How much homework appropriate for 2nd graders?

[doulatara]

Last night we spent over two hours doing homework, most nights we spend about an hour and a half....and that isn't including the required 20 minutes of reading everyday (which I'm not complaining about- we like reading and sometimes do more than what is required.) It just occurred to me that we really never get a chance to play and have fun on weeknights anymore. Between an afterschool snack, homework, dinner getting ready for bed and then storytime...I am feeling more like a taskmaster/drill sargent than a mom.

Is this normal? I am thinking about talking to her teacher and drawing a line. We could always work on stuff we don't have time to get to on the weekend...I just long for some free time w/ my daughter!

Input anyone?

[dillonandmarasmom]

Honestly? None.
*But*, the rule of thumb among public school primary/secondary teachers is 10 minutes per grade level (pretty arbitrary). So, 20 minutes tops--including reading!

If you are spending that much time, the teacher needs to be told. He/she should (in a perfect world) modify the homework load. This is not a good thing for your kiddo. Once the frustation level is reached, retention goes out the window!

I am sorry you are dealing with this. It is very common now with all the standards and testing crap that goes on in the classroom.:

[J-Max]

I have a second grader (in a combined 1/2 class). We have multi-aged classrooms, and individual learning, so it is a little different than traditional classes.

Abby has 3-4 work sheets, about 10 word flash cards, 10 spelling words, and a short story/book (reading level approprate) every week. It is about 30 min at the most every week. The bus does not get to our house untill 4 o'clock, so a couple of hours of homework every day would leave no time or anything else. I know that next year (in a 3/4) class she will have about 30 min/day.

I would talk to the teacher and she what she says.she may not know that it is taking up so much time, and you may be able to adjust it.

[CarrieMF]

Honestly? None.

I agree.

My oldest is in Grade 3. The only time she's ever had homework is for tests(though she conveniently forgets she has tests), or when they had spelling words. Here if they don't finish their work, there are always extra times during the next day that they can finish it.

[joycenjackiesmom]

My second grader is supposed to read for 15 minutes each night. Two or three nights she has a math sheet which usually takes her about 5 minutes--maybe 10 to complete. She also has a list of spelling words and a list of assignments of which she chooses three each week to complete these can take just a few minutes (writing the words in ABC order) to half an hour or more (writing a story using all the words) depending on which activities she chooses. The only time she has spent more than an hour on homework she had been telling me that she was doing her spelling at after school care when she wasn't--I didn't ask to see it until the night before it was due--so she had to all three assignments, math and reading on the same night.

[TiredX2]

Last year DD was in 2nd grade and when she got adjusted to the homework packet it took her about 20-30 minutes/night Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. Occasionally there was an extra math worksheet and she also did some large projects at home (book reports, science fair, etc...).

This year (3rd grade) she is given a packet every Friday that is due the next Friday and takes around 2 hours.

[neptunemama]

My older dd is in second grade and she gets a homework packet every Wed. due the following Tues. It takes my dd anywhere from 20-40 min to do the entire packet. So it averages out to less than 10 min a night. Usually my dd does a page or two a day till it's done, or just cranks it all out in one sitting. This doesn't include the 15-20 min a night she's supposed to read.

[PiePie]

TTA with 20 minutes a night. The point, I think, is to make it a habit and to teach time management. Any drawbacks from it are mitigated by the fact that it is only 20 minutes.

The amounts the OP is talking about sound outrageous (although not surprising). I definitely urge you to band together with like-minded parents and demand change.

[escher]

That does sound like too much homework time for a second grader. I wonder how long it is taking other children in your daughter's class. It could be that the homework load is too heavy, or it could be that the teacher needs to do more in class to prepare the kids for the homework, or it could be that your daughter is taking longer than other kids for some reason.

As a teacher, I would strongly encourage you to ask the teacher some questions before you go in demanding change--I know I'm more receptive to parent suggestions when the parent comes in willing to acknowledge all the possibilities of what might be happening!

[Sharon, RN]

This is alot of time to spend on homework. I agree with the pp: shouldn't be any!

I would def talk to the teacher. One of the things that led us to homeschooling (not for everyone, I know) was the oppressive amount of homework and the punitive nature of not having "it all done."

Perhaps you can decide "We're going to do 30 mins max" and focus on what you think is most important or what the teacher thinks should be focused on. That's what we did until we withdrew and it made life "a little bit" easier.

Good luck!

[angel1895]

wow two hours!! I admire you for making it that long!!

I never had homework til fourth grade... why would they give a kid that young two hours of homework :

[ayme371]

Here the standard is about 15 mins per yr of school. So second grade should be no more than 30 mins.

Two hrs is way too much.:

[november21]

Any is too much

Well my kids are all under 4, and we plan to homeschool, however if my children were to go to mainstream school, personally I DO NOT BELIEVE IN HOMEWORK.
A full school day is enough for young children, I think that its objective it to perhaps involve parents with their child if they aren't already involved, but in some families two parents work, by the time everyone gets home, unwinds, dinner is made, errands ran, things done around the house the night is gone, it's too much pressure on the kids and the parents.
I think that perhaps a monthly report (1 page) would be ok, you know something that is assisgned the first Monday of the month and due the last Friday of the month - something that parents can work on with their child WHEN THEY HAVE THE TIME TO DO SO, like on the weekend.
Just my 2 cents.

[Earthy Mama]

DD1 is in 2nd grade now and has a math sheet and spelling words every night. It takes her between 10 and 20 minutes. Sometimes, she has extra projects to do and she has to read every night. But, she loves reading and does it about every moment she isn't doing homework or playing softball.

I think homework for any grade (aside from projects, papers, studying) is a crock. I remember being in HS and having an hour for each subject (so 6 hours appx. a night : ). Somehow I managed to get it done, work and eat! But, I'll be d@mned if my dds will go through that. I'm pretty sure we will be homeschooling either starting next year, or in 2008...

[flutemandolin]

I don't believe any homework is appropriate at that grade level. School already takes up too much of a kid's day.

Has anyone read The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much Of A Bad Thing by Alfie Kohn? I just got it from the library but haven't had time to get into it yet.

Deb