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Education

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Original poster

Why do teachers set homework that obviously has to be done by the parents?

78 replies

Twiglett · 21/03/2006 18:23

I've been quite well educated and feel I've done my stint ..

so I would balk at any homework that involved me making something for my child

recently had a dress up for book day .. fine he went as a power ranger (well there's annuals aren't there?) .. but I actually resent the fact that many parents have to either buy something or make something

so what's the benefit then?

OP posts:

joelalie · 22/03/2006 14:36

Not sure Caligula. It's certainly teaching me self-discipline in not yelling at him and leaving home....On a really bad day he gets EVERYONE round the table trying to help him (even DD and DS'2 who's 3) so I suppose you could say it's a family activity of a sort ....

catrin · 22/03/2006 16:45

Personally could not care less if my class do their homework. As far as I am concerned they have done their day's work and need a rest. Rest (IMO) does not include ballet, tennis,swimming, horse riding, football etc. Rest is TV, playing, being a child. I set it because the Government expects me to and I have truckloads of whingy parents who complain if their children do not receive any. I always try to make it fun and where necessary I mark it, give stickers, display it etc as I believe that if the poor kids did it, they can at least be appreciated for it.
(Steps down from soap box)

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 22/03/2006 17:01

maybe I'm missing something here - but if you're spending time with your child making something for school - surely that's also equal to spending quality time with them??

Presentations rather than essays - agree entirely - only need to watch The Apprentice to see how shockingly bad some people are at standing up and 'presenting' something to a group of people. Vital skill in many jobs.

You're just mad because it means you have to spend less time on here (infact I bet the time some of you have spent on this thread you could have got some of those projects complete )

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 22/03/2006 17:32

ooooo - she's killed the thread as they've all run off to make Easter Bonnets and Presentations on the building of St. Pauls Catherdral, and the fall of the Roman Empire

TinyGang · 22/03/2006 17:42

You sound a great teacher to me catrin - my thoughts exactly. I didn't get homework until I went to senior school and my parents didn't get involved.

Actually my dad did used to 'help' me with maths but I so wished he wouldn't. His methods were from when he was taught in the 1940's so we were poles apart. It always ended up with him fuming at me ('can't think what they're teaching you at that school!') and me in tears. Happy days.

mrsdarcy · 22/03/2006 19:05

I have a child in reception and a child in yr1, as well as a small baby. We have homework to do most evenings and although sometimes we all really "click" with it usually it is a complete pain. We have all sorts of lovely books, games etc that we want to read/do together but by the time we've done the homework and had supper the children are either exhausted or have had quite enough of sitting still.

They have 6 hours in school each day and I think that is ample. The evenings should be for playing or doing "educational" things that we chose ourselves, not what school sets us. Or for just doing nothing. I rather resent being told how to spend the few precious hours between hometime and bedtime.

DS1 went to a friend's house after school today and got home at 6.30. He was given homework today that has to be in tomorrow - so either he stays up later than I would like him to, or we don't send the homework in on time.

Caligula · 22/03/2006 19:06

Hmm, I don't see why rest shouldn't include ballet, tennis, etc., if that's what the child enjoys doing. And I don't think the TV is a necessity to rest - generations of children managed without it.

Caligula · 22/03/2006 19:07

Ooh Tinygang - absolutely. I couldn't stand my dad helping me with my homework.

paolosgirl · 22/03/2006 19:21

I think it depends on the amount. DS gets his on a Monday and has to be in for Thursday, and takes him approx 15-20 minutes in total. DD gets hers each night, but takes aprrox 5 mins a night.

I have no problem whatsoever with homework - I like seeing what they are up to, and it's helped highlight a couple of wee problems that we've been able to sort out for them. No big deal - but if it were 30 minutes a night I'd be complaining.

oxocube · 22/03/2006 20:06

Have just spent afternoon helping ds (10) with is project - Nazi occupation of Holland. Was actually really interesting - I learned loads!! Tomorrow dd (8) has to finish her 5 minute presentation to rest of class on the invention of the cocoa press! Her choice of subject, not mine!!!! Have no objection to helping with homework projects as long as not every week (and dd needs a lot of help) but I am a SAHM so can make time. Can't imagine working FT and having to come back home to it though

Tortington · 22/03/2006 20:14

its not homework per se but the type of homework.

i do spend quality time with my children - its how they do their homework in the first place - i mean really, two 13 year olds are hardly going to complete a poem, maths homework or an essay whilst i am sat on the sofa watching oprah! its the type of homework i get annoyed at.

presentations, dressing up, book day dressing up, fancy dress days etc.

my dd got homework which involved her making a german tape for the lesson. tape? jesus - who am i? what year is this exactly? she had to do it in break time at school.

some stuff is just not thought through and often the cost involved is forgotten. especially when it comes to things like tapes, tape recorders, computers printers, printer cartridges, paper, art materials etc.

Tortington · 22/03/2006 20:15

exactly oxo.

Blandmum · 22/03/2006 20:18

re the computer stuff, check with your school to see if they make facilities available for the kids out of lesson time. Our school does. I had one parent complaining to my that her little cherub wouldn't do his homework because they didn't have a computer. I pointed out that son could have done homework at any break or lunch time or in the hour after school! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG silence followed by the sound of the shit hitting the fan!

Tortington · 22/03/2006 20:28

oh - it does mb - but then we arn't spending "quality time" are we! :)

the argument about quality time with parents that people have brought up would be negated if they did homework at school

Blandmum · 22/03/2006 20:35

I never expect parents to do the H/W....support, yes, and encourage, but I want the work to bethat of the child. If not, then how do I guage how well they understand the topic? I'm not intereted in knowing if their parent can list the enzymes of digestion, I want to know that they can do it!

Nightynight · 22/03/2006 20:38

I am quite surprised by these descriptions of homework. My children never get anything as complicated or expensive, thank goodness. They get a lot of learning off by heart to do.
I dont think I could handle arty/crafty homework.

hellywobs · 24/03/2006 20:03

Why do primary school kids get homework at all? Reading exercises yes and maybe learning spellings and tables but anything else is just too much. I never had to do homework apart from the above and maybe the odd voluntary project on stuff like nature or the weather (and that was when I was older). I just don't get it.

And don't get me started on dressing up! My ds's nursery do it and it drives me potty!! It's there for working parents and then it expects us to find time to prepare fancy dress outfits......AAAAGH!! (and I am not creative, if I were it might not be so bad)

nooka · 24/03/2006 21:20

Boy, I'm glad my children don't go to some of the schools you have posted about! We usually get a sheet a week from the reception teacher which lets us know what they are up to, and what to encourage (usually particular sounds), and a homework task once in a while on a Friday (usually a 5-10 minute exercise of some sort). She has books, but no-one seems to mind if we actually read them or not. ds is in yr2, and has 7 spellings most weeks (over half term he had 30!) books to bring home (occasionally read - we prefer to use the library) and a homework task perhaps every fortnight on a Friday. These tend to be of the home science variety, and mostly quite fun. I do try and do these with him, because it's one of the few things that gets him a star and his little sister, being a "Perfect Peter" sort of girl gets far more than he does. I am a working mum, and the children spend half the week with their dad (also working) so craft type projects would be a nightmare. I remember doing finding out sort of projects in the holidays once I was in juniors, and quite look forward to helping with those, but I'm not quite sure how I will manage it!

elmie · 24/03/2006 23:03

I hate anything to do with dressing up, I have boys, which is less press for me. And don't get me started with Homework!
My older son is fine but it really bothers me when they ask for it the next day! I had to buy loads of infor books for my son, because sometimes we don't have time to go anywhere. And my 5 yr hates Homework-spelling,handwriting,maths- he just wants to play!!!!!

wickedwinterwitch · 04/12/2006 19:24

I'm just resurrecting this thread to have a moan as ds brought home a project recently that I have had to help with a LOT and I'm PISSED off with it. I haven't got time and I don't want to do it. But I have, obviously, because he couldn't have done it alone, it involved research and I needed to help.
Anyway, just wanted a moan, thanks for listening.

7swansaswimmingup · 04/12/2006 19:26

hear hear, well said! my ds bought home spanish homework the other week, hes year 7, hedidnt have a clue and nor did i.i told him to go ask her how to do it the next day but he was told she was busy. he bought it home again and i fathomed out some of it just to keep him from getting an hour and half after school detention

Wordsmith · 05/12/2006 13:22

7swans - would your 7 year old really get an hour and a half's detention for not doing homeowrk?

PartridgeinaRustyBearTree · 05/12/2006 13:30

I think he's Year 7, ie 11-12, not 7 years old

Wordsmith · 05/12/2006 14:46

Whoops! mis-read. Still seems steep.

7swansaswimmingup · 05/12/2006 17:59

yea it is year 7 wordsworth, hes one of the eldest at 12. if you miss one homework you get the after school, seems a bit much too me

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