Homework for 5 year olds

mumps

warehouse wrote: »

OP, my Eldest daughter went to a primary school that by pure luck happened to be one of the best in the country. She had much more homework than we ever expected at such a young age, but in time we all got used to doing it with her and it soon became routine. She was only there to the end of year 3, but when she went to her new school she was absolutely miles ahead of everyone else. It has benefited her massively ever since.

She's now 18, got 4 A's in her AS exams and is able to choose the best universities in the country to study a history degree at. All her 5 choices have accepted her application.

I'm now a firm believer that extra homework when young is a very good thing indeed. You are fortunate to have a child at such a good school IMO.

On the other hand my daughter didn't start school until she was 9. She had lots of fun and only learned what she wanted to, loved to read and loved computers. She started school to dire warning from the head that she would be behind, would struggle, had missed so much. They tested her reading and she was top out of 60 children in her year, same with maths. Her handwriting wasn't as good, she preferred word processing. She got 6 As at A level, no A* at the time. She went to a university that is regularly one of the top 3 in her subject and got a first.

Homework at 5 isn't something I think is important but lots of reading is well worth the effort. When we home schooled we decided that if they started senior school at 11 as good readers who could add, subtract, multiply and divide plus know their tables the rest would come. We ended up sending them a bit earlier, my son was behind when he started but still has a 1st from a top university and starting his masters later this year.

I think love of learning is loads more important that lots of slog.

benrben

My youngest 2 are both in P2 now, they're the youngest in their year group as they were born 2 days before the cut off point in August. When they were in P1 they were having 10 common words a week to learn to spell, a maths sheet, phonics sheets, writing practise sheets, 3 reading books a week.
We were told that they should be spending approx 20 mins per night on homework (not including reading) & an hour a day Sat/Sun.
Now, the amount of common words per week has doubled to 20 & they're expected to spend 30-40 mins per night. They don't seem to mind, they love reading & will often do extra written work off their own backs.

maman

missbiggles1 wrote: »

On the other hand, pushing 5 year olds to pass tests rather than to enjoy learning can't be a good idea.

I agree with you but sadly Nicky Morgan doesn't:o.

Qtipps4

Homework has been researched many times and a benefit has never been found. Children at this age learn best through play and by parents fostering a love of reading and learning. Everyday tasks provide opportunities for this not sitting writing in a jotter or worksheet. There's plenty of time for all that.

ViolaLass

warehouse wrote: »

OP, my Eldest daughter went to a primary school that by pure luck happened to be one of the best in the country. She had much more homework than we ever expected at such a young age, but in time we all got used to doing it with her and it soon became routine. She was only there to the end of year 3, but when she went to her new school she was absolutely miles ahead of everyone else. It has benefited her massively ever since.

She's now 18, got 4 A's in her AS exams and is able to choose the best universities in the country to study a history degree at. All her 5 choices have accepted her application.

I'm now a firm believer that extra homework when young is a very good thing indeed. You are fortunate to have a child at such a good school IMO.

That's quite a causal link you've drawn there. I had no homework at primary school and still managed to get good A-levels, a 1st from a top university and a Masters.

Good ol' anecdotal evidence.

duchy

Which is marvelous - however this child is already falling behind her peers . I'd imagine a nine year old or younger not in school got plenty of one to one learning -the fact any teaching was informal doesn't really matter- however this doesn't sound like anything like the OP's situation. I'm not seeing any suggestion that the OP is thinking of home-schooling.

mumps wrote: »

On the other hand my daughter didn't start school until she was 9. She had lots of fun and only learned what she wanted to, loved to read and loved computers. She started school to dire warning from the head that she would be behind, would struggle, had missed so much. They tested her reading and she was top out of 60 children in her year, same with maths. Her handwriting wasn't as good, she preferred word processing. She got 6 As at A level, no A* at the time. She went to a university that is regularly one of the top 3 in her subject and got a first.

Homework at 5 isn't something I think is important but lots of reading is well worth the effort. When we home schooled we decided that if they started senior school at 11 as good readers who could add, subtract, multiply and divide plus know their tables the rest would come. We ended up sending them a bit earlier, my son was behind when he started but still has a 1st from a top university and starting his masters later this year.

I think love of learning is loads more important that lots of slog.

Jagraf

Qtipps4 wrote: »

Homework has been researched many times and a benefit has never been found. Children at this age learn best through play and by parents fostering a love of reading and learning. Everyday tasks provide opportunities for this not sitting writing in a jotter or worksheet. There's plenty of time for all that.

I'm not sure why any 5 year old woukd know the difference between reading a book for fun and reading a book for school. The same with writing. It can all be fun. What's wrong with a child completing a worksheet with lots of pictures on it? Fab experience for everyone.

My daughter went up three years in reading in year one (age 5 to age 8) - their minds are so open to learning in lots of ways.

All kids learning is "play" at that age.

Maybe some parents just find it a chore and they don't want the homework.

theoretica

A lot of the things assigned don't need to be done around the kitchen table, like homework at an older age. Times tables and spellings can easily be done on a walk, in the car, on the way to or from school or even in the supermarket queue - whenever child and parent have 10 seconds and nothing else going on. This sort of little and often can be a very good way to learn too.

pinkshoes

My son is in reception, and he has 7 reading books a week, maths homework on Friday, and a spelling book.

The daily hearing him read means he has progressed really well, so i am happy to do this with him as it will make school easier for him later in life.

He also seems to enjoy the maths if it is approached in a fun manner.

I think a homework routine at a young age (little and often) is a great idea!

ViolaLass

duchy wrote: »

Which is marvelous - however this child is already falling behind her peers.

There is no evidence in the OP that she is falling behind, only that she is behind in the first place from being a younger child.