first day of kindergarten and homework!

DS finished the first day of kindergarten yesterday. For his homework, he
had to write his name, color a house, write his address, draw a picture of
someone he wants to talk on the phone with, write his phone number. It took
about half an hour and he was exhausted. Afterward, we were supposed to
read, but I wasn't going there.

I was expecting homework, I thought maybe write one letter of the alphabet,
but this is ridiculous. I told DH and he agreed, saying there many kids
coming into kindergarten not even reading much less writing addresses. We
happen to have a very long address, so it wasn't easy. Anyway, just
venting. Today, there is more homework, but I tried to get some of it out
of the way this morning before school so he is not overwhelmed after school.

"toypup" wrote in message
m...
DS finished the first day of kindergarten yesterday. For his
homework, he had to write his name, color a house, write his
address, draw a picture of someone he wants to talk on the phone
with, write his phone number. It took about half an hour and he was
exhausted. Afterward, we were supposed to read, but I wasn't going
there.

I was expecting homework, I thought maybe write one letter of the
alphabet, but this is ridiculous. I told DH and he agreed, saying
there many kids coming into kindergarten not even reading much less
writing addresses. We happen to have a very long address, so it
wasn't easy. Anyway, just venting. Today, there is more homework,
but I tried to get some of it out of the way this morning before
school so he is not overwhelmed after school.

My kids didn't have homework in kindergarten until after winter break.
And even then, what you describe sounds like a week's worth, not a
day's worth.

Bizby

On Wed, 09 Aug 2006 21:38:49 GMT, "toypup"
wrote:

DS finished the first day of kindergarten yesterday. For his homework, he
had to write his name, color a house, write his address, draw a picture of
someone he wants to talk on the phone with, write his phone number. It took
about half an hour and he was exhausted. Afterward, we were supposed to
read, but I wasn't going there.

I was expecting homework, I thought maybe write one letter of the alphabet,
but this is ridiculous. I told DH and he agreed, saying there many kids
coming into kindergarten not even reading much less writing addresses. We
happen to have a very long address, so it wasn't easy. Anyway, just
venting. Today, there is more homework, but I tried to get some of it out
of the way this morning before school so he is not overwhelmed after school.

That's a lot of homework. After reading some threads here, I was
expecting terrible amounts of homework, but E only had one assignment
a week for Kindergarten.

Nan

"toypup" wrote in message
m...
DS finished the first day of kindergarten yesterday. For his homework, he
had to write his name, color a house, write his address, draw a picture of
someone he wants to talk on the phone with, write his phone number. It
took
about half an hour and he was exhausted. Afterward, we were supposed to
read, but I wasn't going there.

I was expecting homework, I thought maybe write one letter of the
alphabet,
but this is ridiculous. I told DH and he agreed, saying there many kids
coming into kindergarten not even reading much less writing addresses. We
happen to have a very long address, so it wasn't easy. Anyway, just
venting. Today, there is more homework, but I tried to get some of it out
of the way this morning before school so he is not overwhelmed after
school.



Wow. I hope that is not going on in my son's kindergarten coming up. This
would be Not Ok with me.

Hi --

You need to push back! I've looked up, over and over, studies relating
to the value of homework. There appears to be little to no value for
homework done prior to about 4th grade. What homework that is of value
is reinforcement of work done in class. The recommended amount of
homework for elementary school is no more than 10 minutes per night per
grade. So, 2-5 minutes per night for kindergarten (maximum), 10 minutes
for grade one, 20 for grade two, etc.

There is a LOT of value to you and your child reading together for at
least 20 minutes/night, gradually moving to having your child read
independently for 20 minutes/night. The reading should be of anything
your child enjoys, including comic books, cereal boxes and sports
magazines.

There is also a great deal of value to you seeing what homework is
assigned so that you know what your child is working on during the
school day, what he understands and what he doesn't.

Finally,there is a lot of value to you playing number games with your
son. Count things in different ways (ie, English, Spanish, as planets
in order, as element in order ..) These kinds of games lead to numeracy
the way that reading and talking lead to literacy.

Do go in and discuss this issue with his teacher. Be firm that you will
not require more than 5 or 10 minutes (that's distractable kid minutes,
not 10 minutes of actual concentration) from your child, but you WILL
make sure that homework is part of the daily routine. (That's so that
you can show the flag as "supporting the teacher" while actually
supporting your child.)

My two cents,
--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

"Beth Kevles" wrote in message
...
Do go in and discuss this issue with his teacher. Be firm that you will
not require more than 5 or 10 minutes (that's distractable kid minutes,
not 10 minutes of actual concentration) from your child, but you WILL
make sure that homework is part of the daily routine. (That's so that
you can show the flag as "supporting the teacher" while actually
supporting your child.)

I would love to do this, but we all signed a contract saying we will support
the teacher and homework assignments. I was worried about the homework
load, but I was told it was similar at other schools here (thought they
don't have contracts). The contract stated kindergarteners do 15 minutes,
but no more than half hour. So, we did the half hour. I was hesitant to
put DS in this school because of the contract, but IL's family really pushed
for it. SIL teaches at a magnet school and said it was best to try him in
it and we can always take him out if things don't work out, but it's hard to
get him back in if we decline. MIL works with young children as a teacher's
aide and she said all the kids are doing lots of homework these days and the
amount of homework in the contract isn't necessarily what they would assign.
Well, I think they meant every word of what they said in the contract.
Anyway, I'm willing to see how DS adjusts to this. I know I don't like it
much, but he's very much into stability and routine and he likes structure,
one of the most positive aspects of the school. We're very lucky that he
already knows how to read at a first grade level and he's been writing a
little in preschool. I think breaking the homework up into little sessions
today did help, so I will do that from now on.

First grade homework is half hour to an hour. By third grade, it's 45
minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Ugh. We'll have to see. One of my coworkers had
three kids in this school. She had to fight them every night to do
homework. If that happens, DS is out of this school.

"toypup" wrote in message
m...

"Beth Kevles" wrote in message
...
Do go in and discuss this issue with his teacher. Be firm that you will
not require more than 5 or 10 minutes (that's distractable kid minutes,
not 10 minutes of actual concentration) from your child, but you WILL
make sure that homework is part of the daily routine. (That's so that
you can show the flag as "supporting the teacher" while actually
supporting your child.)

I would love to do this, but we all signed a contract saying we will
support the teacher and homework assignments.

Ok, I'm having a very difficult time getting past this ... you had to sign a
contract? What will they do if you don't ... not send homework (insert
sarcasm )

There is no way in hell I would sign a contract that was not enforceable.
It's complete bull pucky IMO. Now .. they could send a letter home stating
the "rules" of homework I would be happy to sign that I received such a
letter ... but in no way would I contract w/ anyone for something like this.
Then again, I don't take signing contracts lightly.


I was worried about the homework
load, but I was told it was similar at other schools here (thought they
don't have contracts). The contract stated kindergarteners do 15 minutes,
but no more than half hour. So, we did the half hour. I was hesitant to
put DS in this school because of the contract, but IL's family really
pushed for it. SIL teaches at a magnet school and said it was best to try
him in it and we can always take him out if things don't work out, but
it's hard to get him back in if we decline. MIL works with young children
as a teacher's aide and she said all the kids are doing lots of homework
these days and the amount of homework in the contract isn't necessarily
what they would assign. Well, I think they meant every word of what they
said in the contract. Anyway, I'm willing to see how DS adjusts to this.
I know I don't like it much, but he's very much into stability and routine
and he likes structure, one of the most positive aspects of the school.
We're very lucky that he already knows how to read at a first grade level
and he's been writing a little in preschool. I think breaking the
homework up into little sessions today did help, so I will do that from
now on.

First grade homework is half hour to an hour. By third grade, it's 45
minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Ugh. We'll have to see. One of my coworkers had
three kids in this school. She had to fight them every night to do
homework. If that happens, DS is out of this school.

Hi --

Based on the homework load, I'd be looking VERY carefully at this school
to see if it's actually teaching the skills you want your son to learn.
Do they learn to think and critique? To assess their own work and
progress? Do they teach via all the senses or just through the verbal
conduit? Do they have any focus on social and emotional development?

I probably would not send my child to a school that sounds like what
you've described. Even if you've signed a contract, I'd go in and
discuss the goals of the homework with the teacher. If you look on the
web -- I don't have my bookmark list with me at the moment -- you'll
find solid studies about the value of homework. There really is NO
evidence for homework being valuable in kindergarten! Find the studies,
then discuss the general homework policy with these studies in hand.
Rouse the rest of the parents!!!

Finally, if the expectation is 15-30 minutes/night, then IMMEDIATELY st
a strit 15 minute limit and do your best to help your son concentrate
for those 15 minutes. Do first any homework that you think e really
needs to do in order to learn. (In our house we do math problems first,
for example, and spelling only if there's time.)

I hope you manage to resolve this. The school is really out of line.

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

toypup wrote:

First grade homework is half hour to an hour. By third grade, it's 45
minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Ugh. We'll have to see. One of my coworkers had
three kids in this school. She had to fight them every night to do
homework. If that happens, DS is out of this school.

And he will probably resist with both feet, even if he
hates the homework. They tend not to want to change, they
like their friends, they understand the environment. It
becomes a rather heartbreaking choice. Isn't the handwriting
already on the wall with them claiming up to 1.5 hours of
homework a night for 3rd graders?

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
news
toypup wrote:

First grade homework is half hour to an hour. By third grade, it's 45
minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Ugh. We'll have to see. One of my coworkers
had three kids in this school. She had to fight them every night to do
homework. If that happens, DS is out of this school.

And he will probably resist with both feet, even if he
hates the homework. They tend not to want to change, they
like their friends, they understand the environment. It
becomes a rather heartbreaking choice. Isn't the handwriting
already on the wall with them claiming up to 1.5 hours of
homework a night for 3rd graders?

You're right. When I signed the contract, one of the things IL's were
trying to tell me was that what is written isn't always what is done. DH's
family is full of teachers, so I figured maybe they were right. Also, they
stressed that what takes one student half an hour may take DS 5 minutes.
Apparently, it also takes DS half an hour. Anyway, DS will resist now or
later, because he is very much into routine, doesn't like change, etc. He
likes his school, the few days he's had of it, so if we change, I would make
the change at the end of the year, so that the change coincides with the
change in grades. Having changed schools regularly as a child, I found
starting a new school easier if I started at the beginning of the school
year. Like I said, though, I'm not sure if that would make a difference. I
have heard that they do lots of homework at our local school.