Monday, February 25, 2008

Homework

OK so I'm lacking inspiration for my photo today - just as well I signed up for a short month!

This is the first time Alexander has brought home a homework sheet. I wasn't expecting it, and I'm not ready for it. I was happy with the reading book and a few little spelling words. Not sure I'm going to manage any more than that. Not sure he will manage any more - he comes home from school grumpy and tired the last thing I want to do is make him do homework!

Maybe I'm over-reacting - his is the loose sheet, there isn't really a lot on it. Not compared to Rebekah's which is the sheet stuck in the book. I think it is more to satisfy the year three kids in Alexander's class. Most of the year three's are getting Rebekah's homework sheet.

I know it's been discussed on other blogs but tell me here:

Does your child get homework, what do they have to do?
How do you manage it?
Do you think it's worth it? I mean are they actually learning something or just keeping busy?
And if you don't have kids - lucky you! No - I mean lucky you don't have the homework issue...

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Bev, Chloe is 8 and in Year 5/6, The teacher expects them to do about 20 mins reading (own choice)a night and spelling one night and some maths one other night for about 10 mins each. I'm however trying to get her into a regular routine of Afternoon tea followed by 15min of homework, at the moment we are concentrating on Times tables drilling. She so missed that in changing schools/countries etc. Then she quite happily reads before bed.
It is a pain though!

Trace said...

I just don't think they need it - reading yes - but reading is reading, regardless of the topic, so it should be something they enjoy (at least in their formative years). I think the only thing it teaches them is how to argue with Mum and Dad...or how bribery works LOL!

Anonymous said...

Now this was an interetsing topic we discussed last year as first year students. One lecturer said why do they need it??? They do enough during school and made the comment that who was the homework benefitting. Then we had the discussion about schools and thier own school policies on it. It's a tricky one and I have no answers.

Anonymous said...

Oh my, that sheet looks positively frightening!!
I guess I will just enjoy the nice cute little readers and a few spelling words while that lasts!!!

Roo said...

Yep homework is a constant battle in this house. I could well do without it. Jaymin gets a sheet which covers various topics plus spelling and they are meant to be reading too. Hope you can get a routine sorted out to do it.

Anonymous said...

At this point (Yr2) we have reading and spelling has just begun again. I'm going for the nonbattle route if I can where the reading is done at bedtime and he chooses to read his reader or have it read to him and then he gets to choose another one too. At the moment he is reading his first Secret 7 book so I'm not bothered too much if his school reader isn't read. He is encouraged to do some reading instead of TV before school, especially. Spelling will probably be done a couple of nights - just making sure he knows the words and is writing the lists. Again, trying to just keep it low-stress, it's done either after a snack and a chat or before school. Hopefully by setting the expectation that work needs to be done at home, it will just become a regular part of his day by the time he gets more.

Mrs Frizz said...

It only gets worse before it gets better ... homework is still a battle with a 13 year old ...

Good luck!!!

Vicki said...

Yep - it does get worse. Aaron at 12 will do anything to get out of it and then the later its left gets caught up with tea, shower etc. Luckily he has 2 weeks and if he just does a little bit each night then its soon done.

Anonymous said...

hmmm I have very definite thoughts on this.
A teacher once told us that Homework is an extention of what they've been taught at school - so I figure that they should really know what to do for their homework and if they have to ask you all the time - then they aren't being taught properly at school.............besides - as DD is now 17 - its all double dutch to me lol

Anonymous said...

We just got a newsletter the other day from school explaining why they are reducing homework YAY! They have realised that kids have a heap of after school activities & are looking for a more realistic life balance - so they're only giving reading & one other thing (spelling for Yr2). I'm not a great believer in having to do homework - teachers have got the best part of the day to teach the kids - I think home time is for family, fun & relaxing. But on the other hand you do want to know what they're teaching your kids & if they're grasping it - I think 10mins is plenty though :o)