6 and 7 year olds being kep in at lunch time for forgetting homework

[DaanSaaf]

Year 2 ds just told me they have to stay in at lunch time and do extra work if they haven't brought their homework in.

Aibu to think that's a bit harsh at their age?

@Beliveitornot

In some respects. However on the other hand it gave you and your DC the opportunity to realise that he needed to ask his to go over the method again and an idea of how he is doing.

@Misshannahb

I don’t need homework to get an idea of how he’s doing. And I don’t need to engage in an exercise which ultimately was a waste of time and I know it has no impact on attainment.

I’d much rather the teacher explained the methods or pointed to a resource which allowed me to find out the method. Then I could proper support DS.

But as research shows, homework isn’t going to make DS do better in school, then why bother? He hasn’t got to the end of this particular subject of learning and homework isn’t a consolidation of his learning.

Plus I work, I don’t see the teacher often enough so it’s not as if I can casually ask. I’ll leave it to the teacher to pick up as she would in the class with his class work.

Plenty wrong if you don’t know how your dc has been taught and if your dc hasn’t got the hang of something yet.

I am not saying homework isn't sometimes pointless. I am saying it isn't innately pointless. Outwith the limitations you just mentioned, it would have helped, wouldn't it?

Most of the teachers I've worked with have remembered homework last minute on a Friday, said "shit, I need to set homework" and stolen one of my TAs to photocopy some worksheets.

ICantCopeAnymore

But that doesn't actually make it pointless, does it? It means teachers are often overworked and can be forgetful. The homework itself may or may not be pointless, depending on what it is.

@Pengggwn it’s pointless in terms of his overall attainment.

My ds also has violin lessons and gets homework. That is enforced because it does make a difference to his learning the instruments.

Doing worksheets of a weekend when time is better spent otherwise does not.

In fact @Pengggwn I’m not sure you get where I’m coming from. Homework at this age will not result in DS achieving better results. Therefore I’m against any kindness of punishment for it not being done. So I will not enforce it if we really cannot manage it.

As I have said, when someone demonstrates to me that homework that parents support, that is appropriate to the ability and learning stage of the child, has no learning value, I will agree. No one has.

It’s not enough that studies have shown that homework at primary age has no impact on attainment....

I take the opposite view. Show me why there’s value then I’ll enforce it.

It’s the enforcement, which is the issue.

Of course it's pointless. Worksheets went out with the ark - most schools have banned them due to the fact that they add nothing to learning. Rushed homework setting means the homework has no meaning.

Then there's all the research that suggests that homework at that age doesn't have any impact on attainment anyway...

I agree ICant.

My 6 year old gets quite a nice set of activities to do at home based on the theme of the term. Eg the theme might be “water” and we do things at home like measure liquids, draw pictures of the ocean, find books about water etc. It’s a nice way to explore something at home linked to school and shows dd that what she learns at school can be interesting.

Well, in the absence of proof, please excuse my skepticism.

The research is out there. Lots of it.

Links, please.

There’s short-term “learning value” and long-term benefit though, isn’t there? And with regard to primary homework there doesn’t seem to be convincing evidence that the former leads to the latter.

My 10 year old DD is learning about the area of a circle. She had swim squad after school and I could have cancelled it and spent 15 minutes helping her with her maths, after which time she’d have it consolidated. However, she sleeps, eats and concentrates better after exercise which will affect the whole following day’s learning. This will include her next maths lesson, where she’ll consolidate what she knows about the area of a circle

We’ve done our research on the benefits of homework.

Go do your own (homework).

parents are the ones who should decide how to spend their family time

Nope- parents are not qualified education professionals, and most haven't the faintest idea how to support their DC's education, as shown in this thread

What has not being a qualified education professional got to do with being a parent and family time.

Aside from school/education focussed work what else does your family do.

I've said this several times, but it's worth saying again. You are asserting something as fact. If you want others to accept it, you need to demonstrate it. Until you do, others won't be convinced. I have no need to convince myself of your argument.

Pengggwn - I spent 3 years in University doing a degree in Primary Education Studies. I then spent a year doing a Primary Education PGCE and three years doing a Master's in Education.

I have done all the research I need to do on the subject over a period of 7 years. I will not be doing any more, when you are more than capable of doing your own.

Pengggwn I don’t have ICant’s qualifications but the limited to no benefits of primary homework have been all over the mainstream media for years and are oft-quoted by frustrated mothers.

mobile.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-24/study-finds-homework-has-limited-value/4330514

ICantCopeAnymore

And if you were in my shoes, would someone chucking their qualifications at you on an Internet forum result in you changing your mind? No, it wouldn't. So that's where we are. You are convinced, I remain unconvinced.

nolongersurprised

Thank you for that link. I am aware of the media stuff - less interesting to me. What you have presented here supports my view: homework can be done badly, or it can be done well. It doesn't support the view that it is innately pointless.

But even when done well it’s of limited to no academic benefit.

If I was in your shoes, I'd be doing research to attempt to prove my point.

ICantCopeAnymore

So no, then.