Hardest school year in elementary school?

[Anonymous]

4th - that's when DS's ADHD caught up with him and he started failing. We had to evaluated him and get him treatment .

[Anonymous]

For those of you with kids in 3rd, what are they working on that's so much harder than what they did in 2nd grade? (I'm the mom of a 2nd grader)

[Anonymous]

3rd. Way too much useless tedious homework and a so-so teacher. But that may be school specific.

[Anonymous]

Definitely 3rd. At our MoCo school, that was a year where teachers really expected more maturity and there was a lot less hand holding. 4th just seemed like a repeat of 3rd for those who didn't get it the first time. Welcome to Curriculum 2.0.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with kids in 3rd, what are they working on that's so much harder than what they did in 2nd grade? (I'm the mom of a 2nd grader)

I just responded, but it was a combination of too much pointless homework that some nights would pile up. And learning multiplication facts. It is expected to be done entirely at home, but they do not do a good job of telling parents that. So on top of the hour of homework, 30 minutes of reading, you are begging your kid to do flash cards. They should make the homework around learning the darn math facts.

4th grade, new teachers made the decision to lesson homework. I love them. The homework is relevant and since it is not overwhelming, my son does it without a fight. So it really may depend on the teachers.

[Anonymous]

It makes me feel a little better to hear others are having difficult years in 3rd as well. This has been the first "hard" year for my kid. I am also realizing my kid should have those multiplication tables memorized and I guess they are not covering that in school thoroughly. I'm really just trying to just get through the rest of this year and hope for better next year.

[Anonymous]

5th grade.

[Anonymous]

3rd has been tough for DS both socially and academically.

[Anonymous]

6th grade if they attend fcps if not maybe 5th

[Anonymous]

3rd grade was very hard for us.

[Anonymous]

My kids are both in 3rd in APS (VA) and so far it's been a lot less homework than 2nd. They are feeling a little more stress though with grades and SOL, but overall the year seems easier.

K and 1st were an adjustment - to school and to more serious work. 2nd was the hardest so far - tons of homework.

I've heard 5th is hard at our school. So much so that kids are relieved to get to 6th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with kids in 3rd, what are they working on that's so much harder than what they did in 2nd grade? (I'm the mom of a 2nd grader)

My DS had a hard time with the multiplication facts so on top of the regular homework (math, word study, sometimes language arts), plus 30 minutes of reading (that had to be recorded so it couldn't slide some nights), we were also trying to make time on a nightly basis to work on those. The tests in 3rd were also much more test-like, if that makes sense. My DS wants to do well but has some minor learning difficulties and isn't the type, even at this age, that can just go to school and then take the test and do well. He has to study, which has meant teaching him how to study, and fitting in that studying and review, plus regular homework, and reading, and math facts, in little bits in the nights leading up to the tests. There were also an insane amount of out-of-class projects, sometimes two or even three pending at one time. And, at this age, all of this still requires a fair amount of parental involvement. Throw in a sport each season (and another kid in the household), and it was just a lot for everyone.

Fourth is much better. As a PP noted, it's mostly just like third, except with a more mature kid and the multiplication (and division) facts are already down. He's starting to take control of things like remembering on Monday that he has a science test on Thursday so making time for some review throughout the week. And he knows now how to review things. Also a lot of the projects this year are in-class projects where they are partnering on projects to learn how to work together. His teacher is very into the kids learning to advocate for themselves so she doesn't want the parents to be super closely involved in things like projects.

[Anonymous]

5th was when my DD started to need extra help on the side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you with kids in 3rd, what are they working on that's so much harder than what they did in 2nd grade? (I'm the mom of a 2nd grader)

I just responded, but it was a combination of too much pointless homework that some nights would pile up. And learning multiplication facts. It is expected to be done entirely at home, but they do not do a good job of telling parents that. So on top of the hour of homework, 30 minutes of reading, you are begging your kid to do flash cards. They should make the homework around learning the darn math facts.

4th grade, new teachers made the decision to lesson homework. I love them. The homework is relevant and since it is not overwhelming, my son does it without a fight. So it really may depend on the teachers.

An hour and a half of homework in the 3rd grade? This is nuts!

[Anonymous]

DD is in 3rd. I think first was harder because it seemed like the homework took way longer and reading was such a chore for her then. 2nd and 3rd have been easier by comparison.