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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Homework not completed with my permission - School keeping DD in at playtime - Am I in the wrong?

32 replies

Pantone363 · 28/03/2012 09:26

Homework system works like this, they get a list of 9 bits of homework. They have to complete 3 and they have a half term to do it. You can do more if you choose (and its encouraged).

Last half term DD did all 9. She tried very hard, wrote it all out in rough, brought it to me to check and then wrote it up in neat. She also did a very good craft that was on the list.

When the homework was handed back half of it wasn't even marked. The half that was marked just had one tick on each page. No feedback, no 'good effort', not even a smiley face.

DD obviously very disheartened and decides she isn't doing this lot because 'there's no point, Mrs x doesn't even look at it'

TBH I wasn't particularly bothered if she did it or not, shes 6, doing very well at school and i'm not 100% in agreement with homework for 6 year olds.

Hand in day was yesterday, DD has just informed me on the way to school that she has been told she won't have playtime today and will have to stay in to do her homework. Teacher wasn't around at drop off to query.

Would I be in the wrong to phone the school and tell them not to keep her in?

Slightly awkward because i'm a governor at the school

OP posts:

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tumbleweedblowing · 28/03/2012 09:32

Well, being a governor does make it slightly awkward.....

However, if you want to take a stand against the way homework is being dealt with (and I agree with you fwiw) you perhaps could have told the teacher what you intended to do (ie nothing) before the hand in date.

Keeping her in is pretty outrageous I think, but it is possibly too late now to do anything about it this time, unless there is another member of staff who would be available to talk to you before break. Cutting it a bit fine though.

A good opportunity for you to being up homework at the next PPC/A&C meeting though!

Northey · 28/03/2012 09:32

Yes. If you choose to send her there, you choose to comply with their rules.

Original poster

Pantone363 · 28/03/2012 09:35

They are keeping her in break and lunchtime until the 3 pieces are done .

And they won't move on the homework policy (i've tried suggesting it be optional for KS1, NOT going to happen)

I'm feeling like it looks like i'm letting her sulk 'well you didn't tell her well done so shes not doing her homework anymore'!

OP posts:

IndigoBell · 28/03/2012 09:37

YABU. (and you being a gov has absolutely no bearing)

She chose not to do the work. Which is fine

Now she has to stay in at playtime. Which is also fine.

No big deal. Don't make it into one.

IndigoBell · 28/03/2012 09:38

Surely you don't do hw for it to be marked.

You do it for what you learn while doing it.

Northey · 28/03/2012 09:39

It sort of does look like that, I'm afraid. I Know she must have been disappointed, but in later working life she's probably often going to come up against situations where sadly she doesn't receive praise and thanks when it's deserved. I think that the most helpful approach is to teach her how to deal with it without becoming disheartened and giving up.

Haziedoll · 28/03/2012 09:40

"Yes, if you choose to send her there you must comply with the rules".

Choice doesn't always come into it. Schools oversubscribed in lots of areas so there isn't a real choice.

I'm not against homework for young ones, I feel ds has benefited from it and it has helped him research etc. I know that's not the same for all children though. We also have a policy where children have to stay in at breaktime which I think is harsh as at that age I think all children need some sort of parental input even if it's just reminding them to do it!

My main gripe would be with the teachers lack of input at the marking stage. You and dd are fulfilling your side of the bargain but the teacher isn't making any effort.

madmum04 · 28/03/2012 09:40

I can understand why you and your little one felt a bit disheartened about putting all the effort in and not getting any feedback, we have similar occassionally at our school, i think though i would have mentioned to the teacher about the feedback on the homework rather than not letting her do it all together.

AMumInScotland · 28/03/2012 09:42

If they have a rule which says 3 pieces must be done, then they can insist on her doing it. If she didn't do it when she was meant to, then they can keep her in at break if that's what it takes.

I agree they don't seem to be handling it well, if children who put in a lot of effort are left feeling t was pointless. But that doesn't make it ok for her to not do the minimum.

You should have had her do the minimum and sent in a note explaining that she didn't wish to do any more after the lack of feedback last time.

Don't start phoning the school to tell them your child is the exception to their rules. It never works well.

mirry2 · 28/03/2012 09:45

Yabu. All children have to be seen to be treated fairly. If one gets away with not doing homework, others will copy. That's how anarchy starts

ArielThePiraticalMermaid · 28/03/2012 09:51

*Surely you don't do hw for it to be marked.

You do it for what you learn while doing it.*

While this is partly true, it is also common decency for a small girl to receive some kind of acknowledgement of the effort she put in. I disagree with homework for KS1. As a governor, I feel it's something you can try and influence.

ArielThePiraticalMermaid · 28/03/2012 09:52

Boldfail. I was quoting someone else.

RustyBear · 28/03/2012 09:53

Perhaps if your DD had only done the three pieces she was supposed to last term, the teacher would have had time to mark them more thotoughly?

Original poster

Pantone363 · 28/03/2012 09:59

3 is the minimum (for children who struggle to get any done). They are encouraged to do as much as they can.

TBH the teachers attitude seems to be lazy towards marking is it a surprise DD has picked up on it?

OP posts:

Pozzled · 28/03/2012 10:06

"Perhaps if your DD had only done the three pieces she was supposed to last term, the teacher would have had time to mark them more thotoughly?"

If I had been given that much extra homework as a teacher, I couldn't have marked it all to a high standard. I really couldn't have found that much extra time.

But I could- and most definitely WOULD- have flicked through it all, marked part of it in detail, put a personal comment at the end acknowledging the amount of effort (with a 'special' sticker for a child as young as 6) and made a point of TALKING to the child and saying 'Wow, I was so impressed with your homework- you must have been working really hard!'. All of which is very easy to do, but IME makes a huge difference to the child's motivation next time.

To not even acknowledge the effort made is very poor.

Shanghaidiva · 28/03/2012 10:08

I agree with you that homework should be optional for KS1 and I would not be happy that there was no feedback. OK later in life you won't get praise/feedback for everything you do, but she is 6!
However, I do think you should have spoken to the teacher about what you were planning to do and query why her other work had not been marked.
Keeping her in at break time/lunch time is harsh imo - she is 6.
Sanctions in my dd's school are as follows (she is in year one)

told your behaviour is not appropriate
name on the board
moved in the class
sent to another classroom
talk to the head

cazboldy · 28/03/2012 10:11

I think YANBU

I would have asked to speak to someone before the deadline however, or even queried it at the beginning of the term as to why they don't get more recognition for putting in a bit of extra work

I can't believe she will be the only one... fgs most parents at my dc's school hardly even bother to hear them read, let alone make them do any homework

I would be unhappy with them keeping her in, because ultimately it's YOUR fault that she hasn't done it as she brought it up with you, and you were happy for her to break the rule

I would ring and ask to speak to someone now, or better still go down and discuss your concerns

IndigoBell · 28/03/2012 10:30

You must seperate being a governor from being a parent.

If you want to discuss the hw policy in a govs meeting, do.

But that has to be seperate from this dispute you have with this teacher.

Being a parent governor is hard - because you cannot mix being a patent and being a governor.

kilmuir · 28/03/2012 10:33

Well if the homework is not optional then neither should the marking of it be.

startail · 28/03/2012 10:54

Grrr! Optional HW.

Things like this cause grief here too.

"but Mum it says we don't have to do all of it"

"DD2 you are, probably, the best writer in the entire school, stop being lazy"

"but Mum it says it's optional"

I know the head gets stick off the Y2/Y3 parents about HW, but surely it's not too much to ask that the top juniors are set a small amount of clearly set out, compulsory HW.
The senior school maths teacher doesn't do "optional"

BareBums · 28/03/2012 11:04

It is disheartening for a child who has put effort into their work only to get little or no praise. However my DD (6) would never pick up on this as even if she did loads and only got a tick I would point it out and say "See well done you!" and shes happy.
I have noticed the teacher pays no attention when marking spelling tests because shell tick some right when they are clearly wrong
I think it's too late and petty to intervine now and you should just encourage your dd to do the hw next time and speak to her teacher if you're not happy with something.

VivaLeBeaver · 28/03/2012 11:07

I think you're in the wrong. As a parent you need to back the school up even if you may slightly disagree with them. I'm not saying totally all the time, if they are totally wrong about something then yes challenge them but about this you should supoort them.

However I do think you should challenge the fact that homework isn't being properly looked at in your opinion.

KatieMiddleton · 28/03/2012 11:10

YANBU to object to mandatory homework for KS1 nor to object to her being kept in as punishment - playtime is very important to aid learning.

However YABU to opt out completely against the rules (even if they are wrong) without speaking to the teacher first.

KatieMiddleton · 28/03/2012 11:11

YANBU to object to mandatory homework for KS1 nor to object to her being kept in as punishment - playtime is very important to aid learning.

However YABU to opt out completely against the rules (even if they are wrong) without speaking to the teacher first.

Blu · 28/03/2012 11:13

The time to have dealt with this was when she first said she wasn't doing it. That would have been a good moment to go to her teacher and explain that she was de-motivated after not having her effort acknowledged.

It would also have been a good moment to have talked to her about the value of doing something for it's own benefits and for you own self satisfaction, and encouraged her to do the 3 bits of homework. I understand your frustration about the lack of acknowledgement over her super-human effort, bt bith you and your dd seem to react by a sort of sullen stubborn onaction. teach her to be direct and active in sorting problems out rather than just sulking.

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