Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 This is my daughters homework, she's 6 in November. I can't understand why she is looking at H,T,Units. She couldn't understand, even after I gave her 2 examples. Is this level appropriatte for Key Stage 1? Peggy IMG.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 My childminded children are covering this now - but they've just started Y2! Nona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 How ridiculous!!! I have spent 2 years teaching in Year 1 before moving back to reception. Last year I had some very bright children who were working at a level 3A and that would be appropriate for them but not any other year one child. I don't agree with homework never mind stuff that will make the child feel like a failure before they have even started. I think you need to ask the teacher why she feels that this is fitting for your daughter. I would never dream of giving that sheet to any year one child. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 This definitely looks like year 2 stuff to me, so it may be worth a quick chat with the teacher (unless of course your daughter is very able?). To get an idea of what each year group could be expected to cover, you can take a look here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Hi Peggy - why do our kids need homework in year 1 especially when homework set is sometimes a new learning concept and leaves not only child but parents in a flap. Not against homework, but remember the days when I asked my daughters teacher for a maths lesson so I could understand the work she had been set. Dot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 This is my daughters school new Homework Policy Home support for Learning (Homework) Policy Aim To make all tasks set for home completion purposeful, enjoyable and supportive of learning in school. To ensure that home learning includes both regular practise of key skills and also improves children’s research skills, creativity and self-confidence through more independently managed imaginative tasks. To improve our children’s ability to speak confidently to others by asking them to explain to their friends / class what they have learned through their home projects. School expectations As previously and to continue: • All children will continue to be encouraged to read every evening for pleasure and to improve their vocabulary. Home reading is essential and of huge lifelong benefit; it is always noted that children who do very well in writing and reading in school are those who regularly read at home. Please note that Infant children will not be allowed to change their reading book unless a parent / carer has signed their reading diary! • All children from Reception to Year Six will be given home learning tasks that will practise key skills that can only be learned through this sort of frequent regular daily practise. These will be learning spellings / word lists, handwriting as required, number facts / tables, etc. appropriate to age. Each Year Group will separately detail their particular requirements to parents. It is noticed that children of whatever ability who have clearly practised their multiplication tables and number bonds at home in addition to school have a huge advantage in every area of maths. • All Junior children will be expected to complete corrections at home from their weekly maths summary tests once a week. As the test answers will have been discussed and help / advice / further examples given in school, this should be a useful reinforcement of learning and avoid the problems that can occur as outlined below. New: • Children throughout the school will not be set any other ‘homework sheets’.* If a child can easily complete a worksheet without assistance, they are not learning anything new and so it is not a good use of their time. Indeed, such exercises can lead to children becoming bored and less keen to take an interest in learning. If the worksheet proves too difficult and causes considerable difficulty / upset for parents in terms of extra assistance and explanation needed, then it has not been a positive learning experience for anybody. Worksheets largely completed by parents do not help teachers to decide how well their child is progressing! Naturally, it is the job of the School to ensure that children understand their lessons and this should be determined within school hours. • Instead of ‘worksheets’, all children will be set project tasks to complete once every term (Juniors) /half term (Infants). Each child will be allocated their task based on their particular interests and their teachers’ knowledge of their ability so that every child is challenged to produce age-appropriate imaginative high quality work. Tasks set will be based on a different topic or subject area each time and beyond a basic minimum requirement will be open-ended, so that children can spend time investigating and discovering. They will include a chance to research information and to present it in a variety of ways – for example, a picture, a model, an IT presentation, a dance… • Parents will be issued with a summary sheet at the start of each term explaining the project task for their child and giving clear guidance on expectations. • We recognise that not all children will have home access to the internet and we will arrange for a lunchtime or after-school homework club to provide this support should the children need to use IT for their homework task. Public libraries also provide free internet access. • Our Assistant Heads will monitor the tasks set in their departments to make sure that children are set increasingly demanding tasks as they progress through the School. Assessment • Teachers will assess the ‘regular practise’ weekly tasks through the usual school weekly spelling tests etc. Any particularly excellent results or concerns as to poor results will be communicated to parents through the usual channels including, for the Juniors, comments in the child’s weekly homework diary. • Children’s home projects will be presented to their class / group and teacher on a special day towards the end of each half (Infants) / full (Juniors) term. Infant children will share their projects with their teacher and the class and will have their achievements photographed. Junior children will be expected to explain what they have done and why to their class/group, indicating what they have learned, any problems they faced etc. Using a target sheet that will be issued with the task, their presentation and project work will be evaluated by other children and their teacher. Marks will be awarded by their teacher according to the independent effort made, standards reached and their knowledge of the individual child’s ability. • All children will receive certificates for successfully completing their projects on time. Policy initiated for Easter 2008 – trial period. To be reviewed July 08 * Upper Junior children in Years Five and Six will continue to receive a weekly additional science task as a way of familiarising them with the homework expectations they will face on transfer to the High School; also, the right is reserved to send home some lesson tasks for completion in Year Six if a particular lack of effort on anyone’s part is observed. We anticipate that, based on experience, this will be rare! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Thanks for your reassurance everyone, (and the link Mundia) I have put a note at the top of the sheet saying; "B.......has not understood this. I gave 2 examples but she still couldn't see the connection. She didn't undrstand the terms 'between', before or after, one less or one more in this context." Her other 'literacy' homework was to re-write sentences, to include capital letters. 1/ roy and george kept a sharp lookout 2/ they saw giraffes, lions, elephants and rhino's 3/ it looked like a zebra 4/ the zebra was an old one. My comments at top of page are: "B.......knows letter sounds but is now not sure of letter names. The skill required to copy the sentences is distracting her focus on 'capital' letters, plus her inability to 'read' the words is making copying difficult for her" Again, I think this is innappropriatte, my daughter LOVES writing (mark making), I just praise her efforts but really hope this type of work isn't 'expected' within the class. I hate worksheets at the best of times, but when they are so 'irrelevant' (ie: the zebra was an old one ) WHAT is the point? . I hope her 'thirst' and current 'joy' of writing isn't squashed. I think I shall look at Mundia's link and set my own homework and send in B...... examples of success and achievement, not unfinished worksheets that may provoke feelings of failure. Peggy IMG__2_.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 My children's primary school has just decided to stop ALL homework for the children - all ages. They suggest we still read at home and practice times tables if we want - amazing how keen my son is now he knows it is not homework!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 This is my daughters school new Homework Policy Home support for Learning (Homework) Policy Aim To make all tasks set for home completion purposeful, enjoyable and supportive of learning in school. To ensure that home learning includes both regular practise of key skills and also improves children’s research skills, creativity and self-confidence through more independently managed imaginative tasks. To improve our children’s ability to speak confidently to others by asking them to explain to their friends / class what they have learned through their home projects. School expectations As previously and to continue: • All children will continue to be encouraged to read every evening for pleasure and to improve their vocabulary. Home reading is essential and of huge lifelong benefit; it is always noted that children who do very well in writing and reading in school are those who regularly read at home. Please note that Infant children will not be allowed to change their reading book unless a parent / carer has signed their reading diary! • All children from Reception to Year Six will be given home learning tasks that will practise key skills that can only be learned through this sort of frequent regular daily practise. These will be learning spellings / word lists, handwriting as required, number facts / tables, etc. appropriate to age. Each Year Group will separately detail their particular requirements to parents. It is noticed that children of whatever ability who have clearly practised their multiplication tables and number bonds at home in addition to school have a huge advantage in every area of maths. • All Junior children will be expected to complete corrections at home from their weekly maths summary tests once a week. As the test answers will have been discussed and help / advice / further examples given in school, this should be a useful reinforcement of learning and avoid the problems that can occur as outlined below. New: • Children throughout the school will not be set any other ‘homework sheets’.* If a child can easily complete a worksheet without assistance, they are not learning anything new and so it is not a good use of their time. Indeed, such exercises can lead to children becoming bored and less keen to take an interest in learning. If the worksheet proves too difficult and causes considerable difficulty / upset for parents in terms of extra assistance and explanation needed, then it has not been a positive learning experience for anybody. Worksheets largely completed by parents do not help teachers to decide how well their child is progressing! Naturally, it is the job of the School to ensure that children understand their lessons and this should be determined within school hours. • Instead of ‘worksheets’, all children will be set project tasks to complete once every term (Juniors) /half term (Infants). Each child will be allocated their task based on their particular interests and their teachers’ knowledge of their ability so that every child is challenged to produce age-appropriate imaginative high quality work. Tasks set will be based on a different topic or subject area each time and beyond a basic minimum requirement will be open-ended, so that children can spend time investigating and discovering. They will include a chance to research information and to present it in a variety of ways – for example, a picture, a model, an IT presentation, a dance… • Parents will be issued with a summary sheet at the start of each term explaining the project task for their child and giving clear guidance on expectations. • We recognise that not all children will have home access to the internet and we will arrange for a lunchtime or after-school homework club to provide this support should the children need to use IT for their homework task. Public libraries also provide free internet access. • Our Assistant Heads will monitor the tasks set in their departments to make sure that children are set increasingly demanding tasks as they progress through the School. Assessment • Teachers will assess the ‘regular practise’ weekly tasks through the usual school weekly spelling tests etc. Any particularly excellent results or concerns as to poor results will be communicated to parents through the usual channels including, for the Juniors, comments in the child’s weekly homework diary. • Children’s home projects will be presented to their class / group and teacher on a special day towards the end of each half (Infants) / full (Juniors) term. Infant children will share their projects with their teacher and the class and will have their achievements photographed. Junior children will be expected to explain what they have done and why to their class/group, indicating what they have learned, any problems they faced etc. Using a target sheet that will be issued with the task, their presentation and project work will be evaluated by other children and their teacher. Marks will be awarded by their teacher according to the independent effort made, standards reached and their knowledge of the individual child’s ability. • All children will receive certificates for successfully completing their projects on time. Policy initiated for Easter 2008 – trial period. To be reviewed July 08 * Upper Junior children in Years Five and Six will continue to receive a weekly additional science task as a way of familiarising them with the homework expectations they will face on transfer to the High School; also, the right is reserved to send home some lesson tasks for completion in Year Six if a particular lack of effort on anyone’s part is observed. We anticipate that, based on experience, this will be rare! I really like the look of this policy, only thoughts is for a child who 'avoids' homework and ends up feeling like they have a large task to complete at end of term, I would hope progress/support will be monitored. Homework in my house is a nightmare, especially my eldest boys 12/13 yrs, they have confidence issues, need lots of support to do a simple task independently, 13 yr old gets defensive, argues, frustrated etc 12 yr old uses 'sophisticated avoidance techniques' (teachers words). Mydismay at homework was exacerbated last week when the school set them both a task to write up their 'life' time line. The distress this caused is, I think immeasurable, they are LAC, who haven't done life story work yet. Can you imagine how this task made them feel? along with the feeling that they will get detention if homework isn't handed in. I have asked the teacher who set the homework to contact me, which he has not done so yet. However, on the positive, Strange co-incidence, after last weeks 'hassle' over homework I told both boys that as of today, they will spend one hour on homework (or reading if homework not set) every night after dinner. Tonight, My 12 yr old, said he didn't have any homework, he has actually just spent 2 HOURS, reading and copying from a library book (he chose) about Tigers, He's chosen to make his own book, he's interested, motivated and has gained a real sense of achievement and self worth. His brother 13 yrs is somewhat confused with why his brother would choose to do this, but is gradually recognising that his brother has recieved so much praise from us over the last 2 hours that maybe he is 'missing' out. I think the Carla's Home work policy fits exactly what my 13 yr old chose to do tonight. :wacko: Thanks for listening to a parents perspective. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Carla Booth - great policy, what a very sensible approach, round of applause for the school!!!!!! Nona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfer Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 LIke Mundia I went straight to the Framework for numeracy - if you look at the cor learning for number in this document I think the work is actually in the Year 3 expectations! Have you queried this with the school yet? I think I would be asking alot of questions if it was me! pns_mat_obj_by_year.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I have to say the policy has worked so well for us... my daughter couldn't wait to get started on her Romans project. (age 9, year 5) she did a powerpoint presentation on the day in the life of a Roman and we both learned more than I ever knew about Roman History. We spent quality time together gathering photos and evidence from the internet and she proudly presented it to her class. Other children were seen to take large models of Roman Cities into the classroom and My son who was in year 6 presented a fantastic debate for why England had to go to war with Germany.... I've attached her work.. and she used to get horrible worksheets that she cried over, this is what you get when you motivate the children ... A_day_in_the_life_of_a_Roman.ppt A_day_in_the_life_of_a_Roman_Notes_for_presentation.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 What a fantastic powerpoint presentation your daughters done Carla. The other day my son came home with homework on a Friday night after we were told last year that he would never get homework over the weekend. He gave it more than enough time, probably more than half an hour and we also have to read every night (he's Y3). The work description was very hazy and I guided him how I thought it ought to be done. He came home the next night really distressed saying that the teacher had told him off for not doing enough work, apparently lots of children had done no homework at all and I presume they were just all told off. So he comes home the next night with homework and we have 2 pieces of work to do, 1 drawing road signs nice project but took us well over an hour as he wanted to do as many signs as he could so as he would not be told off again. Then a handwriting piece of homework followed by reading. Even after spending so much time doing all this work he was madly panicking that it would not be enough. What is even more frustrating is his homework which he was told off for came home with a good work marking from the teacher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 LIke Mundia I went straight to the Framework for numeracy - if you look at the cor learning for number in this document I think the work is actually in the Year 3 expectations! Have you queried this with the school yet? I think I would be asking alot of questions if it was me! pns_mat_obj_by_year.doc Thanks surfer, I will be talking to teacher! Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Great powerpoint Carla, the additional benefit of your daughter choosing her method of presentation is worthy in it's own right before you even start to measure the actual content, well done her and the school for such an inspiring policy. just another update, 12 yr old continued writing (his best neatest writing) until 9pm 7 pages altogether, all about why Tigers are his favourite animal. I've promised he can have a go with my book binder tomorrow. Normally we find it hard to tear him away from the TV. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Carla Booth - great policy, what a very sensible approach, round of applause for the school!!!!!! Nona I've posted the Homework Policy and Powerpoint Presentation on the Homework Policy thread... it may be helpful for others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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