Why has primary homework become a race to the bottom?

[tokyogirl]

I've noticed this over a couple of years now.... to be seen to be doing any kind of homework in primary school is a literal race to the bottom.

"Oh we don't do that"
"I never fill in the reading chart"
"We don't bother"
"Can't be bothered to do all those spellings"

In DC school completed reading charts and such like are rewarded yearly with certificate and prizes, why wouldn't you want your child to be rewarded and have a confidence boost?

Any hint of actually doing homework seems to be met with an eye roll or smirk?!

My kids don't have homework this term due to Covid. Just reading books. Younger DD was 4 books away from the end of the reading scheme in March... Fingers crossed she will get the last two today... They were worse than Biff and Chip. Elder DD gets random books, which she reads herself.

I didn't know this was a thing either way.

I've always done the homework, practised the spellings, read the reading book. Sometimes it's a pita but sometimes it's fun and my dc have taken great pride taking their homework in.

Never made a fuss either way. But then it's usually only ever been a worksheet once a week or design a poster type thing or write a diary of the holidays.

If my children come home with work and they want to and are able to complete it then I'll support them to get it done.
I'll always encourage reading, times tables and spelling.
What I have a problem with is when it's something that needs so much parental input it feels like a project for me. Also if the task asks them to use what they've learned in class and for example I say "what persuasive writing techniques have you used in class?" and they just look at me blankly or say we haven't done that at school.
I also don't agree with holiday homework for primary children, we're encouraged to only take holidays in school holidays so it's not fair to expect homework to be done then.

As others have said:

• no evidence it makes any long term difference

• it isn't differentiated, there's no point doing work simply for the sake of doing work

• I would rather reading is seen as fun rather than work (and it is, and I model reading for fun)

• I made sure DD had plenty of educational activities out of school, in the broadest sense of the word, including dance class, Brownies, playing board games, I-Spy, and just, y'know, playing

• it was detrimental to DD's well being, bringing the anxieties and feelings of failure from school into her home life

Parents who don't 'do' (and at that age it is often the parent doing most of the work) homework are not necessarily lazy, neglectful, or engaged in a race to the bottom.

I have noticed this during general chit chat with parents but I'm the one getting funny looks as we do anything given. It's usually just reading and odd other bits

What Lockdownfatigue said. Homework at primary level has shown to have no benefit and may even be counterproductive - kids need to relax at home/play/zone out, for their brains to grow and consolidate information. Schools only set primary homework for the benefit of parents who think it's a good thing.

Our school have clocked onto this recently and massively reduced homework (not a covid thing - in the past year or two).

They read, lots and lots, not just school books, and I felt that was more important.

'Homework' doesn't have to be formalised, a good parent teaches their child from day 1 by talking, reading to them and discussing the books as appropriate, by informal counting, number recognition eg what number is that bus, which aisle will be next if we're in aisle 6, and so on.

Learning happens in all sorts of places, even as an adult, I have what's referred to as a dustbin mind, I'm lethal at Trivial Pursuit even topics I never 'did' at school!
I have photos of our daughter reading to the cat when she was in the Infants, her teaching father always said he was fed up of listening to children read! Did her no harm at all.

Also agree with Allington that homework at primary is really testing the availability and abilities of parents, so it just discriminates againt kids who don't have a parent on hand.

Well, I have no idea what other people do because I don't talk to any of them! My daughter has a few issues with anxiety and trouble staying focused and my son is on the waiting list to be assessed for autism and ADHD, they both struggle at school and by the time they get home all they want to do is wind down and have some time for themselves, the last thing they want to do is more school work and my son point blank refuses to read to us. I do try my best to encourage them to do it and sometimes they do if it is something creative and fun but I'm not going to spend my evenings trying to force them to read or practice spellings in between cooking meals and cleaning up and everything else I have to do.

I used to be anti-homework. BUT. I've found the routine is really good for both my kids - not hours, but just 10-15 minutes of sitting down and doing something each night really works well to get them into good habits - more important than even what it is.

My kids current school gets it really right - they each get a bit of reading, a bit of spellings, a bit of maths (mental arithmetic type). The older one will have another subject like Geography, and has Irish every day too, but again, it's just a page's worth, nothing arduous. The younger has things like phonics or blending to help re-enforce his reading. And no homework on Fridays or over the weekend. So it's perfect. Lets me see where they're at, gets them in good study habits, but isn't so much that anyone gets stressed over it.

A previous school gave them projects and weekend tasks - things that took ages, and required audience participation - that was a bit much.

Primary schools set homework because vocal parents complain if they don't.
It has no benefits to the child.

There is a lot of competitive underperformance. Same during lockdown until September , parents priding themselves on their kids not even having touched a single book for 6 months....
Ignore them, and find a community that fits better to your values

Because studies show homework with the exception of reading has a detrimental rather than a positive impact on primary age children .

It's not a race to the bottom, it's me deciding that pushing homework on a primary aged child isn't beneficial. I have never filled in a reading chart, it made them do work after school. If they want to do it, that's their choice. It means they decide when it's important to do it, and all of them have been self-starters with their work once they get to the end of primary, which has set them up really well for secondary and homeschooling.

I've always read to them though, every night. Thats something that should be enjoyed, not seen as forced school work.

I think homework is important right now.
In the past, not so much.
I think that just now, its an opportunity for children to do it online. In case of illness from covid and keeping up online skills.

Because this is the snowflake generation..

Yes I've noticed this on the class WhatsApp group. Lots of mums keen to say how little they do, how they hate the homework etc. When the reality is that they are probably doing loads with their kids but it is seen as 'uncool' for some reason!

Mine bloody love doing their homework (early primary), they see it as a fun activity! I wouldn’t get away with not doing it.
Generally I think the parents at our school just quietly get on with it.

Homework is always done here (P7 in NI - not sure what that is in English money). It's takes very little time (Arithmetic/Spellings/Comprehension) - DC read anyway so that's not an issue. I think they would struggle more at school if we didn't spend the time at home working through it and we can see a massive improvement in understanding as they mature through lockdown.

Don't get me started on "parent homework" though - make a robot ... make a sweet factory - those are utterly pointless IMO

@justanotherneighinparadise

Well our outstanding primary must agree with you as it doesn’t set homework! I honestly do t know why it doesn’t. But there you go.

Because there is no benefit to homework at a primary level. There has been a lot of research based on it.

@Babycrackers

We do read though regularly, a mix of school reading books as they have a great library room where children can choose their own books within their ability range and a mix of our own books. This I do find a good use of our time.

Same here. And compounded by the lack of support and school not acting faster. The dyslexic one is doing better with reading because of lockdown. She was refused help until assessment despite it being obvious.

DS' primary school said this too: Schools only set primary homework for the benefit of parents who think it's a good thing

It's a bit pathetic. They will fight the parents on other things which are potentially less important like uniform, so why not just say "no we don't do homework because there is no evidence that it is useful"?

I don't think learning should be made into a competition to see who can get more certificates or be the best. Puts the kids that can't do as well off trying.

@ZolaGrey do you have links to any research? I never had homework in primary so don’t think it’s detrimental not to do it.

Our school seems to think parents should be teaching some aspects of the curriculum. DH’s private primary never expected it.

Don't see it much on here either, and its better than the competitive parenting.