Does -3 x -2 = -5 ?

[geminisnake]

They used to keep them in lunchtime so parents couldnt actively stop them.

I think that might be because they are not allowed to impose on the child's time out of school, iirc, that was how it was explained to me by boy's guidance teacher.

Thankfully he's now at college doing computing which I can't help with in the slightest. He seems to be doing ok though!

 

[moomoo]

Scary, partic when they get to GCSE stage. The shift from exams to 'coursework' has meant stacks of the stuff.

My daughter is in her first year of GCSE's and she has loads of coursework to do at home. It's ridiculous, she should be doing it at school imo and so much of it has to be done on the computer. I don't know how children without computers cope.

This boy is in middle school and gets homework three times a week so it's not too bad and the little one gets homework once a week but they're not fussed whether it's done or not as long as he reads every day.

We are a busy family though, they all do sports a couple of times a week (on different days) and it is really hard trying to fit everything in. Sometimes, there just isn't time to do the homework and I'd prefer they were having fun rather than getting stressed over homework tbh.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I don't think there is anything wrong with homework per se, but the amount that certain schools set is silly - I remember that at my secondary school we were expected to do around an hour a night from year 7, rising to around 2 and a half by the time I'd got to A level.


Moomoo - next time we're round I'll show him a great little trick for dealing with equations / negative numbers

 

[aqua]

I didn't do any homework

 

[LilMissHissyFit]

I think that might be because they are not allowed to impose on the child's time out of school, iirc, that was how it was explained to me by boy's guidance teacher.

Thankfully he's now at college doing computing which I can't help with in the slightest. He seems to be doing ok though!

I can understand that, I just feel its disproportionate keeping children who cant complete their classwork in the same time as everyone else from playing outside... when they are 8...

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I didn't do any homework

Neither did I from the age of about 14, I'd discovered all sorts of other things to fill my time with

 

[aqua]

I didn't have your fun, I had to referee my parents marriage falling apart

 

[girasol]

I think the best thing is to get the homework done either on Friday or Saturday morning, so it's out of the way and the kids have time to just relax for the weekend.

As for helping them out, I really enjoy helping my son out, although I insist on him doing it by himself/trying to understand it first and then I check the answers, or explain it to him.

Although schools have an important role to play on children's education, parents can make a huge difference too, especially in primary education.

Bless you, moomoo, your kids are lucky to have you as a mum!

 

[aqua]

parents can make a huge difference too, especially in primary education.

research actually suggests this is the most important thing in a childs education. Whether you can answer or not isn't the key, just whether you are there to help and support

 

[girasol]

research actually suggests this is the most important thing in a childs education. Whether you can answer or not isn't the key, just whether you are there to help and support

Yep

Although I can answer the questions, I have to stop myself from answering them straight away LOL!!! * girlie swot me! *

But, yes, showing an interest in their education and just asking what they've learned in school regularly is the biggest help you can give them.

 

[moomoo]

Moomoo - next time we're round I'll show him a great little trick for dealing with equations / negative numbers

Thanks, I think I'll sit in and listen as well.


I am happy to help them in other subjects but I have a real problem with maths I'm afraid.

 

[_angel_]

I can understand that, I just feel its disproportionate keeping children who cant complete their classwork in the same time as everyone else from playing outside... when they are 8...

Do they give children that young homework now? We never got hw at primary?

 

[UnderOpenSky]

i think the sunject i rember best from school was history because my dad would help me, he made it so much more intresting and i could ask as many questions as i liked, i think parents should try and help educate their children.

 

[revol68]

Doesn't offend me. It's just you're not a maths teacher, so I'd assume a maths teacher would be better placed to help him.

lol.

considering your past record of knee jerk reaction against most forms of specialisation this is especially hilarious.

it's basic maths thora, it doesn't require a specialist 'teacher', I mean most of my biology teachers were creationist muppets of quite limited intelligence but they still just taught evolution from the textbooks, not hard like. If people on here can offer explanations to moomoo (and lets be honest there are folk on here far sharper than the average secondary school teacher) it will let her grasp it so she can then explain how it works to her kid.

 

[revol68]

and on the issue of homework, it's a crock of shite but a direct consequence of the shitty curriculum.

Not only does it make kids resent school even more but for those willing to do it, it makes learning and achievement about little more than knuckling down and grinding it out.

Everyday was a constant juggling of late/not done homeworks for me.

 

[girasol]

Do they give children that young homework now? We never got hw at primary?

My son is 8 (year 4): he gets homework on Fridays only and then has to read something everyday (whatever he chooses to read, up to him).

 

[_angel_]

I suppose reading is ok, but the only homework as such we got then was learning spellings and timestables (most of that was done in class as well!)

Not sure what Thora thinks parents shouldn't help with homework for (unless it's because moomoo got the answer wrong!) You shouldn't need to be a qualified Maths teacher to explain simple maths to a kid.

 

[moomoo]

I suppose reading is ok, but the only homework as such we got then was learning spellings and timestables (most of that was done in class as well!)

Not sure what Thora thinks parents shouldn't help with homework for (unless it's because moomoo got the answer wrong!) You shouldn't need to be a qualified Maths teacher to explain simple maths to a kid.

I love helping with history homework - it's really interesting.

 

[moomoo]

lol.

considering your past record of knee jerk reaction against most forms of specialisation this is especially hilarious.

it's basic maths thora, it doesn't require a specialist 'teacher', I mean most of my biology teachers were creationist muppets of quite limited intelligence but they still just taught evolution from the textbooks, not hard like. If people on here can offer explanations to moomoo (and lets be honest there are folk on here far sharper than the average secondary school teacher) it will let her grasp it so she can then explain how it works to her kid.

Quite.

That's what I was hoping for. It's not like I scanned it in and asked you lot to do it for him.

 

[AnnaKarpik]

If he doesn't understand it shouldn't he be asking his teacher rather than you/randoms off the internetz? I don't remember my mum ever doing, I mean HELPING me with my homework

Oddly, I do occasionally get asked for help. I say oddly because maths insn't my best subject and the usual tactic is to teach me the theory first, eg pythagorus stuff, and then present me with a problem to solve which we then work through together. Daughter3 and I were the only ones to get the last one right in the whole class!

 

[UID]

Don't you remember getting stuck at school, thora?

You'd pluck up the courage to ask the teacher again about something, they'd say 'which bit don't you understand?', you'd say 'all of it', they'd roll their eyes at you and go through it again, and you still wouldn't get it.

Sometimes, going through stuff and asking for help outside the classroom is more productive.

Usually if you ask someone else even if they tell you the same way they will use slightly different words which might make more sense.

I had A LOT of fun with maths at school, as I went to about 10 different ones in more than one country....

Every new place I went had slightly different methods and were studying something different.

 

[Thora]

lol.

considering your past record of knee jerk reaction against most forms of specialisation this is especially hilarious.

It's only doctors and scientists I hate revol. I totally respect the authority of maths teachers and god.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

It's only doctors and scientists I hate revol

Why?

 

[Thora]

Why?

Don't you know who they work for?

 

[LilMissHissyFit]

Do they give children that young homework now? We never got hw at primary?

yes, my childrens old school punnished children for not completing it, they could also be punnished for not having finished work set in class(all completed in detention)

angel you say alot of stuff about schools but you dont really have alot of recent, relevant experience do you??

 

[Thora]

angel you say alot of stuff about schools but you dont really have alot of recent, relevant experience do you??

What's she said about schools?

 

[LilMissHissyFit]

shes commented on the school uniform thread about how there isnt a problem with bullying related to clothing in the USA when they have no unform( Im wondering what that opinion is based upon) and in the past shes joined in several threads about schools. at times giving quite forthright opinions about how things are.
Im surprised she bases all her responses on her own experience of school thats all... school now bears very little resemblance to the school most of us experienced
Im amazed to find out her child is only 5 based on things shes posted in the past and shes now showing she doesnt have much experience...

 

[Thora]

Well, I have no idea what her experience of schools is. I think it's her younger son who's only 5 though.

 

[Bob_the_lost]

I didn't do any homework

I became the expert at copying a mate's work, with enough deliberate errors and missed lines of reasoning to get away with it, in 15 minutes before class.

 

[LilMissHissyFit]

Well, I have no idea what her experience of schools is. I think it's her younger son who's only 5 though.

If she has any older children surely she would know they give homework to junior school children?? ( 7-8 up?) no??