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Primary education

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Original poster

Yr 1 DS not doing too well

46 replies

KwaziiHunt · 12/12/2011 17:05

I started a thread last week about my Yr1 August born DS struggling with Yr1.
We had an end of term assessment given to us last week and my fears have been confirmed he is clearly struggling.

The assessment gave us the average level at end of autumn term Y1, his level at start of term, his level now and his effort.

In Maths he has stayed at the same level and his effort is satisfactory. In reading and writing he has increased although only marginally and his effort is poor. He is below expected levels in all areas.

The expected levels doesn't concern me as much as not making progress, but even more worrying not making an effort and, as far as I can tell, not engaging with school.

I am seeing his teacher after school on Wednesday to talk this through and want to make sure I am clear headed about what I want to talk about.

He has been telling us for a while that it is hard and not fun and when I try and do homework with him he switches off completely.

Things I will raise:
He has not made any progress in Maths and yet this is where he has made most effort. What strategies do you have to make sure he makes progress next term?

he does not seem to make any effort. What does this mean? Does he not try at all? What can we all be doing to make lessons more relevant to him and how will you be making sure he engages with the learning process rather tham being fixated on the outcome?

What do you do currently do to encourage him? Is there any of his work on the walls, does he get points for his work?

The homework almost always seems beyond him and/or takes a good few hours over the weekend to complete. This is causing him stress and makes him feel even more that 'he can't do it'. Can we just not do the homework and I will read and do some simple maths with him each day after school for 10 minutes.

What can we all do to make sure he engages with the process of learning because at the moment school is not working for him. He is not happy, he is not making any effort and he is not progressing.

Sorry that is long. I really want to work with the school and want to get the teacher onside. Does this sound OK? Am I being too precious?

OP posts:
LIZS · 12/12/2011 17:14

Ask whether they feel he would benefit from any one to one support and /or an IEP with targets specifically for him to achieve and build his confidence. As to homework she may need to differentiate the work set more to allow for him doing less in the time and at a more basic level. Have you been making him spend extra time on it, I'd suggest doing what he can, stopping at the end of the time suggested and writing a note to say what he has found difficult ro not understood.

Original poster
KwaziiHunt · 12/12/2011 17:16

Thanks.
I think his homework needs to be achievable as that would build his confidence.

I will add one to one support on there.

OP posts:
seeker · 12/12/2011 17:21

If his homework takes "a good few hours" then it's either too much or too hard. Does the school have a homework policy? I think year 1s aren't supposed to have more than 20 minutes a day.

TheProvincialLady · 12/12/2011 17:26

It sounds like they are not treayting him as an individual, not setting work at his level and not setting him achievable targets. No wonder he is not willing to try - I wouldn't keep trying at something that seemed pointless as I could never do it. Is it just homework or does this apply during the school day, is something I would want to know. In the short term I would stop doing the homework with him and start right back at the most basic level, finding something he can do and doing it a lot until his confidence and interest returns, in maths and literacy. Lots of praise for trying, not for achievement.

strictlovingmum · 12/12/2011 17:29

What is his homework?
Why does it take so long to complete?
Do you leave all the homework for the weekend? If yes, why?
I am gathering his maths is simple sums ( adding and taking away up to 20)
IMO don't sit him down and teach it formally, but rather in the fun way casually, mental maths, use objects, anything that will hold his attention, simple additions such as what is 2+2, 3+3,4+4 and 1 more then, secure him up to 10 first and slowly build up to 20, it worked very well for us and brought DD up to speed.
Do every day five minutes of casual, fun maths and in few weeks you will see huge difference in confidence and knowledge.
And of course he is still so young, don't make it a chore but try and make it fun, and most importantly don't stress him out.

Original poster
KwaziiHunt · 12/12/2011 17:29

They have recently done their homework policy so I will make sure I read that before I go and check how long it is supposed to take.

I will raise the fact that homework is not achievable and ask if it is the same in the classroom. That is a good way of tackling it. He has completely switched off and when I do raise it she tells me he just wants to play but that is not unusual in a 5 year old boy and whilst I agree with this it doesn't help him much.
There seems to be a lot of keeping an eye on situations and not much making things better.

OP posts:
2BoysTooLoud · 12/12/2011 17:42

A lot of children in year 1 don't have homework - my ds has minimal in year 2. I think your comments sound very reasonable.
The teachers need to talk about how they are engaging him and how they have come to the conclusion he is making little effort. He is very young compared to others in his year and may be feeling overwhelmed.
Good luck.

Original poster
KwaziiHunt · 12/12/2011 17:44

strictlovingmum - His homework is given on a Friday and needs to be in on a Tuesday, so we do some Saturday some Sunday and some Monday.

An example of homework is:
7 number lines with numbers missing. The number lines are all different and might be going up or down. They are going up or down in 2's or 3's and starting at different points. So, maybe starting at 2 and going up in 2's or starting at 34 and going down in 3's.
So, he needed to work out how many we were going up or down in and then put the missing numbers in.
He did not understand it. We broke it down in to manageable chunks and then did it. He still didn't understand it.
We did 3 and then gave up.

He also had literacy homework on top of this.

I do try and make it fun, but he is stressed and anxious as soon as he sees that sodding yellow book.

I did 5 minutes after school with him today. He ordered his numbers 1- 30 and it was fine and manageable and I praised him for his effort and concentration.

OP posts:
2BoysTooLoud · 12/12/2011 17:47

In my experience that numeracy sound quite tough for year 1.

concretefeet · 12/12/2011 17:51

I would be approaching it more from asking her why she thinks his effort is poor. Does she see he is not happy? My summer born doesn't engage when he finds the work too hard. How secure are his phonics?
I wouldn't be worried about work on the walls or points for work. I would also be happy they are focusing on the outcome, as if you don't measure ,how can you check each child has understood?
I wouldn't be doing any homework that is taking that long in year 1. What are they setting that takes so long?
How about this . I do a little bit of dancing bears and we play with numicon or dominoes or snakes and ladders each day. That is enough.
A little bit each day does help. My older child,also summer born,started to really progress in year 2 and by the end of primary was well ahead.

Original poster
KwaziiHunt · 12/12/2011 17:57

When I say not focussing on the outcome, what I mean is that at this point we need to get him engaged.
If he feels he can't do it he won't try. He has high expectations of himself and will give up if he thinks he can't do it.
We need to work at getting him to understand that it is about trying to do the work, not about whether he gets it right first time. Does that make sense?

But yes - I think asking why she thinks his effort is poor is a good place to start.

And what I mean about work on the walls and points is that he needs to be encouraged and he needs to feel he is doing well. He needs some praise right now and to feel like he is doing well (even if he isn't really :) )

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superego · 12/12/2011 17:59

That maths homework sounds very difficult for a 'below average' child to be doing.

2BoysTooLoud · 12/12/2011 18:00

If they are not careful they are going to switch him off education and school at age 5. I actually feel quite angry that your poor son is being pressurised so much with home work and 'outcomes' when so little.

concretefeet · 12/12/2011 18:01

He obviously doesn 't understand the homework ,so it seems pretty pointless.
I would just be doing lower numbers up to 20 counting in twos and threes with a number line, but something physical such as an abacus or cusinere rods with my ds as this works for him. His homework is much easier - he can basically do it without any help from me.

concretefeet · 12/12/2011 18:07

What you are saying is quite reasonable. My ds is similar and doesn't like to get things wrong but his teacher is very positive about his attempts and this has really helped.
I would be asking her whether she has noticed he is quite hard on himself and doesn't like to get things wrong and is this why his effort grade is poor? What can she do about this?

strictlovingmum · 12/12/2011 18:14

Sounds tough for any five year oldConfused, TBH DD didn't have any maths homework this first Y1 term, we did get the sodding number line, but I didn't use it with her at all, I do understand DD is using it in the classroom.
As I said simple practical maths my DD enjoys, she doesn't see it as a chore at all adding and taking away is fun and she is getting very confident, see with your DS teacher if she is willing to set different more relaxed maths homework, maybe just to ease him in and boost his confidence.
Forgive me, but I just don't get the importance of counting up and down the number line at all, nor do I understand importance of so much homework for a five year old, what is teacher trying to achieve, put them off for life.Sad

Original poster
KwaziiHunt · 12/12/2011 18:21

Thank you all.
I feel quite angry too. He loves life and asks question after question and school should be something he loves.

I feel more confident that I can go in there and question what they are doing for him.

The homework is ridiculous. He forgot to bring it home on friday and our weekend was so much better for it. I also for got to mention to his teacher that we hadn't got it.

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KTk9 · 12/12/2011 18:36

My dd is in Yr 2 (7 yrs) and that maths homework is exactly what they were bringing home a couple of weeks ago.

I am not sure if they were just going over old work, or that was this years work, as she has just moved schools.

I remember her doing something similar in Yr 1, but am sure it was only in 1's and 2's and only up to 20.

It would be interesting to hear from other teachers.

Is he in a Private school, as my dd has just moved to one and I think they push a bit harder on the homework front than her old state school.

crazygracieuk · 12/12/2011 18:46

My son is in y1, above average in maths and bringing home easier work than your son. Is he in top group maths or a really pushy private? His maths takes 5-10 minutes, literacy is spelling practice (5 minutes) and reading (10 minutes) .

whatstheetiquette · 12/12/2011 18:54

My Y1 DS couldn't do the homework you have outlined. In fact, there is no numeracy homework in our school at Y1, only literacy (reading books, learning irregular words and spelling depending on what day it is).

I would ask the teacher for easier homework to increase your DS's confidence.

Original poster
KwaziiHunt · 12/12/2011 19:06

That is very interesting to hear what you think of that homework.

Definitely not a pushy private. A state school and he is in the middle group for Maths.

I am wondering if they know what they are doing Confused

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strictlovingmum · 12/12/2011 19:18

I don't know about different schools but at this stage DC's should not be under tons of homework, it is way too early, and yes DD only gets one new book a day, once a week 15 spellings, and as I said maths adding and taking away, halving, and place value, "practical maths", set by me, not the teacherGrin
Did you get sheets with KS1 and KS2 objectives for literacy and maths?

crazygracieuk · 12/12/2011 22:26

Maybe you need to see a lower group's homework and see if it is more suited to your son's ability. Maybe he will put in more effort if the work is easier? If lower groups are getting the same homework then I would tell the school that my son wouldn't be doing it.

seeker · 12/12/2011 23:16

One thing particularly puzzles me. You say he is "below the expected levels" but " in the middle group for Maths"
These two statements seem contradictory to me. Am I missing something?

Original poster
KwaziiHunt · 13/12/2011 06:29

He is below national expected levels. Within his class he is in the middle group.

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