Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

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

Flip

Original poster

How should I handle this situation with Y5 homework?

23 replies

MerryMarigold · 17/01/2019 16:28

Ds2 came out of school today so upset/ furious he couldn't speak. I tried to ask him what's wrong. Then be started talking and crying. He was told off that his homework was a low standard. He's usually a but of a high flyer so I think he was shocked! But he was also upset as he thought he'd be in the 'best effort' group as he tried very hard this week. He did take at least 90 mins, possibly more, which seems to be more than adequate to me. It seems there's usually a few kids singled out at either end of the spectrum, which doesn't seem great to me. Ds has been folks he will miss art tomorrow (all the pm) to do homework-style work. Another mum saw ds crying and was shocked ad she's never seen him cry (he's friends with her son and often round).

I'm really disappointed as I like his teacher. He's strict but does some cool and interesting things. I don't really agree with the amount or the dryness of the homework (laboured comprehensions each week), but he seems to compensate in other areas and I've been quite vocal defending him to other mums getting upset about him.

So obviously I feel upset partially because I've defended him only for him to do something I don't think is fair or right. Do, struggling to unpick this and know how to address.

Tell ds to get on with punishment and take it on the chin. Try harder with homework next week.
Speak to teacher (and say what?)

My dd is in the other y5 class (twins) and she gets 20-30 mins homework a week.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Original poster

MerryMarigold · 17/01/2019 16:29

Sorry for typos. On phone.

OP posts:

HonestTeacher · 17/01/2019 18:13

I'd be most annoyed that he is being taken out of an art class to do homework style questions! It annoys me when teachers take children out of the fun lessons (art, PE, computing) as a punishment when these are important subjects that need teaching too. I would explain to the teacher how your son was upset as he tried so hard and ask to see an example of the standard he would expect so that your son can aim to achieve it next time.

Soontobe60 · 17/01/2019 18:18

This is absolutely disgraceful. Homework should be voluntary. Children who do not do it should not be punished! I would g nitro school to,orrow and speak to the Head about this. It is discriminatory and really makes my blood boil!
I'm a teacher btw!

Original poster

MerryMarigold · 17/01/2019 18:22

Soontobe60, they also have to rad 15 mins per day minimum or miss break to do reading. Ds didn't read on one busy Sat so missed Mon break. I've accepted this stuff as it has got him back into reading more, but I don't want to see him deflated and demotivated.

OP posts:

Original poster

MerryMarigold · 17/01/2019 18:23

Thanks honest teacher, that sounds sensible.

OP posts:

Original poster

MerryMarigold · 17/01/2019 18:26

I have a feeling the low standard was getting questions wrong. I don't check homework, because as long as I can see they are focussed and working, it's up to them. If he'd spent 10 mins on the work and got it wrong, fair enough. But it was 80 mins. Can he be told off for getting it wrong?

OP posts:

AllMYSmellySocks · 17/01/2019 18:27

I'd be seriously annoyed and be going into school. I don't think it's apropriate for a child to miss a lesson as a punishment. Even if his homework had been poor he shouldn't have to miss out on education as a result. Secondly he spent a long time on his homework and so he obviously wasn't lacking in effort so being punished is outrageous. I'd be going on the next day to make sure you've had an accurate account of what happened and to complain if so.

SleepingStandingUp · 17/01/2019 18:29

Have you seen the homework?

Possibly speak to school, explain DS is very upset he'd been singled out in front of peers, told her had to miss class to make the perk up etc and ask for clarity.

Unfortunately if last week you defended him to lite Johnny's Mum when Johnny was upset he'd been told his work wasn't good enough I'd be mindful of moaning to other parents much

HotInWinter · 17/01/2019 18:31

I still remember spending hours on a homework, only to be told I'd put no effort in. So the next week, I did a half hearted effort, since trying hard didn't get me anywhere. I got outstanding marks. I never worked hard for that teacher again.
Teachers are not infallible. They do get stuff wrong. The good ones will acknowledge it. Can you talk yo the teacher? At primary that would still be my route, I think (my memory was secondary).

Original poster

MerryMarigold · 18/01/2019 09:09

Sleepingstandingup, no I didn't moan to other parents. Also they were moaning about the amount of homework/ reading rather than their child being told off. I didn't so much defend that as remind them of all the good things he's done.

So, upshot is that spoke to him briefly in playground this am. Was third in queue! He was excellent at pouring oil on troubled waters. TA was one who gave initial feedback and he didn't check before piling in as well. He's now checked work and thinks it's ok. No one will miss art. He will speak to TA about how she delivers feedback.

OP posts:

Biologifemini · 18/01/2019 09:12

It is tricky. I think on top of this you need to help your son deal with negative feedback and think it isn’t so important.
Even if the teacher was in the wrong your son needs to let it wash over him. Otherwise he will be unhappy a lot during secondary school.

Original poster

MerryMarigold · 18/01/2019 09:24

He's ok with negative feedback if it's fair and he knows it. He's not at all a perfectionist and doesn't mind getting things wrong. However, no one likes a public humiliation especially if after a decent effort has been made. If secondary school teachers behave like that, I'd be reminding them that they wouldn't like being singled out at a staff meeting and criticised publicly for something they'd worked hard on.

OP posts:

BlueChampagne · 18/01/2019 13:00

Sounds like you went about it in just the right way. You can always ask if measures have been put in place to prevent it happening again, if not now, at your next parents' evening.

BubblesBuddy · 18/01/2019 17:51

I think there are several problems here.

First of all he delegates the checking of the homework to a TA. The TA obviously wasn't trained to know what to look for.

Secondly: he didn’t check what the TA said. He had a child who works at a good standard, but didn’t query what the TA said? That’s poor.

Thirdly: homework shouldn’t mean this much at primary. Is what he’s asked to do Meeting the homework policy of the school? Most schools don’t punish for not reading for one night!

Lastly: have you read the Behaviour and sanctions policy? They should not punish for this. It’s wrong.

Original poster

MerryMarigold · 18/01/2019 19:47

Thank you. I haven't looked at that stuff.

OP posts:

BubblesBuddy · 19/01/2019 09:12

I could have explained what I thought a bit more coherently!

Most schools have a Homework policy and it should be on the web site. Usually this is about expectations of how much is set, when, what the aims are and what the learning goals should be. If your DS spent 90 minutes on one task during one evening, was this actually a project or was the work supposed to take 90 minutes or 25? In other words, did it meet the Homework Policy goals? Did you feel it was reasonable at the time?

Behaviour and sanctions policies usually are about encouraging good behaviour. They do include sanctions but rarely for not completing homework to an arbitrarily set standard. Do look at this because removing a child from the curriculum isn’t a correct punishment either. I doubt the school would have that in the policy.

If you read the policies, it gives you a clear guideline should there be any further problems. You never know, the teacher might read them too!

Original poster

MerryMarigold · 21/01/2019 18:10

Thanks so much. He got his homework back today from last week. It's all correct except one wrong (out of about 40 questions). It seems neat to me. There is a sum which is a bit scribbled out instead if a clean line through it but the writing is neat and legible. It's totally bizarre, but has made me wonder what goes on sometimes. Kids are so forgiving. Ds seems to have forgotten about it, but I'm just perplexed now.

OP posts:

BubblesBuddy · 21/01/2019 18:18

I’m glad he’s forgotten about if - water under the bridge!

I agree, it is perplexing. I think I’m leaning towards my original thought that the TA doesn’t be know the time of day and the teacher believed her.

I would keep an eye on what your DS is doing for homework and if the response of the school is reasonable in future. Hopefully no more blips though but I would familiarise myself with the policies I mentioned - just in case!

incywincybitofa · 21/01/2019 18:22

Is the TA considering training to teach that may explain the delegation. That said if your DS work is generally of a high standard instead of leaping in the teacher should have wondered:what is going on here?
Art isn't just fun creativity teaches thinking skills. Essential for a learner. It was wrong to demean the subject by implying it is less important than homework.
DS has a very strict teacher who is possibly the most popular teacher at the school with parents and children. He never needs defending if yours does I'd consider whether he is as great as you seem to think. But yes children are forgiving and it's best to encourage that

Witchend · 21/01/2019 18:28

I think it would be perfectly reasonable to go to the teacher and say that you're puzzled by this as he spent of time on homework. You saw him working throughout this time and he was getting on and not messing around.
Now you've looked at the homework, you can't see the issue with it, can the teacher explain why she's so unhappy with the work, please?

I am just wondering though if you say there's always some singled out on each side whether it's a slightly sadistic version of head teacher's award-they aim to make sure every child gets the praise one week, and every child gets told they haven't put enough work in once too.

Original poster

MerryMarigold · 22/01/2019 09:18

I'm not sure the teacher will let me speak to the TA. I'm going to take book in and ask what was wrong with it. If she's training to teach, then OUCH!! I really hope not.

OP posts:

BubblesBuddy · 22/01/2019 16:42

It’s the responsibility of the teacher, not the TA. So speak to the teacher, armed with the policies!

BottleOfJameson · 22/01/2019 16:58

To be honest regardless of what was or wasn't wrong with the work this would really annoy me. It's basically giving the message that art is a bit of fun rather than part of the curriculum and is going to make some of the kids anxious that they might suddenly be punished and humiliated for getting some work wrong.

Flip