4th Grade--No Homework Policy?!?!

[wendyl]

We moved this summer and the school DS attends has a NO Homework policy in 4th and 5th grade (don't yet know about 6th). They do all their work in class, so no homework comes home ever unless a child didn't get their work done (which has only happened twice for DS since school started on Aug. 8th---which is true for the majority of the class). Well, I would be OK with this in younger grades--but 4th grade is getting a little old for NO homework. My main concern is with Math. I'm a Math teacher (college now, but used to be Middle / High School)---so I know how valuable homework is to turn "short term memory" into "long term memory" when it comes to developing mathematical skills. Being able to complete a problem right after you've seen it demonstrated on the board is good---but being able to work to complete the problem a couple of hours later and removed from the classroom is where the "long term memory development" comes in. He is missing out on that development. They are "married" to this No homework policy, and don't want to change it.


I think I am going to have to supplement his education here at home, but I don't want him to feel punished. So....

My question to you all is 1) what is your homework like for your elementary student and 2) Do any of you have suggestions for supplementing skills at home without "torturing" your kid.

 

[ElizaB39]

3rd grade 30-45 minutes homework per night plus 20 minutes of reading.
6th grade 1 hour plus per night.

You can play math games, let DS help you measure ingredients for cooking, use a measuring tape to measure for hanging stuff, telling time, asking him to divide things up for you (fractions), measuring lanudry detergent.


We have some kind of math game kit that we bought through the school last year.

 

[foolishmortal]

I have a 4th grader as well, and I was going to ask the techdr at PTC'S on Monday because he is coming home with 2 hours + homework every night Mon-Thursday. So his schedule looks like this get home from school at 4:15, has to eat and get ready for football practice to be there by 5:25, that goes until 7:00 or later so we are not home until close to 7:30 and then he STARTS his homework, going until 10:00pm some nights....that is inexcusible for a 4th grader of you ask me. Now I understand he needs homework, but do teachers not understand they also have extracurricular activities? 1 HOUR + WOULD BE FINE BUT 2+, EVERYNIGHT?????

This is also on top of class projects like essays and group projects that they are doing in class (and weekends)

 

[Toby'sFriend]

It seems to me that Elementary teachers have a hard time reaching that Happy Medium of homework. It is either very little, or ALOT.

My 6th grader does 2 1/2 to 3 hours every night. Math, Reading, Grammar, Religion, Science, Music, Computers, Spelling - he has a term paper due in PE in October. It exhausts me. Secretly, I'm glad I don't have to do it.

Anyway... I've seen a couple of books at Borders that are a series Brain Twister Math problems. I might have him do one or two of those a day. Then I'd have a set reading time, and perhaps ask him to keep a Journal summarizing what he has read.

and then I'd say GO PLAY!

 

[Wishing on a star]

While I don't necesarrily advocate a complete NO homework policy....

No surprize that it is a TEACHER who would be the one complaining!!!

Don't even get me started on the "We can't have a life because our kid has several teachers who ALL believe in homework, so poor child spends hours every night, after a long school day, after catching the bus at dawn....

Nobody seems to care how detrimental it is to our children and their development to overload kids from dawn till late at night!!!! It is just plain wrong.

 

[disykat]

As a parent I've experienced a lot more years of too much homework than not enough. My youngest is in 5th and only has one math worksheet a night plus his weekly spelling list. When his brother was in 5th he had 1 1/2 of homework each night. I'm thrilled to be with this teacher! I supplement with at least minutes of journal writing and required reading time. My son doesn't complain because he knows if he was in the other class he'd be doing more.

I think the OP has a good point about delayed practice being important for long term retention. I am all for a short homework period at night - but the keyword is short! I wish our district would put a 10 minute per grade/per night policy in place.

 

[cl1067]

I have a 4th grade daugter and her homework is similar to what you are describing. She usually has something each night, but its only what she doesn't get done in class. What she does I have, I feel is because the teacher purposely schedules the day about twice a week, so they aren't able to finish, so they do have some homework. She has spelling words to practice and is supposed to read 20 minutes each day. I would guess that she has between 30 to 45 minutes of homework each day, with somedays having none.

 

[sha_lyn]

School has them 7.5 hours a day. Shouldn't they be able to cover all the work in school? A typical child sleeps 9-11 hrs a day. Given time to eat breakfast, dinner, get ready for bed etc that given them only 4 or 5 hrs a day to play, participate in sports, spend quality time with their families etc. Why burnden them with more school work? Sure I believe they should be studying at home, but I really think any home work, especially for elementary/middle school is nuts.

 

[Wishing on a star]

School has them 7.5 hours a day. Shouldn't they be able to cover all the work in school? A typical child sleeps 9-11 hrs a day. Given time to eat breakfast, dinner, get ready for bed etc that given them only 4 or 5 hrs a day to play, participate in sports, spend quality time with their families etc. Whey burnden them with more school work? Sure I believe they should be studying at home, but I really think any home work, especially for elementary/middle school is nuts.

My thoughts exactly!!!

 

[barkley]

we removed our children from a private school in large part due to their homework policies: k: 30 minutes, 1st -1 hour, 2nd-2 hours, 3-6th 3hrs, 7th grade on-at each of the individual teacher's discretion. c'mon, i've been a teacher and know the benefits of homework, but this is nuts! after 5 hours of academics (not counting recesses, lunch or p.e.) every child needs some down time.

our current school (again private) does homework but it is generaly something to supplement/reinforce a topic/subject they have worked on that day, but this is IN ADDITION to: weekly memorization of a bible memory verse, weekly writing of all spelling words in sentences (must be done on a computer), nightly reading commitment, monthly required reading/book report, a monthly project AND anything they did not complete that day in school.

in the past there have been times when i have looked at my kid's nightly work load, helped them determine which was the most critical to complete and told them not to do the homework that i would speak to the teacher-which i have done. i plan to talk to the teacher next week because my second grader was given a homework assignment last night of writing all of the capitols on a small u.s. map (no way his large handwriting would fit) in addition to coloring certain states spec. colors, identifying certain rivers/landmarks, he ended up frustrated and was gaining nothing from the work....i want to understand what the priorities are-i also want to get an understanding if they support recognizing when an assignment becomes too frustrating/unmanagable to be completed in one evening and should simply be set aside to complete at another time (i personaly will not support a work load for a young child that does not permit any down time in the afternoon or evenings).

 

[georgina]

My 5th grade Dd has a little math each night. She usually doesn't have spelling because the teacher pretests on Monday and if they get 3 or fewer wrong, they don't have to do the homework. Once a week she may have to read a few pages of social studies. I think this amount of homework is fine for this age. My 7th grader has a little more, and my 10th grader in 5 honors classes has a lot more!

 

[goodeats]

Wow, I'm surprised how many of you disapprove of (from the sound of it) even moderate amounts of homework. I don't think Soccer (or dance or music) is more important than homework.

 

[foolishmortal]

Wow, I'm surprised how many of you disapprove of (from the sound of it) even moderate amounts of homework. I don't think Soccer (or dance or music) is more important than homework.

So you don't think social interaction or extracurriclar activities are important?? I think working out, teamwork, social interaction, etc... is JUST as important as school work, but if you are in school ALL DAY and have homework ALL NIGHT when are they to learn the others?

 

[barkley]

Wow, I'm surprised how many of you disapprove of (from the sound of it) even moderate amounts of homework. I don't think Soccer (or dance or music) is more important than homework.

neither of my kids participate in any extra curricular activities-when they have asked we explore the time commitment (both at home and at practices, games, performances, etc.) and evaluate the impact on their "free time". we have yet to find an activity that would not neg. impact on their abiltiy to both complete their school obligations and allow them (or us as parents) any reasonable family time together.

 

[goodeats]

{Sorry, I haven't figured out to quote on here}

I do think all that stuff is important. I was in Dance and Girl Scouts, and I was in Gifted and Talented Education in elem and then honors and AP in highschool (where I certainly had more homework and more activities). I found time to get all the homework done. I never had homework 'all night' but it was still quite a bit. And I had to balance it with my activities. But I always remembered school comes first, and I will teach my children that school comes first. That's their 'job'. Just like now I know my social activities and the like do not come before my job.

 

[foolishmortal]

{Sorry, I haven't figured out to quote on here}

I do think all that stuff is important. I was in Dance and Girl Scouts, and I was in Gifted and Talented Education in elem and then honors and AP in highschool (where I certainly had more homework and more activities). I found time to get all the homework done. I never had homework 'all night' but it was still quite a bit. And I had to balance it with my activities. But I always remembered school comes first, and I will teach my children that school comes first. That's their 'job'. Just like now I know my social activities and the like do not come before my job.

I agree with you, but at the same time look at what you said...you were in AP classes and still didn't have all night of home work...my son is in 4th grade and does have all night of homework...something is wrong there!!!!!!

 

[kidshop]

Wow, I'm surprised how many of you disapprove of (from the sound of it) even moderate amounts of homework. I don't think Soccer (or dance or music) is more important than homework.

How many hours a day should a student (I'll stick to elementary/middle school) spend on learning/school issues? ALL of them? I think there needs to be a balance in their lives. They spend 7 hours a day in school, focused on school.. Many schools don't offer or have reduced time periods for recess, PE, art, music etc. When do they get down time or family time and be sure to get enough sleep? I think 10 minutes a night per grade is appropriate. Soccer and dance is not more important than homework, but a balanced life IS important. Kids need to be kids, and 7 hours per day as a student is plenty.

 

[barkley]

So you don't think social interaction or extracurriclar activities are important?? I think working out, teamwork, social interaction, etc... is JUST as important as school work, but if you are in school ALL DAY and have homework ALL NIGHT when are they to learn the others?

not a flame-just a comment. i grew up in a generation/city where there may have been scouting available or a thrown together baseball league but that was pretty much it-they offered choir and band in the upper grades, but there were none of my contemporaries that took private lessons except maybe a ballet class one of the neighborhood moms threw together. in large part our social interactions came from playing with the other kids on the playground or after school.

as a working adult i had to make concessions with what type of activities i could participate in (after my work committments were done-which often extended beyond the actual work hours). there were lots of times i couldnt participate or attend things i wanted to, but i had to establish what my prioriteis were (for me supporting myself). i am attempting to establish with my children that work comes first-then play. but i am also trying to teach them that there are reasonable and unreasonable expectations when it comes to work (school work), and if they become so frustrated or exhausted from trying to complete an unrealistic expectation there is no educational/learning benefit.

just my opinion.

 

[Living with the Land]

My DD is 5. We have 30 minutes of homework tuesday and thursday. What I tend to do is see if she needs something else. We do the worksheets or whatever and I see how long it takes her to complete them. If she flies through them I assume she knows the activity. If she struggles or requires a lot of help I find 2-3 more worksheets on that skill for her to do on wednesday or friday. She doesn't think she is being punished with the extra work as long as I sit with her and help. MAybe you could ask your son to do 1 or 2 problems and if he can do them leave it at that. If he struggles then you can supplement. We have found great workbooks at the local teaching stores that are close to our schools curriculum.

Holly

 

[foolishmortal]

not a flame-just a comment. i grew up in a generation/city where there may have been scouting available or a thrown together baseball league but that was pretty much it-they offered choir and band in the upper grades, but there were none of my contemporaries that took private lessons except maybe a ballet class one of the neighborhood moms threw together. in large part our social interactions came from playing with the other kids on the playground or after school.

as a working adult i had to make concessions with what type of activities i could participate in (after my work committments were done-which often extended beyond the actual work hours). there were lots of times i couldnt participate or attend things i wanted to, but i had to establish what my prioriteis were (for me supporting myself). i am attempting to establish with my children that work comes first-then play. but i am also trying to teach them that there are reasonable and unreasonable expectations when it comes to work (school work), and if they become so frustrated or exhausted from trying to complete an unrealistic expectation there is no educational/learning benefit.

just my opinion.

Have you taken the time to accustom yourself to the lunch and recess policies of today?????

My son has 20 minute lunches...yes you read that right 20 minutes, which starts the second they leave the classroom, so thats 20 minutes to walk from the room, wait in line, eat, clean-up and then walk back (no lunch recess)......they get 2 10 minute recesses (which include getting drinks and going bathroom)....a total of 20 minutes of playtime for elemntry school?????? Even if he wasn't in football take that 2 hours away and he is still getting homework done at 8:00pm...way too late to be outside playing......so in order for him to have playtime he has to be in an extracurricular activty or just not have as much play time...things have changed from when we all were in school!!!!!! I understand that school is important and all that jazz, but when do they get to be kids?????

I would be fine with 1 hour of homework that is still alot but gives them much more freedom...but 2+ hours is ridiculous! remeber 4th grade they are only 9 or 10