AIBU: to expect Yr 5 homework to be set on things they have covered in class?

[lilolilmanchester]

NOT having a general pop at teachers here, have picked up the pieces of too many teacher friends to know they have a really tough job. BUT having just spent most of the afternoon on a piece of homework about adverbs (where adverbs are describing adjectives, not just verbs), connectives, and time connectives, I think a) luckily I understand all of this stuff (my DH who has a PhD doesn't) b) they haven't done this in class so why is it being sent home and c) what about the children whose parents don't understand it either? Not expecting any comments, just having a rant.

I think you YANBU. It's absolutely unacceptable that they disadvantage children from uneducated families like this. Homework is supposed to level the playing field, not exacerbate disadvantages already there.

I would actually ask the teacher about this. It might be that they have done it in class, but your DC hasn't remembered/ understood it.

Possibly, but she is at the top of her set so if she is struggling (and has university educated parents who are struggling) what about the rest of them? I just worry that teachers are often so stressed that they photocopy homework sheets (as is the case in this instance) without thinking through whether this supporting what they've already done in class. Which doesn't help anyone: children, parents, or teachers.

she should have done those things at some point - and def. inm year 4.

YANBU. Homework should be used to extend/consolidtae prior learning, or encourage research about a topic peior to something to be done in class. But it shouldn't introduce a whole new topic, esp in a subject like literacy/numeracy IMO.

I'd mention it to the teacher.

sorry i am trying to breast feed...I have taught those things in year 4

Without copying the worksheet (which I won't do to protect anonymity!) it's difficult to explain why I'm so about this homework; level of difficulty (not just the concept of adverb & temporal connectives, rather the context in which they have to work out the answers, let alone volume of sentences they are supposed to produce. My DS has level 6 English and found it hard....