To not make the kids do the homework?

[LittleMissGerardButlersBaubles]

The head teacher at our school has sent a letter to every child (infants and juniors) with a homework task for the school holidays. It's a learning log which they are meant to complete with a theme.

There is a long letter saying the work must be very neat and tidy blah blah.

Am I unreasonable to not make my kids do it?

They get homework every week in school, and we do that.

I feel very disappointed with the head, I can't see many parents being happy!

I think everlong has issues.

Shall we leave it here?

I just don't think there's much value. I teach DS every day - we were doing times tables yesterday using the 24 cans of lager I bought for Christmas. He's still learning, just in a less formal setting.

Everlong doesn't have issues.

She just agrees with a school that when it sets homework, well, it should be done or attempted.

I don't see where 'having issues' comes into it.

Beer imagine the horror of ten minutes grinding away each day!

It will ruin Christmas .

It's not lazy.

How would you feel if your boss decided that on you hoilday you should do a 2 hour Heath and saftey course, because there isn't any time to fit it in.

Everyone young and old needs a break.

It's important that his learning never stops, yes. I'm a big believer in learning something new every day, no matter your age. But primary is a fleeting time and learning enthusiastically through play and games outside of formal education is much more likely to instill a lifelong love of learning than insisting a child takes time out from that play to record their experiences to be graded. In my opinion, obviously

Not everyone works to rule like a 1970s sitcom!

Lots of jobs require you to check your email everyday. Especially the well paid jobs. And anyone whose self employed will probaby keep an eye on their business.

It's not a huge big deal, is it?

But to be honest, education and employment aren't comparable. Do people really see an education as something that should be kept inside the confines of school?

My son (5) really likes doing his homework.... I must remember to discourage him and remind him that learning is just a pain which gets in the way of all the fun things in life.

My pleasure, Everlong.

OP - your DC has been set homework. We all have things we don't want to do. Surely an opportunity for a lesson in life, an example here where you can guide them, and show them via this this particular issue that we all have to do stuff we're not keen on.

(Although what it seems you will be saying, 'oh well, sod that. You don't need to do it, my angel, mummy says don't you worry about it, I'll sort that head teacher out')

If child likes doing homework, all well and good.

There is however no evidence that this type of homework has any benefit at all at Primary.

It's a struggle to get DS to do his homework at all, so no at christmas I don't want the magic taken away because of a silly piece of homework.

So even if there is no evidence it does any good, you'd still do it? What a waste of everyone's time. when you could be eating mince pies or going for a lovely walk

Littlemiss, you say your eldest struggles with writing, I think it wouldn't do any harm to take the time to get this done. People don't realise how much children lose focus in the holidays, a little bit of work to keep their hands in doesn't hurt really.
I'll hazard a guess that your new Head has gone into a school with a history of less than great performance and is employing every strategy she and the teachers can think of to turn it around. Why not find out a bit about what the school is working on this year? Ask to see a copy of the School Development/Improvement Plan. Be informed.

Learning happens all the time in this house, it's hard not to.

when DC show an interest then it's done until they get bored. DS for example is an expert when it comes to dinosaurs. He could tell you all you wanted to know.

Surely a child can find 2 hours over 2 weeks to do some homework. Not every single minute of every day will be filled with enriching experiences and catching up with family. Some days, the tv / ipad etc will be on for a while and can be switched off.

I wouldn't be happy about homework set over Xmas either but I want my kids to know that if a person in authority (teacher, parent, boss, police officer etc) asks you to do something, you get on with it. It's not about the homework, it's about teaching respect.

Odd there's been relatively little study into this issue.

But what does seem to be the case, is that the highest achieving schools do set homework amd have a very strong pupil/paremt partnership which involves high level of parental support.

And good old fashioned common sense tells me that when children are picking up new skills, regular consolidating at home with Mum and Dad will only help. We all accepot thisd works with reading, yet we balk at applying this to other skills.

It's ten minutes a day! Seriously, ten minutes!

I think everlong has issues

While I don't agree with her on the HW issue, that is rather a rude thing to say and uncalled for.