giving home school books (text books etc...)

[rrbrigi]

Hi,
I would like to start a discussion to find out opinions for parents and teachers about giving home school books (I mean the books which the children work in each lesson).

As a parent I think it would help me a lot if I could see what my child learnt in the school each day. Specially from math, English and science.

My child is ready to learn with me at home around 60 mins a day. But the problem is I do not know what to practice.

I think it is useless to practice the fractions at home (because I think he needs practice on that bit) when they learn the long division in the classroom. I think if I could practice the same thing with him at home as he does in the school, it could help him to improve his math way better than just random practices every day. But just practicing something on mymaths won’t deepen his knowledge, in fact it could make him confused, because they did not learn that in the school yet, or the work is too easy or hard. They got homework once a week from math (1 A4 paper maximum), but it does not reflect the whole week maths lessons. We do random practices know, but I do not think it benefited him at all, just took the time from him to do something else.

It also would help me to see what he does in school for English. For example, if he needs to write a story at home seeing his English book I would know the quality of writing he would be capable of and I also would see his teacher comments, so I would know what should he include in his story. Or I could see which part of the grammar they are learning in the school, so we can practice that at home. I think there is no point of practicing the power verbs at home when they are learning about adverbs in the school.

From Science is the same. If I would know what they do each lesson, we could see videos from the same thing, or reading pages on the internet about the same thing, it would help him to catch his interest in Science and deepen his knowledge.

It would be better for the teachers as well, because I do not think I am the only one who would help her kids to learn. Parents could spend the daily learning time with their kids more effectively and as a result kids would have better understanding about the things they learn.

I just feel that without his school books I do not even get the possibility to support his learning on the way he deserves. If I could see what he learnt in the school each day I strongly think as the time goes I could even improve his GCSE mark as he would get without this support.

So my question is:
Teacher why do not give the school books home?
Parents what do you think, would you like to see your children school books every day to help them in their learning journey?

Thanks for reading it.

Cant,
unless I have done the math wrong, the expected standard for SPaG is 60%, 55% for maths and 40% for reading.
To me this means that the government is telling me that it is acceptable that a child misspells 0-40% of the words in the test, but even worse, that it is fine to move one after "mastering" (not the right word in this context, but can't think of a different one) only 55% of the maths curriculum. Reading comprehension I suppose is different because more based on personal development.

I know nothing about changes in the curriculum (I am not in England and we are eons away from P6), but still, I find disconcerting the idea that the government says that it is right to achieve so little.
Think about this, should I get my DD2 (5,5 years) to attend Y3 because she has achieved the expected standard in all three subjects? Ludicrous, isn't it?

What I mean (and as someone else has pointed out) the teachers here seem to be quite clued up and I am sure that they get the best they can out of the kids in their care, but what about a bog standard teacher? So, should we be really surprised if a parent would like to get a more active role in their children's education, but cannot because you are supposed to let "the teachers get on with their job"?

Again, don't get confused - i was talking about the Y6 SATs, not the Y2 ones.

There is a level above Expected (Greater depth) - you can look up the figures for that. I suspect the pass / fail culture of your home country is misleading you here, as in England it is perfectly normal to exceed the requirements for a particular year group, and for teachers to appropriately differentiate for those children. In my current upper KS2 class, I have children who could easily walk into a Y8-9 Maths class and be well up with the work (I know this as I have a DD in Y9), but equally one or two who are working at the level of the previous year group. That's normal.

Akadia SPAG results aren't used (there is talk that it might be scrapped /made optional in future) English is a combination of reading and writing results Maths a combination of all papers and these are used to calculate an overall result.

Think about this, should I get my DD2 (5,5 years) to attend Y3 because she has achieved the expected standard in all three subjects?

Your expectation of the tests, and my expectation are completely different, I expect them to be quite easy - because I expect it to be achievable for most kids. That's the role of the tests, there to check that progress is going along acceptably, and it's mostly there as a check and balance on the school and its teaching.

I certainly expect the KS1 standard, which is so much about basic skills and limited understanding required to be achieved by many long before the end of KS1 for so many. DD had no problems with any of the questions in the 2015 KS1 paper when she was still 4 - (probably wouldn't've passed writing neatness expectations and other stuff, but the questions in the papers were easy.)

So you see the level of the tests set at the expectation of any child by the governmet - whereas I see it as the minimum expectation that any child can reach, even the most disadvantaged. Not the child of the sort of person who is participating in the primary forum of mumsnet!

Cant, I was talking about KS2 too ;)

Sir, perhaps you are right re: pass/fail, but I feel the language is important. The government doesn't talk about min requirement, but expected standard and, for those who score about 85% or more, about "greater depth". If what you say is right, then the vocabulary is all wrong, because to me it means that if you score 100 it's fine, if you score more it's a bonus, and if you score enough to achieve "greater depth" you are pretty much gifted, all of which is clearly nonsense.

I didn't really follow all the palaver that followed the KS2 tests of last year, but I think I would have said "what the heck!!" It would be interesting to see the previous "less rigourous" papers, but I think I'll pass ;)

"Think about this, should I get my DD2 (5,5 years) to attend Y3 because she has achieved the expected standard in all three subjects? Ludicrous, isn't it?"

The tests are one piece of evidence towards meeting the expected standard in Key Stage 1. To be awarded expected the child has to demonstrate they meet the standards across all classwork not just in a one off test.

"Think about this, should I get my DD2 (5,5 years) to attend Y3 because she has achieved the expected standard in all three subjects?"

You already stated your dd attend higher year group?
And my ds 'school used to do it before new NC.

The government doesn't talk about min requirement, but expected standard and, for those who score about 85% or more, about "greater depth"

The KS1 tests don't measure greater depth, only expected.

IIf what you say is right, then the vocabulary is all wrong, because to me it means that if you score 100 it's fine, if you score more it's a bonus, and if you score enough to achieve "greater depth" you are pretty much gifted, all of which is clearly nonsense.

Greater depth isn't gifted - that's ridiculous.

Feenie, you even quoted my message. You might as well have read it...

But no one has ever said greater depth = anywhere near gifted. Where did you get that from?

Not did I say that. Read the message you quoted from.

"and if you score enough to achieve "greater depth" you are pretty much gifted" perhaps you could explain why anyone would think this??

Since nobody bothers reading before replying, I enclose that passage here in its entirety:
If what you say is right, then the vocabulary is all wrong, because to me it means that if you score 100 it's fine, if you score more it's a bonus, and if you score enough to achieve "greater depth" you are pretty much gifted, all of which is clearly nonsense.

Why does it mean that to you?

Arkadia, since a lot of MNetters are in England, I can understand you compare education in here and where you are, and how things are done here. But isn't it better to understand about Scottish education better than English system?
Don't you have MN local site? Can't you start some sort of MN parents' group etc. out there?
There seems to be some Scottish teachers on MN as well.