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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think if DD is set homework and completes said homework it would be nice of her teachers to actually mark it and give some feedback? (Long, sorry)

22 replies

Heartbrokenmum73 · 11/12/2013 14:34

DD is in Y7 and has been overwhelmed with homework since September, generally two or three pieces every day. I explained to her when she was still in primary that this would happen and that it's a good thing because it will prepare her for GCSE study, etc. I've made sure she does every piece of homework she's been set and she's now in a good routine where she more or less gets on with it without being asked each evening.

However, am I wrong to expect some kind of feedback on this homework? I checked her French book recently and she's over halfway through filling it in (an A4 exercise book) with work. Not just homework, this is her class book too. In all this work there is one comment from the teacher, right at the beginning, that she would prefer DD to write in pen, rather than pencil. Fair enough, but not a word about the content of the work, just the remark on the writing implement.

Her science book is the same. They have fairly long lessons (100 minutes each) so they get loads done but there is barely any feedback in her science book either. There is the occasional 'wow!' but that's about it.

I've asked DD if she gets verbal feedback on her homework (in case I was missing something) and she said no. They hand it in, it comes back the same. She's even been set the same piece of homework twice in science this term!

In the front of her Learning Diary (or whatever they call them) there's an agreement between school, parent and student. We both had to sign it to say we agreed with the school rules. One of these was to complete homework and hand it in on time. One of the school ones was to mark and give feedback on homework.

Am I right to think a) some teachers aren't upholding school's part of the agreement and b) that it's setting a bad example to students to expect them to stick to an agreement that you don't stick to yourself?

Is it worth me speaking to her Family Tutor about this? I don't want to come across as one of those interfering parents, but this is really annoying me now.

OP posts:
RooRooTaToot · 11/12/2013 15:16

YANBU. That is unacceptable. I wouldn't expect every page to be marked, but there should be feedback and targets from longer pieces of classwork and homework.

Was there any evidence of peer or self assessment in her books? What about feedback from tests or assessments?

hoppingmad · 11/12/2013 15:19

Yanbu. Children should see something for the efforts. I like schools that use special stickers to reward a good piece of work. It's a small thing but motivating for children.

What's the point of homework if the teacher isn't going to bother telling them if they're right or not?!

Nocomet · 11/12/2013 15:28

YANBU
Our lot got in grief from Ofsted for poor marking, it shouldn't happen.

It's total disrespectful (even if the DDs can't be bothered to read it).

Also I'd like a mark for my Geography project Wink

Ginnytonic82 · 11/12/2013 15:29

What's their marking policy? We'd be skinned alive if we did that and have it give 3 fold feed back (what went well, even better if and quality if written communication). But my sister teaches at an academy and they only mark once a half term.

Rockinhippy · 11/12/2013 15:32

YADNBU, my own slightly younger DD who used to be so enthusiastic about homework has now gone right off doing any of it, for precisely this reason

5Foot5 · 11/12/2013 15:43

Not on at all and very discouraging for the children.

DD had one teacher a bit like this in Y7 and I remember at least two occasions where she worked really, really hard on something and got little or no feedback for it. On one occasion they had to pick someone from a list of "Great Britons" and research that person then prepare a power point presentation about why they chose this person. DD spent ages researching her choice and put together what I felt was a very good piece of work for her age. The presentations were handed in but they were never marked at all! Same subject they were meant to build a model of something connected with medieval life e.g. a castle or siege engine. DD spent most of her half term up to her elbows in papier mache and poster paint constructing a trebuchet. However, the models then got sat on a shelf in the class room and ignored for weeks until the kids eventualy pestered the teacher in to marking them.

I felt really cheesed off on her behalf.

Thankfully since then we have not had any problems like that and her work has always been marked and given feedback.

PumpkinPie2013 · 11/12/2013 15:47

YANBU - I'm a teacher and always mark all of my students work and make comments (positive and something to work on) on the content of the work.

Things like 'wow' don't really mean anything and don't support good progress on their own.

I would speak to the school - maybe head of year or deputy and ask why your child's work isn't being marked. Are all of her books like this?

Heartbrokenmum73 · 11/12/2013 16:40

Thanks for the feedback. Glad to see I'm not being an entitled, pushy parent. As a Tutor myself, and daughter of an ex-teacher, I totally understand how much pressure teachers are under and how big their workload is, but I feel like DD is working her socks off and getting nothing in return.

She puts a lot of time and effort into her homework and I don't like the way it's being disregarded like this. It should really be a two-way thing, otherwise they risk making the students complacent.

I think I'll put an email together for the Head of Year as a starting place.

I know she's supposed to have targets to work towards and it's all meant to be documented. She has been given two slips detailing her targets so far, out of a whole bunch of subjects. I just want DD to get as much as she can out of secondary school - she's really enjoying it, has settled in (in a totally new area of the country, where she knew no one her age) beautifully and made lots of friends, as well as joining extra-curricular clubs.

Thanks again folks!

OP posts:
Heartbrokenmum73 · 11/12/2013 16:50

Ginny

Just re-read your post and seen where your sister works. DD is also at an academy - wonder if this is the policy at her school too? What a copout though, if true?

Some of her books I've literally never seen because they don't leave the classroom!

OP posts:
hellsbells99 · 11/12/2013 17:00

It does wind you up doesn't it and it doesn't encourage homework to be done. DD2 is 15 - since January this year she has had about 7 tests in biology. Only 2 have been marked! 1 was just before parents evening (unfortunately I was not given an appointment with this science teacher). The rest have not been handed back or gone through in class so they haven't learned anything from them. I would be quite happy if they marked their own/neighbours as at least they would be going through the answers. I did complain to the science teacher I saw at parents evening but I have had no feedback.
Other teachers manage to do it!

Heartbrokenmum73 · 11/12/2013 17:04

Well, our school have decided (as of this year - they only became an academy over the summer) that they are no longer doing parents evenings. So we had a meeting with their Family Tutor instead, where there was little feedback from the subject tutors (so no idea how she's actually getting on in each subject) and it was all about what she needs to work harder at - which DD got to decide herself!

Oh, and the kids were all given the whole day off for this, and we had to attend a 15 minute appt. But it wasn't a day off and they were given work to do for the subjects they would have had that day, but the work could be done anytime up until the following week when it needed to be handed in. Best part: if the parents couldn't attend the appointment, the student had to attend alone!

Why oh why oh why....

OP posts:
LizzieVereker · 11/12/2013 17:16

Please don't accept this (I can see you're not going to, and it certainly doesn't make you a pushy parent.) I'm a secondary teacher and marking is not fun. However, it simply has to be done. I work at an Academy and we mark every book at least weekly, and give two comments and a very specific target, as well as correcting for Literacy throughout. It nearly kills me...

But, it is so disrespectful of the student not to do it, or just to "tick and flick". Every survey I've ever seen about students' attainment points to the fact that the single most important factor in raising attainment is high quality written feedback. It really annoys me that schools don't get hauled over the coals for this, it's just not fair on the students. Or me (bitter emoticon).

hackmum · 11/12/2013 17:18

DD had this in year 7 - teachers would set homework and then not even bother to take it in. We changed schools in the end.

LizzieVereker · 11/12/2013 17:18
  • I meant teachers were disrespecting students by not marking their efforts properly. Not that students were disrespectful. Tired Blush
Queen0fFlamingEverything · 11/12/2013 17:20

My DD is in Yr6 at primary and tells me that the homework isn't marked or returned Hmm

Heartbrokenmum73 · 11/12/2013 17:21

We used to get it a lot in primary too, but I thought secondary would be different.

The thing is, I've always worked with adults and this just wouldn't allowed. If you don't give quality, written feedback, you're not doing your job properly, simple as (that's in my line of work, btw!).

Lizzie - have some Wine on me, but only if you've finished your marking Grin

OP posts:
LizzieVereker · 11/12/2013 17:59

Cheers Heartbroken - I'll enjoy that when I've finished marking and sulking about other people not marking!

bzoo · 11/12/2013 18:05

My DS is also in y7 he doesn't even get to bring workbooks home so I've no idea what he does!

messalina · 11/12/2013 23:32

we would put teachers who failed to mark on competency and have them out within 2-3 weeks if they did not improve. shocking.

ShanghaiDiva · 11/12/2013 23:44

I would speak to the Head about this as it is completely unacceptable. I spoke to HT at ds's school this week about the same issue - some books had not been marked for 8 weeks - FFS there are 11 kids in his class!

rabbitlady · 11/12/2013 23:53

ok. give me some time. i teach 400 pupils a week. their English books are marked every two weeks but in that time they have eight lessons - my equivalent would be once every eight weeks.
it would be fantastic if i had so few pupils i could see everyone's work every week. but sometimes, i have to sleep, and to post on mumsnet...

echt · 12/12/2013 06:17

It's not all right at all, OP. Usually I'd say approach the teacher, but you know what, they've had umpteen weeks to sort this out. Email the HOD giving the exact details you've given here. Sod it, go the HT. I must say I am a fervent trade unionist, but it boils my piss when such basic stuff doesn't get done. Really lets the side down.

What's probably happening is that there is a homework schedule the teachers have to follow and issue (often busy) work willy nilly, but that's not your problem. The work is set so must be marked in good time. Having said that, I have never in 35+ years followed any homework schedule ever set because they don't always coincide with appropriate times for it to be set. I have never been challenged on this; no-one seems to notice.

Here in my Australian school I am treated like a professional who knows when to set work. I am strict in that I never set work that implies weekend or holiday work for non-exam classes. I mark promptly and give full written feedback. Any late work goes to the bottom of my colossal marking pile, so I tend to get work in on time. Children appreciate prompt feedback and resent like hell the unmarked stuff.

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