Homework in Kindergarten!?

[mahdokht]

My son gets two worksheets of homework each night. They take him less than ten minutes, but still he doesn't always want to do them and I see no reason to make him. It's ridiculous to me that he is getting homework in kindergarten.

Is this the norm now?

[mmace]

It was the norm when my son was in kindergarten last year, and when my daughter (she is in 7th grade now) was in kindergarten. They both had homework in kindergarten Monday - Thursday, never on the weekends. Honestly, I didn't see anything wrong with it - I felt it was a great way to begin good study skills. Of course, kindergarten here is half-day, if they were in kindergarten full-day, I might have felt differently.

[Bartock]

how the heck can there be homework in kindergarden? most kids can't even read or write yet, that's B.S

[LovemyBoo]

My son had homework in kindergarten. It, generally, didn't involve reading or writing. Mostly coloring, matching pictures, practicing or identifying letters, nothing difficult. Usually it was one assignment given out on Monday that was due on Friday. The only other work he ever got was stuff he didn't finish in class.

I never minded the homework. It gave me an idea of where ds was at school and he always managed to get it done sometime during the week.

Homework is not mandatory. If it's that big of a problem for your son, talk to the teacher and let him/her know. You should be able to find a compromise or alternative.

[supercrunch]

my dd gets a "homework packet" on Fridays...but the teachers made it clear at Orientation that they are not required to do any of the work. It is just to make it available if the kids or parents would like to use it.

I like this policy

[aniT]

Both my kids had homework in K as well as reading logs. I didn't mind the homework but I hated the stupid reading logs. I read to my kids don't get me wrong, I just hated my kids being graded on the if I remembers to fill out and sign the stupid thing.

My oldest daughter had reading logs that had to be turned in once a week all the way up to the 6th grade. It got to the point where I would sign a months worth, she would keep them in her binder, and turn them in at the appropriate time. She has a 12th grade reading level and reads novels often. She also had book reports due every six weeks. I think that in itself should be proof enough she was reading. :

OK, I digress with my reading log rant. I was never told the homework was optional, and my kids did (at least it seemed to me) get graded on the homework and PUNISHED if they forgot to bring it back to school. So I think it just depends on your teacher and your school.

[BeckiCNM]

My son started K last week - no homework yet. I'd be annoyed if he had come home with homework. He needs to run around and play, not do homework.

Becki

[momma2mingbu]

Originally Posted by mahdokht

My son gets two worksheets of homework each night. They take him less than ten minutes, but still he doesn't always want to do them and I see no reason to make him. It's ridiculous to me that he is getting homework in kindergarten.

Is this the norm now?

My son had homework in KG two years ago. He brought home a folder with 4-5 papers in it on Monday night and they were due on Friday, so he had all week to do them. I liked this approach because we could fit it in any time in the week that we had time to do it. In first grade he had nightly assignments and that was harder to handle.

My daughter is in KG now. She does not have homework. The teacher said she would not be sending homework unless there were areas where children NEEDED the extra work. I'm glad she doesn't have busywork to do, but I'm also a little worried about next year when she will have to make the transition to going to school full day AND adjust to getting nightly homework and establish study habits all at once.

My son's study habits STINK so this is a real issue for us. (Everything was too easy for him in KG & 1st grade so he hasn't established good study habits yet and it is a struggle for us.)

[jkpmomtoboys]

Last year in K the only "homework" we had was a take-home reader that your child read to you. That was it. Though we are in an alternative public school and I think the "traditional" K's had more homework...

[mahdokht]

Wow. I can't believe this is the norm now. I just keep thikning this kid will likely be in school for almost 20 more years. He'll have plenty of time to do homework, why start so young? I mean are American children any smarter for all this academia than they were 25 years ago when I was in kindergarten?

[sarahmae1]

My ds is in his 3rd week of K, and he hasn't had any homework. According to the school handbook he will probably not really have much homework until he is in the upper elementary grades. On the one hand I am really glad about this because it gives him more time to just play, and run around and be a kid, which he enjoys and needs to do. On the other hand, I wouldn't mind a worksheet or project or something once and a while that we could work on together as we enjoyed doing that type of thing together over the summer. We are however, strongly encouraged (but not required) to read to them as much as possible every day and my DS1 does not really enjoy this.

[elizam]

I've Asked Myself the Same Thing

Originally Posted by mahdokht

Wow. I can't believe this is the norm now. I just keep thikning this kid will likely be in school for almost 20 more years. He'll have plenty of time to do homework, why start so young? I mean are American children any smarter for all this academia than they were 25 years ago when I was in kindergarten?

many a time I've asked myself why don't the kids all seem so much smarter????


My eldest ds went to PS for the first time since 2nd grade last year (7th) and he was amazed at all the kids who are "honor roll" and even "gifted" who don't act smart, don't seem to know much, and HATE to read and learn.

So guess who *isn't* making honor roll and who isn't in "AG' classes? My ds, who everyone always said HAD to be gifted, and was so interested in learning just about anything.

[flyingspaghettimama]

Salaam Aleikum, Makdoht! I agree with you totally. I just read the new Alfie Kohn book about homework and and I think he'd agree with you as well. I understand that there are some (parents and teachers) who believe that homework will somehow imbue children with responsibility, study habits, and learning, but after thinking about it, I realize I am not one of them.

I have a thread over in Parenting Issues as well about this topic (what do you think about homework).

The issue is, how do we talk to teachers about it? Can you go to the teacher and tell them your PERSONAL preference is for your son to not have homework at all; or a halfway point, like bringing in "work" he does at home unasked (I don't know, whatever he's into - drawing, coloring, stories he tells you, whatever). I pointed out to my daughter's teacher that we have a busy family life, and she's already there for six hours per day. If an adult brought work home with them after a full day, they'd be called a workaholic.

My opening line to the teacher was, "So - homework. I'm not into that."

[Colorful~Mama]

Originally Posted by ilovemy2ds

how the heck can there be homework in kindergarden? most kids can't even read or write yet, that's B.S

when my daughter started Kindergarten last year after a year of homeschool preK she could read s hort sentences and write many many words. She wanted to learn more and be in school. So for her kindergarten was awesome. Yes, she got a homework packet on mondays due on fridays and she LOVED to come home and sit after a snack at the kitchen table and do her homework. She did patterns, colors, word recognition, practiced writing her upper and lower case letters and loved it.

she's in first grade now and also loves to do homework. she loves the reading log since we read everynight and SHE writes down the name of the book/s.

I think it depends on your school and on your child but my public school babe loves to do schoolwork at the table with teenage big sister. My son who is 3 will sit with them and color papers for me cuz he wants to do schoolwork too

Barb
mama to a teen, a 1st grader and my preK boy

[mmace]

My son who is 3 will sit with them and color papers for me cuz he wants to do schoolwork too

My little one does too - she wants her crayons and paper so she can do "homework" just like her big brother and big sister!

[annettemarie]

My son is in second grade and only has homework on Tuesdays and Wednesdays--and even then it's just one worksheet. The idea of homework for a kindergartener really doesn't sit right with me. It's bad enough most little five-year-olds are stuck in school full day now, they should be able to come home and play.

[kellyh]

My DS had homework EVERY day last year in K.!!! Plus a special math worksheet once a week, PLUS a book project every month!!! Unbelievable!!!! It was more like I had homework everyday. Full day of school as well.
He didn't really mind doing it, as long as we did it right when he got home after snack. If we let it go until after dinner, forget about it. He would be falling asleep! This year is a bit better. One packet for the week due on Fri. and a reading log due on Mon. with at least 4 books read for the week.
I sure don't remember having a work load like this when I was a kid!!!

[Satori]

For the month were were in PS last year for kindy dd had homework every day. It was a PITA.