I have a class of kids 9-11 years old and I always have conflict from parents on homework. What do parents like their kids getting? Any feedback appreciated. Thanks

I love homework I DON'T have to do myself. So not general knowledge/research tasks (lol I'm so academically lazy but then I've done my school years already - don't mind helping or explaining stuff though). Best homework in our house is the sheet with a little maths, language, spelling (putting spelling into sentences) and a task - task is often but not always related to the current study topic or current affairs and is research in nature but achievable for his age. We seem to be getting a variation on that formula each year since y3 (age7). Will be interesting to see what happens this year being his final year before intermediate.

Reading only, with some spelling words perhaps.
There is no good reason why kids shouldn't learn everything they need to learn in the hours they are at school.
Home time is for home, and relaxing.
I have never, thank goodness, had one of those sheets with random tasks not related to school work. However, it would send my ire through the roof, teachers should not dictate what kids do or do not do with their time with their families. And anything (other than spelling) that requires parental input, or will be better if the parents end up doing it is also a huge no-no.
Yeah, I'm pretty anti-homework!

Lol HC, so am I. I never punish for non completion of homework.

Thanks for that. A teacher next to me has always used Matrix and loves it. I know I can't please all parents, but I suppose I want something that kids can do on their own, want to do and is easy enough to mark...

I ticked something else, because I prefer there to be no homework. What I hate most is "busy work" - homework given for the sake of it, and that seems to have no learning purpose. And I really really hate homework that requires large amounts of input from me. Homework should be doable by the child, especially when they're older.

If I think homework is a waste of time, I tell DS1 not to do it. I have better things to do with my kids than boring homework.

On the other hand, the last term of school DS1's teacher got them to do a project of their choice every week, 2 pages, including pictures, on anything at all. DS1 loooved it. He learnt more doing those than he had on anything else all year, and he did lots of interesting topics. But I let him do it how he wanted, because they did nothing on it at school, so I figured it was up to him. He kept getting in trouble for not putting borders on the pages. (I simply rolled my eyes...)

We had these. Sheets with things like questions about decimals, when he hadn't even done decimals at school yet. I told him not to do them, and to tell the teacher I wasn't interested in doing his homework. Knowing DS1, he passed this message on.

oh that would hack me off too. Nice to know I'm not the only one who doesn't like homework - it feels like it in our school. Teachers are routinely asked for more homework . HC I agree with all your sentiments around homework - it really is the bane of my life and I do not look forward to fitting in three lots of homework a night over the next many years. It really does eat into our home time! DS1 can usually manage to get his worksheets done on the first evening in an hour but will be a much longer affair with DS2 and probably involving a lot of cajoling and bribing.

As long as it not some random research project that barely fits in with whats being taught in class that the teacher can't be bothered to teach Needs to be practice stuff, not new skills. And if its not going to be acknowledged or marked, don't set it!

Don't ask for much do I

Oh and if you're going to get them to do research tasks, teach them research skills - its not my job to do that, even if I do know how

Research is NOT looking for something on the internet and PRINTING IT VERBATIM

Actually, we got exactly the same thing when J was in Yr 3 in NZ. And it was fabulous! I can't remember exactly how it went, but he needed to do a page or two with title, every two weeks. Some weeks it was a story about what he had done, others he chose to research something he was interested in. It was pretty hard going for me, but that is one precious book! I still have the book when I've chucked out the rest and I got C to do one when he was the same age, in fact we found it yesterday when we were having a massive school room clear out. I'm all sad now because I can't get M to do one.


I've heard of ones where they have to do a few things from a list and it will be things like playing a game with the family, or helping cook a meal or other things that have nothing to do with school and everything to do with impinging on what is parental responsibility. Even if we do that sort of stuff, and we do, I'd still refuse.

LOL I'm so glad I'm not the only homework grinch!

I hate having to fill in those silly reading sheets, you know read each night and fill it in and me sign and eventually they work up to a prize. My kids read all day every day, if i tell the teacher that then that should be enough!

I dont mind them practising spelling words but i like it when they are taken from their writing errors instead of some random list.

When our kids were younger, they enjoyed (if thats the right word!!), doing homework that they had some control/input into.
Also project orientated things, rather than reading and spelling, which hey they're still learning.

When DS was about Y5, the kids all picked a letter of the alphabet out of a container, then had to do a project on something starting with that letter. DS got D, and decided on Disneyland. He did a great project about the history on how it was started, priced up holidays from NZ including airfares, admittance etc. He put a lot of effort into it, cos it was something he was interested in, and wanted to do, rather than being given homework from the teacher. He got a certificate at assembly for it.

This sort of stuff also teaches the kids how to research, which they're going to need to do when they get older.

As a parent, I preferred stuff which gave us a week or so to do. That meant, you could discuss with the kid, when they're (not the parent), going to do it. And they can plan around sports, and other committments. This also helps them learn time management skills, which is a great skill to have.

Sorry, I don't like homework either. I didn't send my children to school for the day only to have them do more school work when they get home!

What is the purpose of homework? Is it mostly to help those who are struggling? Or is it for the parents who like homework?

If the purpose of homework is to help the children who are struggling then I would send relevant homework to those children only (with a standard letter to the parents to make them aware of the purpose of this homework - so hopefully it would get done by the 'anti-homeworkers' ).

If the purpose is to shut up the parents that like homework. I would be sending a letter home to all of your children's parents asking what family would like homework and just send it to those people.

There you go - easy. Thank god I'm not a teacher!

I am anti homework as well and my kids aren't even that age. However my friends DD who is Year 5 this year LOVES homework, loves activities, worksheets, tasks to do and is very motivated. So I think that while encouraging reading is a really good idea and should be definitely part of a homework requirement in some way, maybe providing extra work for children who want to do it and parents can help direct that if they think its important.

I don't want to be doing the homework for my children, I don't mind providing some direction but I don't want to be the one who is doing it all so I do think that homework should be within the capabilities of the CHILD and not assuming that the parent is the one who is leading it all.

I don't know if it happens but I also think that if research is required then the final document has to be in the child's own words and not copied from a text or written by the adult. An important part of learning is rewriting things in your own words and its not enough to just print out something and say its done.

I think though if children are struggling then the parents probably need more assistance from the teacher as to how to help them... I'd have no idea where to start if I was trying to teach DS something the right way and if he was struggling.

Not only that, but it's probably obvious in their work.

I would prefer spelling words that have something in common, a spelling rule or phonogram to learn. DD will get spelling this year, it will be interesting to see what comes home. Her spelling has gone seriously downhill since she started school, she is misspelling lots of words she knows. She told me it's because she rushes to get it done and doesn't stop to think about the rules or proper spelling. If you don't get your work done, you go to catch up club. Better poor spelling than catch up club apparently.


Or even better, send them some guidelines on doing a project and tell them to sort it out their blardy self because teachers have better things to do than create homework for the sake of homework. The kid can bring it to school for show and tell when they are done.

We're not at that stage either. But both boys come home with homework now. We have a weekly task and a reader every night. The weekly homework we do on Mondays takes 20 mins, done while fresh and we often don't do a reader that night. I think you can make homework work for your family.

I also like to do 10-20 mins a day with the boys because I feel like I'm still. I agree that kids should be learning what the need at school but that learning should be supported and consolidated with parents in the home too.

At the start of every year - I make a point of meeting with my kids teachers - and I tell them how much I loathe homework, and they arenot to *punish* to my kids for non-completion.

My kids are BUSY ... they play lots of sports and other activities ... the last thing they need is me sitting them down to do homework.

The read everynight (both with and without us) - and we do their spelling lists ... anything over and above this - is bonus.

No homework is the best kind of homework here !!!

Homework in our house is up to the child. They all have a love of reading so there is no point asking to do more of that. Spelling at the school is very sparodic which is weird. But still, up to the kids if they are allocated it and if they want to do it. We do get term homework which I find painful because it is up to me as the parent to help them with it, but this becomes easier as the child is capable of doing more on their own.

I like your idea, Karla. Might do that myself, tell them at the start of the year what we expect for homework as parents.

My kids have matrix - through the term and projects and daily reading, spelling and maths. The kids do their daily stuff by themselves so its easy. But we like a lot of yopu are busy and are barely home after school - and when we are home I think its just as important to have friends around etc etc

I have 3 kids - so I barely sign anything (although the teachers know they do it).

The project work is the worst as a lot of it involved $$$ and parental involvement. This year the senior school did a pride challenge (4 things per term) - things like volunteer with a parent at the SPCA for term, explore a nature area that you havent been to before, write and perform a song in front of the school, go swimming every week for the term - blah blah blah - we didnt do it. What a load of cr*p.