I can't ever remember getting homework at Primary School. I'm fairly certain this isn't my memory playing tricks with me because I can remember the thrill of getting my first homework on day one at Grammar School (it was French and I got 8 out of 12 - probably the only time I ever got a decent mark in French homework). I also remember having to trace a map of Mesopotamia into my history exercise book - I didn't know how to use tracing paper to do this so drew it free-hand, and the history teacher didn't spot the difference. Feel free to now boggle at just how freaky my memory is.
But I digress.
My children are in Primary School and they have homework on a regular basis. In Sam's case (he is 5), he has a couple of new readers most days, plus a work sheet (usually numeracy) to complete over the week. Jacob's new school recommends that parents spend 10 minutes every night listening to their children read their readers and 10 minutes on their times tables as well as the weekly numeracy homework tasks and spellings to be learned for a test on the Friday. It may not sound like an awful lot, but factor in that they also have swimming lessons, aikido, choir and Anchor Boys after school during the week, and their bedtime routine starts at c. 7pm every night.
I'm starting to wonder when they'll find time to play.....
I am mid blog post about this very subject.
ReplyDeleteThe leap from Reception to Yr 1 for homework seems huge in Freyja's school. She has reading every day, which is fine, but then on a Friday gets 1 piece numeracy, 1 piece literacy, 1 piece topic related, plus the whole school gets a discussion question. All to be in by Monday, though you can have an extension to Wed if needed. Seems a lot and I am regretting signing her up to an after school club on Fridays. Though she hasn't actually been set the full amount yet.
It makes me wonder how I'll keep up next year when Theo also starts school and I'm going back to work.
My mum is now very involved in helping my brother get his boys homework done - they are in year 5 and 6. She just cannot believe what they get, it takes ages - and she was a primary school teacher and has had 3 of her own children so she's no stranger to primary homework.
that's definitely more than Sam gets and he's getting about the same as in Reception. Jacob got a mixture of SATs work and research topics during Year 2, as well as weekly spellings. And it always takes longer to do than you expect. Quick hint: don't leave it until Sunday tea-time, like me :)
ReplyDeleteThat is what we have been told they will be getting. They haven't actually yet set that for them though - and while I do think it is too much for Yr 1 it drives me even more nuts that they say they will do something and then don't actually do it. After a promising start I'm finding myself getting as frustrated with Yr 1 as I did with Reception. And we're only 3 weeks in!
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