elementary school homework

[amandaraye]

I think it's hard too, to say '15 minutes per night of homework'. Each child is an individual. As someone else said, what little Suzie or Joey in class might be able to do in 15 minutes, maybe it takes my kid 30-45 min. Or vice versa. My son's attention span isn't great so it takes him longer to get these things done. Plus he needs constant encouragement to 'keep working" "ignore your sister" "sit down, you can have a drink later". Believe me, I'm a 100% believer that its not just the school's job to educate my cihld but it's just so difficult, and sometimes impossible. I have two other children and my DH works 2nd shift so it all falls on me. My teenager needs guidance with his homework which can be a couple hours per night. Plus he's in Boy Scouts. plus my younger DS is in Cub Scouts. Plus I have a toddler in the middle of potty training. It's just difficult and frustrating sometimes.

 

[kinntj]

My 1st grader gets homework, but she's not overwhelmed by it. In her Friday folder she gets a spelling list, math sheet, and make words sheet. These are all due any time during the following week. Last week we did get a special Social Studies project to list our 5 traditions we do as a family. We sat down as a family to do that one, so she could discuss one in front of the class easier.

They haven't really started the reading/writing or science stuff yet. They have only been in class 2 weeks. DD's teacher will start testing the students on where they are in reading next week and they will start in October in all areas. Then we'll see what the homework is like.

 

[AUDramaQueen]

We get a weekly homework packet for both my 1st and 2nd grader. A few math pages, spelling words, and english. Plus they are supposed to read 20 minutes a night. I like this system a lot. If we have something to do that night, I dont have to worry about their homework. Plus I think it teaches them planning and project management. My 1st grader's packets have been bigger lately than my 2nd grader's though.

My 2nd grader has the spelling and dictation pre-test Monday like a PP and doesn't have to take the test if he gets them all right.

 

[mchames]

Last night, my kindergartener's had 15 minutes, my second grader 45 minutes, my fifth grader 1 1/2 hours, and who knows about my seventh grader - she does homework in her room, on the 3rd floor. Around here, third grade is when it gets crazy.

Third grade starts the homework nuttiness here, too. I have a third and fifth grader and they each average 2+ hours a night, not including mandatory instrument practice for their band (DD8) and orchestra (DD10) grades. Fifth grade is completely over the top, they change classes for every subject and usually have a homework assignment in each of math, reading, language arts and science or SS. Science and SS rotate every three weeks so they only have one of them at a time, but there is usually a project due as well. Not to mention all of the weekly quizzes and tests they need to study for.

I was telling a friend the other night, that I need to start buying wine by the case just to get through the homework every night!

Mary

 

[poohguys]

My DS is in 2nd grade he has maybe 15 mins of home work a night, plus he is supposed to read each night (no set amount of time) Monday -Thursday he has 1 page of math homework and to practice his spelling words for Friday's spelling test (only 6 words). Maybe once a week he also has a vocabulary match sheet. On Friday he brings home a bag with three books that he has to read and log on to a journal by the following Weds. I think so far that his home work level is fine. We will see if there is more as the year progresses.

Last year in 1st grade it seamed like he had more: every night 1 page of math, 1 page of language arts. A story to read and answer questions about that was sent home on Monday and due back on Friday. Also he had to read for 10 mins every night.

Reading was never a big deal-we have read books every night since he was a baby. Just now he reads to me! I never remember reading as well as he does when I was in 2nd grade.

 

[disneybell]

My daughter's school uses the ten minute rule also. I think it is a great rule of thumb. I am glad our school has this policy. She's in 3rd grade this year and so far she has never spent more than 10 minutes or so on homework.

I would be so angry if she had homework for 2+ hours a night this year. I think kids need to have some time to spend with their family and just be kids.

 

[Fantasmic23]

Geesh, I sure don't remember 2nd grade being such high pressure when I was there!!

Just wondering how much homework your elementary school aged children have? Just checking to make sure my school isn't crazy!

DS (6 years old, 1st Grade) has a math ditto he has to complete every night. He also has to do one page in his spelling book every night. He also has something called "Take Home Reading" (He has to read one "Beginner" book a night - the goal is to read for at least 10 minutes a night).

DD (9 years old, 4th Grade) has to complete the front and back of a math ditto (Her math homework is usually the dreaded word problems or fractions - UGH!). She also has spelling homework each night (One night use each of the spelling words in a sentence, the next night write the words in alphabetical order, etc., etc.). DD has to read for at least 15 minutes every night (Books from the school library).

It's only September and the "projects" haven't begun yet (Both kids haven't started on social studies or science yet in their classrooms. I went to Open House last night and both teachers said that the social studies and science units will be beginning in October).

 

[jodifla]

My daughter's school uses the ten minute rule also. I think it is a great rule of thumb. I am glad our school has this policy. She's in 3rd grade this year and so far she has never spent more than 10 minutes or so on homework.

I would be so angry if she had homework for 2+ hours a night this year. I think kids need to have some time to spend with their family and just be kids.

I'm with you. Two hours of homework is nuts. I didn't even do that much homework in high school, and I graduated fifth in my class.

My first-grader has a book to read every night, with a worksheet with a few questions. It takes us less than 10 minutes and we do it right before bedtime.

 

[dis75ney]

I love how my son's 2/3 teacher did homework (we have split classes and kids have the same teacher for 2 years in a row). She sent home a packet on Monday that was due on Friday. There were usually 5-6 pages in the packet of math, spelling, grammar, etc. The kids could do all of the pages in one night or do 1 or 2 each night. If we we knew we would be out or busy one night, we would just plan to do extra on another night. In addition to the packet, 2nd graders had to read for 15 minutes and 3rd graders for 20.

This is exactly what my DS (2nd grade) has for homework. He chooses to do two pages per night rather than all at once, and then he reads for 15-20 minutes before bed. I also think he had more homework in 1st grade...

 

[disneyplanningdad]

Sorry, but whenever I see one of these threads about homework I can't help but chiming in with my opinion: I feel homework is a good thing and as the saying goes you can never get too much of good thing. The only time it is bad is if the teacher is giving it because he/she is not covering the curriculum in class.

 

[Savsmommy]

My DD8 is in 3rd grade. So far she has only had spelling and reading homework. She's been in school since Aug. 18th.

She has 15 spelling words.

Mondays - Spelling words 3x each
Tuesdays - Spelling ABC order
Wednesday - Spelling Sentences
Thursday- Study for Test

Then she has to read 15 minutes a night a write 3 sentences about what she read.

 

[The Moonk's Mom]

Sorry, but whenever I see one of these threads about homework I can't help but chiming in with my opinion: I feel homework is a good thing and as the saying goes you can never get too much of good thing. The only time it is bad is if the teacher is giving it because he/she is not covering the curriculum in class.

I'm with you here! I like to see the kids get homework because I can see where the kids are at and I am aware what they are having problems with. Before we moved last year, my kinder came home with homework every night, just as his sister did when she was a kinder. After we moved, one sheet a week! He is now in 1st grade and gets a sheet a night. I am thrilled! I am more aware of where to help him. I know that teachers have a lot going on and they may not always spot where my child needs extra help. So I say, bring it on!

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I was telling a friend the other night, that I need to start buying wine by the case just to get through the homework every night!

Mary

That would have been me last year with 3rd grade homework! We sometimes had 2-3 hours. I am thankful to say 4th is so much better! He usually only has about 10-20 minutes of written work and then he has to read for 20-30 minutes. Life is much better at my house!

 

[design_mom]

I love how my son's 2/3 teacher did homework (we have split classes and kids have the same teacher for 2 years in a row). She sent home a packet on Monday that was due on Friday. There were usually 5-6 pages in the packet of math, spelling, grammar, etc. The kids could do all of the pages in one night or do 1 or 2 each night. If we we knew we would be out or busy one night, we would just plan to do extra on another night. In addition to the packet, 2nd graders had to read for 15 minutes and 3rd graders for 20.

This is how our teacher does it, too (2nd grade). I think it helps the kids budget their time, too. We have 5-6 pages in the packet and 10 spelling words to study during the week. The children also have to read 20+ minutes per night, but that was part of our nighttime routine anyway, so it doesn't really count as homework.

I don't mind the kids having *some* homework because I agree that it helps parents know where the child is struggling/proficient. However, I think a small amount of homework per night is enough. I remember in high school I would come home to 4-5 hours per night -- and I was an A student, not struggling. I wasn't goofing off either. It just seemed like each teacher gave you 30-45 minutes of homework times 7 periods in the day. I do not wish that on my children!

 

[Aristomommy]

Geesh, I sure don't remember 2nd grade being such high pressure when I was there!!

Just wondering how much homework your elementary school aged children have? Just checking to make sure my school isn't crazy!

Our school has a 10 minutes per grade of homework plus reading time. So in 2nd grade that would be 20 min. of homework and 15 min. of reading.

 

[Aristomommy]

Sorry, but whenever I see one of these threads about homework I can't help but chiming in with my opinion: I feel homework is a good thing and as the saying goes you can never get too much of good thing. The only time it is bad is if the teacher is giving it because he/she is not covering the curriculum in class.

Homework is a great thing, but there is too much of this "good thing". 2 hours in elementary grades? If it takes 2 hours in addition to 6 hours in school learning, that's excessive. This year DD has 3 teachers and luckily they communicate when each has a big project so they work on one at a time. But other teams at our school don't communicate which creates frustration for many parents and students who try to keep up.

 

[snickerboo]

Our board has a recommended guideline of 10 minutes per grade per night (ie: grade 2=20 minutes). My dd is in 3rd grade and has only had one homework assignment + 20 minutes reading per night so far. In the past, our teachers have also done the packet due back Friday with a list of spelling words to be tested on the Friday. I like that because it allows some flexibility.

I'm not into a lot of homework in the primary grades: IMO, if they need 2 hours of homework to fully understand a concept taught in class, then the teacher has done a poor job of teaching the concept. Homework should only be to reinforce classroom lessons. I also believe one of the most important hings a child can take away from the primary grades is a sense that learning can be fun and school is a positive place where that learning takes place. I think it's pretty hard for a child to feel that way when they have two hours of homework per night in the second grade.

 

[EthansMom]

DS7 is in 2nd Grade.

He has:

1-2 math worksheets two nights a week
10-15 spelling words (not to be turned in) to practice anytime M-Th for test on Fri.
15 min.+ of reading at least 4 times each week (logsheet turned in monthly)
Monthly projects (pick 3 out of 10 options) -- he's been doing these on weekends (projects turned in monthly)
Individual reading -- one book per week to read several times and then discuss with teacher

What I like about the way this teacher handles homework is that I can choose to shift DS7's homework load to a different day. So, on days when DS has sports, for instance, I might have him do just his math worksheets. Or if DS7 doesn't have any math that night, I could have him do his 15 min. of reading in the car on the way to his sports.

I know that not all parents would do as well with this way of doing things, but it works really well for us. Basically, by shifting the workload, DS7 has 15-20 minutes of homework about 5 days a week.

 

[DawnM]

The frustrating thing about homework, from my perspective......is that my 8 year old is in school 7.5 hours a day.....what are you NOT doing in 7.5 hours that would require me to sit with him for over an hour per night and teach him at home?

7.5 hours is plenty of school for an 8 year old.

Ok, whew, just had to get that out!

Dawn

 

[TinaLala]

4th grader - has geometry homework almost every night and a spelling paper. Then I do flashcards for her spelling words that she has to spell every night. Then there's 20 mins of reading every night.

1st grader - has easy homework right now, then we do the 20 mins of reading.

It's tough - that's why we don't do anything during the week after school. Well now we're doing Girl Scouts on Monday nights, but it's not until 6pm and homework is done by then.