Homework in year 2

[MajesticElephant]

DS Is August baby so just turned 6 and started in year 2. We went to a meeting after school about expectations and I was blown away by the amount of homework expected. A maths worksheet or a times table to learn, 10 spellings to learn and recorded reading daily. DS is exhausted when he comes home from school and does football and swimming at the weekend. In the other free time we have we value family time and playing with other children as he’s an only child and social interaction is something he needs. What do other schools expect? Where is the evidence to support that this level of extra work is helpful?

So, one worksheet or times table, 10 spellings and read every day? Doesn't sound too onerous, certainly nothing ti be bliwn away about! We had very similar last year for dd in year 2, they learnt the timetable and spellings in school anyway so it was just reinforcing and then reading daily and a worksheet one night. I'm not entirely convinced of the benefit of homework at that age but it was so straightforward we went with it.

To be blown away about, hopeless typing!

Reading every day is really important, I'd be all for that. Learning times tables will have been done at school so it's just practicing, is it 10 new spellings every day? - that would be too much - or just practicing the same 10 all week (that's ok). Having to fill out a worksheet every day - tedious.

I think maths and English work sheets are not generally helpful but reading at home is invaluable and so is learning spellings and times tables in your own time at your own pace at home I think.
You’re anticipating that this will be too much, but why don’t you actually try it out first? It might not be as time consuming as you think.

Are the spellings and maths weekly homework? If so then I would say this is not an unusual amount of homework for y2.

With reading we just incorporated into our nightly routine, after the bedtime story, so basically one of us reads first then dc reads. I think it helped to make reading feel enjoyable and relaxed rather than like homework.

Daily reading definitely important to do. Timetables is just one of those Maths facts the children need to learn (have to know all of them up to x12 by end of Year 4) and so just spending the extra time at home learning will often be essential in order for them to remember them.
Spellings are pretty pointless but learning 10 spellings a week is say 5 minutes a day practice so not too bad.
Could he do some of it in the morning before school so less tired and not eating into play time after school?

Spellings and tables practice is quite easy to build into the daily routine - maybe at the table or during the school run. We had a laminated piece of a3 paper and had it as ddvs table mat which we then used to help with repetitive tasks - either to write out her spellings, copy them or write/copy tables in creative ways

It's not unusual. If anything it's a good thing that they are being pushed to work on these. Chill out.

I refuse to do homework with my primary aged DC. 9YO is autistic and does not cope with any overlap between school life and home life. (He has a breakdown if I need to go into the school for any reason too!)

When I went to primary school homework was not a thing. I've successfully managed to go to university and hold down a career since.

Is that a week? We had similar for 2 terms of year 1. It seems quite normal for schools. The reading is the most important.

I teach Year 2. We send home a spelling sheet, maths sheet and ask for reading minimum 4 times a week. The reading only needs to be a few minutes a day. It's more effective that way.

That's per week for the spelling and maths.

We used to to spellings at the breakfast table, reading just before leaving for school, and times tables on the way to school (not every day and not the whole way).

That's not a lot.

• Have him read for 10 mins before bed.
• Do the maths sheet the day it comes home, will take 20 mins
• Spellings on the fridge in the kitchen and quiz daily, same for times tables. Or as PP has suggested, on the school run

There is no evidence that it helps, but it Must Be Done. Spellings in particular are a waste of time, academic evidence is that kids can learn them for tests but promptly forget words they do not use regularly. It has been shown that the best way to help spelling is to read not practice spellings.

IME you can tell school you are not doing it, they don't put primary kids in dentention. We didn't do lots of it.

Reading though - that really should be done a little every day, it is the single biggest thing you can do to help your child.

The reading I don’t object to . We (well DH and other family members as I am deaf) do that every day as part of the natural routine and have done since he was a baby. He’s reading way above his peers so I’m not really bothered there and can take a minute to write it down in his book. The others are weekly but everyone seems to have ignored the exhaustion element of it - he is so exhausted so sitting down for 5 mins to do a maths sheet is a big deal and results in crying etc. I don’t want him to hate learning through pushing him to do more at home without evidence to back up that it’s worth his while in the long run.

The others are weekly but everyone seems to have ignored the exhaustion element of it - he is so exhausted so sitting down for 5 mins to do a maths sheet is a big deal and results in crying etc.

I could understand if it was 20 mins or half an hour - that would be too much after an already long day. But 5 mins? I think you’re child is taking you for a ride. He’s crying to get out of doing it - obviously there’s stuff at home to do that he would prefer - and your post demonstrates that these tears are working a treat.

I'm sorry OP but you are being a bit precious here. My eldest is August born as well so I understand having a child that is one of the youngest in the class. But a 5 minute work sheet is really not a big deal.

We've had tears and tantrums over not wanting to do homework, plenty of young children do this. But I've always explained that although I know there are other things that they would rather be doing, and sometimes homework is a bit boring, it's got to be done so let's just get it out of the way. Doing boring things that you don't want to do is part of life. Better that they learn that ASAP

What time are the weekend football and swimming? Unless leaving 9am the obvious answer would be to do the h/w before going.

That said my DD was always exhausted by school and we eventually discovered SpLD, so worth considering of he appears more exhausted than other children.

Sounds quite light compared to my dcs in Y2. Spellings, reading. Maths and an English homework.

I agree though, it is too much. It's not unachievable but at this age it is wearing getting them to do it and the dc starts to dislike or resent school for eating up their free time. Better to keep it lighthearted and fun for as long as possible.

Wake him up 15 minutes early and have him do the homework in the morning instead.. if he still has tears about it, it's not exhaustion at play but just simply not wanting to do it and hoping the tears will get him out of it..

This is less than my child had in yr 1 OP. She had the same plus phonics/English work.
10 mins reading a day.
2 mins spelling a day during meal times.
10 mins at the weekend.
It won’t take long.

Hmk hasn’t been spent home yet for Yr2

If he is exhausted then you are doing too much at the weekend.

My kids cry when I ask them to brush their teeth / go to bed etc. Young children can just be like this. Just make it clear it’s non-negotiable and get on with it.

The work beating asked for isn’t at all unreasonable and giving funding cuts schools need parents to support at home.