what did we get ourselves into?

[Anonymous]

Some kids just struggle with homework. My child gets home exhausted and ready to play. His mind is fried, and problems he can do in 5 seconds in his head in the mornings, he can't even understand in the afternoon. So I sit with him. The teacher said I should do that, but that I only should explain what he needs to do and answer any question he may have. But he needs to actually do it on his own. You are there for guidance, encouragement and support. I also give him 30 minutes to play and a snack as soon as he gets home. That helps. And if he needs it, I give him 10 minutes in between an assignment to play with his brother. The breaks, food and support help, this has worked for us well.

[Anonymous]

Op, have patience. Your child is most certainly not the only one. It gets better, but it was a shock to the systems of most kids and parents (based on bus stop comments) last year.

With math, they start asking kids to "explain" some concept that a lot of kids who like math just "get"...trying to explain why something is "blue" is really hard! My son settled into a routine of drawing diagrams to "explain your thinking." It worked for his mindset and the teacher was fine with it.

Just wait until they start teaching bickles and gickles...then you'll really wonder what you got into!

If your child doesn't know what to do, first, remember he's not the only one. Second, draw or diagram where possible. Third, after he has tried for awhile and doesn't know what to do, then have him write on the paper "I don't understand this." So his teacher knows he's lost. It is really important for the long run to admit what you don't understand and to not be afraid of asking for help.

Wait until Thanksgiving before panicking. I bet you will see a very different scene.

[Anonymous]

Our school had 20 minutes during the day where the teacher worked in very small groups with the kids to get them up to speed. Most of the kids needed this extra small group help in math. 3rd is a transition year for all kids, not just AAP students with homework anyway and the AAP students are jumping up a grade in math so it takes some time to adjust to this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear OP. The beginning of 3rd grade AAP (last year) was brutal. The transition from 2nd grade[/b] non-AAP, basically babysitting, [b]was hard. We settled in after a few weeks and ended the year with a bang. The homework wasn't hard, just more of it and I had to help DC stay organized. No problems yet in 4th AAP. Good luck!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We're in a highly regarded center, if that's relevant for anything... Maybe it's just the fact of having homework playing into it. We've hardly had anything during the first 3 years - all in the same school, btw. Anyway, thanks to everybody. We'll hang in there and if things won't improve, talk to the teacher. DC might have some attention issues as well, which in my view are not unusual for an 8 year old boy, but who knows.. yes, will talk to the teacher. Thanks again to all of you!

I think you nailed it, OP. The homework demands change from 2nd grade to 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear OP. The beginning of 3rd grade AAP (last year) was brutal. The transition from 2nd grade[/b] non-AAP, basically babysitting, [b]was hard. We settled in after a few weeks and ended the year with a bang. The homework wasn't hard, just more of it and I had to help DC stay organized. No problems yet in 4th AAP. Good luck!!!

I think the transition between second grade and 3rd in general is difficult. It is an adjustment. It is harder on kids that do not love math and are on AAP where they need to speed through the curriculum to fit two years worth of math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear OP. The beginning of 3rd grade AAP (last year) was brutal. The transition from 2nd grade[/b] non-AAP, basically babysitting, [b]was hard. We settled in after a few weeks and ended the year with a bang. The homework wasn't hard, just more of it and I had to help DC stay organized. No problems yet in 4th AAP. Good luck!!!

I think the transition between second grade and 3rd in general is difficult. It is an adjustment. It is harder on kids that do not love math and are on AAP where they need to speed through the curriculum to fit two years worth of math.

Yes, that's true. What isn't true is that a kid was basically babysat in second grade because he learned "nothing."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never heard of tutors for aap. Contact the teacher. He shouldn't be in there if he needs a tutor.

Tons of AAP kids at our center have tutors. Gee, I wonder why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear OP. The beginning of 3rd grade AAP (last year) was brutal. The transition from 2nd grade non-AAP, basically babysitting, was hard. We settled in after a few weeks and ended the year with a bang. The homework wasn't hard, just more of it and I had to help DC stay organized. No problems yet in 4th AAP. Good luck!!!

We found less homework and it didn't take my son long because he was strong in math. Could your child just be nervous? Or perhaps, not really suited for AAP? Kids who need tutors to keep up with grade school and even middle school, early high school math are not who AAP was intended for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear OP. The beginning of 3rd grade AAP (last year) was brutal. The transition from 2nd grade[/b] non-AAP, basically babysitting, was hard. We settled in after a few weeks and ended the year with a bang. The homework wasn't hard, just more of it and I had to help DC stay organized. No problems yet in 4th AAP. Good luck!!!

I think the transition between second grade and 3rd in general is difficult. It is an adjustment. It is harder on kids that do not love math and are on AAP where t[b]hey need to speed through the curriculum to fit two years worth of math.

the answer: base school

[Anonymous]

Our kids is great at math. One of the top kids in his current AAP 6th grade class. And yet, the first couple of months of 3rd grade homework was torture.

It's not just you, that's just how things start off in third grade AAP. If you talk to other parents in the class you'll find everyone's going through the same thing.

[Anonymous]

My son struggled tons in 3rd grade. going from base to a very good AAP school. somehow, it seemed maybe he was not prepared. K-2 were almost too easy. by 4th grade, things improved.
now taking 7th grade algebra and loving it--because it is going fast and it is not boring.

hang in there. and some kids do get math tutor. or switch back to regular math.

[Anonymous]

There are two big transitions in school: staring 3rd grade, where you go from 5-10 min of homework to about 30 min plus reading. And projects...

Then next big jump is 7th grade. My DD was swamped last year: 2-3 hrs of homework, music practice, sports, and Bat Mitzvah. Some nights she was working until 10 PM. But, the problem was the assignments were largely open ended.

She wanted to tell the whole story, and would write 10 pages when they asked for 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We're in a highly regarded center, if that's relevant for anything... Maybe it's just the fact of having homework playing into it. We've hardly had anything during the first 3 years - all in the same school, btw. Anyway, thanks to everybody. We'll hang in there and if things won't improve, talk to the teacher. DC might have some attention issues as well, which in my view are not unusual for an 8 year old boy, but who knows.. yes, will talk to the teacher. Thanks again to all of you!

You might want to monitor the attention issue.
I've found that it wasn't really the amount of homework that was our issue.
My daughter is in GenEd and had a really difficult time with homework. Huge jump between 2nd and 3rd grade.
My son is in AAP. We were expecting that huge jump between 2nd and 3rd grade but he had no issues at all. He's in 5th now and even when there is a lot of homework, he gets them done in under an hour. My daughter on the other hand, might not have a lot but takes her forever to get it done. She was diagnosed with ADHD.

The teacher can tell you that "it shouldn't take more than x time" but I think it totally depends on the kid, not necessarily the amount of homework.

[Anonymous]

What school is your DC in??? Our third grade AAP math homework is one worksheet which takes DD a max of 10 minutes...