FCPS - No homework in Elementary???

[Anonymous]

We're in an elementary school with no homework policy. When they say no homework, they mean no homework, and that includes any work that is optional (IOW, teachers can't sneak in homework by saying that it is optional/ungraded). They can send home work that the child started in school, but did not have time to finish. For DD, this was mostly stuff she needed to color. Teachers usually do send in something, once a week or so, to say here's what we're working on in LA/math/science/SS. It can be vague or fairly detailed, and that's pretty teacher dependent.

We went through a whole year of this last year, and the only way to find out what the heck is going on class, is to wait until test scores roll home, and then figure out the gaps. OR play Perry Mason, and ask your kid really pointed questions, on a daily basis (which, being little kids, they may or may not be accurate reporters). The upshot of this has been that DD does momwork at home, at the end of the day. To be honest, it would be easier/less time consuming, if they just sent something related to their lesson home, instead of having me ferret out information, then talk to her about what she understood, fill in the gaps, and test to make sure she understood the concepts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're in an elementary school with no homework policy. When they say no homework, they mean no homework, and that includes any work that is optional (IOW, teachers can't sneak in homework by saying that it is optional/ungraded). They can send home work that the child started in school, but did not have time to finish. For DD, this was mostly stuff she needed to color. Teachers usually do send in something, once a week or so, to say here's what we're working on in LA/math/science/SS. It can be vague or fairly detailed, and that's pretty teacher dependent.

We went through a whole year of this last year, and the only way to find out what the heck is going on class, is to wait until test scores roll home, and then figure out the gaps. OR play Perry Mason, and ask your kid really pointed questions, on a daily basis (which, being little kids, they may or may not be accurate reporters). The upshot of this has been that DD does momwork at home, at the end of the day. To be honest, it would be easier/less time consuming, if they just sent something related to their lesson home, instead of having me ferret out information, then talk to her about what she understood, fill in the gaps, and test to make sure she understood the concepts.

I agree with the tail end of this so much. Some kids will benefit from extra practice. When there is neither homework nor a textbook, it comes down to a parent having the resources to figure out what needs extra practice and have a child do it. Not only would I say teachers are more qualified to do that than parents, but also that creates an effective bias against students who have parents unable or incapable of doing that for them.

[Anonymous]

FCPS school here and consistent homework (plus daily reading) started in second grade. Since third grade (AAP) math is almost daily.

[Anonymous]

I've read about studies that indicate homework increases the achievement gap.

[Anonymous]

I'm told by DD's principal that some of the schools have been chosen to pilot the 'no homework' concept, and that the expectation is that it will the adapted, system wide.

[Anonymous]

HW in ES should not be graded but should be assigned and expected. It does kids a total disservice not to help them build up a practice /habit of doing school work for extended periods of time to prepare for MS.

Our FCPS also has no HW and pretends that reading is HW. After K or at most 1st I would not say that is at all the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HW in ES should not be graded but should be assigned and expected. It does kids a total disservice not to help them build up a practice /habit of doing school work for extended periods of time to prepare for MS.

Our FCPS also has no HW and pretends that reading is HW. After K or at most 1st I would not say that is at all the same thing.

Kids aren't as dumb as you think. They can develop a homework habit starting in MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HW in ES should not be graded but should be assigned and expected. It does kids a total disservice not to help them build up a practice /habit of doing school work for extended periods of time to prepare for MS.

Our FCPS also has no HW and pretends that reading is HW. After K or at most 1st I would not say that is at all the same thing.

Kids aren't as dumb as you think. They can develop a homework habit starting in MS.

And then they get to MS and find they don’t have much hw. Mine DS didn’t have much and I was fine with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm told by DD's principal that some of the schools have been chosen to pilot the 'no homework' concept, and that the expectation is that it will the adapted, system wide.

I teach third grade. For the most part we don’t assign hw (or at least not what most parents think of as hw), but I haven’t heard of any pilot program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HW in ES should not be graded but should be assigned and expected. It does kids a total disservice not to help them build up a practice /habit of doing school work for extended periods of time to prepare for MS.

Our FCPS also has no HW and pretends that reading is HW. After K or at most 1st I would not say that is at all the same thing.

Kids aren't as dumb as you think. They can develop a homework habit starting in MS.

And then they get to MS and find they don’t have much hw. Mine DS didn’t have much and I was fine with that.

Really?? My 7th grader has a lot of hw/projects, quizzes and already a unit test coming up. They were prepared for the load because they had a fair amount in 4-6th. But the whole getting up 2 hours earlier with the load is what has been hard for them.

[Anonymous]

Homework in FCPS is capped at thirty minutes up to third grade and then an hour in 4-6. That includes reading. They are not allowed to add reading time onto the thirty minutes. The regulation says “across all disciplines.” Practice math facts and spelling and read. Most important is exercise and unstructured free play.

[Anonymous]

FCPS administrator here. OP, if you are unhappy with the feedback, communicate directly with the teacher. Ask your questions (politely) and inquire how you can support the learning in class at home. The teacher might recommend content reinforcement or extensions, continuing to help build a growth mindset in your child, or develop 21st century skills as related to FCPS’ Portrait of a Graduate.

Also keep in mind that we are only into the third week of school, so there might not be much to report as teachers are gathering baseline data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HW in ES should not be graded but should be assigned and expected. It does kids a total disservice not to help them build up a practice /habit of doing school work for extended periods of time to prepare for MS.

Our FCPS also has no HW and pretends that reading is HW. After K or at most 1st I would not say that is at all the same thing.

Kids aren't as dumb as you think. They can develop a homework habit starting in MS.

And then they get to MS and find they don’t have much hw. Mine DS didn’t have much and I was fine with that.

Really?? My 7th grader has a lot of hw/projects, quizzes and already a unit test coming up. They were prepared for the load because they had a fair amount in 4-6th. But the whole getting up 2 hours earlier with the load is what has been hard for them.

Really.
Honestly, there wasn't more than 20 minutes or so per night through HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Homework in FCPS is capped at thirty minutes up to third grade and then an hour in 4-6. That includes reading. They are not allowed to add reading time onto the thirty minutes. The regulation says “across all disciplines.” Practice math facts and spelling and read. Most important is exercise and unstructured free play.

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/41205/what-kids-need-for-optimal-health-and-school-engagement?fbclid=IwAR0md3LKWiO8qFMNKDF3EbGB2VS6zvZcxWiVHQ4AtZ43ey_YU-tBfw_O7iQ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I've read about studies that indicate homework increases the achievement gap.

So they should get rid of it then. Like that would help. UMC parents would make their kids do work anyway.