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Original poster

Who hates homework?

58 replies

poppiesinaline · 16/01/2006 16:18

I HATE HOMEWORK! The strops and tantrums DS has over homework really gets me down. No matter when he does it, no matter what it is, he cries, he grumps and kicks the chair and it always takes him forever to finish it!

I can't stand it! He is presently crying over his maths homework. I have checked that he understands it - which he says he does, he just can't be bothered basically! Please tell me I am not alone. And please has anyone got any tips to make this better for me and DS! (He is 9 btw)

OP posts:
Aloha · 16/01/2006 18:48

I think homework at primary is just wrong. I really do. I absolutely dread it for ds.

Aloha · 16/01/2006 18:49

Homework at NURSERY???? FFS.

jenkel · 16/01/2006 18:52

No experience of school yet, but I dread homework based on my experience when I was at school.

Homework caused me a lot of tears and a lot of stress in our family. If I didnt understand it in class how on earth would I understand it at home, I just ended up feeling ashamed that I had got my homework wrong, a big point was made of the homework scores so I just ended up feeling very stupid, I dont feel that making kids feel ashamed is the best way to teach.

emkana · 16/01/2006 19:22

I agree with aloha entirely. Even in secondary school the amount of homework given is too much IMO. With a full day at school as well there is just no time left for them to do other things. I'm an ex-teacher and I used to teach languages. I had to set homework on certain nights which I found soooooooo annoying because sometimes I just had to make something up because it was "my" night to set h/w. Pointless.

edgetop · 16/01/2006 19:32

i think when they have been in school all day,they have done enough.also it puts pressure on the parents that dont feel they can help.

Tommy · 16/01/2006 19:37

I know aloha - it;s obviously not difficult - colouring in or sticking and stuff but I think it's unfair if I forget about it and then he doesn't get his certificate. I guess the nursery is trying to "train" them ready for school....

PeachyClair · 16/01/2006 19:44

DS2 got homework from second week of reception, proper heavy stuff such as three pages writing. I can't help but wonder if a small bit of practice at nursery, fun stuff obv, might have set him up for it?

Original poster
poppiesinaline · 16/01/2006 19:51

Can I ask. These 'full on' homework in Nursery and Reception - are they private schools or state. Just wondering thats all. My friends kids go to private school and I couldn't believe the amount of homework at such a young age.

OP posts:
PeachyClair · 16/01/2006 19:58

Local C of W infants.

drosophila · 16/01/2006 20:05

God, I hated homework. That's the best thing about working - no homework!!!

cod · 16/01/2006 20:07

Message withdrawn

harpsichordcarrier · 16/01/2006 20:14

i agree with Aloha
I think it is totally unnecessary and downright counterproductive in primary school
in NURSERY well that's just too appalling for words

Nightynight · 16/01/2006 20:20

another homework hater here

singersgirl · 16/01/2006 20:38

Me too - though I don't hate it as much as DS1.
Think I will try Roisin's approach - we do have a 'no TV/screen time' rule before homework, but since they don't watch every day anyway that doesn't always work.

Thank goodness DS2 in Reception only gets reading - though even then it's a struggle to fit it in with a tired 4 year old, so we don't always bother unless he wants to read.

suedonim · 16/01/2006 21:42

I loathe homework for younger primary-age pupils. Reading a book is fine but I don't think there's much value in anything more complex at this stage.

Having had three children go through the school system, thus far, I can tell you that learning the responsibilities of homework at age 5 categorically does not mean they'll do their homework like lambs at age 14! Homework just means a new battle to learn the responsibility every wretched day.

LIZS · 16/01/2006 21:44

Generally find it a bit of a bind but tonight ds did it quite happily after a bit of a prod. One page of subtractions involving borrowing and 10 spellings for tomorrow (catching up from when he didn't want to do them last week )

Tommy · 17/01/2006 08:41

DS1 is at nursery class of local school - it's a bit more "schooly" than other pre schools.

wordgirl · 17/01/2006 10:05

Here's some ammunition for the homework haters amongst us!

LIZS · 17/01/2006 13:56

Tommy , that seems a bit extreme for nursery class . Seemes way too young to "train" them like that. dd is in Reception has a reading book a night and tin of sight words ot practice. She brought home a look, say, write list of 3 words and a ORT workbook to start at the weekend.

catflap · 17/01/2006 14:14

I have talked to many teachers and read the opinions of thousands more on message boards and I haven't found one that can tell me what the point if homework is. They all resent giving it and feel it is a waste of time and effort on all parts!

I used to teach, and dd won't be doing any for as long as I can help it, unless she wants to.

When children get home from their long, hard day of doing things that only cover a limited part of this life they are supposed to be being prepared for, they need to relax, refresh their brains and bodies and engage in the other aspects of life.

I intend to go into school and state that my child will not be doing homework. I intend to support all other areas of school life, but not this one, which is so meaningless. As long as the school understands that is the parents' belief and desire, a child should not therefore be punished for it. Might cause a bit of a rebellion, though! I hope...!

PeachyClair · 17/01/2006 14:59

DS2 gets two books a week, (just checked the list), twenty flashcards, sound of the week, Welsh phrase of the week, and three pages of sounds writing- six this week as he didn't do last week. DS1 gets significantly less, not quite sure what's going on there- stopped suddenly. everyone else in his class gets MAths which he likes, he just gets Spelling.

Bink · 17/01/2006 15:15

Well, better have a lonely dissenter.

Set sensibly, I quite like homework. It makes a bridge between home and school, and it means I can see, in proper depth, what they're learning about & how - and where any difficulties (or lack of challenge) are coming up. I simply wouldn't get that insight any other way.

Ds (yr2) gets a not-too-boring weekly worksheet, couple of books, 10 spellings, and some maths. Everything but the books is done swiftly (20 mins a day), and we spend an hour or so on the reading at the weekend.

Dd (yr1) gets the books and the spellings - not the worksheet or maths yet.

Tommy · 17/01/2006 15:28

agree with you Lizs. I think it's probably aimed at parents who don't do much with their chidlren at home to get them to do things together. Is a pain though !

Aloha · 17/01/2006 16:05

Wordgirl, I've just printed that out as ammunition. Do not intend to fight ds every night!

jetlagdZebra · 17/01/2006 18:47

Agree with Bink... I really like doing homework with DS because it gives me insight into what he's learning & how he is learning. Also, what his strengths & weaknesses are.

Except I don't like doing it because DS doesn't like having to stop play to sit down & think hard on things, so it's a bit like pulling teeth to get him to do it.

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