Year 2

[OneToThree]

Is it normal to expect a year 2 to remember to bring something in from home (a cardboard box) without a note being sent home?

As long as it wasn't vitally important that it was remembered, I don't see a problem in trying to develop some independence. When teaching y3 I would ask the children to bring something like cardboard boxes in, and wouldn't necessarily write a letter. They would be asked a week in advance and reminded daily. Some would bring extra though, so if some forgot it wasn't a disaster.

Yes. Especially at this stage of the year. They will be expected to be much more self sufficient in Y3!

Thanks. They all need to bring one in and ds mentioned it this morning in a flap. He couldn't remember when he had been asked or when it needed to be in for! Think he needs to learn these skills.

Ours would be asked to write it in the learning journals to help them remember.

At our school if something was essential they would write a note in y2, if not essential they maybe wouldn't bother.

Personally I think notes should be supplied up until they provide a homework diary / planner thing that they expect the children to write things in.

I do not think it is reasonable to expect any verbal messages to get through reliably for all children.

DD1, age 14 (?dyspraxic), is still not reliable with verbal messages, but has been trained to always write everything in the planner.

Nowhere for him to write it down.

Ours wouldnt send a note for non essential things like boxes.

We would get a note for something like wellies which they couldn't participate in an activity without.

It's the quickest and easiest way to teach them responsibility - so when their friend remembers her box and they have to use a school one they will maybe take the next message more seriously.

As a parent of 3, and with constant divergence between what has been told and what is actually required, I would always prefer a note/text.

So, if there was a need for every child to have one, then I would want a note. If it was more of 'as many boxes as poss please' then it is fine just to tell them.

They need to make a house with it so they all defiant em need one. I'd prefer a note to be honest.

Even with a note half the children won't bring in one, so it's an "easy" way to get them started on remembering and responsibility.

TBF i would be fine with the idea that they have to write it in a journal etc. But I hate the verbal messages that we don't get (even at year 6)

My DS is in year 3 and never remembers anything he's told at school. I have actually put a little notebook into his bag so he can write things down as, otherwise, I find myself ringing school constantly to check things out.

we get verbal messages even in Yr1 and R, some stuff will have a note and others they will just be told. I prefer notes myself as it means I definitely know when things are needed for but my 2 tend to tell me at pick up if they have been told something. Often a letter or note does follow but not always. I tend to assume that is an indication of whether it is vital or not.

As they get older I think it is fair enough but very hard for any children with memory related issues or conditions. The idea of them being told to note it in a homework diary is ideal but not all schools have them.

In y3, if I wanted them to note anything in their homework diaries it went like this.
Me: Take out your diaries please.
Wait a few minutes for most children to find them. 3 children without so give them paper.
Wait a few more minutes for them to find the correct page.
Me: Write 'Bring in a box by next Friday' in today's space.
Wait a few more minutes while they find and sharpen pencils, reopen the diary which has flipped shut, work out which today's box is, refind their pencil, reopen the sodding diary, write.

It would take about 15 minutes all told, some of them would have written on a random page, some of them would have written half the message, some of them might only have written 'bring in', some of them would still be writing while I was trying to get them sorted for hometime.

Then I'd get them sorted, reunite several jumpers with owners, make sure every child had their lunchbox, waterbottle, jumper, homework, etc. Another 15 minutes.

So that's half an hour of learning lost and once every child had been lovingly deposited with their doting parents I'd walk back into my classtoom to find half a dozen jumpers, homework diaries, luchboxes, etc strewn far and wide.

And the parents would complain because little Tarquin was late out of school.

And I'd still only get half a dozen boxes brought in.

Very normal to expect KS1 children to be able to relay a simple message without the need for a note.

Galena - if we had been like that in our Yr3 class we would have been in a lot of trouble. times have certainly changed.

Dd1 would have told me in plenty of time, remembered to get it and take it in unprompted.
Dd2 would have told me the night before and gone "oh well" when I said I didn't have it.
Ds would remember to tell me if he thought it was worth it, ie something he'd like to do. However he'd need reminding for the actual day.

My daughter would have ensured she had it (independent from v early age) whereas my son would haveforgotten the message, lost the note and wouldn't have cared less if he was the only one without a box on the day.