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Original poster

Student teacher insisting ds does his homework at lunchtime.

74 replies

cornsilk · 21/05/2008 19:38

My ds is very disorganised about his homework and often comes home without worksheets etc. School realise this, were advised by ed psych to use organisational cards 2 years ago, which they didn't do. Anyway he has a student teacher at the moment. She has said he has to stay in tomorrow lunchtime to do a maths worksheet. I know for a fact he didn't bring it home as I always check his bag, but she is insisting he had it.
So, can she insist he uses his lunchhour for homework?
Isn't it her responsibility to ensure he has his homework sheet etc if she is enforcing it?
He is 10 by the way.

OP posts:
hana · 21/05/2008 19:39

I would say she can insist that he does the homework at lunch.

Original poster
cornsilk · 21/05/2008 19:41

Don't you think it's her responsibility to ensure he has the worksheet? He definitely didn't bring one home.

OP posts:
Sanctuary · 21/05/2008 19:42

Can you not put a note in saying you checked his bag and there was NO maths homework

Its unfair to be kept in and miss lunch break when he did`nt bring it home to do

Do they have homework books that the teacher writes in and then you have to sign to say its recieved(sp) and done

MarsLady · 21/05/2008 19:43

Children take pieces of paper and lose them in the playground.

HonorMatopoeia · 21/05/2008 19:43

From experience the teacher can make sure the children have the worksheets when they leave the classroom, whether they make it into their bags is a totally different story though.

Original poster
cornsilk · 21/05/2008 19:43

He write his homework in a diary but it is all over the place. He can't organise himself without help and school know this - hence recommendations from ed pysch for them to help him with organisation.

OP posts:
BoysAreLikeDogs · 21/05/2008 19:44

Oh dear, cornsilk.

You might want to have chat with the teacher, to explain (again) about DS and his organisational quirks.

If he had not done his homework then of course do it at lunchtime, but in these circs it seems a bit harsh imo.

RubberDuck · 21/05/2008 19:45

It sounds perfectly fair consequence to me. At 10 he should have some responsibility himself for making sure he brings his homework home and does it and returns it in time, otherwise he's going to be continually in trouble by the time he hits secondary school.

Sanctuary · 21/05/2008 19:45

Ds is 7 and the teacher does`nt ensure homework goes in the bag to come home its up to ds

But we were given a list what homework to expect on what day plus a homework diary.

Original poster
cornsilk · 21/05/2008 19:47

This is a student teacher which is what is pissing me off really. His teacher, to my knowledge, has never made him do his homework at play or lunch. He knows what he's like and is very experienced and has a 'if he does it great, if not, don't get too stressed' attitude to it.

OP posts:
Saturn74 · 21/05/2008 19:49

cornsilk, I think it is unfair that your DS has to stay in at lunchtime when the school haven't provided the organisational cards.

If they were asked to do this 2 years ago, why haven't they?

I would have a quiet word with the student teacher - perhaps the organisational issues haven't been explained to her.

I agree that DS needs to do the homework, but the school need to keep their end of the bargain too - and provide the help that was advised by the ed psych.

guitar · 21/05/2008 19:50

good for her - it might do your son good and i would supprot it 100%

Original poster
cornsilk · 21/05/2008 19:52

Rubberduck - secondary school is over a year away! He has SEN which the school accomodate very well, they've never insisted he do his homework before, even when he has had the sheets.She can't just decide he's having a lunchtime detention now, it goes totally against the approach the school have been taking with him.

OP posts:
RubberDuck · 21/05/2008 19:53

In that case it does seem unfair to change the goal posts wihout prior warning. However, I think my point still stands re: secondary school. I know several neighbours' kids who found the transition of expectation re: homework from primary to secondary one of the most pronounced culture shocks from the transition.

I'm dead against homework for younger primary school children, but years 5 and 6 are a good time to ease gently into the idea and to accept that there are consequences for not doing it too, imo.

guitar · 21/05/2008 19:53

how is he going to learn the importance of trying to pay attention and look after his own stuff if trhere are no consequences for him

is disorganisation now an speacial need or does he have a recognised special need?

Original poster
cornsilk · 21/05/2008 19:54

Thanks Humphrey - basically the school ignored all the advice from the ed pysch,including organisational cards and social stories, even though they requested the assessment. That's been annoying me as well. Think I need to go in and see the Head.

OP posts:
RubberDuck · 21/05/2008 19:55

Ah ... sorry, cross posts and I understand better now. My guess is then is that student teacher hasn't actually been told the strategies that have been agreed and is using techniques appropriate for age rather than for the SEN? Def. go have a word, but without going in all guns blazing

cosima · 21/05/2008 19:56

she probably doesn't know, schools are sometimes really bad at looking after student teachers. i would have a word with the regular classroom teacher

Original poster
cornsilk · 21/05/2008 19:58

I do get quite precious about him! Good job I can get it out of my system on here though.
He is my pfb.

OP posts:
lazymumofteenagesons · 21/05/2008 19:58

That attitiude of 'if he does it great, if not don't get too stressed' is not going to continue into secondary school. I understand he's got a problem with organisation but this is exactly the age/time that he has to learn to take the responsibility. A spell stuck inside doing homework might jolt him into checking he's got everything before home time.

My son is still disorganised at 13. He seems to have solved it by walking round with a bag containing ALL his books - not a good idea!

Homework diaries should be checked by the teacher each week to make sure they are used properly and some sort of merit marks or whatever given when they are. We had to sign the diary each night.

guitar · 21/05/2008 20:00

have these children been taught to make lists and timetables? i don't undertstand this - i am not trying to be deliberately stupid or mean or anything because i'd like to understand

i am coming from the position of hearing that a child is disorganised and the way to deal wiht it is to allow him to be and work round him? what am i missing? why no repurcussion for him forgetting stuff which then reinforces the importance of making notes

how is this equipping them for life?

Original poster
cornsilk · 21/05/2008 20:00

If he'd had the sheet I still wouldn't agree - consistency is really important to him and any changes in routine really upset him. She needs to do what the classteacher does with him.

OP posts:
pointydog · 21/05/2008 20:02

This is a student teacher who has 101 things on his/her plate and cannot absorb the huge amount of information thrown (or not thrown) at him/her perfectly.

Just phone and explain.

And I don't think it is her responsibility to make sure he has taken the sheet home, no. It is, however, the school's repsonsibility and your ds's usual teacher's responsibility, to make sure info about your ds is passed on when necessary.

Original poster
cornsilk · 21/05/2008 20:05

Well if he hasn't got the homework he can't do it. She could have sent a sheet home with him tonight for him to do, but instead she has chosen to give him a lunchtime detention which is completely at odds with the usual routine. She will be very well aware of his needs and difficulties, I have no doubt about that.

OP posts:
Saturn74 · 21/05/2008 20:06

guitar, in our case, DS1 is dyslexic and dyspraxic, so his lack of organisational skills are symptoms of that.

It is helpful when strategies (ie the cards that Cornsilk mentioned) are put in place to help to improve these skills.

DS1 had a very good teacher at his first school, who would email us with a list of what homework had to be done by when.

It meant that I could remind him that he had to go back into the classroom and pick up the homework that he would invariably have wandered out of class without.