Opinions please - Homework in Reception. Dd's teacher has asked to see me - tell me what to say to stop me being rude to her!

[Littlefish]

First of all, I am an experienced Early Years and Primary Teacher. Dd is my only child and is just reaching the end of Reception.

I have tried very, very, very hard to remove my professional hat in all matters relating to dd's teacher and Reception year, in spite of there being numerous occasions of poor practice. The children are basically being taught like year 1s, with very little play.

However, the matter of homework has really got me vexed.

I absolutely disagree with homework for Reception children (actually I disagree with homework for any children until year 6), beyond reading and phonics work. I read with dd every night and we practise her sounds and tricky words.

Last term, she started bringing home a photocopied maths worksheet each week which we were supposed to do with our child and then return to school. The homework is unrelated to anything they're specifically doing that week, and the same homework is given to all children, regardless of their stage of development.

Sometimes we do this sheet, and sometimes we don't. Dd is really strong with numbers, problem solving and reasoning, can recognise, write and sequence numbers up to 100, knows all her doubles up to 12 + 12 and all her number bonds up to 10 etc (Sorry, I'm not trying to be smug, that's just what she can do). The homework is frequently much too easy for her e.g. count a group of up to 10 objects and write the number.

We haven't done the homework for the last 3 as it was all too easy. I sent a note to dd's teacher explaining why we hadn't done it and she has asked to see me.

Added to this, the children were told that their homework was their responsibility and that if they did not do it, they would be moved down on the zone board (behaviour board).

I'm already heavily biting my tongue on all the other issues, and I'm really worried that I will be rude to her! She is a very brusque character, not parent friendly at all. At dd's last parents evening, she told me that dd "isn't pushing herself in writing"

FFS! She's only 5!

Is it worth voicing my objections to the homework, or should I just shut up and let her tell me off, for the sake of the last 4 weeks of term.

Grizzlymum - your final point mirrors my feelings exactly. I explained to the classteacher that if homework is given in year 6, when children are generally capable of doing it by themselves, then the school may wish to have some kind of reward/sanction scheme in place. However, in Reception, where homework can only be done as a collaborative effort between parents/children, then to punish the children for not doing it was completely wrong and unreasonable.

I think I will make an appointment to go and see the Head at the start of next year to discuss my concerns about the Reception provision as a whole. At least that way, dd will have moved out of Reception and it can't be misconstrued as me interfering with her current class.

For the first time dc1 went on amber last week as I had forgotten to write in his reading book. Otoh, dc really does like the traffic light system so don't want to carp about it in case they get rid of it.

Ooooh, I would be furious about that Dinah!

We use a zone board system very effectively at the school where I work, but it is absolutely linked to our school rules. It is never used for anything else.

I think you should ask to see the official school homework policy. For sure it specifies that homework should be differentiated. In which case the teacher is going to look very silly telling you off.

If it doesn't (or if the terrible sanctions thing are specified in it) then you need to take up the homework policy with the headteacher / board of governers.

This does all sound like terrible practice, and must be very galling for you. Have you any reason to believe the rest of the school is any better?

What an interesting thread, showing a great range of opinions on homework for young children, plus plenty of criticism of the class teacher, who would never be able to please everyone it seems.

Lucky lady, 60 years old and probably can retire soon and not have to put up with the nitpicking over everything she does.

In the great scheme of things, does it matter if kids get a bit of homework that is too easy?

I don't think that this is a battle worth fighting. A very small bit of very easy homework is not a great crime, and maybe there are benefits to the majority of children that escape you because your DD doesn't need it.

I am not a teacher, but I think it is important to teach children from an early age that they need to be responsible and respect authority.

Whether you think the teacher is right or not, I think it is very wrong for you to teach your child that it's okay not to do her homework. Even if it's easy.

What kind of message are you giving your daughter? When she refuses to do her homework at 16 and she tells you it's too easy and cannot be bothered, what are you going to tell her then?

I think that you have come to the right conclusion littlefish. I agree with everything you are saying-I hate them having homework at that age-and most especially a deadly, undifferentiated, worksheet -but it is too near the end of the year to cause waves. Get to know the yr1 teacher early on and take up homework policy with the Head.

I haven't read all the thread, but I hate homework, my DD1 has learning difficulties and in year 5. I told her teacher that I make Dd1 do half hour of homework a night, if she has done just 3 questions in that time, then tough basically. I do not want my Dd1 sitting at the table for 2-3 hours after school struggling with her homework, she should be having fun after school.

Okay as a working parent....we often do little beyond reading. Why because I have 3 kids and no time. My DS at secondary is now taking on responsibility for getting his homework done, without me nagging him too much, or taking the consequences.
Fortunately I choose schools that have never been too rigid on homework.

If this is official school policy, and you don't agree with it, then I would be looking for another school whose philosophy more closely matched mine. My biggest regret was making my son do homework at junior school when I knew there were much more useful things we could have been doing to help him.

Malaleuca - far from nit picking over everything, this is the first issue I have ever raised with the school.

Sparkly - your arrangement sounds absolutely right.

mummytime - unfortunately, we live in a small village, and the next nearest school is 11 miles away. On the whole, I love the school, and feel very strongly that dd should attend her local school. I have concerns about their provision for the youngest children however, and would prefer to stay with the school and seek to work with them help them raise their standards. I am considering standing as a parent governor so that I can help to support the school better.

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts. It really has helped to hear a range of opinions.

I think you're right, and that I should not be encouraging dd to develop an unhealthy attitude to any kind of schoolwork.

However, I still remain firmly in the "homework is completely inappropriate for young children" and "undifferentiated homework on worksheets is worse than useless" camps, and as such, will be asking to see the homework policy as Indigobell suggested.

If the teacher had not asked to see me, I would let issue this go and not be raising it. However, as she has asked to see me, it would be rude not to go. I will go, discuss my concerns with her, but remain professional at all times, as I would if I was having a conversation with teachers at my school.

In September I will make an appointment to go and see the Head to raise my concerns about the Foundation Stage provision in general, including the homework policy.

Does that sound reasonable?

You sound like you are part of an inspection team.

Is there a problem with me wanting to support the school Malaleuca? At the school where I work, we welcome comments, suggestions and input from parents as to how to improve the school. Is this not the case at the school your dc attend?

Feenie, was the to me?

No, to another one of Malaleuca's strange comments on schools.

Phew!

I bet it's strange being the other side of the fence as a parent, Littlefish. I am a year behind you - have ds's new parents' evening on Tuesday, yikes!

Oh Feenie - it's very strange! I've tried really hard to take a step back and just be a parent, but it's very hard when you're "in the system" if you see what I mean. Generally, I've done much better than I expected but I think it's been made harder by the fact that I work in a school which is extremely open to parents and children, and values all contributions. I suppose I just got lulled into thinking that this is how dd's school would be .

Good luck on Tuesday. Sit on your hands or you'll end up asking too many questions

Good advice!

The school where I teach is v. similar - we thought long and hard about ds going to my school, especially because our Reception teacher is outstanding. But I think that it would have made it even harder to stand back.

I like your parent governor idea - I am a teacher governor at my school, but would very much like to be a parent governor at ds's school.

I think you should be careful in criticising the teacher on this issue, there is a danger you will come across as confrontational and attempting to undermine the teacher. I agree with Bonsoir, Malaleuca and others that this is not an issue to make a stand on. You clearly have your beliefs about homework, but so does the teacher, who probably has many years experience. There are issues where it is definitely worth challenging a school such as 'whole school' spelling where they insist on putting older children into spelling classes with Year 1 children, but I don't think that the homework issue is in the same category.

I also think that the homework exercise described in the OP might be an exercise in "doing homework" rather than in "learning maths". Homework can come as a big surprise to some children and their parents - getting them acclimatised to the concept in a non-threatening manner might be rather a good idea!

What, homework for homework's sake?

What a vile concept - and dangerously liable to kill any enthusiasm or love of learning stone dead at a very young age.

Surely if there is a need for a 5 year old to get 'used' to homework at all, then at least it should be something fun?