You have got to be kidding me ....

[MustangLady]

Just when I thought I'd heard it all; my bro & SIL went to a parents evening last night, during which they were told that the words 'Home Work' were no longer going to be used it was now going to be called 'Home Learning', they were told the reason being kids these days are scared of the word 'work' and its very off-putting to them. So to make it easier for the kids and push them forward they are now calling it 'Home Learning'! Apparantly this is going to be a national thing, not just for this school. They have got to be kidding us??!! Why are they pussy-footing around... it's bloody WORK and the sooner the kids get to know about real life the better. Everything these days are done so nobody gets hurt or upset by words, oh come on pleeeease! We never had any of this when we were kids and we turned out ok.

Ok Ok, lets go with this, so I'm no longer going early to work ... from now on I'm going to EARLY LEARNING .. Lol :)

[Smowball]

OMG that is sooo ridiculous, am now off with my hoover and duster to do some house LEARNING! : )

[coccinelle]

I agree with this as I often hear people referring to school as work. Work hard! etc Learning isn't work, it's a pleasure and is very interesting mainly. Homework isn't work either but an extension of school learning, on top of this work comes with a pay and learning doesn't.

[B00]

My daughter's primary school still call it home work and as far as I know there's no plans to change it's name any time soon.

[ummmm]

I don't believe that.

[bookbinder]

"Work" doesn't have to be rewarded by a pay cheque:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/work

[factor-fiction]

I don't have a problem with the change- it is a subtle change that may just help Tchange attitudes for a few.
The word Teaching is frowned upon now in some circles- it should never be used on its own so I now talk about 'teaching and learning' instead. I can see the point in that also i suppose. I have mentioned before that at some schools the Head is now called a Lead Learner- now that is a step too far I think.

[B00]

who me ummmm?

[ummmm]

No, lol, the OP.

[B00]

ahhh right, lol.

Gotta admit, it does sound a bit far fetched, but who knows eh?

[Mamyalynne]

One example here ...

http://www.howedell.h...g_2011_Newsletter.pdf

[Mamyalynne]

another...

http://www.stjohns.ki...ments/2914198707.ikml

[theshedman]

The schools need to get on with teaching our children and not messing with names of things just for the sake of it. Just like when the children have sports day these days and they are not allowed to have races where you get a winner in case someone gets upset when they lose. What will they do when they get out in the real world and get turned down for a job or a course they want. They need to be competitive from an early age.

[coccinelle]

Ha, they still call it a homework book in the first link mammyalynne!!

[Mamyalynne]

Ha?? Yes they do, was referring to this passage

"Homework at Howe Dell is being renamed Home Learning. This is in order to move
away from a perception of children just completing a set task to, children continuing
their learning at home in a variety of ways. Of course this could still be through a set
task, but also could include a family discussion (such as already happens with Big
Talk), an extended research project or making something, e.g. an air raid sculpture."

[Brinjal]

In south Africa school pupils are called learners. I figure some are some aren't.

[Mosaic]

Policy made up by people so far through the looking glass that they believe this makes sense.

[coccinelle]

Yes, I did see that but what made me laugh that further down they still call it a homework book so haven't got around that yet. By the way, this was in no way a dig at your post it just made me laugh to still use the homework word!

[rockyracoon]

Ridonculous, my kids's school call it homestudy, in this house it's called homework, and they'd best be working at it. I think these busybodies overestimate how much importance children place on things like this, regardless, they have to do it. Making it sound more appealing will make no difference.

[Mamyalynne]

Understood Coccinelle, bet all the teachers will slip up and continue the old term too. :-)

[joko]

in some ways i can see the sense here - the word 'work' is not really what they are doing - they are studying, doing tasks and learning etc, and if the word 'work' is subconsciously making kids not want to do it, why not refer to it in a more positive way?

in some ways it is also petty and seems pointless to us adults - because we know its not important what its called as it amount to the same thing - but kids are not the same as us and are influenced more by negative connotations ... but if it aids the process of kids viewing learning in a different, more favourable way to the perceived 'forced drudgery' of real work then why not?

we want kids to want to learn ... but few people really want to 'work'