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Original poster

Homework in reception .....

22 replies

sandyballs · 17/10/2005 11:13

...... I went to a parents evening last week and we were told that from today our children will be taking a book home every evening and we would be expected to read it to/with them that evening and make comments in their little book, and then return it the following day to choose another and go through the same procedure that evening. I'm a bit surprised at this, I thought we would keep it for a couple of days at least, if not a week, they're only 4!!

I would be interested to hear if other schools do this.

OP posts:

CountessCadburyOfBournville · 17/10/2005 11:15

My dd gets her book for a whole week, and by the end of this, she is really fed up with it - me too!

She also ghets a little box with words to l3earn in it.
Plus a homework grid with all kinds of other activities on it - cultural/musical, physical activity, gelping around the home, explaining things to us, all kinds of stuff that we annotate

charliebat · 17/10/2005 11:16

No ours are for a week, we do however have a book where they have to cut things out and draw things beginning with the sounds sssssssss or whatever and thats twice a week.

coppertop · 17/10/2005 11:16

When ds1 was in Reception last year they were given new books every 1-2 weeks. The 2 week gap was a bit too long but 1 week was just about right for him IMHO. His school also give the children a reading record book for the parents to write comments in about the books given.

charliebat · 17/10/2005 11:16

I read the book with her once BTW. If she asks ill read it again but generally once and our books at other times. Again, if asked

Aimsmum · 17/10/2005 11:17

Message withdrawn

Mum2girls · 17/10/2005 11:17

One a week here. It's a book with no words, to which DD has to make up the story, however they supply separately a book of the words (no pics) and suggested questions and so on, to help it all along.

I'm sure you could take it at your own pace, a new one each day does sound a bit ambitious at Reception.

DinoScareUs · 17/10/2005 11:17

sandyballs, DS2 has three books a week, which I think is about right.

Gobbledispook · 17/10/2005 11:18

Ds1 has just started reception - they are doing JP so have not got books yet as they are still working through the sounds.

At the moment, our homework is simply practicing the sounds with them. The sounds they have done in that week come home on a Friday so we practice it all over the weekend.

Will be interesting to see what happens when they get books.

Weatherwax · 17/10/2005 11:19

dd2 gets 3 books a week but we don't have to read them (someone tell my dd that). We dont have the "proper" reading books yet but that will come. I've got the consultation evening tomorrow . As I remember,with dd1, the school do some reading from the book as well.

LIZS · 17/10/2005 11:19

We get the same, an ORT book with extended story or a few guding questions about it, and dd has a tin containing about half a dozen words she should start to sound out - these normally come up in the same or next book. We are told not to worry about doign this religiously every night though. They have also covered the same books in class in a group activity.

Original poster

sandyballs · 17/10/2005 11:21

THanks for your replies. Gobbledispook, is JP Jolly Phonics? That's what mine are learning apparently, it all sounds rather complicated with the actions and the hissing!

OP posts:

kuoni · 17/10/2005 11:21

We were told about daily homework at pre start of school meeting. Was a little surprised as when I was at school there was no hmwk until secondary school as such, other than informal stuff like learning times tables and working on spelling lists - all when older.
However, decided it wasn?t such a bad idea and eagerly waited for it all to arrive. Reading book once a week (only pictures, no words yet) and colouring in homework book, library book once a week. Problem is that they are so disorganised. They don?t always change the books when they say and DD1 still has the same reading book for past three weeks..Not good. She loves to get the new book home to show me and gets really cross when I get the same old one out of the bag as they are rather dull anyway. The homework book is erratic and only been marked once since start of term. Not very encouraging for them. She has also chosen library books totally innapropriate for her. I know they are allowed to choose anything they like for independence sake, but a little sterring would not hurt. The last one she brought home was about aborigines and the language/content was way over her head.

Earlybird · 17/10/2005 11:24

For about the past month, DD has been sent home every night with 3 sounds to practice. She recently graduated to simple 3 letter words that should be sounded out. She knows how to sound out, but prefers to guess. With only 3 words a night, it's easy to memorise the words and then guess correctly....which, of course, isn't the point at all!

We haven't seen any books yet though....

Kathlean · 17/10/2005 11:26

DS gets a book from the school library every week. A school book for the week to be read every night and I also get 2 books from our local library every other week for him.

They did talk at the open evening about words in tins. I haven't seen any yet however his teacher has started him on the second set of key words (what are they??) at school as he already knows the first ones.

There is no pressure and if he doesn't read his school one there is no problems. It is very much a if he feels like it homework.

mumbee · 17/10/2005 11:26

Ds has library time once a week and chose a book to be read to him. we are also doing JP and have to learn the new sound every night but we are also adviced to be relax about it if they are tired we do not do it but catch up at the weekend any we have not done. When my Dd was in reception it used to be a book a night as well as JP but the school seem to have changed the policy of reading in reception

kuoni · 17/10/2005 11:27

We are doing jp too so no real words yet. I am sick of her running around the house shouting "tu-tu-tu-tu" round the house wildly flinging her head side to side watching a tennis match. She has known what a letter T is for years as it is in her name and always called it "tee" knowing is sounds "tu" so why now does she do this stupid head movement and call it a "tu" instead of by it?s proper name?!! GRRRRRRR I know it works, but really, it seems a long drawn out method getting them to associate actions with sound and she looks ridiculous spelling out a word as it involves a dramatic charades type act in order to read out simple words. I am biting my tongue and going with the flow but find it hard to swallow

Nixz · 17/10/2005 12:09

DD gets a book a night, words to learn/practice everynight and teacher has just asked me to start encouraging her to practice her words everynight. I personally think it is too much, i wouldnt mind doing one of the above everynight but not all 3. DD has come on leaps and bounds though, she can read now!

Nixz · 17/10/2005 12:10

I meant.....teacher has just started to ask me to encourage her wriying her letters ......

Nixz · 17/10/2005 12:11

aaaah writing letters - i need practise i think!

edgetop · 17/10/2005 12:19

my ds started in september he chooses a book every day, if he wants to keep it two days he can, on friday he came home with the book he had on his first day! i think they just let them have what they want.also he has a treasure tin with words in it to learn, he takes it back when he knows them.once a week he is given some letter sounds to learn at home.

singersgirl · 17/10/2005 23:08

DS1 had 2 books a week in reception and DS2 hasn't started any reading instruction at all at school yet, as far as I can see. I have been told they introduce sounds via JP, but I don't know if they do it 'properly', as DS2 tells me the classroom is full of 'magic key' books (Oxford Reading Tree, for those who have not yet encountered the delights of Biff, Chip et al). We have a meeting after half term, so no doubt will find out all then.

ladymuck · 17/10/2005 23:16

We get a book per night (we started off with the picture only ones, but have moved on to sentences). Tonight's book was about a birthday party so he was reading "Meg has lots of presents". On Fridays he chooses a book from the school library (the other days he is just working through the book scheme).

For "fun" we've been reading the Dr Suess books at bedtime, as he can read some of the words if he wants to (he usually doesn't!).

He also gets a sheet of letters to practise each week.

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