what about the parent who works, have problems at home etc?

Typical schools, living in an ideal bubble.

It must vary so much from school to school. My oldest is at secondary and I have never had anything to with her homework, aside from nagging her to make sure she does it (which I fully accept is a parent's role).

The littlest is in primary and they are fully of this home learning malarky, but thankfully when they hit secondary they are expected to get on with it themselves - there are loads of websites like BBC Bitesize if they want to look anything up (which probably has a fancy title like self directed learning).

My DS once had to make a volcano at the age of 4 by the way. Well! I tried to make paper mache, what a disaster, it was the height of summer and it was infested with tiny flies by the time it was due to be brought in. We rushed to the shops and bought one and splashed a bit of red paint on it in the end.

I have 5 classes of 30 children I see 3-4 times a week. As a core subject, that makes my weekly count of children far less than other subjects who will see numerous classes once or twice a week. Therefore, being able to contact that many parents regularly gets quite difficult. Parental involvement in home learning keeps contact constant. Parents evening is once a year for each year group. No parent can see this as sufficient enough contact time!

Doing this is one way to help with progress. It will not work for all, but plenty will benefit. I've noticed a marked improvement simply because parents feel a part of what's going on.

If it's not for you, that's your choice. You can't blame a school for trying.

I agree cacks81 (apart from dreaded chemistry)

but a lot of parents don't have the time.

Homework as a way of keeping in touch with parents? really? what next. Kids are at school to learn one thing. They come home to learn others, our time with our children should not be a battle ground of homework. That should be left at the door of "school time".

Completely agree hullygully, which is why people should discuss this with individual schools and teachers. They will want to know if it can't be done, and how they can support. (Or should want to)

Each child and school is different, but all parents need to be inv

.. involved.

(Why do I keep posting early?!!!!) :)

I'm simply trying to share the opinion of one person in the profession dealing with demands from government, governors, management and parents. We've adopted this to try and help at our school.

Thought it might help in this discussion to hear another POV. No intention to upset or anger.

Well it's definitely not a way of keeping in touch from our school since he homework rarely gets marked!! And often when it is it's marked by their peers (don't even get me started on that little gem )

I think it's very bonding (perhaps we are just odd). I work with my dc and always have, used to do art and craft and stuff, these days they are teenagers and I work with them on homework when requested or help with revision, and we always have a laugh (or a row) and lots of other discussions and I know they care more about their work because I care about it. And I get to teach them a whole lot of other stuff alongside that they don't get in school

Disclaimer, that's us, I'm not saying it's for everyone...

Exactly nokidshere. In my time I have cajouled, threatened and argued with DS about homework, then it doesn't get marked. It should be taken out of the equasion unless "extra" work is asked for. Happy days all round then.

I have absolutely no problem in supporting the school in my children's learning but i do think they should do the work themselves.

I will always be on hand to explain if they don't understand or show them where to find the information but with 3 dc and work i would struggle to find 3hours a night to help get it all done.

Surely spoon feeding them the information and or answers is not the way to help them to learn?

Plus DS1 was doing Greek and Latin at 11, he was way past any maths I could remember and my English education was at a time when the teachers thought spelling and sentence structure were dull limitations on imagination.
So 'mum can you help' would throw me into a panic.

Setting homework that is easiest for those with the parents most able to help isn't going to be win win is it?

Love that hullygully!

But but

even if it's not marked, if you've done it together and discussed things and learned things and shared knowledge, isn't that valuable in and of itself?

Completely agree.

I would expect to help primary school children.

By the time the DC hit secondary school, they were cleverer than me.