I didn't know that the transition from K to 1st would be so hard

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I’d prefer not to say the school but we live in Great Falls. Here are some of the examples of what we had to do this week:
-20 min reading per night
-Pixk out meaningful photos, magazine pictures, and postcards (bc you know we obviously have a postcard collection lying at home) that represent important places and people and things. Have a discussion about each of them so DC is prepared to discuss them in class and can speak about why they are important. Send them all into school to be cut up for a writers notebook. (This took absolutely forever btw including a trip to cvs for the photos).
-a whole bunch of math word problems that she had to draw pictures for and draw our, the drawing took forever
-supposednto be studying some word list every week, but there are multiple lists and it’s unclear what’s what. Priority words, I can’t even remember the other categories. She’s having a test this week.
-go on a walk, identify different kinds of trees (deciduous and something else), learn about the definitions and I think draw the differences

That’s an example of some of the tasks, but it’s not the half of it for one week. Also, stuff has to be cut and physically pasted into a notebook on a certain way which of course drags the whole thing out.

My biggest complaint may be the disorganization and difficulty of knowing what to do because of all the various papers and types of work. I think this stems from the fact that some of it is assigned individual by the teacher and some of it is a blanket first grade assignment.. so it doesn’t look consistent and it’s just hard to keep straight.

Does this sound like more than what others are getting?

That's insane, OP. We do 20 minutes of reading a night plus one easy (i.e. <10 minute) math worksheet on Tuesdays/Thursdays. Just got our first "project" assignment (a poster about family traditions) but that isn't due for another week.

[Anonymous]

I can't be the only person wondering if OP is maybe taking the homework assignments a little too seriously?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's kind of funny when parents think they know how to do a teacher's job better than the teacher. What would really be funny is if the teacher showed at your workplace and instructed you on better ways to do your work.

When the teacher starts sending home work to do at home that my child can't do independently, then the teacher is asking for my opinion. There are kids in my DC's title I school whose parents can't help. First grade should have work that kids can do independently. If the teacher wants to do a project with a lot of adult supervision, do it in class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's kind of funny when parents think they know how to do a teacher's job better than the teacher. What would really be funny is if the teacher showed at your workplace and instructed you on better ways to do your work.

Constructive criticism is actually good for everyone so I wouldn't mind if it meant I learned a new way of doing something. Also, a teacher spending 5 mins to write an email to parents explaining what they are doing that week and what should parents expect to come home, etc. would go a long way to making many parents comfortable with what is actually happening in the classroom.

The truth is everyone wants to know what their kids are actually doing from 8:30-3:30 everyday, (I know that I'd be pleased if they can do just 1-2 hours of real learning, even if they socialize the rest of the time...) The problem is I don't have a good idea if they are even doing that much right now in 1st grade.. certainly very little completed work comes home in DC's folder, much less than what I was getting back last year in his kindergarten).

Criticism is only constructive if you know WTF you are talking about. Not random parents giving their input.

You don't think a parent is qualified to say that the homework is overwhelming for her child and that the instructions are ambiguous/confusing? I volunteered in a 2nd grade classroom where the teacher (despite asking for folders for each subject) had the kids shove papers from every subject into one 2 pocket folder. The folders were overflowing, messy and disorganized. Was I not qualified to suggest that maybe the kids would be able to find papers more easily if he actually used the other folders that were sent in? The communication doesn't have to be adversarial.

[Anonymous]

OP--
I think you may be taking some of this way too seriously, A trip to CVS for photos? Here's a hint: your kid does not have to be the best. The teacher probably just wanted to ensure that there was some discussion at home to prepare the child to speak about it. She probably thought it would be a good family activity. She likely is childless and doesn't understand what goes on at home. It's doubtful if the teacher will notice if your child brings in one or twenty pictures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP--
I think you may be taking some of this way too seriously, A trip to CVS for photos? Here's a hint: your kid does not have to be the best. The teacher probably just wanted to ensure that there was some discussion at home to prepare the child to speak about it. She probably thought it would be a good family activity. She likely is childless and doesn't understand what goes on at home. It's doubtful if the teacher will notice if your child brings in one or twenty pictures.

DP. One one assignment my DC was specifically told that the pictures had to come from a magazine and not printed off the internet. I don't have magazines so I had to go buy some.

[Anonymous]

That's a teacher problem.
My kids have had horribly disorganized teachers that give confusing and random assignments.
Not every classroom is like this!

I would tell your kid's teacher that you have a 20 minute a night maximum for HW and ask what are the most pressing assignments. She may just say reading.
good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP--
I think you may be taking some of this way too seriously, A trip to CVS for photos? Here's a hint: your kid does not have to be the best. The teacher probably just wanted to ensure that there was some discussion at home to prepare the child to speak about it. She probably thought it would be a good family activity. She likely is childless and doesn't understand what goes on at home. It's doubtful if the teacher will notice if your child brings in one or twenty pictures.

DP. One one assignment my DC was specifically told that the pictures had to come from a magazine and not printed off the internet. I don't have magazines so I had to go buy some.

Two possible steps:
1. Kid misunderstood. Someone may have said they did not have a printer and this was the teacher's answer.
2. Tell the teacher that you don't have any magazines and, therefore, printed off the internet.

or, #3: Ask a neighbor for old magazines.

Quit obsessing over your first grader's homework.

One thing I can guarantee: the teacher does not want you to go out and purchase magazines for a first grade project.

You don't have any printed materials in your house? Junk mail, etc? Newspapers? Photos of anything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shocked at all the parents telling teachers that their kid wouldn't be doing homework assigned to them. If you are overwhelmed at 1st grade homework, I don't know how you will make through school.

Because that amount of homework is inappropriate for a 1st grader. Homework is generally pointless in elementary school. I stopped my kids if their ES homework went on too long and gave feedback to the teacher. They are now in HS and manage their heavy homework load just fine, which is appropriate for the class load they are taking.

Yup. You're assuming that teachers/the educational system/school districts always know best. Its simply not true. Which is why education doctrine, policies and practice continue to evolve as we learn more. Things can and should change when they aren't working.

The studies and literature completely support this. Even the 10 minute per grade crap is totally taken out of context. The actual study from which this came out of in 2006 actually only showed a strong correlation in the upper grades - 7-12. There was a very weak correlation in the elementary years, with even some negative side effect noted. I truly don't understand why people (educators, no less!) don't adhere to the real findings of the study. Our educators are supposed to be the experts, why do they perpetuate a false understanding of the research? Of course, this is just one study and much more research needs to be done, but for real people! Anything other than reading at a young age is not helping and may be detrimental.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/whats-right-amount-homework

[Anonymous]

This is not ok. A first grader should only do 20 to 30 minutes of reading every day.

[Anonymous]

I was a straight A student, went on to get a PhD, currently homeschooling my kids (including K) who are well ahead of grade level. You could say that I take academics pretty seriously. And you, OP, are definitely taking this too seriously!

The teacher probably sets all those expectations hoping that parents/kids will at least do one or two of them and the child will learn SOMETHING beyond what they've learned in school that day. Just choose what you feel your child could benefit from most. And for the love of god, don't ever go out and buy magazines just to cut out some pictures for first grade homework, that's ridiculous!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a straight A student, went on to get a PhD, currently homeschooling my kids (including K) who are well ahead of grade level. You could say that I take academics pretty seriously. And you, OP, are definitely taking this too seriously!

The teacher probably sets all those expectations hoping that parents/kids will at least do one or two of them and the child will learn SOMETHING beyond what they've learned in school that day. Just choose what you feel your child could benefit from most. And for the love of god, don't ever go out and buy magazines just to cut out some pictures for first grade homework, that's ridiculous!

+1

And, to the parent who said that parents of Title I kids in her school cannot help--that may be exactly what the teacher is trying to do: engage the parents just a little in their child's education. Finding a picture and talking about it doesn't seem too hard to me.

And, if you have nothing in your house that your kid can cut up and have to go to the CVS to purchase a magazine, that says something about your obsessive-compulsive housekeeping tendencies.

[Anonymous]

10 minutes/grade (outside of the 20 mins reading) is the guideline. We read 2-3 picture books/night and then it's lights out, regardless of time. If it's taking more, you need to tell the teacher. Our teacher was very clear about this at Back to School Night.

A lot of the other assignments sound more like activities you *might* get into on the weekend when there is some time to fill.

I'd stick to the math worksheet and words. Tell your child the picture doesn't have to be elaborate as a guideline. Or say, what can you draw in 5 minutes? Then the other 5 is for the rest of the homework.

First grade is a huge curve, no doubt. I wouldn't be shy about telling the teacher you'll do X, Y, and Z during the week and other time intensive things on the weekend if your family schedule allows. There's no way the teacher expects you to take a walk every day and look for different types of trees.