Comments on: Homework Vent

By: Janice (5 Minutes for Mom)

Janice (5 Minutes for Mom) — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 01:05:43 +0000

ohhhh - this is all waiting for me. i just registered my son for kindergarten this week. so come Sept we will be entering this world!!

Well, at least you’re in great company. The best part of the journey is knowing you’re not alone!! ;o)

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 21:59:54 +0000

I found your blog surfing through Young Women websites. I am a teacher and have taught in NJ and now in Ontario. I support your belief that an hour of homework for a grade 3 child is way too much and really cuts into kid time. When I taught in NJ, there was a board policy limiting the amount of homework teachers could assign…10 minutes per grade (10 grade 1, 20 grade 2, etc.) You shouldn’t hesitate to approach the teacher first about limiting the homework, and if she says she has to give that much, talk to the principal the board. here is a great site run by some NY state parents upset about the whole process of preparing and testing kids to meet Pres. Bush’s standards. http://www.browniethecow.org

Hi Lisa - so glad you found me and left a comment! What a great resource. Thanks for sharing!!

By: Aurelia

Aurelia — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 21:28:32 +0000

ITA!!! My son is just in the 2nd grade and gets about 1hr. worth of homework a night!! Heck he will be learning how to multiply soon and darn it I just think he mastered how to Carry the Darn (1) and thats only on a good day.

I remember when my oldest (now 19) went to Kindy and they would sit in the circle and have circle time, story time, free play an dcolor time. Now they are rushing to get them to Read, Add and subtract. Hey, what about play, sharing and all that good stuff.

OK, OK dont get me started but as you can see its a soft topic for me.

Isaac is a GREAT Kid and is approaching his Green Belt in Tae Kwon Do and I believe a kid should be a kid and have time to be just that.

I am not saying education isnt important, because we ALL know it is but… C’mon.. what 7yo is gonna sit still for 1 hr. straight and each day and tackle homework AFTER a full 6hr day?

Sheesh.

Aurelia

Sheesh is right! Glad to know I’m not the only one that it’s bugg’n!! ;o)

By: Mary (Mert)

Mary (Mert) — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 20:07:52 +0000

I have yet to experience this… but it’s coming I know. I am already trying to get Anna used to the concept of homework to prepare her. She’s only in kindergarten, but loves to practice handwriting and math. I try to implement some math into every day situations.. I can only imagine what it will be like next year.

They expect so much more from kids now . That’s why I wanted to get Anna used to being in school before she starts and extra activities outside of school. Next year she can play a sport or something, but not this year.

All I can say is it’s a good thing we don’t know what we’re getting into when we have kids or none of us would do it! And it’s a darn good thing the rewards are immeasurable to compensate for everything else!! LOL

By: tiggerprr

tiggerprr — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 03:16:31 +0000

I read this post with growing sympathy frustration. I am math-challenged, so it’s really tough for me to try and help Ashlyn with her Algebra II. There are things I see her doing now, in all of her classes, that I didn’t even do in college. I understand that we seemingly “need” to advance, but we’re doing so by creating stress on our kids and they don’t have time to be kids. I so totally am behind you on this one. It’s insane.

I wish the government and organizations making the decisions on how to proceed with education would focus more energies on the right motivation - get our country innovating again instead of trying to regulate and force learning styles/standards across the board.

By: Vicky

Vicky — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 01:05:45 +0000

Oh, I remember the whoa’s of math. The word problems are the worst.. one word read incorrectly wreaks havoc on the problem. That’s why I always failed in math. (go dyslexia!) I know someday I’ll be sharing this problem with you and I hope my kids will be able to have a great tutor (that isn’t me). Good luck, I’m glad it all ends soon. Maybe the “No Child Left Behind” act that Bush put into place will go out the door with him next year!

It’s so fun to hear from you. Hope all is well at your house! Story problems are all about wording and even my husband shared my frustration when he got home at the ones in today’s set of pages!! And he loves solving story problems.