Is something the wrong way round here...?

[TheBadgersMadeMeDoIt]

5yr old DD's school is pretty heavy on the homework. One of this term's home learning tasks is to get familiar with the concept of fractions. Over the weekend we cut shapes out of coloured paper and practiced dividing them into halves, quarters and thirds. Then we started working on "how many quarters make a half? etc... It was clear to me from her puzzled expression that there had been no introduction to fractions in class so I was trying, inexpertly, to teach her from first principles. I'm ok with that in itself, but...

Yesterday she came home from school with a bag full of pictures she'd coloured in. I asked her what else she'd done in school and she said they all went outside and practiced riding balance bikes.

Now, I know this isn't typical of every day at school, but how come I'm teaching her fractions on a Saturday (among many other home learning projects that take up a chunk of every weekend)...and then she goes to school to learn to ride a bike and do colouring in?

Is it just me?

[TheBadgersMadeMeDoIt]

Yes there is definitely a communication issue. These assignments get sent out just stuck in the home learning book with no guidance notes for parents.

With regards to the poetry assignment last term, the entire instruction was "Write a winter poem."

I let DH take charge of that one. To be fair, he did a magnificent job and kept DD engaged and interested, and between them they turned out a pretty decent little rhyme. She was so proud of it she even went off and illustrated it of her own accord.

Sadly DH works away a lot. Otherwise I'd just put him in charge of homework permanently as he doesn't seem to mind and is way better at it than me.

[MimsyFluff]

At that age they learn a lot through play and all my DC had an hour on Ballance bikes in year 1 must be a thing!

I don't do school homework either we do the main homework once a term I pick work for them to do that they won't cover at school. I also don't fill out their stupid reading records DC1 reading age of a 12 year old at 8 book worm DC2 is where she is meant to be hates reading we make it fun to read and never a chore

Remember she is 5, isn't a robot and is your child

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Being asked to do some fractions or write a poem at home isn't the end of the world. It needn't take a long time either

I take it you haven't tried to get a child who cant read or write to write a few words let alone a few lines.

[Trifleorbust]

Oliversmumsarmy

Well, no. By 5 I could read and write, as could all my siblings. My mum taught me. Obviously I appreciate that some children learn later than others, but your average 5 year old can write a few lines, so the homework isn't inappropriate for the majority. Those children who can't read and write should probably be sent to school with a note that says, rather than writing a poem, they practised writing their name and the names of the colours (for example) instead? Perhaps next time they can write the poem.

[Trifleorbust]

To be fair, he did a magnificent job and kept DD engaged and interested, and between them they turned out a pretty decent little rhyme. She was so proud of it she even went off and illustrated it of her own accord.

Perfect. So what is the problem? I could write a short winter poem right now. It really isn't that hard once you have a couple of ideas.

[WomblingThree]

I don't understand the angst about homework for little ones. Just don't do it. It's hardly enforceable.

Trifleorbust do you seriously think that a child that can't read or write today will suddenly be able to write a poem "next time"? Do you actually have any children? Have you spent hours with a sobbing 5 year old who can't do the work that's sent home? Just because you could read and write at 5, you think everyone else should be able to??

After the stress of homework with DS, I just refused to care when DD started school. I made it clear to the school that she would do what she could, but as soon as it turned unpleasant, that was it. I also refused to build models and god knows what else.

[Trifleorbust]

WomblingThree

No. I meant next time a poem is set as homework, by which time the child's writing should have improved. I say 'should' because when parents 'refuse to care' it is less likely to happen.

[ahipponamedbooboobutt]

Without seeing the actual homework it is hard to judge. If it was simply colour in half of the circle/pizza. Colour in half the chocolate bar etc, it really isn't that inaccessible for a year 1 child. Same with a poem. It would only have to be short and they are expected to read and write by this point. Don't worry my ds1 couldn't read until year 3 and I work with teenagers that don't understand simple fractions, but the majority would be able to manage.
OP do you think your view is tinted because your dd is one of the youngest of the year group?

[ahipponamedbooboobutt]

I don't understand the angst about homework for little ones. Just don't do it. It's hardly enforceable.

No it's not but what example are you setting to your children? And how will you cope when they go to secondary school and refuse to do any homework because they weren't made to in primary? It has a knock on effect and the school sets it for a reason. If you don't like the homework move your dc to a school that doesn't have it

[Oliversmumsarmy]

No. I meant next time a poem is set as homework, by which time the child's writing should have improved. I say 'should' because when parents 'refuse to care' it is less likely to happen.

Ds had huge problems not helped by the stay in every lunchtime and break staring at a blank sheet of paper rule because if you don't finish your homework you stay in until it is done.

I eventually had to take him out of school and spent at least 2 hours per day 5 days per week one to one just concentrating on his reading skills to get to a point where if he concentrated on one word at a time he could read. He didn't read fluently till he was 12. He is dyslexic and has dysgraphia not a parent who refuses to care.

[TheBadgersMadeMeDoIt]

OP do you think your view is tinted because your dd is one of the youngest of the year group?

Quite likely. I do feel as if I would be letting her down if I don't make an effort to cooperate with the homework because she might fall behind. Confidence is a big thing for me (because I never had any) so I'd hate to see her struggle to keep up at school.

[Trifleorbust]

Oliversmumsarmy

I wasn't talking about you, I was talking about a poster who says she refuses to care.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

In some ways I got to the stage of refusing to care and wanting to tell the teacher to stick the homework where the sun don't shine.

Until you have spent hours and hours each night trying to get a weeping child to form each letter so he can have a playtime the next day. The consequences if he didn't get the homework done meant he was socially isolated.

[Trifleorbust]

Oliversmumsarmy

How old was your child when he was losing break time?

[TeenAndTween]

This week is y2 SATs I think (at least it is in our primary).
It may be that y1 are having a lighter week due to y1 teacher assisting in some way with SATs?

My DDs, much older than yours, are quite capable at looking blankly at me over something I know they have covered in school.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Year 2 it started but year 3 was the final straw I pulled him out when i found out he wasn't even getting a lunch and had not been out to play for at least 2 weeks.

They knew he needed to be tested for dyslexia. They knew he couldn't read or write but apparently it was the curriculum and every child had to adhere to the curriculum

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Should add during year 1 he spent most of it sat outside the classroom as in the words of the TA she hated him. He hadn't actually done anything wrong. It did come to a head one day and the teacher left mid morning

[ijustwannadance]

My DD is in year 1 too. We've had the fractions. Now everything seems focused purely on the upcoming phonics tests.

Homework annoys me when it isn't something they can do by themselves.

I also don't make her read all the books she brings home. She can read. Some of the books are so boring and tedious. She just reads her own books instead.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Sorry the TA told me the teacher hated him

[WomblingThree]

Trifleorbust I ask again, do you have children? Have you supervised homework? Have you watched your child break their heart over something totally unimportant?

I don't care about homework, but that doesn't translate to not caring about my children 🙄.

ahipponamedbooboobutt when they went to secondary school it was up to them. If they wanted my help, I helped them. If they didn't do it, they got detention.

Moving schools because I don't like homework? Yeah like that's going to happen. Not everyone lives in London somewhere with multiple schools to choose from you know.

[mydogmymate]

I couldn't agree with op more, my son is in year 5 and his homework is a nightmare. I wish he was doing fractions homework because we keep getting stuff that involves craft in some way i.e. Making models, doing projects etc. His school is quite disadvantaged but the parents still try to help even though it's beyond a lot of them and they end up feeling inadequate. The level of homework should be proportional to the capability of the child, rather than

[mydogmymate]

Oops cut myself off!

I think homework, other than spellings, reading and timestables should be kept for senior school

[Trifleorbust]

Oliversmumsarmy

Well, I would never support such young children missing play for homework not done. At that age I think it is the parents' responsibility.

[Trifleorbust]

WomblingThree

I have a daughter but no, I haven't personally supervised a crying child. It doesn't change my view that homework is important and part of the responsibility involved in parenting.

[icy121]

I've always enjoyed doing homework with DSDs. Their mum doesn't! But on our weekends we do it after breakfast on both days, and it's just part of the routine. I've always bought the cgp school year appropriate work books in maths for them although the younger one is only motivated if she's working a year ahead so we're on top of the syllabus.

We found the school is ok at setting spelling type homework, but the maths is completely bloody random - worksheets here and there with no apparent continuity.

The only caveat I'll make re enjoying homework is when the school set fucking art projects. Homework for parents. "Make a roman shield - dimensions 1.5m x 80cm" - try finding cardboard that size! "Make a model of Stonehenge for Monday" - the kids learn absolutely zilch and the adults are messing about building massive bloody models. We only put in loads of effort on those bc don't want the DSDs to rock up with something crap & then get a bollocking from exW. For my own child I will merrily send them in with some shambles they've done themselves.