Reception: homework is not challenging enough

[Legomania]

DS started reception this year. His teacher sets 'Weekend challenges' which are starting to be phonics related. However DS can already read fluently. Do I try to extend the task somehow (he can also write/spell them)? Think of an entirely different challenge eg doing up buttons? It feels a bit premature to speak with the teacher, especially if it's basically a consolidation exercise. I'm guessing this won't be a one-off.

Yes, just give him something else to do if he can do that easily and you want to.

Teacher could ideally be providing an extension task but its only reception and hes probably setting any home learning as a box ticking exercise. No big deal.

My dds just read harder books from home.

There will be years of homework ahead which will be more than challenging. If your child finds it too easy then why not look at the homework and elaborate on it just for the two of you but make it fun.

I have three children all grown up now and all so different in nature and talent. My oldest was way ahead in reading and so we did other things at home to challenge him but only in a way that he enjoyed.

My children all remember the things we did at home and comment on how I taught them all to tell the time before school did. We did it as a game more than a earning exercise. It was only any good when it was enjoyable.

Reception children don’t need to do homework. The phonics exercises will just be to reinforce what is going on at school, but most early readers won’t have learned using phonics so it’s probably worth going through them too. Just to consolidate what has happened in school. Blending will be a big part of their learning method for a few years yet.

Not challenging enough for what? He's in reception.
Just do something else with him if he can already read - doing up buttons or something else practical sounds like a really good complement to his precocious schoolwork abilities.

My son (ASD) is hyperlexic and can read too. I just ignore the phonics homework. We don’t need to do it - win win!

Just don't bother doing it.

Oh come off it. He’s what - 4 or 5?

Plenty of time for “challenging” homework ahead.

I know reception is not exactly pedal to the metal time but I want him to get into the habit of having to try a bit, so he doesn't get a horrible shock somewhere down the line.

Read. Books to him

.

You're over thinking it. It may or may not get harder for him but it will be gradual and won't come as a horrible shock. My year 4 child is having to try for the first time now which is interesting to watch but she's coping well.

Weekends are there to be fun when you're little so do whatever he enjoys and don't stress about it.

Can he actually read fluently, as in sound out, construct and understand the words in front of him? Even new words he hasn’t come across before so it’s not just memorising? If so do speak to the teacher so she can respond to a level much much higher than any other child is likely to be at (I know that sounds like a snarky tone but I promise it’s not meant to be)

The best thing you can do for him is to curate enjoyment from learning. So I would not deliberately make reception more stressful with advanced work chosen and assigned by you.
Since he’s already ahead on the reading, and doesn’t need the teacher challenges, and can read fluently, I would let him free to explore his own interests. If he likes books on animals, read those. If he likes dinosaurs, learn about them. If he is interested in astronomy, let learn about the solar system. The world is his oyster. I’d honestly let him decide what to explore and then support that.

BuffaloCauliflower he had a sound knowledge of phonics as his lovely nursery teacher noticed he was ahead and went through all the digraphs and trigraphs with him to ensure he wasn't memorising.
His decoding is certainly ahead of his comprehension, and his teacher has said she's working on that (and yes, to carry on reading with him).

He's in Reception! I'm sad my Y9 child gets more homework than I think is healthy, oh for the days when we didn't have to march to the beat of the teacher's drum and could do whatever interested us instead!

There are so many ways you could spend your time enriching your child's life that are not dusty dry homework. If you can't think of anything more to do, sit down and read a book you loved from your childhood with them. Or make a favourite cake and get him to help out at each step. Or go for a walk and count things - do some basic sums 'we've seen 3 dogs and 5 cats, how many animals have we seen?' Or draw a picture - he draw a dragon and you draw your version. Or do a bit of research on the weather, or the seasons, or just watch some funny videos on Youtube. Or listen to some music together and talk about the era (could be glam rock, or a bit of Mozart) and if you are keen on dancing, dance while you are listening. But fucking worksheets and Biff and bloody Chip and Kipper books! Designed to sap the joy from your children's souls. You'll have plenty of time to sacrifice him to homework later. Don't fall into the trap of feeling he must do homework for the sake of doing homework. You and he will grow to hate it!

What RNBrie said!

If he can read already, does he do this by sight or by phonics?
Many early readers read by sight but have to work hard at their phonics in order to pass the end of year 1 phonics screen.

Sorry missed your last post so please ignore my previous post

PlanDeRaccordement I know my post might come across as uptight but you've pretty much summed up my POV - I want to ride the wave of his enthusiasm for learning and for him not to switch off.

Do the homework. Buy him a new book as a reward.

What @backinthebox said!

Relax. Use the school to the extent of what they are offering, and fill in your view of the gaps yourself. But "homework"? No. If your child can read, hurrah. Plenty in the class are working hard and there's more to starting school than what appears in their book bags.

@backinthebox we do that stuff - ok, I'm definitely overthinking it
To be fair to his teacher she sets fun things to do, not worksheets or anything.

What everyone else said, .......but yes, if he can't do buttons, then that would be a good thing to work on.

I really can't bear homework, there is no evidence that it improves outcomes in primary age children, yet so many schools give it out because they feel it demonstrates to the parents that they are serious about their children's learning. Don't neglect your child's learning, but also don't think that they are not progressing if they are not getting hard enough homework. My kids are bright and engaged, and did their homework in primary only sporadically. It hasn't hampered either of them, and DD now at secondary does all her own homework without even being asked. She does it because she enjoys learning and wants to do well. Don't suck the joy out too early. There's no need.