Why won't they look at the homework she's done before setting some more?

[TinyGang]

This annoys me.

Dd is only 8. She had to find out a bit about a country during the Easter holidays.

Hey ho. I'm not hugely behind the concept of homework at this age, especially if it's during an already busy family break. But I don't tell dd this and I support and go along with it if it has to be this way.

As it turned out, dd became quite enthustiastic about the subject. We made a special trip to the library, and she also, on her own, looked up things online. She put together a fantastic little pack of info - lots of colouring and interesting facts which was over and above what they'd asked for. I was very proud of her.

All last week she was repeatedly promised that she could do a little 'show and tell' on her work. Every day it didn't happen.

Then I discover some new homework set on Friday that she now has to do on plants. Completely unconnected to the other thing.

This is all over and above the spellings and reading diary (which I also have a problem with) which must also be done.

What gets me is though, is if the teacher thinks something hasn't been done when it should, we get into the realms of staying in at breaktimes.

It just seems dismissive of her efforts

Quite agree Tiny Gang. It might make her think why bother putting in any extra effort next time if no one looks at it.

From what you have said it sounds as though the teacher has looked at the work otherwise she would have said something (kept your dd in at break, etc).
Surely the important thing is that your dd has learned how to research stuff, has enjoyed doing it and finding out about the country and putting together a pack. That sounds great. Could you point out to her how much value she's got out of the exercise and ask her whether she thinks she did well. It would be great if she could find satisfaction in her work herself rather than depending on external praise for what she has done. We all like praise and I'm sure you've told her what a great job she's done. But sometimes it's good to do something for the satisfaction of a job well done. I would be upset if something like this stopped my dc from trying their best at the next topic, which if they did try they might find just as interesting.

However, I would speak to the teacher about making promises (show and tell) and not keeping them.

It would annoy me. Very demotivating.

It is very hurtful when a child has put in a lot of time and effort doing something and the teacher can't even be bothered to look at it.

Dd, age 9, spent 4 days over Easter doing a project - all by herself. Not a word of aknowledgement. She is so demoralised and I feel annoyed. I was not expecting heaps of praise, but nothing?

All the work has been stuck up on the walls in the cloakroom, much of it obscured by clothes and bags. What on earth was the point - she might as well have just had a nice time playing over the holidays instead.

Surely letting her do a show and tell would be motivating for those that didn't do the work - certainly more motivating than staying in at break (when children should be running about, keeping them in will just make the rest of her day hell anyway).

Maybe you could "sell" it to the teacher this way.

Ds spontaneously did a little picture of his kindy teachers over the holiday with an attempt to write their names "love I Jll". Even though by a 4 year olds standards it was a deeply average picture, he was so excited to show them that he got his 2 minutes of fame at news time. Since then his interest in artistic things has increased, we have had painting and models for 2 days (more than in an entire term).

For me this shows how a bit of attention can make all the difference.

for 3littlefrogs' dd too.

Why have the thing hanging over you to be done during the holidays if no-one looks at it? Children of this age react really well to a bit of praise I find. The satisfaction of doing something for it's own sake comes when you're a little older.

I guess the teacher will get around to it but if dd has to ask and ask for the chance, it it takes the shine off it.

It was the continual promise each day of 'tomorrow' that annoyed me. If I say tomorrow I mean it, if I say 'later when I can fit it in maybe not this week' well at least that's honest.