Beth Kevles wrote:
First of all, you need to worry about YOUR son, not the twins. (The
twins' mother should definitely make an appt. with the teacher to
discuss the depression that the stress of homework is causing. She
may also want to consult the school counselor and teacher about
ways to make homework less stressful, or even get an IEP with
respect to homework. But that's an entirely different story.)

Well, I provided that information primarily because I wanted to make it
clear that we don't seem to be the only family struggling with the
curriculum.

Next. Do NOT let your child get stressed about grades in 1st grade!

He's not. *I'm* concerned, however, particularly about the math, because if
he doesn't get the facts down this year, *next* year they start
multiplication and division and then he's *really* going to be lost. So if
he's getting a "1", that indicates he's *well* below grade level, that
concerns me.

Quantity of work. Yes, it's a lot, but that seems to be coming
from a higher level than the teacher. (We're getting too much as
well. I HATE homework!)

It's really just getting out of hand. And this is the other reason I brought
up the other parent and her kids. I'm just starting to think we have to wage
an all-out grassroots campaign against the ridiculous amounts of homework
we're seeing for our kids these days. It's absurd!

Be sure your son gets a good, solid hour of playing and
exerise after school, along with a healthy, protein-filled snack.
More than an hour is good if you can manage it. Then supper. And
only then start on homework. My experience is that homework goes
more quickly and easily that way.

Actually, we *never* do homework here until after 5pm because that's when I
finish working. My nanny speaks mostly Spanish and can't help him with it.
He usually does it in the kitchen while I'm cooking dinner, setting the
table, etc. It's nearly impossible, however, for us to do homework after
dinner since it is rarely served before 7pm due to my husband's schedule and
by the time dinner's over and put away, it's bedtime.

If he doesn't finish it before story time (which is
what we have before bed), then get him up early in the morning and
let him finish then. It goes even faster in the AM when the kids are
fresh.

You haven't gotten MY son out of bed g. I dread the teen years if it's
this hard at 6.5yo! (And we *have* been doing a pretty good job of getting
him to bed early enough in the past couple of weeks.)

Spelling. Have him write each spelling word down once every day.
(Or do 5 a day, since he has so many.) He should copy them the first
time, copy them the second time, and quiz him the third time. You
can also quiz him in the car when you're going places, etc.

We do all of this. It's still too much.

Yes, it's too much homework. But parents need to push-back, in
writing, and not just to the teacher. Primary grade homework
quantity is a trend, and you need to be on record as fighting the trend.

I agree.

Oh, and as for losing homework in the backpack or leaving it at home
... that actually IS your child's responsibility.

He never left it at home when it was completed. And, frankly, this is just
something I have always done for him since kindergarten. You're right that
he needs to take over the responsibility for it, though. It's just not
something we've transferred to him yet, primarily because we're lazy!
--
Be well, Barbara
(Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [2] mom)

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman