HW has no benefit in elementary school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a difference between studying and busywork. Most of what kids are assigned for homework is busywork. When kids get to college and they are expected to study with nobody collecting assignments, they often struggle. Elementary homework should be read for minimum of 30 minutes, ideally an hour in upper elementary and probably done math fact practice (but not necessarily by worksheet). Spelling words can be practice by going over them with a parent, no need to do a word search or crossword puzzle. And don't even get me started on teachers who assign students to write every word in a sentence without stipulating quality and approx. length of sentences. I've seen students write the sentence "I am hopeless" as their sentence and they weren't being sarcastic.

Some kids like the word searches and crossword puzzles. We do spelling tests where everyone takes the test and make it fun. Busy work creates good work habits. It also shows them they can be successful. I see the benefit with my child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PreK and kindergarten homework should be limited to things like:

Go outside and count how many bees and butterflies you see. Draw a picture of them pollinating a flower.

Count the numbers of windows and doors in your house. Which number is greater?

Have a grown up help you cook a recipe. How many fractions did you use when cooking? What other types of numbers did you need to know to make your recipe?

Read for 20 minutes and draw a picture about your favorite part of the story. Explain why you liked it, either by writing it and reading what you wrote to a grown up or telling them why you liked the story.
Etc.

Drill and kill worksheets should not be part of homework at that age.

I don't think worksheets have a place in PreK at all, and ideally not in K bit the kinds of assients you propose that not only take time but require parents to take kids to specific locations are absolutely unacceptable.

You don't have an outside? Windows? Doors? You don't cook dinner?

All of these ideas are perfect "homework" for early childhood education and take no extra effort or resources from parents (assuming you cook dinner in your home at least occasionally).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PreK and kindergarten homework should be limited to things like:

Go outside and count how many bees and butterflies you see. Draw a picture of them pollinating a flower.

Count the numbers of windows and doors in your house. Which number is greater?

Have a grown up help you cook a recipe. How many fractions did you use when cooking? What other types of numbers did you need to know to make your recipe?

Read for 20 minutes and draw a picture about your favorite part of the story. Explain why you liked it, either by writing it and reading what you wrote to a grown up or telling them why you liked the story.
Etc.

Drill and kill worksheets should not be part of homework at that age.

I don't think worksheets have a place in PreK at all, and ideally not in K bit the kinds of assients you propose that not only take time but require parents to take kids to specific locations are absolutely unacceptable.

I agree that it is unacceptable. My kid is in school. I am not. Don't gve parents homework. This is why homework has been shown to be ineffective. Because they are not good homework. This goes for most of the projects assigned in elementary school. Spelling words and math work sheets, those are good homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PreK and kindergarten homework should be limited to things like:

Go outside and count how many bees and butterflies you see. Draw a picture of them pollinating a flower.

Count the numbers of windows and doors in your house. Which number is greater?

Have a grown up help you cook a recipe. How many fractions did you use when cooking? What other types of numbers did you need to know to make your recipe?

Read for 20 minutes and draw a picture about your favorite part of the story. Explain why you liked it, either by writing it and reading what you wrote to a grown up or telling them why you liked the story.
Etc.

Drill and kill worksheets should not be part of homework at that age.

I don't think worksheets have a place in PreK at all, and ideally not in K bit the kinds of assients you propose that not only take time but require parents to take kids to specific locations are absolutely unacceptable.

You don't have an outside? Windows? Doors? You don't cook dinner?

All of these ideas are perfect "homework" for early childhood education and take no extra effort or resources from parents (assuming you cook dinner in your home at least occasionally).

Being a parent takes lots of extra effort. If you are not willing to put in the effort, why have kids? The things that you do while the kids are young, set the example they will live by. Learning should be both at home and at schools. Schools cannot provide everything.

[Anonymous]

This is not a new idea. Research has been out there for many years decrying the value of homework at the elementary level.

As a former elementary teacher, I would agree.

It has always amazed me that parents think it is ok - actually beneficial - for teachers to mandate carrying over school time into the time of families.
Teachers are dictating how families spend their time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PreK and kindergarten homework should be limited to things like:

Go outside and count how many bees and butterflies you see. Draw a picture of them pollinating a flower.

Count the numbers of windows and doors in your house. Which number is greater?

Have a grown up help you cook a recipe. How many fractions did you use when cooking? What other types of numbers did you need to know to make your recipe?

Read for 20 minutes and draw a picture about your favorite part of the story. Explain why you liked it, either by writing it and reading what you wrote to a grown up or telling them why you liked the story.
Etc.

Drill and kill worksheets should not be part of homework at that age.

I don't think worksheets have a place in PreK at all, and ideally not in K bit the kinds of assients you propose that not only take time but require parents to take kids to specific locations are absolutely unacceptable.

You don't have an outside? Windows? Doors? You don't cook dinner?

All of these ideas are perfect "homework" for early childhood education and take no extra effort or resources from parents (assuming you cook dinner in your home at least occasionally).

NP here. This is wholly unnecessary in PreK and K, at least if you have involved, educated parents. Families should be able to decide what activities to do, whether to count doors and windows or go to the Museum of Natural History, or a Nature Center, or play tag, or garden. School doesn't need to dictate what families are doing outside of school hours, especially at that age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Being a parent takes lots of extra effort. If you are not willing to put in the effort, why have kids? The things that you do while the kids are young, set the example they will live by. Learning should be both at home and at schools.

This is true, but what does this have to do with homework??

Anonymous wrote:
Schools cannot provide everything.

I don't see anyone saying they should! Please explain this remark -- what made you write it? Did you think someone wants school to 'provide everything'?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not a new idea. Research has been out there for many years decrying the value of homework at the elementary level.

As a former elementary teacher, I would agree.

It has always amazed me that parents think it is ok - actually beneficial - for teachers to mandate carrying over school time into the time of families.
Teachers are dictating how families spend their time.

This is such a weird thing to say. If you never assign homework that requires parental assistance, I don't see it as you are dictating family time. Teachers have always controlled a portion of a the students' time outside classroom, home work, paper/project, studying for tests. This is true for all levels. And the kids better get used to the idea. But these assignment for parents are relatively new. They are typically time consuming with very little payoff. So please don't dictate my spending time on those projects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not a new idea. Research has been out there for many years decrying the value of homework at the elementary level.

As a former elementary teacher, I would agree.

It has always amazed me that parents think it is ok - actually beneficial - for teachers to mandate carrying over school time into the time of families.
Teachers are dictating how families spend their time.

At our school, it seems to be the parents who dislike the homework -- it is the teachers who are assigning the homework. The parents have to deal with it. I don't know any parents in lower elementary (PreK - 2nd/ 3rd) who like it...precisely b/c they don't want teachers dictating what they do with precious family time.

It shocks me that this former teacher says parents wanted homework.

So teachers, please stop assigning it. It will benefit everyone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not a new idea. Research has been out there for many years decrying the value of homework at the elementary level.

As a former elementary teacher, I would agree.

It has always amazed me that parents think it is ok - actually beneficial - for teachers to mandate carrying over school time into the time of families.
Teachers are dictating how families spend their time.

This is such a weird thing to say. If you never assign homework that requires parental assistance, I don't see it as you are dictating family time.

If my Kindergartener is doing homework at home, even by himself, that means that we are not doing other things. Hence, it is dictating family time. See now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not a new idea. Research has been out there for many years decrying the value of homework at the elementary level.

As a former elementary teacher, I would agree.

It has always amazed me that parents think it is ok - actually beneficial - for teachers to mandate carrying over school time into the time of families.
Teachers are dictating how families spend their time.

This is such a weird thing to say. If you never assign homework that requires parental assistance, I don't see it as you are dictating family time. Teachers have always controlled a portion of a the students' time outside classroom, home work, paper/project, studying for tests. This is true for all levels. And the kids better get used to the idea. But these assignment for parents are relatively new. They are typically time consuming with very little payoff. So please don't dictate my spending time on those projects.

When a teacher assigns student work outside of class, whether it be something done independently, or something done with assistance, the teacher is impinging on family time. It is taking away time from thing the family chooses to do. It is that simple.
Students who do homework, generally don’t need it. And students who need additional help, generally don’t do the homework. Not that doing homework would “help” them anyway.

Why does a teacher have a right to dictate what a child does at home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Being a parent takes lots of extra effort. If you are not willing to put in the effort, why have kids? The things that you do while the kids are young, set the example they will live by. Learning should be both at home and at schools.

This is true, but what does this have to do with homework??

Anonymous wrote:
Schools cannot provide everything.

I don't see anyone saying they should! Please explain this remark -- what made you write it? Did you think someone wants school to 'provide everything'?

Helping your kids with homework is part of parenting. Most parents who complain about it do not want to sit down and help their kids. They'd prefer homework when the kids are older so they do not have to deal with it. That is lazy parenting.

Yes, lots of people expect the schools to provide everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not a new idea. Research has been out there for many years decrying the value of homework at the elementary level.

As a former elementary teacher, I would agree.

It has always amazed me that parents think it is ok - actually beneficial - for teachers to mandate carrying over school time into the time of families.
Teachers are dictating how families spend their time.

At our school, it seems to be the parents who dislike the homework -- it is the teachers who are assigning the homework. The parents have to deal with it. I don't know any parents in lower elementary (PreK - 2nd/ 3rd) who like it...precisely b/c they don't want teachers dictating what they do with precious family time.

It shocks me that this former teacher says parents wanted homework.

So teachers, please stop assigning it. It will benefit everyone!

PP here.
If I were you, I would ask the principal to form a committee, including parents, to discuss the homework policy at the school. There is ample research to indicate that the benefits of homework at the elementary level is nil. Perhaps a group could influence the practices of the teachers.......

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree. Homework has some value, one of which is preparing the expectation to do homework. Also, especially in math it does help reinforce the concepts taught in class.

Homework is not "wrecking" schools -- such nonsense and hyperbole. I swear parents today want to coddle kids with their demands for four/five recess and less pressure. Good Lord, expect more from your children. They are capable and want to learn.

+1,000 kids don't learn anything from extra time for play or movement, Good Lord people!

Said no one with early childhood education education ever.

(Unless you were being sarcastic. In which case, hahaha!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Being a parent takes lots of extra effort. If you are not willing to put in the effort, why have kids? The things that you do while the kids are young, set the example they will live by. Learning should be both at home and at schools.

This is true, but what does this have to do with homework??

Anonymous wrote:
Schools cannot provide everything.

I don't see anyone saying they should! Please explain this remark -- what made you write it? Did you think someone wants school to 'provide everything'?

Helping your kids with homework is part of parenting. Most parents who complain about it do not want to sit down and help their kids. They'd prefer homework when the kids are older so they do not have to deal with it. That is lazy parenting.

Yes, lots of people expect the schools to provide everything.

It is part of parenting because that is what you grew up remembering. It doesn’t mean it HAS to be part of parenting. And, those that complain about it do so because they see little benefit - NOT because they are lazy. As a teacher, I resent the statement you made.
I truly believe one of the reasons we have such an obesity problem today is because homework, a generally sedentary activity, has become the norm. Students are being assigned more and more homework and have less and less time to be physically active.