(primary) school clubs - and a homwrok rant

[robinw]

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I can't offer any advice but this seems like a great idea. Speaking as a mum who works 3 days a week I find it really difficult to find time to do ds honework on a working day. He is only in year 1 so at the moment it is only hearing him read. But next term he will get spellings. When i am working we don't get home till 6pm and by then he is too tired to want to do school work plus my ds2 needs attention. I am dreading the time he has more than this to do.

I agree that it sounds a good idea robinw. For "children whose parents have problems" the input from another adult would be great. Also I agree about the service to working mothers. Would you have access to the school IT equipment?

Robinw - can't offer advice on your clubs. But if I were you I would talk to your school Head or governors about their Homework Policy. I think it's quite unreasonable for primary age children to have 'next day' homework beyond reading. If they have brownies or cubs or whatever, then there just isn't time, even if they have got parents at home. Our school has set days for homework for all school years, but always allows at least 2 days "to allow for family organised activities, attendance at clubs, classes, etc."

I too would ask to know the homework policy as even at secondary wedont next day homework. For the core subjects it may be 2 or 3 days, but for many subjects it is up to a week. The type of homework being set for next day also seems inappropriate too - reading, yes I agree is fine, but not research. It is unfair as many children don't have internet access and are unlikyl to be able to go to a library that same night. Children shouldn't have to use their break time at school either - that is for relaxing. I would gove research homework a week, to include the weekend.

The homework clun sounds like a good idea. We have one each night, run by support staff and the librarian - they are paid extra to do it over and above their normal working hours. Parental involvement sounds like a great idea.

We don't have after school homework clubs, but we do run catch up sessions after school. I also run more informal sessions at lunch time for children who habitually miss doing homework. Often these children have chaotic home lives and would not do homework otherwise.

I never set large homework tasks to be done by the next day. Most of my classes have at least 3 nights to do homework. If I give less time that this the 'reaserch' if often along the lines of 'Find 5 uses for magenets/electricity in the home' sort of things that can be done in 10-15 minutes. I think that this is reasonable.

I never assume that children have access to the Net at home. They can use the schools computer suites at lunch time.

I say hmb, you wouldn't like to change jobs and come and teach at my children's primary school would you?.

I get sooo fed up with homework. Three times in the last 6 months my ds has had to prepare talks for school. He has been given several days, but he has to write the talk out in long-hand, copy the main points onto cue cards, prepare props, and then rehearse until it's exactly two minutes (or whatever time is stated) long. He only occasionally has homework to do for the next day, but on the other hand he frequently has 3 or 4 sets of homework to be in within 2 or 3 days. It's just so difficult to fit it in and keep him motivated, and I sometimes feel it's ruining my relationship with him, I have to nag so much. (He's 8 by the way).

At the start of term I sat down with my time table and gave all my classes a homework in and out day. I did so that they would have at least 3 days to do it, and also so that the load of homework is spread over the week, so that I don't end up with 4 lots of homework to be marked on the same night I want a life too!!

I work in secondary, so i can't shift I'm afraid....mind you, after Year 9 today I might be tempted!

That sounds eminently sensible, it would all be a bit more bearable with forewarning! I'd gathered you were teaching secondary, that's what I meant about changing jobs really, but it was completely ambiguous, I realise

Oh, and as for horrible year 9, I'm lecturing to 260 medical students tomorrow, if that makes you feel any better!

I bet that none of them will try to hit each other with a stack of weights like the Y9 boys I had to send out of the lab!!!!

Actually it wouldn't surprise me if they did! I used to teach Undergraduate Medics biochemistry practicals and a dafter bunch of 19 years old I have yet to meet! Worrying to think that they are all probably Consultants by now

I have to admit that no, that has yet to occur. Mobile phones are a constant problem though . One of my friends was demonstrating in a biochemistry pracical doing titrations once and found one of the students opening all the cupboards. It transpired that he was looking for the meniscus

LOL hmb! Sounds like your school is like mine Had to send some kids to the head recently as they superglued my monitors, keyboards and mice to the tables!

Our school homework timetable is determined by heads of year, and always gives pupils at least 2 or 3 days to do their work, for non core subjects a week.

I kow this isn't the same as primary but I do think the teacher needs to be following some form of policy - can you speak to her or the head about this?

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Check if they will be offering a SNACK. Ds loves his after-school club, not least because he is allowed to eat Bourbons, jam sandwiches and drink dayglo squash etc until he bursts. In every single other respect I love our club and the ladies who run it, so I haven't moaned, but it is hard to see home-made spinach curry spurned when you get in after a long day
Also, will there be a TV and/or video and who will supervise it.
Do KATZ have their own bullying policy etc, because none of the school's existing ones will apply?
Will children from other schools be joining the club too?
How will you get in touch with the club to say you are running late or whatever? (Our Club's leader has a dedicated mobile number and I think this is the norm).
Hope it works out Batters. Ds is making friends right through the school because of his club. It's a great boon.

DD goes to before and after school club but it is run by the school themselves so the arrangements are very informal. You are asked to provide a snack yourself and they offer water from one of those office water cooler things. I'm not sure what the staff:pupil ratios are, when we get to pick her up there's usually about 10 kids and 3 staff but we are amongst the last to pick up. I suspect the set-up is quite different to what you will get from an external company.