amount of homework kids bring home from school

1. 58

   dawnMposted 14 years ago

   Is the amount of homework kids bring home really necessary, some days it can be up to two hours, what happend to them doing the work at school?

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      philip carey 61posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Every parent notices this. It does get better in middle school and high school. I have no explanation for it. It was like school started after school or something when my son was little. Maybe someone who is in education can comment.

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      Jennifer Angelposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Sometimes its the papers they didn't finish in class that they bring home for homework. It's disgusting. Kids should be able to do some of their homework in their home room classes before leaving for the day. The amount of work college prep elementary schools send home should be completed in thirty minutes, but usually takes four to six hours to complete.
      
      I'm hoping 5th grade will not be such a pain!!

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   3. 59

      mistersilverioposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      As a teacher, I try to just give about 30-45 minutes of homework. I also make sure that it is just a short review of what was taught that day. A few problems to practice what they learned.
      
      Children need to spend time with their family and friends. They need to explore the world and be kids. While I agree that homework should be short, I also believe that it should be done and parents should take the time to be part of their child's education. If your child can't do the few problems that are assigned, then it is time to have a talk with your child. Teach them responsibility of getting their work done and understanding of the importance of balancing life. Work a little, play a little, live a little....it's all about balance and learning responsibility.
      
      If you are spending more than an hour helping your child with homework then there is a problem and it is time to speak with the teacher. Share your frustrations and find out why it is taking so long or why so much is being assigned.

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      mybacklinksformposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      home works may be very hard some times... parents will help always... atleast twice in a week.

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   Shadesbreathposted 14 years ago

   My kids brought home a ridiculous amount of homework.  My motivated youngest was doing as much as four hours a night.  Frankly, she will be relieved when she gets to college because it will be less tedious and fraught with make work.

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      LegendaryHeroposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      She shouldn't get her hopes up too high on that college homework.

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3. 82

   mikicagleposted 14 years ago

   As a teacher I don't believe in giving much homework. I don't believe that children should spend all of their family time doing work from school.

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      Precious Williamsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I used to teach and I thoroughly agree with you.  Homework if given at all should be really limited - 20mins max.  They need the opportunity to rest their minds and enjoy family, friends and hobbies.

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4. 82

   Rafiniposted 14 years ago

   Have your kindergartners brought home homework?  That's too much homework.  I remember when I was in elementary school we occasionally received extra credit work that we could take home to do...
   In middle school we had long term assignments in the form of homework.  In high school we were given many daily assignments as homework. 
   All of this was done in order to 'prepare' me for a job.
   
   Since being an adult and having a string of jobs from cashiering to reception to management to self-employment - I've NEVER had to bring my work home!!
   
   In my opinion, homework (before middle school) is a way of putting the teaching responsibility on the parents rather than the teachers who are paid to do the teaching.  It's a huge disadvantage to kids growing up in a single-parent home (a single parent has less time to devote to helping kids with homework after working 40 hours a week and maintaining a home and life not to mention how many other kids are in the home needing help with homework)

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   Beth100posted 14 years ago

   I never gave out homework when I taught and I don't agree with it.  The teacher and student should cover what is needed in that day's lesson and have the assignment completed in class.  This allows the teacher to see which students are struggling, which have grasped the concept, who is doing the work and it also provides the opportunity for the student to ask questions. A social life and extracurricular activities after school and on weekends is required to teach the child skills that they would not obtain in a classroom setting.  When my children come home with 2+ hours of homework, I always ask myself "why didn't I just home school....."

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      Habbyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      As a former teacher and now parent, I agree with you wholeheartedly. 
      
      The only exception I would make would be if a student began an assignment in class, was given ample time to work on it but was unable to finish.  In that case I would ask the student to take home the work to complete it.
      
      In general, I don't think it's wise to send home a completely new assignment that has never been addressed in class.  It does the student a disservice. And can possibly alienate the parent (as we see in this thread) who then serves in the role of educator.

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6. 58

   dawnMposted 14 years ago

   I agree with what everyone is saying that is why I am so confused with the public school system.  My daughter is in first grade and it is moderate, but my son get an enormouse amount of homework.  When the homework is not all done he gets bad reporsts on the report card.

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   jondavposted 14 years ago

   I believe under 10's shouldn't get homework. School is for learning, home is for everything else. Now my 6 yr old daughter loves school and it's her own little bit of independance - which im happy about - and when she comes home she'll either be playing (which i encourage), or reading of her own free will. If she want's do some school type stuff then i am happy to help her, but i wont force her to.
   
   Give children too much to do and they wont actually learn anyway. That can wait till they mature a bit.
   
   thats my 2c

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   joaniembposted 14 years ago

   I remember when my kids where in high school they had no time for anything but homework.
   
   Now I have a grand daughter in kindergarten who is out of the house for seven hours a day. She has homework everyday. Don't you think being they are so young seven hours of school would be enough.
   
   My neice who is in 10th grade spends her entire evening and most of the weekend doing homework. High school teachers seem to forget these kids have other subjects and homework from those classes.
   
   Many children get discouraged by the homework and don't want to do it. When I work a full day and come home the last thing I want to do is anything work related.

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   mysterylady 89posted 14 years ago

   Sometimes homework is necessary.  If an educator is teaching a book, for instance, students' reading rates vary.  Allowing class time for reading a story could range from 30 minutes to two hours.  Doesn't it seem more plausible for the students to read at home and spend the class time discussing the book?  Of course, this means homework time for that particular class could vary from 30 minutes to 2 hours

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    Mutiny92posted 14 years ago

    my son is in his last week of third grade in public school and STILL has 2 - 3 hours of homework per night.  I never did that much (even in college!)
    
    To be fair, he is doing a lot more advanced work that I did in third grade, but still....

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11. 61

    mysterylady 89posted 14 years ago

    Two to three ours of homework for an elementary school student does seem excessive.  I agree.

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    mikicagleposted 14 years ago

    I teach first grade and at my school students' grades can not be lowered due to them not returning their homework. Because learning to read in first grade is so important I do send home decodable readers for my students to practice reading to someone. That someone does not have to be a parent-many of my children read to their older siblings. I do keep all of my extra worksheets and have "practice" worksheets available for the kids to take home if they want to play "school.
    
    Rafini-I don't agree with your statement that teachers are trying to put their responsibilities off on parents by assigning homework. I encourage you to visit any elementary school and see how much work the underpaid teacher is actually doing. In a perfect world a teacher would have a classroom filled with well prepared students who are eager to learn.  In reality classrooms today are filled with a variety of students with a variety of behaviors on a variety of different academic levels. I understand that you may feel tired after working 40 hours a week and have little time to devote to your child's homework-but in reality it is your responsibility to see that your children grow up to be an educated,productive member of society.

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    mikicagleposted 14 years ago

    oops sorry for my error-I meant your child, not children

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    Diane Insideposted 14 years ago

    I don't have children I only know what I went throught when I was in school. But I do remember that I was given quit a bit of homework. Throughout elementary and middle school. But we were given some time to complete it in school and I remember some kids would put it off and have to do it at home while others would get most of it done in school and finish it at home. I usually had to finish a little bit at home. So sometimes I think it is the child who does not take the opportunity to do homework on school time. But of course like I said that was then I'm sure some things have changed since then.

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    Shealy Healyposted 14 years ago

    less homework-more living-education that makes sense during the day leads to an interest in one interests at night.

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    Prakash Tposted 14 years ago

    Are children doing homework for upto 2 hours?!! Really sad!! My daughter is just 22 months.. Im really worried that she has to do plenty of homework once she joins LKG..

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    Jane@CMposted 14 years ago

    As a mom of two polar opposite straight A students, I think a lot of homework depends on the kids.  My daughter is a self inflicted professional perfectionist & always has been - homework to her was all about get the best grade, the best everything.  My laid back son hates homework, does as much in class as possible and very little at home - in other words he really could care less about grades, yet everything comes so natural to him.  So I think a lot of it is dependent on the child.  My kids had the same teachers in several different grades.

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