| Author |
Message |
    
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 464
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 7, 2004 - 12:19 pm: |     |
I realize there are bigger fish to fry, but...Does the district have any sort of policy on quantity of homework by grade? As in, home much min/max should be given?
I've been communicating with some other parents of 5th/6th graders, and some of us have a concern that there's too much. Just wondering if there are any general rules that you know of.
Thanks a bunch... |
finnegan
Citizen
Username: Finnegan
Post Number: 82
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 7, 2004 - 1:36 pm: | |
The homework guidelines are in the district's policy book available on the BOE website here:
http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/se2000.pdf
The amount of homework is quite different for 5th graders (1 hour, 5X @ week) and 6th graders (2 hours) since the guidelines change when the student enters middle school. |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 466
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 7, 2004 - 2:49 pm: | |
Thank you, finnegan!
I just learned that my 5th grader's homework shouldn't exceed 60 minutes per night, 5 nights per week. I know that it does, routinely on Mondays in particular, because she always gets 30 words to define, a math sheet or two, reading. Plus, she's in a sort of team-teaching situation and I'm not entirely sure these two teachers consult with each other on assignment load.
Anyway, loath as I am to be the crabby parent (plus, what good would it do?) anyone else have insight into how much homework your 5th grader is getting? Part of my prob, too, is that it's particular nights that hit the 2 hr or so mark, and the kids don't get it in advance and therefore can't pace it. |
just me fromsouthorange
Citizen
Username: Jmfromsorange
Post Number: 162
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 7, 2004 - 2:57 pm: | |
cynicalgirl-
consider your 5th grader lucky! one of my friends has a 4th grader in the public schools who gets close to THREE hours of homework each night. This is a chikd who comes home and starts her homework right away.
my nephews who are in 3rd grade get more then two hours each night. but we don't send them to the south orange public schools. |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 467
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 7, 2004 - 3:05 pm: | |
This just sounds crazy, to me. I know I'm part of the less is more crowd on this, but that just sounds like too much. Monday, my kid has 2-1/2 hr at least. T-Thr, more like 2 hr each.
I'm the sort who's against the over-scheduled kid life, with too many lessons, clubs and what not. Right now, she goes to the Y after school. Typically gets some done there, but not much of it. Then we pick her up at 6, dinner 6:30-7-ish. More homework.
I dunno. Seems like a lot of homework at this stage is more likely to breed wound-up kids who hate school/rat races more than anything else. I would expect a couple of hr a night by 9th grade, and certainly high school, but not this young.
Do you think this much is a good thing for 4th graders, etc.? I'm just not used to it. I never had this much as a kid... |
just me fromsouthorange
Citizen
Username: Jmfromsorange
Post Number: 166
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 7, 2004 - 5:49 pm: | |
cgirl-
i think it's WAY too much homework! my sister and other parents have comlained to the 3rd grade teacher and principal. one of us sits with each of the kids while they do their homework. to top it off, they do some of it in 'aftercare.' their school gets out at 1:45pm.
my friend's 4th grader doesn't have a slew of activities either. just one activity a week. plus she doesn't watch tv during the week. she's a hard worker. she just gets in my opinion, too much homework. |
sac
Citizen
Username: Sac
Post Number: 1002
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 7, 2004 - 5:55 pm: | |
We had a problem with excessive homework one year which was mitigated somewhat after a number of parents spoke to the teachers involved. Many teachers feel pressured by parents to give homework (believe it or not), so it is worth expressing your concerns to the teachers. They may not realize how much time is being spent by students to complete the assignments, especially in team-teaching situations. |
spw784
Citizen
Username: Spw784
Post Number: 470
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 7, 2004 - 7:19 pm: | |
As long as your child is legitimately trying to do their homework, in a homework-friendly environment (i.e. not constantly getting up for a drink, talking on the phone, staring at the table, etc), most teachers will understand if you stop the child after 2 hours (or 1 hour), write the teacher a note , and tell him/her, "my child struggled and was unable to complete the homework in two hours."
However, when the child/parent says, " well, I had to go shopping with my dad, or I had soccer practice, or karate class, etc and THAT's why I couldn't finish my homework," teachers don't look too kindly on those excuses.
Talk to your child as to why they are having trouble with the assignments - did they bring home the necessary tools/books/notes? Did they read the directions? Were they paying attention when the teacher explained the assignment? Ask them what they don't understand about the work. Then take that info to the teacher to see what can be done or adjusted either for your child or the next assignment. |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 468
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 7, 2004 - 7:47 pm: | |
Good thoughts, spw784. One thing that bugs me is that at Clinton, they seem to be trying to get the kids to plan their time, etc. Yet, the week's homework is not outlined at the start of the week so to allow. 'Bout all we reliably know is that every Monday night stinks. My kid is in the so-called advanced group which means more work. 30 definitions instead of 20, for example. The 4 other parents I talk to face the same, but we don't quite get to the place where we're willing to say "Enough." I think we're all afraid our kid will lose some advantage or other if we don't co-teacher them through it.
Honest to God, if I could, I'd home-school. Based on what I hear from my kid and other parents, it's not like they get the homework, do it, go over it in class to discover difficulties. It's just endless grist for some impossible mill. Some of it seems to lie with an idea of parent as tutor, whereas I grew up on and believe that the homework should be do-able by the kid alone. Reinforcement of classwork, not the actual learning.
Ah, I'm crabby on it. No, my kid doesn't have shopping/piano/girl scouts/soccer competing with it. |
silkcity
Citizen
Username: Silkcity
Post Number: 185
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 8, 2004 - 9:40 am: | |
Talk to the teacher(s). As a teacher, I have often, often, often been asked for more homework, esp over school vacation weeks. Teachers are under enormous pressure to provide homework regardless of what happens to it the next day. I even recall some posters on MOL talking about whose kids got h/w the first week of school. At least one parent wanted more h/w than was coming home! |
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