How much do you help with Elementary School Homework?

[2disneyboys]

I am not sure what to tell you as I do not have experience with LDs.

What I can say is that you cannot apply what we do for our kids to your child.

I would get my kid outside help if the school will not do anything.

I agree w/ this quote.

particularlly the part I bolded.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

OP - I didn't read the thread when I posted my earlier post. I am sorry about your situation and I hope you can get the help needed for your DD

 

[Magpie]

This is the problem, I have no idea what she needs. I want them to do an evaluation and see what they think-- they are the experts.

I do know that I think she needs more written notes and instructional material to be able to refer back to.

Actually, when it comes to LDs, and particularly when it comes to your kid, the schools are often not the experts.

You're going to have to become the expert, instead. Try looking for local LD advocacy organizations.

 

[monkeybug]

Finland is rated #1 in the world as far as education and I believe that I read that they don't even have homework until 5th grade. Off-topic I know....but interesting just the same.

We are friends with a family from Finland, and their daughter is in my daughters class (she is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the class). I asked the mom about the differences between schools here in the United States and Finnish schools. She said that a part of Finland's high rankings have to do with the fact that everyone there speaks Finnish (unlike here where there are sometimes many students for whom English is a second language), and everyone attends public schools, there are no private. She also said a big difference is that in the early years, like k-3rd they focus on concepts and teaching how to think, not facts. I found that last part very interesting! I was privileged enough to take part in a unique school model when I was in middle school, and they used the same theory. Critical thinking skills first, and then the facts. I learned more in a month of that program than in years of traditional school.
Finnish kids are also expected to be much more independent than kids here are. They go home after school by themselves, to empty houses. My daughter says she wants to live in Finland because there the kids get cell phones at age 8! LOL!

 

[bellebud]

She also said a big difference is that in the early years, like k-3rd they focus on concepts and teaching how to think, not facts. I found that last part very interesting!

Being a homeschooler now for the past 2 years, I've found this is a model many homeschoolers use, and find great success with it. It's hard though, in our society, w/ the comparisons... "hey, my little johnnie in school can recite his times tables in 1st grade... what about your homeschooled kid?" type of thing.

It's like a competition, whose child can spew out facts at the earliest age... flash cards for infants, your baby can read, the list goes on and on. Our society is getting crazy w/ the younger the kid can do something, the better, when in reality it can actually cause problems down the road.

And learning styles are pretty much ignored, which is the most important aspect of learning. Someday, maybe, our schools will change w/ the times. Until then though, children who don't fall right in the middle/average of everything, are going to need their parents to fill in all of the many gaps they'll encounter, because like someone else posted, with budget cuts in schools, they just don't have the resources.

One of the many reasons we starting homeschooling.

 

[Magpie]

Being a homeschooler now for the past 2 years, I've found this is a model many homeschoolers use, and find great success with it. It's hard though, in our society, w/ the comparisons... "hey, my little johnnie in school can recite his times tables in 1st grade... what about your homeschooled kid?" type of thing.

It's like a competition, whose child can spew out facts at the earliest age... flash cards for infants, your baby can read, the list goes on and on. Our society is getting crazy w/ the younger the kid can do something, the better, when in reality it can actually cause problems down the road.

And learning styles are pretty much ignored, which is the most important aspect of learning. Someday, maybe, our schools will change w/ the times. Until then though, children who don't fall right in the middle/average of everything, are going to need their parents to fill in all of the many gaps they'll encounter, because like someone else posted, with budget cuts in schools, they just don't have the resources.

One of the many reasons we starting homeschooling.

Not necessarily. There's a place for everything, including rote memorization. What causes problems down the road is teaching in a way that's insensitive to the child's learning style and abilities.

When we homeschooled, my kids covered most topics earlier than their public schooled counterparts, and I took full advantage of my daughter's eidetic memory. Anyone feel like singing all the countries of Africa? My highly academic homeschool doesn't appear to have caused them any problems now that they're teenagers.

I think homeschooling's biggest advantage is the ability to tailor the school to the individual child.

 

[2disneyboys]

And learning styles are pretty much ignored, which is the most important aspect of learning. Someday, maybe, our schools will change w/ the times. Until then though, children who don't fall right in the middle/average of everything, are going to need their parents to fill in all of the many gaps they'll encounter, because like someone else posted, with budget cuts in schools, they just don't have the resources.

I think homeschooling's biggest advantage is the ability to tailor the school to the individual child.

These points are exactly while I feel very blessed to be able to have my children in a private school rather than our local public school system. (not that private is always best..its not.. but its the best choice for our family) the school setting is a much small class size (no class has more than 15 kids and most are around 10 kids) so the teacher has the ability to give more one on one time. My child does not get "pulled" along if he's having a hard time with a concept or "bored" if he happened to get the concept the 1st moment the teacher spoke the words. If he has mastered the concept, he continues on, if he has not, then he does not continue on until he has mastered it. either way, the Teacher is there to assist his education.

OP I'm sorry that your child falls into that "gray" area where the (potential) LD is not servere enough to immediately get the assistance, yet, it causes struggles for your child. I honestly don't know what I would do in your case other than to try & continue to fight for your childs rights for additional assistance. I have been thinking about this thread and reading the replies and the only thing I do think is rather than backing off of the assistance, maybe you'd be better to actually have a DOCUMENTED log of the assistance... today we worked for x # of hours on subject Y... etc..with a little journel/note to help refresh your memory with discussing this with the "powers that be" down the road. This way your child's grades & learning don't suffer but you can show that its only from the force of will on your part and all the extra effort on a consistant basis that lets your child remain on the level they are. I think as parents, we all help where there is something in particular where our child is struggling, and that is normal, but a consistant struggle on both parties (Parent & child) is only going to serve to discourage the child (I mean really, who wants to go to school all day and then spend all eve in "home school") its one thing on the occasional basis, but not a day in day out thing. Good Luck!