YR2 maths homework..I know, I know, bear with me.

[lovecheese]

Purpose??

To consolidate, teach or stretch??

Depends on the homework, our school give homework from foundation though none of it is really,compusory, some is consolidation, some an opprtunity to do something creative (oh isn't Flossie's Mummy very good at drawing!) and some just to get them around the idea that homework is part and parcel of the school 'thing'.

I would say it depends on the child and their abilities. Take my dd and her friend, dd described by school as very able mathematician it is to stretch. Her friend it is to consolidate.

Forgot say obviously the stuff they get is different.

For DD, it's almost entirely consolidation of the topic covered that week. The more able pupils also get one or two additional extension questions.

So if 7 or 8 x tables questions are answered within 20 seconds do you think the child should be getting different homework? Because TBH there was little point in DD doing it.

Could be worse. DD (Y2) has been given 2 and 10 times table. The first test in them in order and the second week is out of order. Also telling the time in quarter past and half past. I popped in one morning to ask if she could do something more challenging as she knows all these back to front and has for a good year. Nothing has changed though so I just carry on doing stuff at home with her when I get a chance.

Meant to add I also said she can also do 5 to and 20 to etc but she hasnt been given any of this type of work by the teacher.

I think you should be pleased that she's clearly doing well in Maths and you can do whatever you want for the rest of the weekend.

This is my personal view.

I've got a DD that did the first couple of years in a different system. The homework you are talking for her would be ok.

My DS on the other hand has only just started reception and is 17 months younger than DS and looks like he might be able to accelerate his learning a little more than just the in class work.

I make the decision to do extra bits with both of them at home. Should I then expect the teachers then to not give DS his alphabet and tricky words because he can do them.

If I have covered the material at home there will be points where my DD or DS might be repeating some stuff at school. It's my job, obviously, to make sure I get the balance right. Quite frankly I'd be happy to know they are doing well and you can skip homework (or just take less time to do it because they know what they are doing).

to waste time when they could be doing something else because they can't manage to do it during six hours at school every day?

times tables should beknown instantly, 20 secs isn't good enough

that's the point of times tables

I think if your DC can do their 7 and 8 times tables in 20 seconds they are doing amazingly well!

at y2 maybe but by y3/4 they should be quicker than that

was talking about tt in general about speed being the pointof them

after all you can work it out in twentysecs

DD is in Y4 - they are not yet xpected to be able to do 7/8 x tables that quick just yet. They are still working on them as instant recall. They are currently given aroun 20 seconds but this reduced to 10 and then 5 later.

Homework has various functions. It should, howeverm never be to teach - that is what school should do.

Could be:

• consolidate learning
• stretch and challenge more able
• research a topic prior to a coming lesson

for example.

that's the shame of it -- they can learn them younger but they don't

They really ought to know their twelves instantly by y4/5

Not convinced they actually need to though appletrees - far better to learn hiow numbers work in relation to one another, what multiplication really means, why we use such calculations, etc - and then learn the instant recall once they actually understand what they are trying to learn.

of course you need to know them

learning fractions, algebra, geometry is about one thousand times harder if you don't

"why we use such calculations etc"..guff

Yes, eventually you need to learn them heart, of course. But I think it is 100 times mor eimportant to understand why and to understand what multiplication actually is and why we use it, than to just rope learn.

That is mu personally opinion. So no need to guuff just because it is different to yours. Each to their own.

I think it is well worth learning tables rote fashion when young.

What, 20 seconds to answer 1 question? Like 8*7 etc? That's not very quick, is it?

Hmm. Will test DS later.

It is guff though, it's why standards are dropping.

It's guff because it delays other kinds of maths which are harder without instant recall.

Also, it disadvantages people who are no good at maths. Rote learning of tt is a very valuable achievement for them.

It's just confusing to not have your times tables when you're doing fractions and early word problems. more than confusing -- can seriously affect achievement, self confidence, self esteem, enjoyment of maths and yes, understanding.

I stand by guff, with knobs on.

I bow to the teachers' expertise on this: I was very about rote learning tables at first. Now DS1 is in Y7 and a maths whizzkid, it is exactly the sort of thing he no longer needs to think about.

Our school ran a really useful workshop for ageing parents on how maths is taught these days and some of the principles behind it. It was VERY useful and reassured me that the reasons he was doing things the way he does was good practice.

Once he's able to do it their way, he often finds the 'quicker' but less 'explanatory' methods I am used to.

Learning multiplication facts is not the same as NOT teaching them how it works - they do that bit separately: it is a building block to give them confidence. A bit like the way phonics and 'real words' is done together in most schools...

But - in your opinion.

Learning by rote is not ideal for all children, esp ones who have difficulties (and I don't mean specificl learning difficulties such as dyscalcula, but general) with numbers. It can make life harder for them. They need to understand what they are doing or can't apply. Have seen it happen.

Just like now we don't teach reading by word memory buut through phonic, so children see how letters wrk and how words can be put together. It is the same principle.

But anyway - I can see it is two different view points. Both equally valid. Age old discusions throughout education for years. fashions change constantly. We will no doubt go abck to rote learning at some point, and then back aagin as well.