Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Homework for year 7

18 replies

busybusymum · 06/11/2006 18:33

Is it the norm for year 7's to be told"just cut and past something from the net" for homework. This is what my DC has been told several times I did think my DC was just trying it on at first but after a chat with a few other parents today I realise that this is actually what they children are being told!

Since term began all my DC homework, bar 1 piece, has been to find something via the internet but no advice is being given as how to find a good site, so you can imagine some of the rubbish that the kids are reading!

Is this normal?
I have found a great science based site and was wondering if any parents had any good sites for the other subjects?

OP posts:
Original poster
busybusymum · 06/11/2006 18:35

of course I mean "Cut & Paste" sorry

must preview
must preview
must preview!!!!!

OP posts:
Freckle · 06/11/2006 18:36

Highly unusual to be told to do that, to be frank. Shows a lack of imagination and effort on the part of the teacher.

As I understand it, much emphasis is being put on students not copying from the internet, so it seems a little bizarre.

Whizzz · 06/11/2006 18:37

The BBC schools website is very good for all subjects

I support pupils in Year 7 & they are usually told re: things like this to 'find information out from the net' - some then write it out in their own words, some cut & paste.

Moomin · 06/11/2006 18:40

Does your dc's school have homeowkr planners for the kids to use and parents to see? At our school the pupils write their HW in this, it gets signed by parents and tutors every couple of weeks and you can see which subjects are and are not setting regular HW.

I would monitor the situation for a few weeks and make sure that it really is every HW that requires this and not just one particular subject area. If this is the case than I'd make a telephone appt to speak to the Head of y7 before Christmas. Has the school got a HW policy in the documents you have at home? Can you ask school to provide you with one if not - oftsed requires all schools to have one. Check whether they are sticking to their policies.

beckybrastraps · 06/11/2006 18:43

I would NEVER ask for a cut and paste. I might ask them to find out some information, but would give them a writing frame to enter the information on. So they would have to READ it and extract the relevant stuff. And I would give some examples of useful websites.

Original poster
busybusymum · 06/11/2006 18:45

Thanks for your advise, It is constant in that 97% of homework is of this "cut and paste" style. Although I should mention that not all subjects are handing out homework!

The school issue a homework timetable and have a homework policy but neither are being kept too.

OP posts:
Original poster
busybusymum · 06/11/2006 18:46

advice even

OP posts:
Moomin · 06/11/2006 18:46

Then I'd definitely speak to head of y7 about it. If oftsed pounced on them they'd be buggered! Is it a good school otherwise - are you happy with other aspects of it?

beckybrastraps · 06/11/2006 18:49

I have some sympathy with the not sticking to the timetable. Sometimes you feel like you are just giving homework because it is your night, and it's not especially useful, and in fact something very useful could come from the next lesson, but that is not your night to set homework.

frogs · 06/11/2006 18:59

Not normal practice at dd1's school -- she gets what seems to be shedloads of homework (about 3 subjects per night, c. 30 mins each), but it's all v. thought out and structured. There has been a little bit of use of the internet, mainly to find images to accompany written work in eg. history/RE or art, but no more than that.

I'd complain, tbh, though it may not achieve much.

Original poster
busybusymum · 07/11/2006 01:08

I do understand about not wanting to give homework out just because its that teachers turn but in the main subject area's (Maths & English for example) they have had none at all.

I dont think speaking to the school would be very productive, we have a diary system where by parents write a comment or ask a question and the form teacher is supposed to respond but the form teacher doesnt always look at these diaries! The Head teachers has already said at an initial meeting that as parents we should be backing away from having our children's work ! I wonder if they will still say this if our children are failing!

It is a good school (if you look at league tables ) and very popular.

OP posts:
mumblechum · 07/11/2006 11:26

Our ds has never been told to cut & paste (Year7), but to research and then put the info into his exercise book in his own words. Cutting and pasting seems like a total cop out - what's the point?
How much time, by the way, do other Year 7 kids spend doing homework? our ds usually spends 1.5 hours per night which, added to long travel time, seems a bit excessive to me.

RTKangaMummy · 07/11/2006 11:39

Blimey I would deffo complain

DS has 2 subjects on a monday {cos school finishes at 5pm} but 3 every other night and it is 20 or 30 mins per subject

But cos of his special needs {slow processing} it takes him longer to do it than his friends

RTKangaMummy · 07/11/2006 11:41

I would also deffo ask why no maths or english

Hallgerda · 07/11/2006 12:15

I agree with RTKM - you need to talk to the school.

ccpink · 07/11/2006 21:24

As a secondary English teacher - I'm shocked too. My year 7s, per week, do: spellings, 30 mins private reading with a reading task & a written homework. I'd possibly check with someone else in the class, incase of a mix up then you need to contact the form teacher at least. I would, anyway.

Original poster
busybusymum · 08/11/2006 10:02

Hi i have asked the form teacher about the whole homework thing and was told he would "look into it" I await with baited breath......! I have spoken to others in the class and its the same story

For the poster asking about how much homework in yr7 ......My DC gets about 1.5 hours A WEEK max!

OP posts:
reno · 14/11/2006 11:44

the kids at our school get that much per evening - we have a firm policy about homework being set and marked regularly. Its tough o us as teachers but its part of the job. As far as cut and paste is concerned, i wouldn't set that as a homework. But, on the other hand, many students at my school are too lazy to be bothered to write in their own words whether they are given guidance or not. Diary systems only work if you have a 100% dedicated form tutor and supportive parents who see the value of independent study.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page