homework for 5yo - parental angst!

[KMR281]

hello,
My wee boy (5) is in primary one here in sunny scotland. He seems (to me) to have quite a lot of homework to do, and I am really struggling to get it all done - any tips for how long at one go (I don't do more than about 10mins) and how best to fit it all in, or encourage kids to want to do it??

He has two reading books per week (usu one back on Tues, on back on Thur, the Biff and Kipper books), he is supposed to go over all his sounds, all his (30) common words, his word wall (another 20 words), write short sentences, as 'standing' homework, then there will be additional tasks, eg maths worksheets, or perhaps to go over a topic they are doing. I find that on the days I work (3) I can't pick him up and get home till 5.30, and the poor scone is totally tired, so not much chance for quality homework time. He has two sport activies on other nights, so really, it's a bit of a pickle. I will try and swap his swimming to a Saturday eventually, but really - how can you fit it all in?? I worry that by not getting it all done, he's missing out, or not getting enough support. I tend to find that we don't do the writing, as he doesn't want to, so I try to concentrate on reading his words, but feel like I could do better

I did very little with my son when he was in reception (primary 1) other than reading.

I would set a very regular time to do it. Say 4 pm, after he has had a snack and a rest. Then do 10-20 mins every day, including weekends and holidays.

I know you said that you work until 5.30 pm, but I would be surprised if the person who is looking after him would object to him doing 10 mins at 4 pm. Maybe plan something that requires less than 1-1 support then - like practising writing his letters or a very simple maths worksheet.

I think the key is little (10 mins) and often (every day) and regular (same time) is they key.

The other option is doing 10-20 mins before school. I know a lot of parents find that works well for them.

Are you sure that he is supposed to go over all his sounds and words every week? My ds is/was expected to learn them over a half-term or term and we just work through them a few at a time.

It does sound a lot for Reception year. I am surprised they are doing maths and writing at his age as well. Ds2 has only just started this in term 2 of year 1.

We are told if homework takes longer than half an hour overall or they are too tired to finish it, just write a note in their diary for the teacher and stop.

If motivation is a problem, my boys have a very simple sticker chart. They get a sticker every day that they do their homework without complaining then, if they get a sticker for four days in a row ie Monday to Thursday) they get a small treat on Friday (Friday is strictly a non-homework day in our house. )

Also, try not to stress and put pressure on yourself about it. There are plenty of children in my boys' classes whose parents don't do the homework with them and they are all doing fine.

My advice would be to do as little or as much as you feel you are able and you feel he can cope with, but make sure you have a quick chat with the teacher and explain what you are doing, so that she understands and doesn't ask him about it.

That sound like a lot of work. Is it possible the school didn't communicate very clearly and what you thought was for the week, was actually intended for the term.

I lean towards being a upporter of additional work (see recent ks1 threads) but this is too much for a 5 year old -- unless he is happy with it. My DS will be 5 in May and is in reception in England. And I can't even imagine him doing this. They send a book home each week. It has very basic words. He can't read yet. But, he loves telling the story based on the pictures and is starting to recognise one or two words.

When I taught reception (before Christmas) I expected children to revise all sounds in their sound book every night it shouldn't take more than 5 mins it involves looking at the letter and saying the sound (no writing) I would also send a card of 10 words to read (decode) perhaps another 5 mins probably less and changed reading books as often as required - daily for some children weekly for others. I also sent home talk homework for the weekend.

mrz- I think that is an unuaual expectation for reception age children tbh, and a bit odd...

UNUSUAL I mean ha ha

What do you consider odd about it?

It's very normal in the schools I know

Nothing ever takes 5 minutes. Who has a reception child who can do anything in 5 minutes, especially after a full day in school? We used to just ignore homework if it got too much. DS1 (yr1 now) is now happily reading Ben10 comics and Dr Seuss stuff on his own, so it didn't do him much harm. Not that I actively encourage or condone such behaviour, you know, but you really have to judge for yourself what is appropriate for your child.

That's not expected in our school, MrZ... or I've missed it if it is.

Strix is now concerned she has slacked off and is harming DS

If it takes longer than 5 mins stop

Sometimes it's not worth the aggravation to even start ... And I speak as a person who takes the education of my children extremely seriously. You have to judge the situation yourself.

Thst's not normal for the schools around here either, but still doesn't sound as much as the OP's ds is getting.

Its always a topic that raises emotions one way or the other with parents. I think Uptoapoint has hit the nail on the head really. Parents are the ones who are home with their children every evening after school or childcare and therefore, they are the only people who can judge whether their child is too tired to do their homework.

For us, it works to do homework four nights a week and have the weekend completely off, but I am a sahm and we live a 3 minute walk from the boys' classrooms. So, we get home, get changed and have a snack, then the rule is homework first and free play afterwards. For someone that has to or chooses to work this wouldn't be so easy, especially is their dcs are in childcare until the evening. So perhaps the opposite would work better for them. Homework split into bite sized chunks over the weekends, when it can be given better quality time and attention by both parents and child, rather than squished into an already rushed evening routine with an overtired child.

OP When ds1 was younger, he used to use his book to read me a bedtime story, could you maybe add five minutes to that time to do say, 5 or 10 words a night rather than trying to do them all every night? Then any written work could possibly be left until the weekend?

Our schools' desire (overtly stated) at reception was:
10 mins reading, 2-3 times a week - get as far as you get
10 mins phonics, once a week (although always took at least twice that to do the phonics task set, if the child did it himself...)
Obviously, any more than this was welcomed

KMR, you're homework load sounds high to me, but agree with seatrek that over meals can be a very useful slot. Me & ds tend to practice spellings (he's now Y1) over breakfast/supper - would be an ideal time to go over sounds/common words/word wall, without expecting him to give up playtime/drive resentment.

Mrz - I wonder how many of your kids actually did what you 'expected' (I wouldn't and I am uber-keen, school-supportive type mum )

I work full time and get home at 6 p.m so I know where you are coming from.. my 2(dd 7 and dd 10) have never done hoemwork at after school club - there is no quiet area and too many other distractions. So we just bite teh bullet and do it at 6 p.m.
dd was diagnosed as dyslexic at end of P1 so has always had extra work - and I agree with mrz actually - going over sounds daily is not that difficult and in dd's case it was absolutely essential.
In P1 though neither of them ever had as much as your ds has to do - I would do max 20 mins a night and leave it at that.
Oh - I've moved dd's reading to mornings before school as she is less tired.

deepdarkwood what I'm asking is less than you school...

Personally I think the phonics needs reinforcing daily for no more than 5 mins

Judging by the progress my class make I'd say 75% of the parents do more than expected and 10% do nothing at all.

haggisaggis I usually tell parents between 10 -15 mins a night max and it's better/more effective to do 10 mins every night that 30 mins twice a week

Just reading the title and not op my response was going to be "don't do it".

Having read the op my response is "don't do it".

Don't fight with him over it, don't make him, don't do anything except read to him. Read him his ORT books if you like, or read him something else, but don't teach him this is a battle and no fun and awful.

He is knackered. Don't do it.

If my DS doesn't do his homework (hes also in reception) I stick a post it note explaining why/write in his reading book and send it back to school.

They might as well know that DS 'tried on 3 occasions but didn't want to read the book' or 'liked the first part of the task but was bored with counting potatoes' or whatever.

Hes 5 - pretty bloody small to be learning to read and write anyway. I just want him to like school, not to be bothered about his 'progress' or targets or whatever.

We prob do more educational activities sat in traffic jams/at Tesco/going for a meal etc etc than can be gained from filling in a worksheet.

And to be fair to his teachers, they are great and very supportive.

Bloody hell, that sounds like an insane amount of work. I'm a SAHM with a 5yr old child who does no activities out of school yet and I would struggle to get all that done. DD simply would not want to do it after a day of school.

We get a worksheet once a week which usually takes 5 minutes, never more than 10 minutes. Usually 'maths' related but pretty basic. We have to take in an object/picture for letter of the week. It's a welsh-medium school so no expectation of reading yet but we have some welsh vocab stuff which takes 5 minutes once a week. We just got given some alphabet flash cards but just to help us teach them their letters - no instructions of how often to look at them or anything.

In your position I'd be speaking to the teacher to find out whether I'd misunderstood the instructions. And I simply would do as much as I felt my child was willing and able to do - which it sounds like you do already!

woah! lots of responses there - ta ladies. I have def got it right that it's weekly, as it's a weekly learning log - !

I agree with MrZ that phonics can be done quickly, and it's useful, so we do go through the sounds book fairly often. If that were all we had to do, I would be pretty happy!

I hadn't really thought of using the mornings, but if there is time, we could probalby do something then a few times a week, and weekends would be better for the writing, very cunning plans indeed, thanks for the helpful hints.

oh, and a note today said that next week they are getting home common words 31-60, so that'll be fun, ha ha.

ANyway, I am resolved to take a more structured approach to it, and am going to get a rewards chart on the go aswell perhaps.

KMR281 it sounds as if they are using all the 100 most common words to send home which I think is a waste of time personally I'd stick with teaching the tricky ones like was & said and using phonics for at & it etc.

now my ds is in year 2 i thought he should have some homework. I was told by the head that they dont do it as it isnt fair to those who wouldnt do any homework

ds in primary one (scotland) and we get 1-2 oxford reading tree books home a week and the odd word wall, but as they've normally already done them in the class it takes 5-10mins max.

There is now way he could cope with all the homework op has as hes too tired at night (goes to after school).

his teacher always says they get enough during the day so dont need it at night too.