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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that a lot of schools give out loads of homework because.....

54 replies

Martorana · 04/03/2014 08:48

...they think it impresses parents,

"It must be a good school! they have three hours of homework a night"

And that they are wrong- most parents think some homework is a good idea, but they also want their children to have time to do other things.

OP posts:

Forgettable · 04/03/2014 08:49

Presume primary?

HadABadDay2014 · 04/03/2014 08:50

I hate homework, for an hour it's me nagging them to get it done.

HumphreyCobbler · 04/03/2014 08:51

In any class I have ever taught some parents hated homework and some would get v stroppy if it wasn't forthcoming.

I think homework, except reading, is a bit of a waste of time in Primary.

Sparklingbrook · 04/03/2014 08:52

I do think that some parents believe lots of homework=very academic. I know some parents who complain that not enough homework is given.

DS1 (Yr10) gets what I believe to be a fair amount. He does do some in school and on the bus on the way home.

He does get time for his hobbies.

Not sure whether schools give it out to impress parents but there are probably some parents that think that.

Sparklingbrook · 04/03/2014 08:54

If we are talking Primary then I see no need for lots of homework. DSs got tons of stuff to do at Home in Reception. I was suitably. It created a competitive atmosphere at the school gate.

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/03/2014 08:56

Yeah, I have friends who were wondering when their dcs homework was. That somehow it was a worry there wasn't any.

They didn't realise how lucky they were!!

In primary school there is nothing they could learn via homework that an extra hour playing or being outside or an earlier bed time wouldn't allow them to learn so much faster.

It doesn't impress me. I would rather my dd was outside with her friend using her imagination to make games/build dens etc.

Sparklingbrook · 04/03/2014 08:59

In Yr 3 & 4 at First School they got those long term project things. Do a 5 minute presentation. One a term about various topics the DSs had no interest in.

By the time we got to the 6th one in Year 4 I refused to let DS2 do it. We had done 5 and it was like pulling teeth. Enough.

TamerB · 04/03/2014 08:59

Parents are split on the subject - some want more and some want less or none. It is a very contentious issue.

Sparklingbrook · 04/03/2014 09:01

What would be a reason a parent would have to want more HW in Primary?

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/03/2014 09:01

Cos it prepares them for employment in adult life and they want to see what the child is learning

pointythings · 04/03/2014 09:01

I'm against homework in primary and in secondary it should be about instilling the self study skills needed for GCSEs and beyond.

Part of me is almost glad DD2 is now getting less homework in Yr6 than she has at any time except in Reception - it's all about preparing for SATs, which is a pain, but at least it is all time limited - a 10 minute maths blitz, 10 minutes on grammar, 10 minutes on a small piece of reading comprehension and spellings, which we don't do. Our weekends are ours again.

DD1 gets sensible homework for the most part, and it is all about finding things out for herself. She's in yr 8 and does about half an hour a day at home, plus revision if she has tests coming up. At school she does another half hour at break most days. That's plenty, and she actually has less than that at weekends.

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/03/2014 09:03

Quite frankly when they have exams that actually matter, or are paid 40 grand a year they can do as much stuff at home as they want.

Till then let the poor kids PLAY

Stinklebell · 04/03/2014 09:07

I hate homework - our primary seems to take great delight in sending home stuff that has to be done with adult help - my 8 year old had to build a wind turbine this week.

It's "good for families to spend time together" apparently. I agree with that sentiment, but it annoys me that school think they have the right to dictate how we spend that time together - I'd rather be at the beach or something than building stupid stuff that's heading for the bin. Buying the endless amounts of PVA glue/coloured paper/lolly sticks/paint that this stuff seems to involve also annoys me

We also get a numeracy and a literacy work sheet per week which is fine, and DD does herself, but hate the rest of it

Sparklingbrook · 04/03/2014 09:09

Ooh yes. The models of the Solar System which involve a trip to Hobby Craft to spend ££££s and the DC has zero interest. It wrecks the whole weekend and causes lots of rows. Then the thing goes in and you never hear another thing about it ever.

generousfdudgy · 04/03/2014 09:11

we seem to spend a lot of time on homework in this house. Reading and prep for literature circles given on a Thursday for following Thursday, Spelling, maths and geography stuff given on Tuesday for following Monday. Also spelling test prep for Mondays. so approx four/five hours in total. Also learning lines for school play on top. DD is 10

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/03/2014 09:11

As if that 7 ur old built it himself anyway.

Seriously it's just a platform for competitive parents and has bigger all to do with what the kids actually know,

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/03/2014 09:12

Bugger

Original poster

Martorana · 04/03/2014 09:17

I think there should be no homework at all except reading and tables learning in Primary school. (Well, I secretly think they should be learning poetry by heart too, but I know I am in a minority of one here!)

I was actually thinking about secondary when I wrote my post.

OP posts:

Stinklebell · 04/03/2014 09:17

I just don't see the point.

We get a task, I make a special trip in to town because I don't have whatever it is we need to make it hanging around in the back of a cupboard and drop several £££.

Half hour in we've had a row, got paint on the carpet and the dog has chewed up some vital component. The kids have sloped off to watch Cartoon Network and I'm left trying to fashion the half painted cereal packets that I've had to fish out of the recycling bin into a pirate ship

What is the point?

mummytime · 04/03/2014 09:19

When my DCs primary asked parents 1/3 wanted more, 1/3 wanted less and 1/3 wanted the same.
Of course when they stopped most homework, OFSTED came along and jumped on them.

Some parents do really think a school is good if it gives a lot of homework. I always preferred little because it give more time for other things.

Also if teachers give a lot of homework then what are they doing during the day? There aren't enough hours to do lots of fun interactive learning and mark lots and lots of homework.

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/03/2014 09:23

That's pretty much it stinkle

Except instead of the dog I have dd2 climbing all over me wanting to "help" and dd1 panicking she's going to squash/lose/ruin something and I have a table covered in pen and glue as she's trying to watch tv at he same time.

Yes soooo productive

Kendodd · 04/03/2014 09:24

I hate homework, complete waste of time in primary school IMO, they are much better off out playing.

I just wish I was brave enough to write in my children's homework book-

"My children don't do homework."

I'm not though

MidniteScribbler · 04/03/2014 09:25

When I got my first teaching job I was determined not to set homework except reading. I found that there were some parents who were ecstatic, but many others that stressed out and worried that no homework meant their children weren't learning anything. It took me a few years to come up with a balance, and even then you'll never please everyone.

Kendodd · 04/03/2014 09:28

I remember one time my son was happily writing something, I think it was a Dr Who poster. I had to ask him to please stop doing that so that you can do some writing in him homework book.

Cue half an hour of crying to eventually get him to write five words about whatever it was they wanted, taking him away from writing loads of words and pictures on the poster he was happily making.

Kendodd · 04/03/2014 09:30

I remember I was chair of a pre-school once and a couple of the parents asked if we could give the children homework

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