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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Has anyone managed to finish all of the work in one homeschooling day?

39 replies

grannyinapram · 12/01/2021 15:09

My children have been quite compliant, worked fairly fast, and generally do what they have been told. But we just can't seem to finish the amount of work set in a reasonable amount of time.
We have been working all day today and I haven't had time to get to maths. Now its 3pm and I have to decide whether we finish the maths (and work until about 5) or sod it and go out.

We have been working on Saturday aswell to try to catch up but it just can't be done! I only have 2 primary school aged children aswell. I count today as a really good day.

Does anyone have any tips? I was considering forgetting the younger ones history work and just focusing on the eldest, but letting the youngest join in. Should shave off a few hours.
We are working on a smartphone too which doesn't help as it's a small touch screen thats easily knocked.

Yabu
A full school day can be done
Yanbu
Skim a bit of the work off, there's too much

OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 12/01/2021 15:15

How much work are they getting? My 9yo has just finished. 7yo finished by lunchtime. The 7yo needed no help today.... The 9yo needed loads. Both are supposed to get 3-4hrs apparently. They started at 9.

BlackeyedSusan · 12/01/2021 15:15

DD manages to get all her work done. Which gives us a 50% success rate. Currently only DD is at home,one has had to go back.

painbrain · 12/01/2021 15:15

Teachers are in a really difficult position, because they feel that they have to set 'enough' so that parents don't think they're doing nothing, or not bothered. Not everyone can finish all of it, and that's fine.

I usually prioritise English, maths and reading, and do what I can with the rest. I submit what they've done to show willing.

So I'd leave it now. If you push them too much, they'll be less inclined to do any the next day. I wouldn't do it on a Saturday either. If some isn't done, that's life. It's those who aren't doing anything that the teachers are really concerned about.

schmockdown · 12/01/2021 15:17

We finish it but if we didn't there would be no way we'd carry on until 5. Is it differentiated work?

emmy4 · 12/01/2021 15:26

We have finished but it has been non stop, I would finish at 3pm regardless

JinglePies · 12/01/2021 15:28

We finish. 90% of it is done live with the teachers there in the background if they need help.

Bear2014 · 12/01/2021 15:28

No, it's impossible. We have our year 2 daughter doing home school and have to look after our 3 year old mostly in the same room as we alternate one parent working, one doing childcare. It's mostly chaos, with at least one child needing my attention at all times, the 3 year old mostly wants me when we're struggling with the ipad/daughter is having some kind of work-related meltdown. The house is a tip by about lunch time, today we had to make a model plane FFS.

AmoElCafe · 12/01/2021 15:28

Yeah we’ve generally finished ours, apart from maybe the PE exercise (do Joe Wicks etc) as we prefer to the and get outside for exercise.
Mine are 7 and 5 (and a 2 year old getting under everyone’s feet).
I try and follow the school timetable as much as possible to keep them in a bit of a routine.

TroosAndShoes · 12/01/2021 15:31

I think teachers are still trying to get the balance right. Last week DD had finished by 1pm. This week there was a lot more to do and she's been finishing at about 3pm.

The message from the Head has been to try to do as much as you can but to remember to take regular breaks. They've said that if you don't finish, just hand in what you've done and leave the rest.

So I'd go with the approach of do what you can fit in and leave the rest.

zoemum2006 · 12/01/2021 15:32

Yes but I used to be a teacher and my children are both able.

Before you think I’m bragging, I’ve said to DH how I have the ideal set-up (my own business is badly impacted by covid so plenty of available time) and I find it full on so I can’t imagine how hard it must be for children whose parents are working or need more help or who aren’t as introverted (the girls enjoy studying from Home).

EggBobbin · 12/01/2021 15:37

Yes but I’m currently on maternity leave and only have 1 DC so it’s literally all I need to do all day... but concerned this will shift rather radically when #2 arrives...

Shesellsseashellsontheseashore · 12/01/2021 15:48

Yes, but only because we have enough devices now. When they were sharing a laptop last lockdown it was difficult.

Gwenhines · 12/01/2021 16:11

Yes. But I only have one child, and my work suffers to get it done. I couldn't manage with two or more sets of work. If a day comes when I can't do it all then we will just hand in what we manage and hope the gaps get filled in when normality resumes.

BogRollBOGOF · 12/01/2021 16:18

The reality is that in the classroom, different children will complete different quantities of work.

Teachers will often differentiate quanties with priority tasks or ranking progression. This shouldn"t necessarily be linear. Some children need to get to the point rather than wasting time and energy on lower level warm up tasjs.

Despite being a SAHM former teacher, we limp along. DS1 needs lots of diferentiation to function although the supposedly NT younger sibling isn't vastly easier...

DelphiniumBlue · 12/01/2021 16:23

I'm approaching it from the other end - I have a class ( several classes, in fact) of keyworker children in school, doing work set by their class teachers.
We are sticking to the timetable, and we upload the work at the end of the session. If it's not finished, that's OK, we just upload what they've done.
In class in normal times, lots of the children don't finish all the work all the time. We normally plan it so that there is more than necessary, in case some children get through it quickly, so that there is always something they can do. We can't always tell how long it will take, and you have to allow for technology not working, pens breaking, someone not understanding and needing to more time/instructions repeated etc. They don't all work at the same pace, and we don't expect them to be working after the end of the school day unless it's specified as homework.
If the work is really too hard, do let the teacher know, and they would normally adapt/differentiate accordingly.

Peace43 · 12/01/2021 16:28

We spend 9 -12 on school work and try to do all that is set. I prioritise maths and English. Then we do lunch and then I take my kid and my sisters 2 (ADHD & autism) out with me for a long walk with the dog. I’m off work until March and my sister is wfh so needs a break. The kids need to blow off steam. It’s the best we can do and I would argue with school if I needed to!

DelphiniumBlue · 12/01/2021 16:31

And even in school, some children need a lot of support to complete their work, and ask lots of questions, about layout and colour of pen and what they do next even when it has just been explained AND is on a screen in front of them. And some other children just get on with it and follow the instructions, they are just more independent. It doesn't always relate to ability, more to their confidence and practicality.
It's becoming clear that many pupils need to work on their independence. " What do I do now...?" is a question they should be able to answer for themselves most of the time, once they can read the instructions.

Ineverdidmind · 12/01/2021 16:32

The only successful day we've had is the day I took annual leave from my job.
When I'm working I manage some reading at bedtime (as normal) and maybe one maths worksheet with my 6 year old. My 11 year old is brilliant and gets all of his done on his own.

EventOfTheSeason · 12/01/2021 16:34

Yes, but she's in p1 and the only child. And I don't have to work during the day.
I'd stop at a reasonable time and go and clear the heads. They don't stay in school after hours if work isn't finished.

SpaceRaiders · 12/01/2021 16:37

We haven’t bothered to finish it all, I can’t see how we can fit any more in!

Our day starts at 8.45 with assembly. Maths and English, which we do religiously. Then a morning break. Lessons are about 20 minutes zoom followed by an activity which dc finishes within 45 so we usually have 30-40 mins to kill. I use this time to go over areas that they don’t understand or differentiate using twinkl worksheets and workbooks. Then set dc1 spellings myself as it’s one of her weaknesses. Afternoons are all the other subjects, science, geography, history and art etc, which we don’t always do on the day but a few days after it’s set. We haven’t done any PE activities, but dc do go on a hour long dog walk every afternoon. By the time I let them off school work we’re all completely frazzled and it’s around 2.30. Leaves an hour or so for me to catch up with my own work stuff before a dog walk at 3.30.

Tal45 · 12/01/2021 16:45

I'd concentrate on getting the maths and English work done as priority, then any science/history/geography or any subjects preferred by the child and not worry about anything else if you run out of time.

notyourmummy · 12/01/2021 16:48

We have the opposite problem, all the day's work takes about 90 mins here. Y5 child, no online learning, and I'm annoyed because I'm paying for his school, they've only provided worksheets, which aren't taking long to do, and parents have to mark it all too!

RolandSchitt · 12/01/2021 16:54

Thankfully primary school work takes around 1.5 - 2 hours here. The teachers have been really understanding about other commitments.

My older child in lower high school still requires a lot of support (ASN) and they're expected to follow their daily timetable. So it's work from 9am - 3ishpm. There has been a fair bit of waiting around because the servers are jam packed, or teachers haven't been able to link to the appropriate work. I'm hoping it will settle down.

I don't think this is a yabu or not. Some schools seem to be setting more work than others. You can only do what you can, I certainly wouldn't be getting into catching up at the weekend.

onemouseplace · 12/01/2021 17:01

We aim to get maths, English and phonics/ reading done by lunch. Then we get whatever we feel like done from the art/ science/ geography/ history done in the hour after lunch, then knock off around 3. We've mainly got everything done, but I wouldn't say we spend hours on anything.

We're not doing any music as they have external piano lessons they practise for. Or PE as we get out for a daily walk instead.

KeyboardWorriers · 12/01/2021 17:05

Is it differentiated?

My son was steaming through his work in no time at all until his teachers started adding differentiated tasks. Now it takes him a couple of hours, but some parents are saying it is taking their children all day and I think it must be because they are asking their children to do the hardest level tasks.

My son wishes there was a lot more even as other parents say there is too much. I reckon that means his teacher has the balance about right