Homework and teacher conference

Avatar for comountainsprite
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Homework and teacher conference
14
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 10:04am
Well, there wasn't a venting icon. I'm not really angry, just disgusted. We had parent teacher conferences last night and the good news is that dd's doing very well and far beyond where she needs to be at this point to meet the reading proficiency by the end of the year--no surprise to me as she likes reading just for fun. But we talked to the teacher about the homework situation which has gotten really irritating and is causing terrible friction at home. If you add in her reading of 15 minutes a night requirement and her math facts of 10 minutes (both of which the parent is supposed to do with her and record on logs) that's already 25 minutes. Then there is other homework that takes between at least 15-20 minutes. Hmmm, I'm no math whiz but last time I checked that's more than 20 minutes of homework which is what is listed in the school handbook as the expectation for 2nd graders. We have 2 hours for our family in the evenings before bedtime counting eating dinner. So we brought this up with the teacher and basically she said that they had to just ignore the handbook because testing of these kids at the end of the year means they have to do it at home otherwise "It's all on us the teachers" and Hello, that's their job! I do understand the pressure she feels from standardized tests but it also irritates me that if that's the case she should be focusing energy on doing as much as she can in classtime and working for a more reasonable school schedule (dd has been in school since Aug. 17th and has had 5-6 days off already not to mention the fact that school is out at 2:30 and they've got 3 solid weeks off at Christmas, then a couple legal holidays, mid winter break, spring break, and then days here and there)and spending less of their school time in fun day movie time (and I'm not talking educational films here, I'm talking Disney movies). It just irritated me that basically she told us, "I feel pressure so I think parents should do have the teaching" literally she did tell us that the learning does have to take place at home. I know a couple of you are teachers and I'm not trying to offend but it was irritating to just get excuses rather than real problem solving feedback. Dh basically told her that sometimes she's going to have to expect dd's homework packet to come back incomplete because it was stressing out us, causing dd to get all stressed out and us fighting with her, and making her not like school and she does well and likes to learn so we're not willing to let the homework issue ruin that. And the teacher seemed okay with that, we'll see. Of course we'll continue to do our best but really need to keep a balance. Thankfully, both dh and I have talk college so we could approach it on a good level and some sympathy for the frustration she may feel in trying to keep the kids focued.

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Avatar for myprecioustwo
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Registered: 04-08-2003
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 11:35am
I can understand that. That is very frustrating. My DD Alex has always had 3-4 hrs of homework and studying the day for her school. She gets out at 1pm and then home 15 minutes later. Starts her homework at 2pm and done at 5 or 6 in the evening EVERY NIGHT, including weekends now. They have no understanding over here. They are work and school aholics. We have lots of vacation and stuff, but what we do on overtime and work per day, basically is so much more difficult then I ever had it in the states. Makes me miss home and wish Alex only had an hour the night of school work. She can't invite any friends over or do anything else but school, school, school. Thank goodness she loves it. I hated it! I would of gone crazier than I already am. LOL!
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Registered: 10-18-2003
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 11:51am

OMG...Homework!


My daughter started getting slammed with homework in 3rd grade.

Kim

Avatar for myprecioustwo
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 11:57am
I never had as much homework as much as they give now and what they give to my daughter (even tho she is living in a different country) I still think I turned out fine. Ok, maybe not University Material, but I am proud of what I have done in my past and I wouldn't change it. My daughter wants to go big time, so because she has ADD it makes everything so much tougher. Alex is just now in 5th grade and I hear it's only the start of it all! The teachers on Tuesday at our conference said, EVERYDAY WILL BE HOMEWORK! Guaranteed! And start crossing off your weekends. The parents were steamed here, but they don't give! Forget family, forget playtime, creativity or alone time. Make them work work work and by the time they graduate, I won't even be able to afford her university, because everything is maddening expensive! Very frustrating.
Avatar for cl_beckty
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Registered: 03-20-2003
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 12:31pm

(((((hug))))) (oh, and that "let's calm down" is the icon I use for venting!)


I know you and I go around and around w/the same things. Maybe it's an issue more in Colorado Schools? Because my sister does NOT deal with this junk in her public schools in Michigan. I feel responsible for the bulk of the "basics" with regards to Ty's education, while the teachers teach "logic" in math (NOT mulitiplication tables. 5th grade and now they're having to go back becaues the kids didn't get the fundamentals in multiplication, and they are again asking us as parents to drill them nightly) and movies, and

Becky

 

 

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Registered: 04-30-2004
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 1:42pm
My child is in first grade but there is still homework. What I like is his teacher sends home a packet on Mon. and it's due the next Mon. That way, we can work on it when our schedule allows thru the week. She says we are to spend a total of 70 minutes (so 10 minutes a night is how we work it most nights) and start with the page that she marks for each child. She marks the page that seems to be what the child most needs to work on so we get that done first and it is required that at least that one page gets done. My son is a whiz at math but hates vocabulary/reading, so our first page to complete is almost always the reading page. We are to turn the whole packet in with what got completed in that 70 minutes, plus that one page that is required. It has worked great for families who have 2+ children and need to budget their time for multiple grades of homework, soccer, scouts, etc. Also, has taught my son some lessons on time mgmt. If he waits until the weekend to start..he's got 70 minutes of homework and less time for what he wants. We look at his schedule and say "ok, you have scouts on Wed. so that means we only have six other days to complete..how do you want to do it?"

Our teacher is an absolute god as far as I'm concerned. We count ourselves as being very lucky! I feel for these parents out there who aren't so lucky
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-02-2003
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 2:06pm
I know EXACTLY how you feel! C is in 3rd grade now and she easily spends atleast an hour a night on homework. Required reading is 20-30 minutes a night, plus another 20 for math and 30 for her "wordly-wise" assignment, and also she has weekly spelling tests that she studies and practices throughout the week. These wordly-wise assignments are the worst! They are like open book tests that are of 6th grade level reading and logical thinking that the parents are EXPECTED to help the child complete.

Last night I met Christy's teacher at open house. I told him that I was concerned about the amount of homework she was getting and asked him how much time a child is expected to work on their homework everynight. He said about an hour is expected and he also commented that this is the first year they are trying the wordly-wise assignments. He admitted that they were difficult assignments and he wasn't sure how they were going to work out. So, they are basically experimenting on my child. ugh... Then he said, if I feel it's too much, it's ok for her to leave some to do on the next day. To which I replied, "well, that just makes more homework for the next day." That doesn't make any sense!

I know there is only more to come...and that C is going to have to learn to balance her extra-curricular life with homework afterschool. So complaining about it or trying to avoid it is not the answer. But I don't know what is...

I'm getting creative though. For example: when she gets done reading the wordly-wise assignment, I count what she just read as her 20 minutes of required reading. And I tryi to pick samples of things she's done or already done that day to help her with her math assignments. She works on what she can do by herself with no help at daycare in the afternoons and then we tackle the hard stuff together.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-19-2002
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 3:24pm

Mine is in high school, and unfortunately,

Avatar for cl_beckty
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 3:59pm

Guess what Andi got?

Becky

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-25-2004
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 4:07pm
I know exactly what you mean about the homework monster. We have that too. Basically I help him so it gets done faster - he is ahead academically and I want him to have outside time and time for the swim team so we do this and I don't worry about it. I think it is a lesson to teach him you have to get stuff done and take shortcuts where needed.

It is even worse for us in third grade than it was in second. But we like this teacher a whole lot better this year...

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-19-2002
Fri, 10-15-2004 - 4:16pm

Becky, it is just all insane!

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