Speak up against homework in pre-K

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I'll be in the minority here, but for most of the younger years, the value of homework isn't learning the material, it's learning to do homework, which is in itself kind of a skill. The ability to sit and pay attention to rote, or even thinking, tasks outside of school but not of the child's choosing is not something that comes naturally to most children but is a very important skill nonetheless. I am delighted my K daughter does her homework readily. I was dismayed that my now 3rd grade daughter always hated her homework and it was a chore to get her to do it (and to some extent still is). Now it's getting better, even though the homework is much more boring (memorizing math facts, spelling sentences, etc.). Repetition, however, is necessary for memorization for most children. Indeed, she loves to write creatively and does so all the time; but she hates to write anything that's assigned. She's learning how to harness her creativity for assigned projects through -- you guessed it -- HOMEWORK.

I don't like the fights, and I'd rather use my time with her to play too, but it's very important to give her the gift of this valuable skill.

I agree with you. And, from having taught mine to do homework early, I have been reaping the benefits because we never fight about it.

+1. And since mine is only in pre-K now, I'm hoping that her love of learning and doing assignments now (come on, they don't take THAT much time; we still play outside and do all the other things mentioned above) will translate into a lifelong love of learning and interest in doing well in school. Instilling that discipline at a young age is a very good thing and a valuable skill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This article in the NY Times: "Should PreSchoolers Have Homework?" is so, so true:
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/should-preschoolers-have-homework/

The daycare in DC where my daughter went assigned homework. From age 2. It was so, so stupid, but I was taught to obey teachers and to do my homework. Part of me was scared they'd kick us out and I work fulltime! So I did the homework--it wasn't much ("color the green things green"). Finally, at age 4, many parents just stopped doing the homework and it was not assigned anymore. Freedom.

Why were you doing your child's homework for her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm very grateful we are able to choose a school for him next year that doesn't give homework until about 3rd grade. Even that seems too early, depending on what it might be.

Really, don't you think they need to practice reading and writing in 1st grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This article in the NY Times: "Should PreSchoolers Have Homework?" is so, so true:
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/should-preschoolers-have-homework/

The daycare in DC where my daughter went assigned homework. From age 2. It was so, so stupid, but I was taught to obey teachers and to do my homework. Part of me was scared they'd kick us out and I work fulltime! So I did the homework--it wasn't much ("color the green things green"). Finally, at age 4, many parents just stopped doing the homework and it was not assigned anymore. Freedom.

Why were you doing your child's homework for her?

I'm not the OP, but in our preschool we do the homework with our child (not for), so it does take some time. That being said, we're talking 5-10 minutes 2-3 times per week. I don't think that is taking away from anything. Honestly, you can't spare that little amount of time for homework, even in preschool? It's not like we're talking HOURS people!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm very grateful we are able to choose a school for him next year that doesn't give homework until about 3rd grade. Even that seems too early, depending on what it might be.

Really, don't you think they need to practice reading and writing in 1st grade?

Maybe in today's public schools where half the year is taken up with test prep.

[Anonymous]

I think any good school, at any level, should provide opportunities to integrate home learning with school learning, and I am so glad that my child's charter makes efforts to do so. For example, my four-year-old is currently doing an expedition on plants and trees. Over Spring Break, she was "assigned homework" of filling in the first letter of a book of plant parts and making a journal of drawings of different plants. She saw the letter book on the table on the first day of break and filled it out without anyone asking; it was fun for her. We happened to be going to the rainforest over the break, so we are constantly looking for plants to include in the book. She is thrilled that she is able to integrate what she is seeing with what she is learning at school, and her "homework" is making it much easier to do so. So, no, I am not opposed to homework in preschool. I am opposed to busy work as homework in any grade.

[Anonymous]

Homework in Pre-K is developmentally inappropriate. If you want your child to integrate classroom learning into activities at home, then find out what they're doing, and create the activities for yourselves. What is with parents in this city rushing to make their kids grow up too fast? The older they get, the less children play, and the more homework they're assigned. Everything has a time and a season. 3 and 4 year olds should learn through creative play and discovery. It really is OK to let a kid just be a kid, without shoving all manner of academics down their throats. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I'm all for children doing homework to learn how to do homework, but so far I haven't heard about any preschool assignments that children can do all by themselves. If they need a parent's help to do homework, it's a bad assignment (not just in preschool, but in grade school as well.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Homework in Pre-K is developmentally inappropriate. If you want your child to integrate classroom learning into activities at home, then find out what they're doing, and create the activities for yourselves. What is with parents in this city rushing to make their kids grow up too fast? The older they get, the less children play, and the more homework they're assigned. Everything has a time and a season. 3 and 4 year olds should learn through creative play and discovery. It really is OK to let a kid just be a kid, without shoving all manner of academics down their throats. Ridiculous.

Seriously, for the couple of minutes it takes every night, it's not a big deal. Who cares? It's all part of the learning process. And the assignments are tied to what the kids are learning in the classroom, so this IS the way many of us find out what our kids are learning, so it helps us to incorporate that into our daily activities.

I don't disagree that kids should be kids, but I don't see a problem with minor homework assignments in preschool.

[Anonymous]

Given that I am against the notion that children need to be in structured learning environments or in educational institutions from toddlerhood to be successful human beings, it follows that I would never impose homework on my kids. We don't do daycare, preschool or any structured academics before K anyways so it isn't really an issue.

Somehow, despite their 'impoverished' early childhoods, once in school they have had no difficulty understanding and adjusting to the concept of homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given that I am against the notion that children need to be in structured learning environments or in educational institutions from toddlerhood to be successful human beings, it follows that I would never impose homework on my kids. We don't do daycare, preschool or any structured academics before K anyways so it isn't really an issue.

Somehow, despite their 'impoverished' early childhoods, once in school they have had no difficulty understanding and adjusting to the concept of homework.

This is a stretch. No one said, or implied, any such thing. Clearly you have issues. Get over them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Homework in Pre-K is developmentally inappropriate. If you want your child to integrate classroom learning into activities at home, then find out what they're doing, and create the activities for yourselves. What is with parents in this city rushing to make their kids grow up too fast? The older they get, the less children play, and the more homework they're assigned. Everything has a time and a season. 3 and 4 year olds should learn through creative play and discovery. It really is OK to let a kid just be a kid, without shoving all manner of academics down their throats. Ridiculous.

Seriously, for the couple of minutes it takes every night, it's not a big deal. Who cares? It's all part of the learning process. And the assignments are tied to what the kids are learning in the classroom, so this IS the way many of us find out what our kids are learning, so it helps us to incorporate that into our daily activities.

I don't disagree that kids should be kids, but I don't see a problem with minor homework assignments in preschool.

Seriously, this IS the problem. How can 'homework assignments' and 'preschool,' even sit side by side in the same sentence? It's PRESCHOOL for goodness sakes! Why do you feel preschoolers need any type of 'assignments' at all? Soon people will be advocating for 'assignments' in toddlerhood, and then infancy. Any school that is assigning homework at such an early age should be able to provide sound evidence about why they feel it is necessary or beneficial. Seriously. It's absurd, it's wrong, and it's pushing your child into a mold and frame of thought that just makes no sense. Have you ever stopped to consider for even a minute that whatever is being 'assigned' to your child, may not be something they're even ready to process, or something that they're even interested in? Children develop at such different paces. Do you know if the homework is differentiated for each child, or is the same 'assignment' just slapped onto the whole class, in a 'one size fits all,' type of manner. Homework, or 'assignments' (or whatever the heck you want to call them,) can wait until the older grades, and you'll be doing your child a huge favor if you're able to recognize that and advocate for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: We don't do daycare, preschool or any structured academics before K anyways so it isn't really an issue.

Not everyone has that luxury.

Homework serves several purposes, some of which have been noted above:
1) Create good study habits -- this is often the case for both children and parents. Older children often have far too much homework, but they do have homework. Preschool "homework" helps parents to realize the commitment of time, space, other activities to allow active time, etc.
2) In preschool, homework is fun and helps children to develop a good attitude toward homework.
3) It ties home and school together, allowing parents to see what children are doing.
4) Sometimes homework or specific skills are requested by parents: homework can help parents to see which expectations for children are appropriate.

That being said, there are ways to assign homework that help and those that hinder. If you have a concern, talk to the teacher, find out the reasons for the homework, and if it doesn't make sense, either keep asking or don't do it.

[Anonymous]

I am sure that preschoolers are learning all about good study habits when they do their homework. I'll bet most preschools that do assign homework give every child the same assignment. Talk about a waste of time. I chose a school that used developmentally appropriate practices and would never assign homework. They did have a few parent sessions a few nights each year (with free childcare) to teach parents what is developmentally appropriate practice and there was no mention of homework. Homework in preschool sounds like something from a Head Start program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, this IS the problem. How can 'homework assignments' and 'preschool,' even sit side by side in the same sentence? It's PRESCHOOL for goodness sakes! Why do you feel preschoolers need any type of 'assignments' at all? Soon people will be advocating for 'assignments' in toddlerhood, and then infancy. Any school that is assigning homework at such an early age should be able to provide sound evidence about why they feel it is necessary or beneficial. Seriously. It's absurd, it's wrong, and it's pushing your child into a mold and frame of thought that just makes no sense. Have you ever stopped to consider for even a minute that whatever is being 'assigned' to your child, may not be something they're even ready to process, or something that they're even interested in? Children develop at such different paces. Do you know if the homework is differentiated for each child, or is the same 'assignment' just slapped onto the whole class, in a 'one size fits all,' type of manner. Homework, or 'assignments' (or whatever the heck you want to call them,) can wait until the older grades, and you'll be doing your child a huge favor if you're able to recognize that and advocate for it.

They do provide the reason: To enhance what's being taught in the classroom. Your argument is a bad one. The playing field is NEVER going to be level. Children are ALWAYS going to learn at different paces, be it in preschool, elementary school, middle school, or beyond. You can't expect teachers to tailor assignments for each and every child in the classroom just to ensure they "get it" at their own pace. I feel sorry for your snowflake's future teachers, as I can see you are going to be the type who constantly argues against structured learning. Better start saving for private school stat.