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Primary education

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

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Original poster

"Please tick here if you would like your Y1 child to receive homework...

33 replies

jaamy · 01/12/2009 13:15

...because it takes a long time to plan and mark homework..."

Almost the exact wording in a letter from DD's Y1 teacher. Is this normal? From a bit of asking around I haven't found this anywhere else. The "homework" is just a project, last half term was making an Alien, this half term is growing a plant so nothing too taxing. They also get a book sent home over the weekend. To me it sounds like the teacher is just being lazy, please someone tell me otherwise.

BTW, the projects are the same as they were last year so not much planning required there!

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CremeDeMenthe · 01/12/2009 13:25

Sounds lazy to me. My Yr1 DD get's homework every week - a couple of work sheets, spelling and two reading books.

GetOrfMoiLand · 01/12/2009 13:29

Wish they would do away with homework at primary level. DD's last primary school had a policy of no homework at all until year 6, was a lot better than crappy maths worksheets at her previous primary. I think as long as you practice reading in the evning they do enough during the school day.

nigglewiggle · 01/12/2009 13:30

It does sound lazy to me but I agree with GOML, homework can wait.

MollieO · 01/12/2009 13:31

How can growing a plant be homework?

Ds gets 10 spellings a week, two reading books a night and up until last week a handwriting practice book.

Sounds like the teacher can't be bothered.

purpleturtle · 01/12/2009 13:35

I wouldn't tick it. A primary teacher I know pointed out to me there's no point her marking homework, because she's no idea who's done it. In her opinion, homework for primary age children was some kind of response to Tony Blair's panic about his kids (or something, wasn't really listening then).

Seems to me, far more parents want homework than teachers.

gingertoo · 01/12/2009 13:35

Just been posting about something similar on another thread..

Teachers at my dc's school expect parents to read with their children, encourage their free reading, help them learn spellings and multiplication tables.

I personally think that in primary this is enough.

RustyBear · 01/12/2009 13:39

This is another 'teacher can't win siuation'

If you set homework in primary school, half the parents complain because they think young children shouldn't do homework.

If you don't set homework, half the parents complain because it's not preparing them for secondary school.

So now a teacher's given parents the choice, and they are complaining....

Original poster

jaamy · 01/12/2009 13:39

I wouldn't mind so much if it was no homework for everyone but to give parents the option and for some children to be taking home work when others have to catch up in school just isn't right. Why on earth did the teacher give the option? She has said that they don't get much chance to practise reading in school so I understand taking the reading book home (except when DD1 jumps from an easy reading book to a ludicrous 24 page book, as she did this week).

This week in her project DD1 had to write the story of Jack and the Beanstalk in 3 sentences and draw 3 pictures all on an A4 piece of paper. I'd struggle with that. DD1 wanted to get in all the details and a 5yo hasn't got the smallest writing. None of it seems to have been thought through. Again, I'm thinking, "3 sentences, that's just so the teacher doesn't have to mark/correct so much".

The project last half term has yet to be marked and prizes awarded and DD worked so hard with it. I am just so annoyed that the teacher just doesn't seem bothered.

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Original poster

jaamy · 01/12/2009 13:42

Rusty - yes, in many jobs there are often "can't win" situations and I understand your point. But to say that it takes her a long to mark it does just make it sound like she can't be bothered.

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Original poster

jaamy · 01/12/2009 13:43

"a long time"

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fruitful · 01/12/2009 13:50

Our school sets a worksheet, once a week, and it is optional. If your child does it and takes it back in, they'll mark it, and stick it in a folder for you to see at parent's evening. It's all for the parent's benefit I think. And little swots dedicated learners like dd who like doing it.

I'm guessing that they don't think the homework confers much benefit on those that do it, and so there isn't really anything for the others to catch up on in school.

Original poster

jaamy · 01/12/2009 13:50

Mollie - They get a workbook to complete - how they planted the seed, how they looked after it, charting it's growth and weekly tasks, such as counting the number of plants on their walk to school (daisies, dandelions, roses and sunflowers!!! - lots of those around this time of year)

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tegan · 01/12/2009 13:50

my y1 dd gets 3 books per night, 3 to 6 homework sheets per week usually on a friday

Original poster

jaamy · 01/12/2009 13:53

If it's of no benefit, I just don't understand why they are doing it at all. Except to get me ranting about it.

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sarah293 · 01/12/2009 13:54

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster

jaamy · 01/12/2009 13:57

Aha, that's another thing. Why give the homework on a weekend? Is the teacher saying, "That'll teach you to ask for homework! Now suffer this weekend while you force your child to partake in excruciating pseudo educational activities while I am out shopping/clubbing/dining."? LOL

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Hulababy · 01/12/2009 13:57

I wonder if the teacher has recieved feedback int he past from parents refusing to do homework. You only have to be on MN a little while to see how much some parents love it and how much some parents hate it.

I guess the teacher is giving parents an option, esp if there is no school policy on homework at this stage. Never known it persoanlly, but it doesn't necessarily mean she is lazy but perhaps fed up of planning and marking, and getting some parents giving her flack.

Y1 children dont really need homework IMO. Infant school children don't, apart from regular reading.

In the school I work at there is no Y1 homework at all. Even reading is optional -a lthough I'd like that to be pushed more. But there are no projects, no worksheets and no spellings. Our children are still all doing well.

At DD's school they do have some homework in Y1 - 6 spellings a week, daily reading and a piece of written homework at the weekend. It was more than enough.

GooseyLoosey · 01/12/2009 14:02

No howework for us would be good (dd in Yr 1) but would not mind more focus on handwriting practice - we have none at all and although dd can write neatly, the way she forms her letters is all the wrong way around.

Original poster

jaamy · 01/12/2009 14:08

Yes, DD1 is getting lots of handwriting practice from these projects. She also has half a dozen spellings to learn a week but they are very easy words that the class has already learnt in reception (they, are, see, etc) and they are learning the 2 times table this term. We are told the children will be tested weekly on spelling and times tables and this rarely happens.

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HumphreyCobbler · 01/12/2009 14:13

I disagree with giving homework (was a teacher) but am rather shocked at the wording of the note home. 'It takes a long time to plan and mark homework' is ASKING for it imo.

I would have written 'As homework is of limited educational value'.

MollieO · 01/12/2009 14:17

jaamy is growing a plant a current topic? That makes no sense at this time of year!

cece · 01/12/2009 14:22

I would like an option please! If DD doesn't do hers she gets kept in to do it at lunchtime .

When I complained I was told it was school policy. FFS it is a crappy photocopied reading comprehension every single week. Sometimes the answers aren't even in the text .

Original poster

jaamy · 01/12/2009 14:28

Humphrey - the way the letter has been worded has really rubbed me up the wrong way. It could have been worded better if the point the teacher was trying to make was that homework at this stage is not compulsory (or may be not beneficial). I understand why people would not want to have homework at such a young age, thankfully DD1 quite enjoys it but I am upset for her that her efforts are sometimes ignored and from what the teacher has said in her letter it just seems that it is because she doesn't want to spend time on marking.

Mollie - I know it's ridiculous. The packet that the seed came in said daisy on it but I've never seen a daisy like this. It's grown 20 cm in 2 weeks and no sign of a flower. It could quite possibly be Jack's beanstalk! For the numeracy part of the project I crossed out dandelions and sunflowers and wrote pansies and cyclamen - something that actually grows this time of year! It's just not been thought through.

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deaddei · 01/12/2009 15:16

Cece- our school too- also if they haven't read the night before they stay in for 10 mins.
A friends dd in year 5 never did any homework- her class teacher set it, but didn't agree with the principle of it so if kids didn't do it, she didn't care!!! A very clever girl- in g & t - but now in yr 6 is finding it very hard with new teacher who insists on it.

cece · 01/12/2009 15:23

deaddei - DD has the same with reading now kept in if not done) so at the beginning of the week I sign her reading book 4 x so she doesn't get kept in!? In advance!) Daft isn't it?

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