home work

[AllisonR]

A friend has her 6 year old in remedial math and extra tutoring in one other subject which I can't remember at the moment. Another friend's DS has home work at age 5.

At what age did your child's school start giving out home work? What is it? I mean, is it drawing a pretty picture, or long division, or something in between?

Do you think this is too early to start home work, too late, or just fine? I am really curious to see what people consider average.

[katheek77]

I don't remember when *I* first got homework, but the girls I nannied for last year were in K and 2, and they both got homework. The K was every once in a while, and not very difficult, but the 2nd grader routinely brought home an hour + of homework (spelling, math, reading). I sometimes let her play outside in the winter before starting the homework b/c I knew it would be dark by the time she finished the HW : They go to public school.

I watched my old charges a couple of weeks ago. They're in K and 1. Both brought home homework, and the 1st grader had about 30-40 minutes worth..spelling, math, writing/reading. They go to Catholic School.

There's a very good book (and I can't remember the name of it, and I lent it to my old employer b/c she was fed up with the amount of hw her kids were bringing home) and it cited numerous studies that found HW had no positive effect on grades until high school. As a former teacher, I really don't think it makes sense to send home LOTS of hw, and, really, if you give a kid 4 long division problems to do, you'll know if s/he understands/retained the concept...no need to give 30...and that can actually hurt, b/c they'll either be thoroughly frustrated, or they'll *think* they're doing it correctly...and repeat the incorrect procedure...30 times. I taught middle school and 4th grade, and there were many times where the only hw was "read for 20 minutes"

[snuggly mama]

My older two (10 and 12) are in parochial school. The 10yo has anywhere from 30min to an hour of homework a night, plus monthly book reports, some reading and a few other occasional projects. The 12yo has about an hour to an hour and a half a night, depending. Usually multiple subjects, lots of reading, writing essays, etc. My youngest is in a public first grade, and has little to no homework, aside from a "read for 15 minutes each night" thing. When she does have homework (words to write down, etc.), I was told by her teacher no more than 15 minutes should be spent on it, no matter how much gets accomplished in that time.

I don't mind the kids having homework when it's project oriented or otherwise facilitates some real learning. The busywork sheets drive me nuts, though.

[Iris' Mom]

Both my kids have had homework from K. I think the American Pediatric Assoc., or whatever it's called, advocates for a maximum of 1 min. per year of life for homework, and my kids has always far exceeded that -- DD because she would get way into it, and DS because he struggles. DD is a senior in HS now, so it's just like you remember: DS is in 1st grade, and get spelling words to write and memorize and math worksheets, plus several projects. Too much, I say, but other mothers were horrified that hw only started last week, and are clamoring for more.