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#1 sat

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 07:41 PM

I know this topic has been posted before, but not lately. Am I the only one frustrated at times with my kids' homework? My youngest, a first-grader, has math homework I cannot even figure out. Sure, I know how to get the end result, but the way they want her to show her work is difficult for me, and I struggle to help her. I have talked to her wonderful teacher, and this is how they are told to teach the students. A simple 7+7 problem is done in three or four steps now. I am obviously old school, but I say count on your hands, or use the coins from our coin jar.

Ironically, my first- and second-grader children have more homework than my fifth-grader. Go figure.

Also, don't get me started on the reading logs. Yes, my children read (most) nights, but why do I have to report every book, every author, and how many minutes they read? Isn't this my responsibility to read to my child, or have them read to me?

(OK--end of rant. I guess just a bad night with the three kid's homework. Nice to vent, though).

#2 StephanieW

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 08:26 PM

QUOTE(sat @ Feb 7 2008, 07:41 PM) View Post
I know this topic has been posted before, but not lately. Am I the only one frustrated at times with my kids' homework? My youngest, a first-grader, has math homework I cannot even figure out. Sure, I know how to get the end result, but the way they want her to show her work is difficult for me, and I struggle to help her. I have talked to her wonderful teacher, and this is how they are told to teach the students. A simple 7+7 problem is done in three or four steps now. I am obviously old school, but I say count on your hands, or use the coins from our coin jar.

Ironically, my first- and second-grader children have more homework than my fifth-grader. Go figure.

Also, don't get me started on the reading logs. Yes, my children read (most) nights, but why do I have to report every book, every author, and how many minutes they read? Isn't this my responsibility to read to my child, or have them read to me?

(OK--end of rant. I guess just a bad night with the three kid's homework. Nice to vent, though).


I feel you! i am helping my daughter with her 2nd grade english homework now and it seems like its very advanced then what i was used to! as for counting on fingers my kids both said they are NOT allowd to use their hands.. and my son got in trouble for not showing his work.. when he does it all in his head..

#3 Bill Z

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 08:43 PM

QUOTE(StephanieW @ Feb 7 2008, 08:26 PM) View Post
I feel you! i am helping my daughter with her 2nd grade english homework now and it seems like its very advanced then what i was used to! as for counting on fingers my kids both said they are NOT allowd to use their hands.. and my son got in trouble for not showing his work.. when he does it all in his head..


I think my kindergartener gets too much homework, and some of it sometimes takes me some thinking to figure out (the directions are absolutely piss poor), like color in the pictures that have the long e sound. So one picture shows a ladybug, hmm, my son says it's a ladybug, I think bug, but guess what, it's a beetle. My son doesn't use the word beetle in his vocabulary, it's a ladybug. Some of the other pictures I went through like 3 or 4 words in my head that fit the picture before I found the one that had the right sound. Geez.

I also feel for you on the "in the head" thing. I remember my first calculus homework at Sac State got graded wrong for not showing enough steps. I took it to the professor and said, it's not my fault if your grader can't do 3 algebraic simplifications in their head like I can. So I never turned in another piece of homework and had the highest score in the class from just the mid-terms and final.
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#4 ducky

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 09:13 PM

Reading logs are a piece of cake. Just wait until fourth grade when you get to help them build a mission project. Anybody have material suggestions for the roof??

#5 Carl G

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 09:16 PM

and to make things worse, I just found out that I'm not as smart as fifth grader.

#6 Revolutionist

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 09:36 PM

I think it is even more onerous than even that.
My girls have been loaded up with homework almost every night. And most of it is not actually helpful, its BUSYWORK (e.g. word searches, circle the one that doesnt belong, etc).

There is no reason for second, third, fourth graders to be bogged down every night with homework. I believe it is detrimental to the family, and the health of the child. They need to play. They need to interact in non-structured ways. They need to spend time with family.

In fact, I have been known to disallow my kids from doing homework so that we can spend time together in the evenings.


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#7 MikeinFolsom

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 09:46 PM

And that's why we're all getting fat and lazy and falling drastically behind the Chinese.........

#8 Andrea V

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 10:26 PM

QUOTE(MikeinFolsom @ Feb 7 2008, 09:46 PM) View Post
And that's why we're all getting fat and lazy and falling drastically behind the Chinese.........

+1... I think homework is very important. Even is the lower grades.

I do wish there were some more instructions for some of the questions, but that is why there is the internet.

If a kid needs to spend hours on homework every night, maybe they need a tutor? My kid is in 3rd grade and has never spent more then a hour an afternoon, unless it is a project.
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#9 stacycam

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 10:59 PM

My biggest difficulty is learning the "new' terminology, as well as techniques. We can't say "borrowing' or "carrying". It's "re-grouping." Also, many other things are different. I think the teachers should give the parents a glossary of all the new terms.

So far my daughter (2nd grade) has had a fair amount of homework. When she actually concentrates and isn't distracted by her brother, or whatever, she's usually done in 25 mins.

I have heard of one 2nd grade teacher who assigns homework that takes hours. However, I have heard she is one of the best, so maybe there is something to it.

I agree that the reading logs are ridiculous, but my daughter is a reader. I know some parents who actually have to set the timer for the recommended 20 mins to ensure their child is reading enough. Maybe in those cases, the reading logs are helpful/necessary.

#10 Darthvader

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 11:10 PM

QUOTE(sat @ Feb 7 2008, 07:41 PM) View Post
I know this topic has been posted before, but not lately. Am I the only one frustrated at times with my kids' homework? My youngest, a first-grader, has math homework I cannot even figure out. Sure, I know how to get the end result, but the way they want her to show her work is difficult for me, and I struggle to help her. I have talked to her wonderful teacher, and this is how they are told to teach the students. A simple 7+7 problem is done in three or four steps now. I am obviously old school, but I say count on your hands, or use the coins from our coin jar.

Ironically, my first- and second-grader children have more homework than my fifth-grader. Go figure.

Also, don't get me started on the reading logs. Yes, my children read (most) nights, but why do I have to report every book, every author, and how many minutes they read? Isn't this my responsibility to read to my child, or have them read to me?

(OK--end of rant. I guess just a bad night with the three kid's homework. Nice to vent, though).


If you can't figure out 1st grade math that means you are looking at it wayyyyyy to deeply. How could it possible take 4 steps to do 7+7? Do you think the teacher really looks at the results that closely? Do they grade it?

I'm thinking that 1st thru 3rd grade teachers basically leave it to the parents to educate the kids, they just supply the material that they need to understand. Then, hopefully you've done the job well enough that by the time they are in 4th or 5th grade the kids get it on their own.

...Saying what people are thinking but are afraid to say....

#11 Revolutionist

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 11:14 PM

QUOTE(Andrea V @ Feb 7 2008, 10:26 PM) View Post
+1... I think homework is very important. Even is the lower grades.

I do wish there were some more instructions for some of the questions, but that is why there is the internet.

If a kid needs to spend hours on homework every night, maybe they need a tutor? My kid is in 3rd grade and has never spent more then a hour an afternoon, unless it is a project.


lol. no. they don't need a tutor.


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#12 sat

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Posted 08 February 2008 - 05:00 AM

QUOTE(Darthvader @ Feb 7 2008, 11:10 PM) View Post
If you can't figure out 1st grade math that means you are looking at it wayyyyyy to deeply. How could it possible take 4 steps to do 7+7? Do you think the teacher really looks at the results that closely? Do they grade it?

I'm thinking that 1st thru 3rd grade teachers basically leave it to the parents to educate the kids, they just supply the material that they need to understand. Then, hopefully you've done the job well enough that by the time they are in 4th or 5th grade the kids get it on their own.


Well, maybe not four steps, but at least three. They are now taught you don't add with your fingers, or even memorization, but with my example of 7+7, the student adds dots to add to ten, then takes the leftover four, and adds 10+4, to get to the 14. I am the first to admit I am no math wizard, but last night's homework, my husband and I were both scratching our heads, trying to figure out how it was supposed to be done.

And, yes, the teacher does go over the homework to make sure the process is being done to the way it was instructed. I am not faulting the teacher in any way. I'm just frustrated that this is how it is taught now, and I was taught another way, so helping with homework can be challenging at times.



#13 ducky

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Posted 08 February 2008 - 07:12 AM

QUOTE(stacycam @ Feb 7 2008, 10:59 PM) View Post
My biggest difficulty is learning the "new' terminology, as well as techniques. We can't say "borrowing' or "carrying". It's "re-grouping." Also, many other things are different. I think the teachers should give the parents a glossary of all the new terms.


I can precisely intellectualize the subject quandary you are conveying. I call it edu-speak.

I don't blame the teachers. It probably comes down from administration. I think it is meant to make parents feel inferior so they may never question the education establishment. tongue.gif

I also think more than an hour of homework that is exclusive of reading time is too much for a first grader. I wouldn't skimp on the reading time in the younger grades.

#14 chris v

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Posted 08 February 2008 - 07:21 AM

I'm not going to agree or disagree about the homework issue because I do have trouble with some of the english my kid brings home. My problem is: IF I WANTED HOMEWORK I WOULD GO TO SCHOOL MYSELF!!!!!!!!!!!

#15 ducky

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Posted 08 February 2008 - 07:35 AM

QUOTE(chris v @ Feb 8 2008, 07:21 AM) View Post
I'm not going to agree or disagree about the homework issue because I do have trouble with some of the english my kid brings home. My problem is: IF I WANTED HOMEWORK I WOULD GO TO SCHOOL MYSELF!!!!!!!!!!!


You need to rephrase that. When they ask for help without first trying to do the homework themselves, your reply is: "I've already finished the _____ grade. This is your homework, not mine."




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