Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

to think that 40 pages of maths homework is too much for a 7y old in his summer holidays?

53 replies

Saker · 26/07/2007 23:02

On the last day of term, Ds1's teacher merrily handed him his maths book (which is one of those fill in ones) with "Please complete" written on the top. He has only just started it so there are at least 40 pages of sums to do. It takes him about 15mins to do a page not counting the time I have to spend nagging him to do it. And what's more I'm supposed to mark it! (which is not that arduous but apparently the teacher said "I will not have time to be marking 30 maths book on the first day of term".

I don't remember getting homework until I was in secondary school and I really think it's a bit much to expect him to all that in what is supposed to be his break.

OP posts:

Boredveryverybored · 26/07/2007 23:04

Yeah, I'd be annoyed with that, it's a lot!
Tbh if it were me I wouldn't make him do it at all. I'd probably get him to spend an odd 10 mins here and there on it but I certainly wouldn't be worrying about finishing the book.

ivykaty44 · 26/07/2007 23:05

Studies have shown that the 6 weeks holidays put the children back 3 - 4 weeks in sept. So perhaps the idea is to do a page a day of the maths for all the class and then when they go back to school they will not have fallen behind due to the holidays of 40 days.

Fireflyfairy2 · 26/07/2007 23:05

It's the summer!!!!

It shouldn't be compulsary though.

Although I think it's good for children to keep their brain active over the summer, surely being compulsary takes the fun out if it?

Tortington · 26/07/2007 23:05

send it back with a letter saying " sorry sir, i had a good time instead."

Spidermama · 26/07/2007 23:07

Homework in the summer holidays?
I'd tell them where they can stick their homework. I mean it. This is home time, precious summer holidauy free of school where they learn different stuff.
Homework. Grrrr.

I was in Asda yesterday and the tannoy woman said, 'At Asda, back to school prices ...' It was the very day my dd broke up and they're already talking about back to school.

TinyGang · 26/07/2007 23:07

OMG I can feel steam coming out of my ears reading your post. I would be so so angry.

I agree with everything you have said. Which year at school is ds in?

notasheep · 26/07/2007 23:08

40 pages is 40 pages too much! dd is 7yrs too and hasnt Any homework over hols

Spidermama · 26/07/2007 23:08

Why do schools think that kids are only learning when they've got photcopied sheets in front of them? What do they think kids were doing before aged 4/5?
They learned to walk didn't they? And to talk? and about all sorts of things.

nooka · 26/07/2007 23:10

hmm I think that studies have also shown that play and down time are important too, and there are many things to learn in life other than sums. My two at six and eight do not have homework in the holidays, and if they were set it for the summer I wouldn't be getting them to do it. It doesn't sound like a good way to help children and parents to have a good time together!

TinyGang · 26/07/2007 23:10

I haaaaate the way shops bang on about Back to Scool before the holidays have started.

SlightlyMadSpider · 26/07/2007 23:13

Agree - keeping the brain active is good. But it does not need to be formal. At the end of reception DTDs were gievn a list with some 'ideas' on 'discreet stimulation'. Parents that can't be bothered to do it probably aren't worried about their children slipping back 3-4 weeks.

DTDs are doing a scrap book/diary 1-2 times a week to keep on top of literacy. They are obviously oing some reading from their own bookshelf too. Scrabble tiles are great for discreetily practising for spelling.

For numberacy they are playing games. Anything with dice is good for adding to 12. Junior Monopoly is great for various number working - adding subtracting, doubling, giving change.

It doesn't have to be firmal and forced and any good teacher should know that.

Original poster

Saker · 26/07/2007 23:15

He's at the end of year 2 - it's not even the same teacher who will be taking him next year - but she is quite strict so I think I will have difficulty persuading him that he could just leave some of it because he will fear getting into trouble. It's a year 3 maths book as well so it's not like there's any rush to do it.

A page a day would do it but that would include our 2 weeks of holiday in France and I really don't see why he should spend it doing homework. I am tempted to let him just do a bit and not worry about it but the trouble is I can imagine him in crisis on the day before we go back because he hasn't done it!

OP posts:

Leati · 26/07/2007 23:16

In the US kids are given a lot of homework. Depending on the Grade Level sometimes it is in the hours. When I was a kid it wasn't like this but so much more is expected now. How long is his break? Maybe he can just do a couple of pages a day.

TooTicky · 26/07/2007 23:16

Horrid. Shouldn't be homework over the summer. Puts stress on parent/child relationships as well.

Spidermama, give up Asda! You know they are evil.

Spidermama · 26/07/2007 23:18

I know Tooticky but Riverford Organics don't offer a 24 hour drop in service.

j20baby · 26/07/2007 23:19

40 pages?!

my 7 yo dd did not get any hw at all, although i have decided i will set aside a couple of hours a week, just to do a bit of maths and writing for her to keep up with it, whether i put that in to practice remains to be seen

SueW · 26/07/2007 23:20

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

nappyaddict · 26/07/2007 23:22

i used to have homework to do over the holidays but it was more do a project tpye stuff or keeping a holiday diary.

TinyGang · 26/07/2007 23:24

Dd had a project over the Easter holidays.

It hung over the holiday like a cloud waiting to be done. Eventually she did it and actually did a good job.

The teacher never mentioned it or marked it. Well, not until I contacted her and asked if she'd mind taking a look

RosaLuxembourg · 26/07/2007 23:36

Send it to us and DD2 will do it for him - she has just finished year two and she is following me around the house begging me for workbooks to do - she is also working on about a dozen Brownie badges simultaneously.
She says one of the best things about going into year three is she will get homework.
Obviously a freak.

mm22bys · 27/07/2007 07:11

He's got, what, six weeks off? 40 pages? That seven pages a week, or only 1 page a day. No doubt some days he'll want to do more than one page.

I personally don't think for a seven year old that's too much....

DS1, who's 3, gets two pages of "homework" a week from his nursery and when he comes home on a Thursday he asks to do his homework then and there!

Trinityrhino · 27/07/2007 07:20

dd1 would love to have that to do
she has been given nothing
I think nothing is wrong

mm22bys · 27/07/2007 07:28

Also, too, just because someone is given "work" to do, it doesn't mean the whole holiday is going to be spent "working"! Work, play, homework, fun, "down-time", holidays are not mutually exclusive!

Nightynight · 27/07/2007 07:33

Goodness, how shocking. Children fall behind during their summer holiday.

maybe its because they are having a holiday??? like their teachers.

Nightynight · 27/07/2007 07:35

whats the matter with all these children who cant find anything to do if they dont have homework?
Planning your own time is also a useful life skill.

Flip

1 2 3