is homework at age 6 to blame for high levels of parental involvement in homework throughout school?

[thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat]

me and dh were just thinking - if you give a 6 year old homework it is not something they can be responsible for. Rather, it becomes something for which parents must take responsibility. When we were at school, we didn't get homework until we were 11. At that age we were expected to take full responsibility for it. Our parents never even knew what it was. Their involvement comprised no more than the occasional "have you done your homework?" This was the case throughout secondary school. Now that 6 year olds have homework, parental involvement becomes obligatory - children learn that homework is something they do with their parents, not something they do independently. Parents are left having to wean children off parental involvement or - as seems to be the case - letting it continue. And children simply don't get the opportunity to work in a truly independent way and truly take responsibility for their work. what do you think?

I used to be quite anti homework in primary schools but actually have found both the schools ours have been to have had such minimal homework, say 5 mins a week for dd1 in year 1, (plus the reading books a couple of times a week) and the school hasn't minded if we don't do it (if we just write in that we were too busy that week, or away all weekend). I've actually found it really useful as a way of seeing how dd1, always uncommunicative about her school day, is doing.

am now rather in favour of it, but then both our schools have been relaxed about it so there's not much pressure.

Doing maths homework with my 10-yr-old is my least favourite thing about motherhood. I get furious and he gets stressed. If I d wanted to be a teacher I d have trained.

But his teacher said, after he handed in maths with lots wrong because I d let him do it alone. "Oh do it with him, go through it and check it."

So I have to do her job for her and then he always hands in perfect work. What s the point of that/

And all that coursework at secondary school. Parents helping is cheating in my view. But it is expected. I am dreading having to do that.

I am a secondary teacher. I do not want parents to do the h/w with their children/for their children.

Support them, yes, get them somewhere where they can concentrate etc, check that they are attempting it, and trying for the right amount of time (so they can't look at it and decide they can't do it with no effort).

But don't do the work with them!

I want to know if the kids understand the work, that is most often why I set the h/w in the first place.

I don't mind if they get it wrong, as long as I get the chance to clear up any misunderstandings.

We don't now allow course work to be done anywhere except in the classroom

I do see where you are coming from hat but am not sure if that is how it works out.

So far we have not had a problem with homework. All DS (Y1) has is a reading book which we read every night until we are bored with it (he has generally memorised a lot of it) then send it back. We are due spellings at some point this term. But I had readings and spellings when I was in infants school.

We had to do a costume for World Book Day as well. That is the only other extra I can think of.

Can't remeber who it was said that homework at primary stage was a 'great eleveller' - apart from Polly Toynbee that is - but I totally disagree. Homework at primary stage is great if

a) you don't work OTH therefore have time with your kids from say 3.30 to 6pm;
b) you don't have after school activities like karate or ballet or football or brownies or whatever;
c) you don't have toddlers who want attention at the same time.

Unless you have a genius 6 year old, the sorry truth is that, as the OP says, homework is just as much about the parents input as the child's. In fact my DS's homework is sometimes mainly our input than his, because it's dealing with a concept he finds hard to grasp. He resents having to do homework on a Saturday morning when he'd rather be outside playing, and I have to say I agree with him. But at the same time he knows he 'should' do it otherwise he might 'fall behind' (not concepts we have introduced knowingly) so he feels crap at having to do it and crap because he feels he has to do it, if you get my drift. I hate KS1 homework with a passion - because I know ds1 would willingly write and draw under his own steam if he was just left to discover things at his own speed.

It's almost impossible for him to concentrate when he does do it beacuse his 2 year old brother want to 'help'! (Which is cute of him but....).

I don't believe it teaches my DS anything, sorry. Certainly nothing about working stuff out for himself.

Message withdrawn

oh, I am glad I am not alone in feeling primary school homework is unfair to larger or particularly stressed families!

At my primary school, we are meant to hear your child read 4 or 5 times a week, and add comments in their reading record book each time. If you skip it a lot, you are letting down your child. All books go to the head. Well filled in books get praise and bonus points. So that's 10 minutes 4 or 5 times a week.

Then there's the dreaded spelling test. Spelling list each week, even in reception. Space on list to show child has written and practised words (needs parent supervision, this) spelling test in class, marks recorded throughout the year, bonus points rewarded. Practising spellings - 30 mins a week or more.

Imagine if you have 3 chilren, not the one. It soon tots up.

And that's the minimum....

We are also asked to read proper story books to our children to improve their vocabularly.

We have worksheets each week - IME children always need adult help with these. Anything from 10 minutes to 2 hours. Again, not so bad with one, but imagine are multiplying that by 3 or 4!!

I only have two children and one of them is at secondary school so works independently, mostly. I do get back from work no later than 6.00 pm - and plenty of parents get back far later than is.

But even so, I can hardly keep on top of the work, we always rush through it and I and rarely read story books to my youngest just for fun. I absolutely was dreading the start of team again - the evening treadmill.

I just don't know how parents at my son's primary school do all the required work when they have 3 or more children.

I do not know how much the teachers use homework and spelling test marks to determine streaming but assume it helps them decide. Also reading level - and we are told as parents that regular reading really improves our childnren's literacy. So it stands to reason that children whose parents are too busy in the evening to regularly hear them read will be disadvantaged.

Are you really supposed to write in the reading record every night tigermoth? I only write in it when he is changing books. So probably twice a week. And DH has never written in it and we do share the reading. I actually don't find the reading that much of a chore. Other than that DD has 3 books that she insists on having read every time DS reads his reading book. I am getting rather sick of That's Not My Puppy, Little Bear and Maisy's Fire Engine.

if you have 3 children or more you have to get used to the idea that they aren't going to get as much attention in these things, homework or no homework (yesterday I was strongly tempted to shut dd2 in a cupboard to stop her disturbing dd1's reading practice).

i get dd1 and dd2 to read to the toddler. while I get on with something else. that can work quite well.

At the state school my DS attends, it is part of the agreement that parents support children with their homework. (I guess that could be broadly interpreted to mean all sorts of different things).
DS, now in Year 2, has been bringing home reading home since reception & the parents are supposed to make time to do a bit every evening & write in the record book. We have started on spellings too now - deep joy. Despite moaning though, I'm glad they do it.
I have found it a PITA some nights but the progress DS (an extremely reluctant reader) has made me think it is worthwhile. DD is starting this year, & I know that it will be painful - but worth it I think.

God....how many thread about primary school homework have I started over the last few years??

I dread to think TBH.

The thing I don't understand is this-
When I was 5,6, 7 yrs old(or any school ages really) there was a class of 30+ (mostly) and one teacher.
ONE teacher and we never got homework.

Now, they have a teacher, a teaching assistant and often parents helping out too but they get homework 2 or 3 time a week.

How much do they have to learn in one day...and why with all thos adults can't they fit it all into school hours.

Homework for children under 11 should be banned IMO

I agree with everyone here too. i have 3 (year 2,year 3,year 4!).last night was the first time my son (yr 3) had ever brought homework home (apart from reading books).Think it came as a bit of a shock to him that he couldn't play out;go on playstation etc.until he'd completed it....it's all very well teachers saying "don't make them do it straightaway,let them play out first..."etc.but i still have to get their tea ready,bath/shower them,get them to bed.there's no way i'd get them in early to do homework.Funny thing was that I commented - jokingly - to my son's teacher how "excited" he'd been this morning cos he was getting homework tonight." To which she replied,"They're "sad" these kids, aren't they!"!!!!

DS#1's teacher last year (yr 4) readily admitted that in many cases she was marking the parents' work But in theory it was getting the children used to the idea of hw.

I agree with all points made against homework so earle they have to do colouring etc argument is too early. At the village school were I live they get homework at 4!!! For example colouring. Argument given is to get parents involved. I find it a disgrace, teachers should teach and I do my job, why do I have to do their job on top of mine. I want to decide what to do with dd after school.

As a primary teacher, I find the idea of most hw at our level both overburdening and pointless. The spellings need to be done and there is so little time in the curriculum that learning them at home is the best idea. However, even very young ones can do this independently especially if sent home with a 'look,say,cover,write,check' sheet which they love filling in until they reach about Y5.
Reading can and should be practised at home but it shouldn't be a rigid activity nor should it always be from a prescribed school reading book. Reading menus or tv listings can be just as good.
IMO, cloze type worksheets do nothing to enhance a child's learning. They are given out because hw is expected both by government and by parents. I have had a group of parents complain that their Y4 children was not given enough hw for every day of the Easter hols. Obviously a playground talking point.

Prep work for a particular lesson also has its place. I've often sent home a tally sheet asking a child to investigate how many wooden/plastic/metal objects they can find in their bedroom in preparation for a science lesson. Or asked them to find out how many objects in their lounge have a moving part (D&T).
This type of hw only has to happen once every half term and its this type which will better prepare them for the independent learning which will take place at secondary school. Not dull bloody boring worksheets which they don't want to do, I don't want to mark and neither them nor I learn anything from. I learn far more from checking their progress during a lesson, marking their books regularly and setting them achievable targets.

Lastly, I would just like to say that as a teacher, I would far rather the children in my class went home and relaxed after school. They need to spend quality time with their parents and come back refreshed otherwise my job is 10x harder.

I agree with everything said. My two are still babies at the moment so I don't have to worry about homework for a while yet, but my cousin's little one gets LOADS of homework, and has done since about the age of 4.

When I was at school they dodn't believe in homework at primary school age, and it wasn't until I was 11 and went to high school that it started. Much better IMO.

FFS...just checked Ds1 bookbag and found instructions on his weekly spelling tests.

HE'S 5 YEARS OLD FGS

not ds1 ...DS2's bookbag.

FGS I'm knackered, he's knackered....I don't want to do spellings.

I absolutely agree. My 3 year old, when she started at school - youngest in class, born 28 August, so just over 3 - was given homework almost from the beginning. My 6 year old frequently gets homework at weekend that takes 2-3 hours! Castigated as bad parent if don't do it, but a lot of it is v dull, and has led to my dd objecting to homework, saying maths is boring - just seems to put them off, not help them. Also supposed to read reading book daily and write in book but have just ignored that and read/encouraged them to read whatever they wanted - result that dd1 is top of class at reading, so school can hardly complain, in fact last year none of reading books in classroom were appropriate; she had to go and get one from year above's stash.

I never had homework till secondary school and went to v good, high achieving primary - the kids did well because the teachers taught well during school hours, not because parents expected to do teachers job for them in valuable free time.

Grrr... sound of steam being let off.

carolt,
at 2-3 hours for 6yo. Childhood weekends
are far to precious to spend doing homework.

I thikn about 25% of the homework doesn't get done at all in my son's class (some kids only do 1 or 2 of the 5 assignments a week, most kids miss at least one assignment a month).
So, parents not overly involved. As usual, am thinking I live in a different universe from others.

I have 3 primary school age children. They all hate homework and try to avoid it when possible. I have 3 sets of nagging to do, and 3 children to physically sit down, and then to help when they have a problem,which is pretty much all the time.
We have spent many weekends doing nothing but homework all day on Sunday, Saturday being taken up with necessary shopping/cleaning.
Homework just makes our lives miserable, and they dont need it at that age, fgs. People aren't leaving university knowing more than they did in the 80s.

and parents who demand more homework for their children should be put in the stocks, imo!

MY dd is barely 4 (Aug) and has just started Reception and had her 1st homework tonight. Ok, it is just reading a book, I think she is far too young to start full time school, I want her to have fun, so far every day I have dropped her off at school she has cried from the minute we leave the house. She comes home exhausted, we read to her every night but I want her to chose what to read. Surely there is enough pressure later on in school life and life in general, why cant we just let them be kids while they still can.

I only done homework in secondary school but even then it caused me and my family a lot of hassle, I hated and they hated and caused our family a lot of stress.

Who on earth invented homework?