Does this homework sound right to you? I need ammo for discussion with class teacher!

[purpleduck]

My ds is in Y4 - he is a very good reader (he, and a few other children scored the best score on the last reading test - not that I have a huge amount of faith in them - but the school does. )

Anyhow...

He came home yesterday with reading homework, and it was to "draw a picture of the setting, and give a few phrases which describe it"

It just seems too easy. He had harder homework in y3.

The thing is, his year has been so messed up. They had a teacher til October half term, then she left. Then they had one part time teacher with a few other teachers filling in the week.Now they have 2 teachers, but they still have a 3rd person to fill in for their pp whatever day.
Does this seem all messed up? I am worried about ds's education.

This seems to me like work that could be done to absolutely any standard, right up to university standard or beyond. Up to your son if this is easy homework or advanced. The sky's the limit as far as I can see.

I agree with Cory. Though it could be done at a very basic level, it is completely open-ended. He can describe the sky in his picture as 'a bright blue sky' or 'a misty gauzy grey sky that looked as if it were on the verge of weeping fat wet tears.' (Not that I would recommend the very overwritten second phrase, but you see what I mean.)

There's nothing stopping your son doing a Constable painting of the setting and a Dickens-level novel about it... in fact, doing that (or slightly more reasonable equivalent) might be a good way of drawing the teacher's attention to any discrepancy between expected and actual levels.

It just seemed too easy for reading homework to have to draw a picture. He then has to pick out what the author said describing the setting. Sorry that wasn't clear.
Although I do think the homework seems a bit too easy, I am really upset about how much upset there has been in his class. He is getting disheartened, and there is alot of confusion.

Ah, I was thinking more of Wordsworth...

but reading is as much about comprehension of what's happening in it, so being able to draw a picture of the "setting" shows that he's properly comprehended what he's reading.

ok, cross-posted. He can still put a lot of effort into doing his picture to match the exact description/mood of the text.

Anyway, I don't think a bit of easy homework given to an 8-yo is going to ruin his education forever. There is a strong opinion against homework in primary school anyway. I personally think it's ok in junior's but not essential.

You make sure he has plenty to read and I expect he will be fine.

Cory, I totally agree about homework in primary school. My dh is a headteacher of a high school and he also agrees. Don't reckon it makes a huge difference to their overall learning.

What they need is a decent enough standard of education and parents who are interested and supportive.

When my ds (who is same age as yours actually) brings home his homework I immediately look to see if it's easy and breathe a sigh of relief if it is!!! (slacker)

Well, I am not against homework in Year 4- my own son is in Yr 4- but I tend to leave him to it unless he actually asks for help. I have found that the best way to help children's academic progress is to provide a stimulating learning environment at home but not be too interested in every little detail of their school life. That is only a small part of their education anyway.

Ok, I feel much better about it.
I guess the real issue is that I am worried about the lack of stability in his classroom, and I was looking at the homework as "proof" of that, rather than seeing it for what it is - just a bit of easy homework.

I think I didn't realise how worried I was until he brought it home. He also thinks - but is not sure that he has been dropped down a few levels, so he is confused and a bit upset.

Yes, I see what you mean, it's sort of a last straw when you're not happy about the situation anyway. Doesn't your ds know what level he is on? Can't he ask the teacher? When is your next parent meeting?

Our next parent evening isn't for ages - He was always at the top for reading, and now he is just confused, as the children he is with now are usually a group or 2 below.
I really really am not one of those parents who insist that my dcs be at the top, but its just that it has changed, and he seems to feel that everything is confused (ie renamed the groups, moved lots of people around, changed days when they normally did things) So, I don't know if they are still grouping according to ability..? Ds doesn't know if he is coming or going.

My dd had to draw a picture from her favourite part of her reading book also. She is in year 4 too. The homework was rather easy, but she also had two maths sheets to do, so I cannot complain about the homework, it was about right. She really enjoyed drawing the picture, and did not have very much fun doing the maths .

At our school, for reading the children sit in mixed ability groups in year 4. This is because reading is done quietly, and each child has their own (different) book. Literacy and numeracy are setted by ability, so the children have different places to sit for different subjects. I would not read too much into the groups being moved about.

If you think it is too easy, get them to do the written part on scrap paper first, then show them how to improve on it by using a thesaurus and adding more descriptive words to their piece before re-writing it on the page to be handed in.

Having an enjoyable/easy homework from time to time is no harm, it helps towards a more positive attitude towards school work.

That work sounds fine to me.