To ask how you keep track of all DC's homework, tests etc

[ScamTheSchool]

School have introduced an app where parents can look up marks, info sheets and upcoming tests and homework due dates. This is often different to what the Dc bring home in their homework diaries, if they make it home!

The app lists all the exercises e.g maths Book 1 p20 Ex2-5, book 2 p etc; poem to learn inc. whole poem, lists of spellings etc plus deadline for forms to be returned.

My phone diary is already full with appointments, birthdays, activities, MIL's appointments and if I put more in it will shift things out of view and I'll miss something.

I'm useless at remembering things so need a foolproof method for keeping track of tests so I can remind them what they need to revise/learn in time.
How do you keep track of everything?

My sister-in-law has a similar app for her kids schools (primary and secondary). She will look up the details if the kids ask her to because they are unsure. She asks them once in the evening if they have done their homework and once in the morning if they have put their homework into their schoolbag. Otherwise she views homework as their business, and managing it as part of the learning experience they are supposed to be having.

Our secondary school did this too - show my homework - I never bothered with it - I felt my kids were old enough to look after their studies and was a bit surprised when the parents were berated for not checking it often enough on a parent information evening - same evening the school was banging on about encouraging independent learning. talk about mixed messages!

What age are they?

You sound like a fab parent.

Just wondering how old your DC is.

If this is a primary school child I'd just get a whiteboard in the kitchen just for your children homework etc and can wipe it off and start again as and when

If this is a child on high school, cut the ropes your child needs to organise themselves by this point. Perhaps ask them each day what homework do you have and what tests are in the next two weeks and get your child to tell you and then encourage your child to do it

Both primary. Eldest has executive function issues probably inherited from me and a huge dislike of school work. Struggle to get him to do anything both at school or home. Often "forgets" to bring stuff home. Youngest is 9 and generally knows what she has to do and when....sometimes needs reminding to being her stuff home. Willing to do the work to get good marks.

@whippetmug

Our secondary school did this too - show my homework - I never bothered with it - I felt my kids were old enough to look after their studies and was a bit surprised when the parents were berated for not checking it often enough on a parent information evening - same evening the school was banging on about encouraging independent learning. talk about mixed messages!

Yes, I feel like this as well.

I know the universities and trade schools find the students often can't organize themselves, and it's easy to see why.

I don't mind giving help and direction, but apart from the younger students they really should not be depending on parents to keep this all organized.

If primary age then I'd say whiteboard in kitchen, go through it at start and end of week and write it up.. Do it as a table so columns for subject, task, due date. Keep it separate to your own calendar, it's not your homework. I help DS do this. He's y8 but struggles with organising his various tasks so we look on Teams, write it up but then it's over to him to actually do it or not and take the consequence if not.

My view is that homework is between kids and school and nothing to do with me. If school have arranged a system that requires your input (e.g. use of an app for primary-aged kids) that is totally counterproductive and not the point of homework.

My view is that homework is between kids and school and nothing to do with me.
Yes, I've kind of been taking this view too, but having spoken to some other parents, I'm wondering if I'm not supporting them enough.

and take the consequence if not.
There are no consequences in school it just gets sent home, along with the work he doesn't complete in lessons, for me to deal with again.

Right, we'll try a whiteboard system and get them to update it themselves.

Try the whiteboard trick, you never know they may surprise you. Especially the eldest

My 2 in secondary sort their homework themselves with a bit of nagging from me. My primary aged dc need a lot more help to get organised. I have a diary that everything goes in straight away. I struggle with being organised so my diary (paper one, not on a phone) is a nice big one with lots of space and I've got reminders of everything from when the bins go out to piano lessons and homework as well as things like hospital appointments and birthdays.

It’s easy to say what dc should do but a lot depends on the dc. I have one in secondary that needs a lot of support with homework and one that has been largely independent since the age of 7.

I use a paper diary though so I’m no use to you. Apps make my head itch.

My primary age only have one set a week so i try to remember. Then i forgot and dc got in trouble. Easily done when
1 school havent been setting it the day they should so 1 week we only had 1 day to do it.
2 primary kids have activities so we had scouts and brownies then parents evening. So basically needed to do it by monday (maybe 4 days to do it if they have actually set it).
3 im not happy about dc being punished when it was really my mistake (or teachers when they dont set it) but im pro punishment if the kids arent ever doing it. And do think it helps get into a routine. But my dc is very difficult and even after the issue and punishment they still didnt want to do the homework on the day it was set (i made them anyway) so i cant see at this stage how i could rely on them to remember and voluntarily go and do the work.

I could set reminders on phone - but unfortunately since covid i forget a lot of things and have reminders set so an extra one would really help.

At secondary my son's school used Show My Homework but my involvement was limited to "I see you have history due in by tomorrow - have you done it".

At primary I wouldn't expect more than reading and times tables and wouldn't get involved in more. I do think parents need to push back on homework at primary - it's generally homework for the parents, not the kids, and is ludicrous eg with an art project that the teachers must know the parents or older sibling did!

is ludicrous eg with an art project that the teachers must know the parents or older sibling did! Even more ludicrous was my primary school ds getting detention for his art project because it was a bit shit compared to the projects completed by the parents! So no not all teachers seem to know. Some do however need to be told!

iv an adhd teen, Id literally kill for something like this

We have massive whiteboard sheets on his wall (the type that stick by static) each night we write up each subject homework and when its due.

He also has huge calendar on the wall so he writes date when stuff due so we can all see week by week whats due in as he cant organise himself.

Our downfall is that he doesnt tend to write stuff down in his hw diary so I havnt a clue what he has. Its gottento the point iv now told him to take a photo of each homework written on the white board at school so we can try and keep track

Ours get homework set once a week which helps.

We print it out, on a Sunday night, as it’s a pdf, and leave it on the work top. At the moment we just try and do a bit each day during the week.
So we look at it at the beginning of the week and know spellings need to be whatever day, the rest is just do a task every day or so.

Ours get homework set once a week which helps.
Yes, that helps. Ours is set whenever and can be due in the next day or up to two weeks time. Tests are set up to two weeks in advance but not technically homework, because they're "cutting back" on setting homework. Which means more work for me as I need to remind them to bring their work home to learn.