Ds in yr1 not completing work?

[Icantstopeatinglol]

Just wanted some opinions. My ds is in yr1 and on numerous occasions he's had work sent home cos he's not completed it. His teacher had kept him in homework class (lunchtime) to complete it and today when he didn't manage it in this time he was sent to yr6 to complete it.
Any ideas on what the teacher/myself could be doing to sort this out?
I feel frustrated cos this has happened quite a few times now. I've asked for a diary but three pages have been filled in and that's that? Today was the first diary entry since march. My ds says the other children distract him but I'm not sure what the teacher can do about that?

My DD1 is also in year 1 and I've never heard of that happening. It doesn't seem right that he's getting that much homework when he's so little. I would imagine that would be quite demoralising. In my DD's class, I think sometimes they might have to miss a fun activity if they haven't done their work but that would be in the school day and I don't think it would happen that often.

Have you talked to the teacher about it? I just don't see how sending the work home would help your son. If he is being distracted in the classroom, can he (or the other children) change tables or something? Or perhaps he could have some help from a classroom assistant.

Sorry I don't have anything more useful to suggest.

Hi polyester, don't get me wrong it's not loads of times that it gets sent home but he seems to be regularly in homework class and he just doesn't care anymore! I just don't see the point? Plus sending him to a yr6 class just seems a bit harsh....and apparently a nice girl helped him with his work so the whole point of him doing the work himself was lost.
I just don't see how her strategies are helping?

I would think the teacher would be setting work appropriate to his level, not work he can rarely complete. Maybe have a chat with her and say you don't think he's that motivated anymore and could she try something else?

Yea I've tried that and she said he can do it he just sits staring into space etc?! He likes maths and does well with reading. He's just passed his phonics test with one wrong answer! Dh is going down to speak to her in the morning. Ds comes out of school everyday looking really downtrodden. I'm looking forward to September when he gets a different teacher to be honest.

DS sometimes get work sent home because they are bolshy refuseniks or otherwise arse about.
I think of it as pretty standard practice to make sure they really try to concentrate and respect why they are in school. They don't get out of it just because they don't feel like it.

lljkk, I don't think he just doesn't feel like it. He does find it hard to concentrate (I've seen it myself at home) and his confidence is getting worse, I don't think chucking him in a class with kids 5yrs older really helps?
I'm just trying to find a way to help him.

I wouldn't be happy with this. My ds, although bright enough, has a lot of trouble concentrating in class and regularly doesn't complete work in the time given. This is entirely dealt with in class, he has never missed a playtime and has never had work sent home. It would be sent right back again if they did.

They employ various measures to hold his attention and minimise distraction for him. His teacher says he'll probably always find classroom based learning a challenge, but that he's not the only one.

I would ask how they plan to help and support your ds get to grips with his work in school time. Unless this is a behaviour issue, he shouldn't be missing play times or having it sent home.

They're not meeting his needs.

Usually the threat of having to finish work at home is enough to make a child get on and do it in my Y1 class. Obviously if it still isn't completed then teachers have to follow through with the consequence.

I totally agree pea84 but surely after this threat has been used numerous times and not working there must be something else they can try?
My thoughts are would they do this if an ofsted inspector was there? I wouldn't think so. I don't think sending him to a yr6 group is suitable. It will be interesting to see in September how the next teacher deals with it as I'm not impressed at all. There's been weeks where he's not brought reading books home and I've had to ask repeatedly to be told ds has lost his packet!? He's 6!!

Less haste, my ds says the girls on his table
talk all the time so he can't work. Unfortunately they get their work done so it just looks bad on him. I don't think keeping him in at lunchtime is helping him socially either.
I've asked my dsis to get some worksheets (she's a ta) I can go through at home with ds to see if I can work out what the problem is.

I agree, I'm not sure what the point of sending him to Y6 was. I've tried a sand timer before which isn't always successful if the child ends up mesmerised by the sand! Also paper clip on their book, if they are writing, and they have to get to that point by the time I come round again. They are still very little but at this stage of the year I assume his teacher is preparing him for life in Year 2.

Yea I think so and I know talking to her in the past she knows he can do it, it's just finding a way to keep his attention on the work. He said tonight it's getting harder everyday bless him, I did offer to swap!
I'm just getting annoyed it seems to be really getting to him and he seems so down about it. Hopefully we'll get somewhere tomorrow.
Paper clip idea sounds good, might mention that!

icantstopeating Yes, that's a problem we've had to deal with. Ds gets v stressed when partnered with certain children. I know cos I've got one that bright motivated girls take no prisoners when it comes to boys who can't concentrate or respond quickly.

I would ask for him to sit elsewhere, even if this means going down a group (if that's how they do it).

If he's not managing his work, they should be providing him with support, not punishment.

Is it worth speaking to next years teacher about how this will be approached?

The aim should be to get your ds happy in school. If he is, the learning will follow.

They should be supporting him more in class supporting him if they have picked up on a concentration issue. Sending work home is not acceptable at this age, 5 and 6 year olds in yr 1 need down time just as much as they need to work in school.

There's a little lad (J) in particular in my year 1 class, who is very able, but bone-idle.
Yesterday I did get cross with him. I observed him over the course of about 40 minutes, and he did nothing. At 10 mins I went over and checked he understood what to do (he did). At 20 mins I went over again and told him he would miss reward time at the end of the day if he didn't complete the work. Then I left him to it.

At the end of the session, just before going out to play on the equipment for reward time, I got all children to stand up, and they could sit down again if I had their work in my "finished work tray". I observed J out of the corner of my eye, and when he thought I wasn't looking, he sat down!
WELL. "J? Did I say your name yet? Stand up please!"
Of course, got the end of the pile, J's work isn't there. Cue a not-insignificant telling off. He then had to stay inside, with my TA (she got on with other jobs and totally ignored him), while the rest of us went out to play.

I've told him that if he pulls this act again, he'll complete the work in the Head Teacher's office.

Zingally that lad just sounds bored! What measures do you use to encourage him to participate before you tell him off and threaten head teachers office?

And what on earth will you do if he's properly naughty, if you're sending him to the head just for not completing boring work.

I agree with Less, the reaction seems very negative and unsupportive. ds was like this and was identified as dyspraxic. He couldn't organise his thoughts and focus long enough, let alone get it down on paper. He also has a poor working memory. There are lots of strategies to help and build confidence. Reinforce verbal instructions with a written prompt list or on the whiteboard, quiet reminders and going over what he has done so far and what is next, setting slightly less work so he actually finishes something, and above all lots of praise when he does manage to complete a task or at least puts in the effort. He also may need his breaktime and indeed more breaks to get up and fetch a drink or just stretch. Do you sit still for hours on end and expect to stay focussed?

You need to go and speak to the teacher and understand what is going on, I don't believe a child should be kept in at break time, it sounds like that's isn't working, have they assessed your ds as able and just not completing work? Have they done anything except keep him in? You need to understand what other strategies are in place and ensure that diary is filled in if they want your support, give your feedback about him being distracted, it might help teacher try moving him, work with teacher to understand and speak to next years teacher if you have concerns

Zingally what you described sounds hideous! Is that how you motivate and engage children?? He sounds bored, not sure I can see anything in your actions which will make him try harder for you....

I would speak to the teacher about what he is saying..ask for him to be moved.

zingally I was like that at school, bone idle. You only need to read my report cards to see that. "Very capable but tends to be lazy", "If Jinty spent as much time on her work as she does staring into space she could do very well", "Needs to show more effort", etc, etc, etc. I didn't really do particularly well at school because, well, bone idle people don't, do they?

Ds1 was exactly the same. Bright, clever, reading and writing before he went to school but as soon as he was faced with one teacher and a class of 30 children he too became bone idle. Work was sent home for him to finish. He was kept in at playtime to do it but he just couldn't seem to get it. All he had to do was keep concentrating and get it done in class time. I suggested there might be problem. The teacher suggested it was "lack of discipline at home", my dMum suggested he was just lazy like me. After all she had all my report cards to show it and his, pretty much matched, mine.

zingally my teacher used to make me stand on my chair or sometimes he would smack my hand with a ruler if I didn't get it done. Ds's teacher liked to tell the rest of the class how slow he was and get them to try to chivvy him along. (A bit like your technique) Two years on and facing the same teacher again for another year and with his self esteem in his boots I asked for him to be assessed and he was diagnosed with ADHD. Lightbulb moment! I have ADD as does ds3 and I will never let ds3 suffer as ds1 and I did. Knowledge is power.

OP do you have any other concerns. Another poster has mentioned dyspraxia and there are other related issues. Go and speak to his teacher. Find out what they are going to do to properly support him and pray he doesn't get zingally next year.

Sorry about the rant but I feel very strongly about this and feel so sad that children are treated in this way. They only have one childhood.

Thanks for all the replies, sorry haven't been well so this is the first chance to respond. Dh went and spoke to ds teacher Friday morning and she's going to try a different strategy starting Monday which includes a chart and smiley faces and once he has a certain amount of smiley faces he gets to choose something from the teachers tub of treats. Think that's what she's doing anyway!
Going to see how it goes but on a positive note she said the reason the diary hadn't been filled in for a few months is that he's been fine. Not sure what's changed but he is tired so thinking it's all catching up in him and the school holidays can't come quick enough! He is only 6 after all.
I definitely don't think expecting all kids to behave the same at ds age is realistic and some struggle more than others. Punishing them for not being able to concentrate makes no sense whatsoever. I know I'm his mother but honestly he's not a naughty boy at all, he's sensitive if anything. I don't think he's got any learning difficulties but going to keep an eye on things nonetheless.
zingally are you my ds teacher?! Please think how your behaviour could affect these YOUNG children! They're only 6 for gods sake! You're supposed to be teaching them, encouraging them....not setting particularly children up to fail. If you knew what he was going to do why not try and change how he was thinking and encourage him. Jesus, unbelievable.
I appreciate all your comments.

OP that sounds like a positive chat with the teacher - from our experience make sure the sticker chart isn't displayed on the wall, no child (or adult for that matter) needs to know (or inform the whole class, visitors etc) that on Thursday they had a really bad Monday, if that makes sense. Displaying it on the wall made ds more demotivated and ed psych identified that he had very low self esteem - first thing he did was remove the sticker chart
he is still young, I honestly don't believe my ds was ready for school until he was in year 3