This week's Brit Mums Blogging Prompt got me thinking - for all of 5 seconds! Because my pet peeve is such an obvious one...
Homework!
Not so much for Toots - she's just started P1 so it's all reading books (Biff and Chip anyone?) and key words and lovely learning to read stuff. No, it's Cheeky Boy's homework that really gets me- and he's only in P4 (all of 8 years old!).
Ever since P2, we've been bombarded with homework. And this year is the worst yet! Spelling or writing on a Monday (he'd rather stick pins in himself than write a story - especially after a day at school) . Reading on a Wednesday and Friday. Maths on a Thursday. And the occasional piece of project work thrown in for good measure too. Correct me if I'm wrong but if they need to do this amount of work at home, what on earth are they doing at school?!
Now that they're in P4, they're also expected to write tdown what their homework tasks are and when it's due in their school diaries (CB's makes it home about twice a week if I'm lucky even though it should come home daily!) and the teacher doesn't check that they've done it. Because they're supposed to be responsible enough to do it themselves. Right. Last week, I made the mistake of asking the teacher why they hadn't had homework (as it was so unusual I was starting to suspect something was up). And I was right. He'd missed not 1 but 4 pieces of homework - all due the following day!!!
And, perhaps it's just my son (but I don't think so) but he's neither mature enough or focused enough to take himself merrily off to do his homework as soon as he gets in from school - unless it's maths (but sadly, it very rarely is). More often than not it's spelling - which requires input from me; project work - which requires digging around the recycling for craft materials, researching the internet or generally helping to hunt down either raw materials or information. And frequently, we fall out over it. I haven't seen him all day - it would be nice to spend some fun time with him.
There seems to be no recognition that a) they should be doing the work in school b) most parents work so don't have the luxury of long afternoons to get homework done and c) kids have other things going on besides school - like playing, going to the park, going for walks, sports, visiting their relatives - that kind of thing. All part of life's rich experience and all that - or is that just me?!
I'm 40. I've got O'Grades, Highers, a Degree and a Postgrad (this isn't me boasting just illustrating a point). Point being?
I'VE DONE MY FLIPPIN' HOMEWORK!!!!
Thrifty Ways to Get My Groove Back
Bless, that just doesn't seem right?! It's a fine line I suppose. Teachers know that they have to produce "results" to demonstrate their abilities as teachers and when OFSTED comes a-calling, as they do. Parents want their kids to be kids but also to have an opportunity to learn. I don't know what we'll do when Ella (age 3) gets to school age and we've got homework to do. I'm dreading the Maths in particular! :(
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for participating in the BritMums Blogging Prompt! Well done you...come back next week too!
:) Karin @ BritMums
It's just too much in my opinion, and very unnecessary. I don't agree with homework for any child under 10, unless it's something practical that they can do by themselves. I think it's absolutely ridiculous to send work home when the child has been at school ALL day. Just what do they do at home? If this is supposed to be preparing them for exams later in life then this country seriously needs to get a grip. Children should be allowed to play when they get home, chill out and enjoy being with their friends. The pressure of homework makes a child's life hell, and it's not surprising some children end up suffering with depression later in life.
ReplyDeleteCJ xx
that seems an excessive amount of homework. Gosh I am already dreading when Princess starts school next autumn : (
ReplyDeleteThis would have been one of my pet peeves a few years ago. I actually refused to let my boys do any homework at all before they reached high school level. If a teacher cannot manage to teach what is required during the three quarters of my childs year ( or whatever the figure is) then that's just hard cheese I'm afraid. Other than reading, which is fun anyway, home time is family time; MY time with them!
ReplyDeleteOh, damnit, I just typed out a really long comment and then lost it! I'll try and remember as much as possible of what I said.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how much homework is being piled onto your son at such a young age. I think it's great for children to be encouraged to learn, but there is a point where it gets to much and it's going to do the exact opposite. They need time to be children too, to play, to spend time with family and friends.
And I was not organised enough to write down and sort out all my homework at 15, so they are expecting quite a lot of your son at just 8! That's just too much pressure, in my opinion.
I can completely understand why you're frustrated about this and I hope I don't encounter this problem as my daughter gets older. At the moment she's 5 and she gets to choose reading books. She also has a talking homework (talking about what she's going to write for the 'Big Write' event going on at her school) once a week, and a worksheet (things like like drawing pictures to go with a sentence, or writing a sentence that contains a given word) about once a week too. It's quite simple stuff which takes her about 10-15 minutes to do and she enjoys that. I hope that it stays this fun and informal for her as long as possible.
That seems an awful lot at 8. M<y stepdaughter has just started secondary school but it sounds almost as much as she has to do.
ReplyDeleteI don't disagree with some homework so they get used to the idea, but it needs to be age appropriate and fun - the sort of thing you might actually want to do together as a family.
Families have so little time together, it seems a shame to have to waste it on unecessary things.