Oh I spend plenty of time with my kids alot more than most! I just don't want all night spent on homework... Go hug your kids TurtleDITS!
I understand the whole homework thing...to keep up with the rest of the world we have to do it (well, the kids do, not me!). BUT...I don't think the younger kids (grades 3 and under) should have it, with the exception of reading each night. I think they're too young to spend 7 hours in a class, then come home and have even more to do. I do however, take schoolwork very seriously, and expect my kids to do so as well. They get 15 minutes when they get off the bus to grab a snack, go to the bathroom and "unwind" before starting homework. They don't do anything else until it's done. Sometimes it takes us a loooonnnngggg time, with one kid who's got ADHD and gets up and leaves the second I leave the room...and a younger kid who still needs help reading instructions and understanding what his homework is. And then there's the little one who's running around with the dog acting all crazy and distracting them. You know what? Homework sucks! :evil::jester:
My son's homework is manageable in about thirty to forty-five minutes in 2nd grade. I think that's appropriate and he has no weekend homework.
Hi all, this is a subject that i have very strong feelings about. First, i believe that homework is helpful, if it is given thoughtfully. Homework should reinforce what the child learned that day, and the child should be able to complete it by himself (without help). Kids should only get about 10 minutes of homework per grade level. In elementary school the purpose of homework is to build study skills and time management skills. Doing too much not only does not help - it hurts test scores. As the child gets into middle school, homework is more beneficial but it should still follow that 10 minute rule. There is a frequently cited study that says american middle schoolers receive more homework in math than their counterparts in Japan, but our test scores are not as high as Japan's. American students typically have more homework than in Japan. Where is the correlation? Iran assigns tons of homework, but their test scores are not as high as ours. Homework in high school is much more effective at raising test scores. Kids at this age have the cognitive skills necessary to utilize the time spent studying. When i was in high school i had at least 2 hours a night, and i needed it. Learning latin takes practice. Memorizing takes time. Working physics problems took thinking about the problem, and then trying to solve it. Homework can teach our kids self-discipline and the good study habits. Too much is counter-productive, and takes time away from the family. For some, it also is the beginning of a dislike of school and learning. How many smart people have you known that never went to college because they were sick of school when they graduated?
If your 10 minutes per grade level is a solid figure, I would argue that it is ineffective. At the first grade level, reading may take more than ten minutes, especially if comprehension of the entirety is desired, rather than the ability to read words. Comprehension of the story is much more critical. As far as a child being able to do it himself, a parent should be supervising to ensure that mistakes aren't made, repeated, and presumed to be the standard. Mispronunciation that is not corrected leads to worse outcomes, not better. Learning the complex geometry figures will also take more than ten minutes. There are at least 50 math objectives that students must master to pass 1st grade alone, according to the DPI website. As far as your "frequently cited study", I would have hoped for a link to it, and the ability to read it and learn about it, the authors, their slant, if any, and the perspective from which they wrote, and the study design. Critical thinking requires results that are measurable and can be observed with repeated effort. There are many "studies" that are cited, that often, with due criticism, reflect a distinctively different result than what is alleged. I am not accusing you of this. I am pointing out that it happens, all too frequently. I also take issue with the inference in your last question as to "How many smart people have you known that never went to college because they were sick of school when they graduated?" I take exception because there are many smart people who chose not to go to college, have lead productive lives, and have achieved more than many college graduates I know. For that matter, I know of quite a few successful folks who didn't graduate from high school. While I agree that an education is a valued commodity, and that gaining one increases the likelihood of monetary and career success, it is by no means a guarantee. This also begs the questions as to just what a good education is..and is not. I would submit that just comparing international test scores may not be as accurate as one might suspect.
You replied "If your 10 minutes per grade level is a solid figure, I would argue that it is ineffective." Harris Cooper is a professor at Duke who has done many studies about homework. Here is a link http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2006/03/homework.html You said "At the first grade level, reading may take more than ten minutes, especially if comprehension of the entirety is desired, rather than the ability to read words. Comprehension of the story is much more critical." I disagree with the opinion that this can't be done and that the purpose is not on building and retaining knowledge at this level, but with having good habits. Also i believe that reading should be fun, and encouraged! You can read more about the "frequently cited study" here. http://www.physorg.com/news4333.html In your last paragraph you mention international test scores as not being everything, and I agree. I mentioned the test scores because there seemed to be many posts in this thread about america falling behind because our kids don't do enough homework.
I have to say I've complained about the amount of homework my daughter has but it does help her. She had three tests on Friday - Spelling, Vocabulary and Math. Her homework all week helped her prepare for these tests. She needed that extra study time and practice at home. Someone else mentioned (I can't remember who it was and I don't want go back through the posts) that homework helps kids learn study skills. I think it's great that younger children get into the habit of homework then when they are in middle and high school, it's no big deal.
I look forward to homework with my children. I agree with an earlier poster that said that homework helps to build study skills. I was one that never needed to study in school and still make A's and B's. When I got to college, I failed out due to laziness and lack of study skills. Thankfully I was given another chance and did well. As far as spending time with your children, I use homework time to do just that. I go over homework with both of my boys. I also use it as a teaching tool. I tell my kids that I understand that they do not like homework and I didn't expect them to like it. However, in life, there is always things that you don't like to do but still have to do. The key is the attitude - they have to do homework so the choice becomes whether they do it with a good attitude and get it done so they can do things that they enjoy or to do it with a bad attitude and drag it out and not have time to do the things they want to. This lesson translates into adult life and if they can learn it early in life, it will help them later in life. Don't get me wrong, homework is not always a walk in the park - my oldest is ADD and that causes some issues but I look at it as a challenge to help my son. He also really struggles with spelling and I use it as a challenge to myself to come up with different learning activities. It is also a way to teach my boys that they need to respect each other and the differences they have. My youngest is better at some things and my oldest is better at others. They are learning to appreciate the other and the talents that they have. Another thought that I have is that people have gotten too much into a lazy, "give me" attitude and expect for someone else to do things for them. They also don't take responsibility for their own life. I am using homework to help teach my boys that they need to be responsible for the way they live their lives and that they have to work for the things that they want. I also agree that school work is more important than other after school activities. My boys are very involved in scouts and church. We were in gymnastics and martial arts but when I discovered that there was not enough time for homework, we cut those out. After all, school is their job and I want them to take it as seriously as I do my job. If work gets in the way of other activities, I have to cut out the other activities. Good life lesson in my opinion. Karen
:iagree: Mine is in 4th grade and as soon as she started K she knew that homework came first before anything else. Now, she comes home does her homework and then she can do what she wants, she normally so far has about a hour. Like KB, I don't help unless she ask me to help, but I don't do it for her either. I was not like this when I was a kid, and it showed in my work. I want to make sure I start her out right.
VERY MATURE!! Just because I don't agree with you, u gotta stoop to calling names. I hope your kids are taught a little better! Good luck with the homework! Maybe they can teach you how to play better with others!!
IMHO Homework should be review and practice of what was taught in each subject that day at school and an accumulative review of that weeks work, not a time for the kids or myself to teach them about a subject that the teacher didn't go over in class that day. Mine are much older than many here have mentioned about their own but this was just something that really used to irk me when mine were younger, "Mr./Mrs. so-and-so didn't have time to explain this work to us today but gave it as homework". I was and will always be a teacher of sorts to my kids, both reading before kindergarten etc., but sending home material that was not taught at the school by the teacher is just a pet peave of mine. Homework, review and study.
