FCPS - No homework in Elementary???

[Anonymous]

This has been a wasted three weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

we have workbooks for DS if he doesn’t have homework. He does his reading, he does 10 minutes of writing. I might need to look into some spelling options. My spelling is horrible and I would prefer he not be like me in this area.

After 30 minutes of homework/workbooks, he can play on his iPad or video games.

Before some folks freak out, we stop at the park to play with friends 2-3 times on the way home from school. He loves his Cub Scouts and Baseball. He is outside and active and playing after school. He comes in and does his workbook and reading while I am making dinner.

Between his reading and language practice we rarely use the workbook. He is not overwhelmed and fully capable of doing what is asked. He just used some of his own money to buy a series of books that he wants. I was going to take him to the library to check them out, he wanted to own them, he used saved money for them. So I think he is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

we have workbooks for DS if he doesn’t have homework. He does his reading, he does 10 minutes of writing. I might need to look into some spelling options. My spelling is horrible and I would prefer he not be like me in this area.

After 30 minutes of homework/workbooks, he can play on his iPad or video games.

Before some folks freak out, we stop at the park to play with friends 2-3 times on the way home from school. He loves his Cub Scouts and Baseball. He is outside and active and playing after school. He comes in and does his workbook and reading while I am making dinner.

Between his reading and language practice we rarely use the workbook. He is not overwhelmed and fully capable of doing what is asked. He just used some of his own money to buy a series of books that he wants. I was going to take him to the library to check them out, he wanted to own them, he used saved money for them. So I think he is fine.

Maybe you aren't the best teacher. Schools do teach this, just not the same as the way you were taught. Which sounds like a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

we have workbooks for DS if he doesn’t have homework. He does his reading, he does 10 minutes of writing. I might need to look into some spelling options. My spelling is horrible and I would prefer he not be like me in this area.

After 30 minutes of homework/workbooks, he can play on his iPad or video games.

Before some folks freak out, we stop at the park to play with friends 2-3 times on the way home from school. He loves his Cub Scouts and Baseball. He is outside and active and playing after school. He comes in and does his workbook and reading while I am making dinner.

Between his reading and language practice we rarely use the workbook. He is not overwhelmed and fully capable of doing what is asked. He just used some of his own money to buy a series of books that he wants. I was going to take him to the library to check them out, he wanted to own them, he used saved money for them. So I think he is fine.

Maybe you aren't the best teacher. Schools do teach this, just not the same as the way you were taught. Which sounds like a good thing.

Our Teacher flat out said they would not be teaching spelling. They want kids to use their vocabulary and not worry about spelling things properly. This sounds great except that DS knows that he is not spelling things properly and will only use words that he can spell correctly. So his writing at school is boring and we spend time at home working on spelling the words that he wants to use, which I am fine with. When we remind him that his teacher is not worried about spelling, because she keeps emphasizing that with the parents, he goes through his books to find the word that he wants to spell so he can spell it properly. He figured out Alexa last year so the spelling for anything he writes has sped up but he is not learning the rules surrounding spelling.

This started in Kindergarten when he would draw pictures and add labels. He would wait for me to go to the bathroom so he could label the things he knew he could spell and be done because the instruction to spell based on the sounds you hear drove him crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This has been a wasted three weeks.

Because your child hasn’t had hw?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

we have workbooks for DS if he doesn’t have homework. He does his reading, he does 10 minutes of writing. I might need to look into some spelling options. My spelling is horrible and I would prefer he not be like me in this area.

After 30 minutes of homework/workbooks, he can play on his iPad or video games.

Before some folks freak out, we stop at the park to play with friends 2-3 times on the way home from school. He loves his Cub Scouts and Baseball. He is outside and active and playing after school. He comes in and does his workbook and reading while I am making dinner.

Between his reading and language practice we rarely use the workbook. He is not overwhelmed and fully capable of doing what is asked. He just used some of his own money to buy a series of books that he wants. I was going to take him to the library to check them out, he wanted to own them, he used saved money for them. So I think he is fine.

Maybe you aren't the best teacher. Schools do teach this, just not the same as the way you were taught. Which sounds like a good thing.

Our Teacher flat out said they would not be teaching spelling. They want kids to use their vocabulary and not worry about spelling things properly. This sounds great except that DS knows that he is not spelling things properly and will only use words that he can spell correctly. So his writing at school is boring and we spend time at home working on spelling the words that he wants to use, which I am fine with. When we remind him that his teacher is not worried about spelling, because she keeps emphasizing that with the parents, he goes through his books to find the word that he wants to spell so he can spell it properly. He figured out Alexa last year so the spelling for anything he writes has sped up but he is not learning the rules surrounding spelling.

This started in Kindergarten when he would draw pictures and add labels. He would wait for me to go to the bathroom so he could label the things he knew he could spell and be done because the instruction to spell based on the sounds you hear drove him crazy.

Yes, that's kindergarten...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

we have workbooks for DS if he doesn’t have homework. He does his reading, he does 10 minutes of writing. I might need to look into some spelling options. My spelling is horrible and I would prefer he not be like me in this area.

After 30 minutes of homework/workbooks, he can play on his iPad or video games.

Before some folks freak out, we stop at the park to play with friends 2-3 times on the way home from school. He loves his Cub Scouts and Baseball. He is outside and active and playing after school. He comes in and does his workbook and reading while I am making dinner.

Between his reading and language practice we rarely use the workbook. He is not overwhelmed and fully capable of doing what is asked. He just used some of his own money to buy a series of books that he wants. I was going to take him to the library to check them out, he wanted to own them, he used saved money for them. So I think he is fine.

Maybe you aren't the best teacher. Schools do teach this, just not the same as the way you were taught. Which sounds like a good thing.

Our Teacher flat out said they would not be teaching spelling. They want kids to use their vocabulary and not worry about spelling things properly. This sounds great except that DS knows that he is not spelling things properly and will only use words that he can spell correctly. So his writing at school is boring and we spend time at home working on spelling the words that he wants to use, which I am fine with. When we remind him that his teacher is not worried about spelling, because she keeps emphasizing that with the parents, he goes through his books to find the word that he wants to spell so he can spell it properly. He figured out Alexa last year so the spelling for anything he writes has sped up but he is not learning the rules surrounding spelling.

This started in Kindergarten when he would draw pictures and add labels. He would wait for me to go to the bathroom so he could label the things he knew he could spell and be done because the instruction to spell based on the sounds you hear drove him crazy.

Yes, that's kindergarten...

He is in second grade now and the Teachers in first, last year, and second have been discussing how there is no reason to teach spelling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

we have workbooks for DS if he doesn’t have homework. He does his reading, he does 10 minutes of writing. I might need to look into some spelling options. My spelling is horrible and I would prefer he not be like me in this area.

After 30 minutes of homework/workbooks, he can play on his iPad or video games.

Before some folks freak out, we stop at the park to play with friends 2-3 times on the way home from school. He loves his Cub Scouts and Baseball. He is outside and active and playing after school. He comes in and does his workbook and reading while I am making dinner.

Between his reading and language practice we rarely use the workbook. He is not overwhelmed and fully capable of doing what is asked. He just used some of his own money to buy a series of books that he wants. I was going to take him to the library to check them out, he wanted to own them, he used saved money for them. So I think he is fine.

Maybe you aren't the best teacher. Schools do teach this, just not the same as the way you were taught. Which sounds like a good thing.

Our Teacher flat out said they would not be teaching spelling. They want kids to use their vocabulary and not worry about spelling things properly. This sounds great except that DS knows that he is not spelling things properly and will only use words that he can spell correctly. So his writing at school is boring and we spend time at home working on spelling the words that he wants to use, which I am fine with. When we remind him that his teacher is not worried about spelling, because she keeps emphasizing that with the parents, he goes through his books to find the word that he wants to spell so he can spell it properly. He figured out Alexa last year so the spelling for anything he writes has sped up but he is not learning the rules surrounding spelling.

This started in Kindergarten when he would draw pictures and add labels. He would wait for me to go to the bathroom so he could label the things he knew he could spell and be done because the instruction to spell based on the sounds you hear drove him crazy.

Yes, that's kindergarten...

He is in second grade now and the Teachers in first, last year, and second have been discussing how there is no reason to teach spelling.

Lots of what we think of as school starts in 3rd grade. The earlier grades are focused more on learning to read. Almost everything else is secondary to that. Which makes sense, it's hard to learn to spell if you aren't able to read.

[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.

This must be up for interpretation. At Back to School Night DS's teacher very specifically said up to 30 minutes of homework (though she said it probably wouldn't take 30 minutes) plus 30 minutes of reading. I asked because an hour a night is a lot and she confirmed. It actually doesn't bother me as much as it could because DS reads whenever he has free time so we don't need to go out of our way to "schedule" 30 minutes of reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This has been a wasted three weeks.

I concur.

For our back to school night, the teacher talked about all of the things they would be starting next week. Also how long it was taking to test the kids spelling and math skills to place them in appropriate workgroups!

[Anonymous]

Why do you need homework? It is simply busy work to make the parent feel better and it has no real impact on a young student other than increasing stress and frustration. Then again, I'm Finnish. In Finland, students do no homework, yet still come out on top in those international standardized tests.

Have faith that your children can learn concepts without having to do mountains of homework. The homework is about YOU, not your child.

[Anonymous]

At which McLean elementary school are you located? I thought the only two with no homework policies were Timber Lane and Haycock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do you need homework? It is simply busy work to make the parent feel better and it has no real impact on a young student other than increasing stress and frustration. Then again, I'm Finnish. In Finland, students do no homework, yet still come out on top in those international standardized tests.

Have faith that your children can learn concepts without having to do mountains of homework. The homework is about YOU, not your child.

I would like to see third graders have a small amount of homework and then fourth graders have slightly more, etc. It's not about ME, it's because at some point they will have multiple hours of homework and the habit of doing say 20 minutes a night in third grade and then 30 minutes a night in fourth grade, etc helps build the routine and habit for them. I would like for it not to be busy work, but an opportunity to build upon the lessons they are learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

This must be up for interpretation. At Back to School Night DS's teacher very specifically said up to 30 minutes of homework (though she said it probably wouldn't take 30 minutes) plus 30 minutes of reading. I asked because an hour a night is a lot and she confirmed. It actually doesn't bother me as much as it could because DS reads whenever he has free time so we don't need to go out of our way to "schedule" 30 minutes of reading.

NP: For our AAP, 30 minutes of reading is the default expectation but there isn't an associated log or task with the reading and it's just a general recommendation (and probably 90% of the kids are reading more than that anyway due to preference--my DC is probably 2+ hours reading and we have to focus more on cutting off at bedtime than anything else). So the homework -- typically math, writing and the odd social studies or science project -- typically runs about 30 min. Sometimes it takes longer, sometimes less. If there's a particular assigned reading it is considerd part of the homework. She still has plenty of unstructured time except on the days where she some other afterschool activities.

[Anonymous]

“
I would like to see third graders have a small amount of homework and then fourth graders have slightly more, etc. It's not about ME, it's because at some point they will have multiple hours of homework and the habit of doing say 20 minutes a night in third grade and then 30 minutes a night in fourth grade, etc helps build the routine and habit for them. I would like for it not to be busy work, but an opportunity to build upon the lessons they are learning.”

+10
I would be much less on edge about if if the school said no HW for K-2 aside from reading and 20 min + starting in 3rd