Are you in Homework Hell? Hear what Andrew, Joanie and Chuck had to say!

[Cafe AmyB]

Recently, we asked: “Do you think your kids have too much homework?” Some moms felt that there was too much and others mentioned that the homework was so difficult they weren't even able to help their children.

Hear what Andrew, Joanie and Chuck from the Mad Life have to say and then tell us, Are kids getting too much homework, or not enough?

[abra]

An hour for first grade?! Goodness! At the school our daughter goes too (I am also homeschooling our preschooler), the teachers coordinate how much homework they are sending home and regularly take polls from parents to double check how long it is actually taking. For our first grader, she takes 12-15 minutes a night to do homework. I usually help her with it while I am making dinner. She just sits up at the kitchen counter. I spend roughly 30-40 minutes a day with our 4 year old doing formal preschool training, and the rest she picks up from just hanging out with me. Helping me in the kitchen is great for preschool numbers and shapes! 

When my husband taught Jr. High and High School for 5 years, the school he was employed by practiced something similar. The administration allowed 2 hours of homework a night for jr. high. Then the teachers had a program they could sign into and slot how much time their class would need. If there were any problems and a teacher needed more time then was available, they could discuss it at Monday morning staff meetings and another teacher would usually be able to cut back on their classes homework for that week so the other teacher (usually math, history or science) could use a little more time. 

And, Joanie, we still do PTA meetings!! Twice a year, we schedule a time to go in and talk to our daughter's teacher and discuss any problems are areas we need to be more proactive in helping her with at home. That being said, it is a private school that is relatively small. 

Personally, I think parents need to be more involved in their children's education. We are ultimately responsible for everything they are or are not learning. We designate some of the responsibility to the school, but we still need to keep tabs on what they are being taught and take time to have casual conversations about what they are learning and what their thoughts on it are. I think it is also important to find schools that are teaching our children HOW to think for themselves and not just spoon feed them whatever philosophy they want. Too often children are being taught what to think which is useless in the real world. It's like instead of teaching someone to bake, they simply give them a loaf of bread and expect them to be able to feed themselves for life. 

[GwenMB]

I agree with Joanie - 10 minutes per grade of homework.  That's what my son's school does.  He's in K, so no homework (unless he isn't getting something done it class due to dwadling, which has happened, but he's getting better).  His teacher does send short readers home twice a week, but how much he reads is up to him/us.  His teacher wants it to be fun, not stressful.

We don't have a PTA, but that's because my son goes to a private school.  Public schools all seem to have PTA.

I agree with the mom who said kids should be learning by experiencing life, not just doing homework.  By middle/high school a little more home work so  you can learn to focus & get things done w/o the teacher there is good.

[GwenMB]

Quoting abra:

An hour for first grade?! Goodness! At the school our daughter goes too (I am also homeschooling our preschooler), the teachers coordinate how much homework they are sending home and regularly take polls from parents to double check how long it is actually taking. For our first grader, she takes 12-15 minutes a night to do homework. I usually help her with it while I am making dinner. She just sits up at the kitchen counter. I spend roughly 30-40 minutes a day with our 4 year old doing formal preschool training, and the rest she picks up from just hanging out with me. Helping me in the kitchen is great for preschool numbers and shapes! 

When my husband taught Jr. High and High School for 5 years, the school he was employed by practiced something similar. The administration allowed 2 hours of homework a night for jr. high. Then the teachers had a program they could sign into and slot how much time their class would need. If there were any problems and a teacher needed more time then was available, they could discuss it at Monday morning staff meetings and another teacher would usually be able to cut back on their classes homework for that week so the other teacher (usually math, history or science) could use a little more time. 

And, Joanie, we still do PTA meetings!! Twice a year, we schedule a time to go in and talk to our daughter's teacher and discuss any problems are areas we need to be more proactive in helping her with at home. That being said, it is a private school that is relatively small. 

Personally, I think parents need to be more involved in their children's education. We are ultimately responsible for everything they are or are not learning. We designate some of the responsibility to the school, but we still need to keep tabs on what they are being taught and take time to have casual conversations about what they are learning and what their thoughts on it are. 

I very much agree with this.  I've actually been thinking lately about what I can do to enhance what my son learns in K.  Some of that is just getting him more books to read since he is just starting to read. Some of that is giving him more math/science/history exposure - hopefully w fun stuff!  I don't want to just do worksheets.

I like what your husband's old school did for homework.  That sounds like a really good system.

[elasmimi]

I hate the way they do homework in my dd's kindergarten. They send it home on Friday, and it is due on Wednesday. We are busy all weekend, then Monday is gymnastics, a late night, so she has to get it all done on Tuesday.

[jessicasmom1]

6th grade book report due 2nd week in February I am sure glad she picked something I am interested in so I will help her

[jessicasmom1]

IEP reading child 6th grade they limit her school work while in there but double the homework what gives?

[slw123]

I think my kids have the right amount of homework.  My oldest is in 4th grade and she has a math worksheet daily and 30 minutes or reading.  My son is in 2nd grade and has a worksheet and 15 minutes of reading.

[KaylaMillar]

i never had that much homework when i was in school! 1 hr for first graders is crazy! All its going to do is discourage and frustrate them

[timon95]

I remember having a good amount of homework when I was in school. My kids do not have homework, but that is because we homeschool. Our friends told us the other night that their dd does not come home with any homework. She just needs to read about 15minutes a night and do a few math problems on the computer

[Rushn311]

I kinda feel like they don't have enough LOL