He is 10 years old and in Year 6 and every single week we have the same battle over homework. He arrives home on a Monday evening with approximately 12 pages of worksheets to be completed by Friday morning. There is both literacy and maths worksheets. Jake has a bit of an delay with reading - he's never really grasped it but is improving - so everything has to be read to him, with him and explained in detail. He does about an hour's homework a night (which I think is MORE than enough, to be honest - he's 10, for god's sake, not studying for A-Levels) but still doesn't complete all the worksheets. He's been getting a little bit stressed recently saying that his teacher gets angry with the people who don't finish their homework or don't hand it in on time.
I work full-time and I'm studying for a degree therefore I need some study time for myself (approximately 28 hours a week at the last count - which equals four hours a day, after work, after the evening meal, after "family time, after "homework time"... you can see where I'm heading, can't you?).
I've written her a letter. It may sound like a bit of a rant but I think she has to take in to consideration that this isn't all about her "targets"; it's about my sanity and my desire for a happy family.
Dear Mrs C
Jake has tried very hard with his homework this week and has spent over an hour every night trying to complete it.
In my opinion, and taking in to consideration his attention span through his ADHD, I believe this is ample. He is very concerned that you will be disappointed that he has not finished it.
As a working mum and also studying for a degree myself, I do not feel that it is productive for us as a family or for Jake to try and make him concentrate for longer each evening, and also eat into my own personal study time.
If you feel that you need to discuss this with me further, please let me know. I do not monitor my child's development by his S.A.T. results but through how he is progressing with a learning disability - one which we are trying hard to control through praise and reward - and not relying on medication and negative attitude.
I appreciate your understanding with this matter. My main concern is that Jake has been saying that you "shout" or "tell him off" if/when he doesn't hand in his completed homework on a Friday but, in the same respect, this is a 10 year old's interpretation of the situation.
Kind regards
Mrs Angry
I actually don't care that this sounds patronising and ranty. I don't want my son's memories of his final year at primary school filled with stress, homework worries and S.A.T. results.
Linked posts:
Long division can just "Chunk" off
Yr6 homework - present tense, past tense