Kindergarten Homework

My son is in K in the Chandler Public School system and his homework packet for the week consists of about 4-5 pages. If he is focused, he can finish it all in about 15 min. If he isn't focused or in the right mood, I motivate him one page at a time by telling him I will play a game with him once he finishes one page. His papers consist of a "family homework" page, 2 trace/write a certain letter pages, one "math" page (write the missing #s, make a pattern etc.), etc.

Read some of the previous posts...esp from other teachers like me. I think it excessive...but even more troubling is the risk of killing the joy of going to school way too soon. (Actually I think the joy should never be killed like it is...usually by 6th grade). The fact that it induces stress is the real issue. Interactive homework enjoyed by both parent and child is reasonable!
I used to substitute teach..about 4 years back in WA state.
The kids in kindergarten and the First graders loved school...by 3rd grade...the love was gone. It was sad.

What charter school? I worked at one and they gave way too much homework. Plus the children had busy work packets they had to complete by the end of the week in class if they got done with their other work early. That is way too much work. You should really have a chat with the teacher if they cant do something then it may be the director pushing the work.

Homework is not appropriate for kindergarteners. I have been a teacher in the Scottsdale District for 8 years and have taught at different grade levels, including kindergarten. Homework was NEVER an element of the curriculum.

Also, my 5 year-old son goes to kindergarten in the Scottsdale District at an "excelling school" with amazing test scores. We were told at our first parent open-house that we would not see any homework in kindergarten, because it is not developmentally appropriate.

Activities that are recommended to work on with your child at home include: reading to your child 20 min. per day, practice writing name, letters, & numbers, learn to tie shoes, learn address & phone number.

If I were you, I would talk to the teacher or the administration. Good luck!!

This infuriates me to no end...not your post, yet the amount of homework your child is getting! I am an educator, a reading specialist and a math tutor. I suppose because your child is at a charter school, they set the rules? Yet children should NOT be bombarded w/ homework to the point where they are feeling so overwhelmed. Rule of thumb...ten minutes per grade level and that means beginning at 1st grade. So in K, it should be minimal...isn't this why we send our kids to school? To do the work there? Do we as adults get paid to take home work from the office? And is this expected as normal to do so?

Our child goes to a public school and we recently had a meeting w/ our daughter's first grade teacher about the amount and having it for weekends too. Nicely said, yet firmly too we told her weekends are for family and we will not have our daughter do it on the weekends. Yet we always read to her casually (a lot) and that will be done, but not recorded etc. And as for homework during the week, 10 minutes is our goal, yet will here and there go up to 20 minutes. Once she hits that time frame (w/ best effort), we will draw a line and sign it whereever she has not completed it. There is no research stating or proving that it improves test scores etc. Especially in the younger years...don't have my hands on these articles, yet both my H and I have read them.

Question: Is homework required in that it will affect students' grades? We found out that it is not, yet at the same time we want to instill in our children good study habits, so we will have her do homework Mon. through Thursday night and w/ a time restriction. I suggest you have a meeting, let them know you'll pick out the most important sheets, have him do it (I am cringing that your child has worksheets already!) for 'x' amount of time each night. We also told the teacher that if in fact down the road our daughter hits a road block, then we'll increase the time needed to get her through that 'bump'. Best wishes...:)

ps, I told my H that when we had children, this homework thing would be my 'pet peeve'...and yup, it is! But w/ good reason...to protect the whole child...one who needs structure, yet freedom to express, play, touch, feel, get muddy, fall down, get back up, laugh...

Dear F.,

OMG, my head is going to explode. I've been a counselor in Phx for over 15 years and before that I was a teacher.

THERE SHOULD BE NO HMEWORK FOR CHILDREN BEFORE 6TH GRADE!

I tell my clients...tell your kid's school, "It's going in the trash so, don't bother sending it home."

Kids have a job they didn't choose, six hours every day, doing work that doesn't make their soul sing, they get graded, compared, judged and put down, they don't get paid and they have to do it for 12 years! If we did that to an adult it would be called SLAVERY!

I have been seeing an epidemic of grammer school aged kids with panic attacks, anxiety disorders and suicidal ideation (btw, "I wish I were dead" IS suicidal ideation) over the last 8 yrs since "No Child Left Undrugged"...I mean "Left Behind" started.

This pushes a big button for me.

I would LOVE to start a revolution. I would love ot see all the Mom's (and Dad's if they have the guts) to stand up to the schools and say, "No more homework for my tiny child! We need play time, love time, time to visit and relax!!!"
The frenetic pace of our society and the Hamster Wheel mentality is the cause of ADHD!!!

Okay, that said...look at my web site and write me if you want to help me get this movement started.

XXOO, J.

www.JaneFendelman.com
###-###-####

PS~Watch me talking about it on TV. Paste this address into your browser...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5859b9LcKM

Kindergarten homework is an outrage! I work in the public schools and know the curriculum that's mandated by the state, but it's time for parents to stand up in mass and force change from the legislative/state dept. level. When we were in kindergarten learning to tie your shoes, your phone number and address, your colors, shapes, numbers to 10, and basic alphabet were the standards. The rest was about learning to play and be Human.

Today kids are expected to come in already knowing the alphabet and corresponding sounds. They do pie charts and bar graphs before they know one-to-one correspondance and how to count. I've worked with kindergarteners who were in tears because they knew if they "missed one" on their computer reading test that that would be an 80% and that would be a "B". Enough already!!! Force feeding before a child is developmentally ready does not result in creating smarter, better educated children. In fact many studies prove the opposite. They're going to puke it up sometime.

Stand up for your kids... organize with other parents and educators willing to take this on and force the changes from the higher level. Meanwhile, let your child know it's the learning that's important, not jumping through hoops. Read with them at least 20 min. a night and max out on 15 min. of skill practicing homework. Anything over that goes back with a note to teacher saying "this is what we got done in 15 min." As for your 4th grader, 45 min. plus 20-30 minutes of reading should be max.

Someone else here recently had some homework issues with her first grader. There were 31 responses, many of which were from educators and about the amount of homework to expect. You'd probably find the info very useful:
http://www.mamasource.com/request/5668786775045177345

Good luck!

Hi, I taught kg for 21 years. Nine pages seems to me to be way too much for this age! We sent home a weekly homework page on Monday which covered a variety of skills. It was to be completed by Friday. A short reading time with the parent each evening was always a must as well as practicing name writing. I would have a visit with the teacher about your concerns.

I think getting kids in the habit of dealing with and DOING homework at an early age is beneficial - the earlier they start the less fighting you have to do to get it done. The sooner they have good homework and study habits the better they will comprehend what is being taught at school and the higher chance they have of succeeding and having better opportunities - like college scholarships. Focus on the future for your child as well as the present. The present is a gift - but the future will one day be the present, too, so prepare them for it. It is commendable that you or your boyfriend sit with the kids to keep them on track. It's a good bonding and socializing time as well as educational supplementation. If it is overwhelming with a couple of kindergarten pages a night that is lazy - on someone's part. Charter schools should be tougher on a lot of things that kids just get by not doing in public schools so it sounds like the one you are at could be a good one. My son's charter school not only assigns class homework - including reading - but they have a phenomenal band program and my son is having music class daily - sometimes twice daily - and has to practice his music in addition to getting his other work completed. Add a sport to that and his time is full and well-rounded. He loves it and it's all time well spent.

My kids go to a charter school too. Yes, they had homework in Kindergarten-every night. None of the homework was/is overwhelming for them. The course of study at our school is different than public schools, so I expect to have the homework load that we do. I would check with the teacher to see if the amount of homework is standard OR if your child is NOT getting in-class assignments done..in class. If this is the case then I would do further investigation into that...
Hope that helps!

Debbie M.

My son is in kindergarten and he does not have nearly that much of homework. His teacher made a folder with plastic sleeves in it. They have to practice the sheets that are in the sleeves every night. It has four pages-one for practice on writing his name, one for practicing his numbers and two others that rotate by week. He then has to read for at least 15 min and read a small book that stays the same for the entire week. That's it. It usually takes him about 30 min to do homework. We read before bed anyway,so that counts as his reading time. I think what your son has for homework is extreme and that perhaps you need to speak to the teacher. Good luck.

that seem like alot. my son is in kindergarden and he gets a 3 page packatte9 Front & back) to complete each week. about 1/2 are the easy self work pages & 3 parent help.- but ours only takes about 3-5 minutes a couple nights a week.

My daughter is in kindergarten and she has homework. Generally she has about 10 minutes per night that she can nearly do herself with minimal guidance (writing letters, numbers or answering a simple question about a story or video). She also typically has about 10 minutes of interactive activity with an adult such as a high frequency word recognition or something like that and lastly we are supposed to read to her at least 10 minutes per day and we have to write down the title of the book and she gets to give feedback on whether the book was great, good or she didn't like it. She has this Monday through Thursday and then has the weekend off. The homework comes home at the beginning of the week so we can do it all in one day, or spread it out or whatever works for her that day or week. She does quite well with it and I don't think it is too much or too little. It is more like home practice than homework and it isn't graded for accuracy, just that she tried.

Hello,

My name is S., I have four children, all in school, from 4th grade to a senior in H.S. Over the past couple of years I have noticed that they are bringing alot of homework home also and I believe that because the schools have such high expectations of the children now with AIMS testing, they are trying to cram more knowledge to the students so they test higher on the AIMS, this gives the schools a higher rating and I am assuming they get more funding this way. I know exactly what you are talking about when you say you get overwhelmed, because I have to deal with four girls having to get there homework done and I really have no time for anything else. I go to work, come home, help kids with homework, while cooking dinner, make sure they bath and put them in bed, do dishes, then I finally get to go to bed and get up at 4am, go to work, and start all over again.

If it were regular public school I would say that's probably more than usual, but where he is at a charter school I think he has a lighter load than usual.

That's a lot! My son is in Kinder and he gets one page a night with one night of us reading together. His teacher promises no more than 10 minutes a night. She said if it is taking more than 10 minutes to talk to her. I would discuss it with his teacher, that really seems excessive for his age.

Wow, 9 pages in one week..... in Kindergarten!! I can't believe that. That really seems extreme. Maybe because of it being a Charter School?? My 1st grader gets one or two pages a day but it's all review from the week. I'm anxious to see what others say. I wish I could be of more help. Good luck!

I'm surprised your kindergartner ...has homework.
I think it is average with the 4th grader, add in some extra curricular activities and homework sucks. (even though I don't let my kids know how I feel about it).
If it's a really big issue, I'd talk to other parents to get their opinions and discuss it with the teacher.

My daughter goes to Stetson Hills (kindergarten). It is a very good school. She does have homework. Stuff like: writing letters, writing numbers, simple math, sequence stuff. She gets a page everyday that takes her anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. She never has homework on Fridays. Anything over that is just way too much for a 5-6 yr. old. It's such a big transistion just having them go to school all day and get used to that as it is. I think having 5-10 min. is good because it gets them used to it for 1st grade, but what your child has to do, sounds like way too much! However, I did here that charter and private schools do give a lot more homework then normal.

Mom of 2 girls!

That is ridiculous for a little kindergarten child to have homework. I would get him out of charter school, one of my daughters had her first child in charter school, Benjamin Franklin and he had tons of homework, but she had nothing else to do but work with him. On her second one they moved and it was to far away and she checked out all the schools in and around her neighborhood and signed him up to the one that was in their block. SHe was amazed at the different work that they did. THe second child caught on to everything just like the first one, but minus all the busy work. THey have many years ahead of them with homework. That is one of the rules of charter school, daily homework, so that is what you get. They have many pluses, but from my experience the public schools are more well rounded.

Wow! 9 pages?!?! What school does your son go to? My daughter is in Kindergarten at Benjamin Franklin Charter, and she only gets one page, front and back on homework days (4 days a week). Benjamin Franklin Charter's policy is that Kindergarten students should only work a maximum of 10 minutes on homework Monday - Thursday... no homework on Fridays.

I know what you mean. My son is in kindergarten this year and the amount of homework is so surprising to me. I am a teacher at a different K-3 school and our school does not give homework to kindergarten students. I have a conference tomorrow with my son's teacher and I am planning to bring this up.

Charter schools generally have LESS homework!! Unless this is an excelerated program. I would seriously consider changing schools. I am Nanny to 2 kids at Milestones on Tatum near Bell. They generally have 5 or less pages per week to do. Last year the little girl was in an excellerated class and she had 2 hours per night. It literally made her sick and she ended up in the hospital 2 times. We switched her to a different class and she has been fine since. It can make or break yourchild for school and home work for life. C.

I have been a teacher for 13 years and I have a 7 year old and a 5 year old. Kids in grade K should have 10 minutes of homework. If they are slower workers, it may take a little longer. I would talk to your teacher about it....if they don't hear from parents they will never be aware. My Kindergartner has 4 pages of homework each week, plus reading everyday. The worksheets take her 3-5 minutes each day.

I'm a Kindergarten teacher. Somewhere in my studies they told us the optimal amount of time for children to spend on homework. It came to 10 minutes per grade. By twelfth grade, 2 hours seems like quite a bit...but the strong college prep schools will have that much. Anyway, for Kindergarten I assign 5 to 10 minutes of homework a night. Usually one simple page of homework. Then I also ask the parents to read with their child. Nothing too crazy...they are still kids after all.