Homework that is busywork - does anyone else just say no?

[Anonymous]

OP here. First of all, I haven't been posting, so ya'll have been busy casting aspersions at others, FWIW. (Not that I expected anything different on good old DCUMs, lol.)

Second, in terms of what and how much homework there is, in addition to the daily worksheets (which, as I've said, are done in aftercare) and reading (which I fully support and always find time to do), there is: making and using spelling word flash cards; making and using math flash cards; doing music homework on-line; doing math homework on-line; doing almost-daily writing assignments; finding and reading specific books at home; and doing monthly family projects, such as making diaramas, creating a piece of art regarding math or a holiday, making a book, etc.

I really would like to have a more constructive dialog about how to handle this overload. Between working full-time, doing the cooking, cleaning, laundry and other house stuff, and trying to do some fun family activities on weekends, I really don't have time to do all this, and my kids are too young to take it on themselves. Plus, one of them has started to really dislike school because it is just too much.

[Anonymous]

It definitely just sounds like it's your school. I'd approach the teacher. Our child gets practically nothing so I can't relate.

[Anonymous]

This thread is really interesting after reading the pushback and complaints people posted several months ago when Gaithersburg ES abolished homework for ES kids. Everyone was up in arms about that!

As a teacher, I have read some examples on here of things that I have done in the classroom that other teachers in MCPS must be assigning as homework because they either didn't know how to get to it in the classroom or ran out of time. So I think when these larger "projects" come home for first or second graders, you should talk to your teacher about the workload.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Wasting time" by giving homework...load of crap. I'm sure we could take a peek at your week and find a ton of things your kids do that waste time that are less constructive than homework.

Young kids don't do anything that "wastes" time. They are little sponges who suck up informatiion and learn from everything they do. We play, run, or swim, and always read when I get home from work. And we cook dinner together most nights. Cooking is a great way to teach math and science. And baseball starts soon. Young kids learn so much more through play than from worksheets. Plus, they had plenty of time to learn in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Wasting time" by giving homework...load of crap. I'm sure we could take a peek at your week and find a ton of things your kids do that waste time that are less constructive than homework.

Young kids don't do anything that "wastes" time. They are little sponges who suck up informatiion and learn from everything they do. We play, run, or swim, and always read when I get home from work. And we cook dinner together most nights. Cooking is a great way to teach math and science. And baseball starts soon. Young kids learn so much more through play than from worksheets. Plus, they had plenty of time to learn in school.

Sorry I totally disagree. The parents who allow a lot of electronic time is allowing a child to waste time. Any "learning" (puhlease - I hate when people talk about educational apps) is passive which is not a good way to learn/reinforce long term). So yes, kids watching t.v., playing video games, etc. are wasting time. Regardless, a few worksheets here and there are not going to kill them. (They might as well learn young that when responsibility is doled out - homework - it has to be done. I certainly hope you aren't teaching them that they will learn so much more with you doing fun things than stinky ole' worksheets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. First of all, I haven't been posting, so ya'll have been busy casting aspersions at others, FWIW. (Not that I expected anything different on good old DCUMs, lol.)

Second, in terms of what and how much homework there is, in addition to the daily worksheets (which, as I've said, are done in aftercare) and reading (which I fully support and always find time to do), there is: making and using spelling word flash cards; making and using math flash cards; doing music homework on-line; doing math homework on-line; doing almost-daily writing assignments; finding and reading specific books at home; and doing monthly family projects, such as making diaramas, creating a piece of art regarding math or a holiday, making a book, etc.

I really would like to have a more constructive dialog about how to handle this overload. Between working full-time, doing the cooking, cleaning, laundry and other house stuff, and trying to do some fun family activities on weekends, I really don't have time to do all this, and my kids are too young to take it on themselves. Plus, one of them has started to really dislike school because it is just too much.

But from the way you wrote it - and I'm sure it would be so - that what you write as follows is NOT daily (other than the writing): "...making and using spelling word flash cards; making and using math flash cards; doing music homework on-line; doing math homework on-line; doing almost-daily writing assignments; finding and reading specific books at home; and doing monthly family projects, such as making diaramas, creating a piece of art regarding math or a holiday, making a book, etc...."

If it is a total of maybe 20-30 minutes a day excluding reading, I just don't see this as a big deal, especially when the math is done before you even get your child and the reading should be part of a daily routine, whether as homework or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Wasting time" by giving homework...load of crap. I'm sure we could take a peek at your week and find a ton of things your kids do that waste time that are less constructive than homework.

Young kids don't do anything that "wastes" time. They are little sponges who suck up informatiion and learn from everything they do. We play, run, or swim, and always read when I get home from work. And we cook dinner together most nights. Cooking is a great way to teach math and science. And baseball starts soon. Young kids learn so much more through play than from worksheets. Plus, they had plenty of time to learn in school.

Sorry I totally disagree. The parents who allow a lot of electronic time is allowing a child to waste time. Any "learning" (puhlease - I hate when people talk about educational apps) is passive which is not a good way to learn/reinforce long term). So yes, kids watching t.v., playing video games, etc. are wasting time. Regardless, a few worksheets here and there are not going to kill them. (They might as well learn young that when responsibility is doled out - homework - it has to be done. I certainly hope you aren't teaching them that they will learn so much more with you doing fun things than stinky ole' worksheets.

That PP was talking about "my" kids and mine don't get screen time during the week. And yes they learn more by playing than doing worksheets. But don't worry about my kids. They are in a school that doesn't assign homework until 3rd grade. The school realizes there is very little, if any, data supporting a link between homework and achievement in the early grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally look down on the parents on here who are bitching about some homework in the elementary years. If you don't want to help your kid or check it over, so be it. If you want to bitch about it, though, you're clearly passing that attitude (overtly or covertly) to your kids. What a shame.

I'm not bitching about it, I just don't require my kid to do it. But, since I'm just horrified that you (someone whose opinion I value so highly) look down upon me, I'll immediately change my ways! I do so want to earn your respect!

Rather than take your precious time to respond to posts on this site, why not go and help your kids? Your attitude on homework is directly beig passed on to your kids. Maybe if you did something constructive with them, that will pass to them too. Signed - a working, professional mother, with no childcare, who does her kids' homework with them daily.

Aren't you just special. Where would you like your blue ribbon delivered?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Second, in terms of what and how much homework there is, in addition to the daily worksheets (which, as I've said, are done in aftercare) and reading (which I fully support and always find time to do), there is: making and using spelling word flash cards; making and using math flash cards; doing music homework on-line; doing math homework on-line; doing almost-daily writing assignments; finding and reading specific books at home; and doing monthly family projects, such as making diaramas, creating a piece of art regarding math or a holiday, making a book, etc.

I really would like to have a more constructive dialog about how to handle this overload. Between working full-time, doing the cooking, cleaning, laundry and other house stuff, and trying to do some fun family activities on weekends, I really don't have time to do all this, and my kids are too young to take it on themselves. Plus, one of them has started to really dislike school because it is just too much.

I work full time and am a single mom to three (only help is one overnight a month with ex, which is often skipped and even when it happens doesn't ease the school burden), one of whom is special needs. Your schedule sounds like mine, but I don't find it unmanageable. I just set them all up with the day to day things. Quality is not my issue, only completion. With the projects, I take a minimalist approach - do what's necessary, and sometimes over help to get it done within our time frame. The only other thing I do is quiz on math and spelling since I don't really look at how they do on the homework. But, I can do that as I cook or do other chores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally look down on the parents on here who are bitching about some homework in the elementary years. If you don't want to help your kid or check it over, so be it. If you want to bitch about it, though, you're clearly passing that attitude (overtly or covertly) to your kids. What a shame.

I'm not bitching about it, I just don't require my kid to do it. But, since I'm just horrified that you (someone whose opinion I value so highly) look down upon me, I'll immediately change my ways! I do so want to earn your respect!

Rather than take your precious time to respond to posts on this site, why not go and help your kids? Your attitude on homework is directly beig passed on to your kids. Maybe if you did something constructive with them, that will pass to them too. Signed - a working, professional mother, with no childcare, who does her kids' homework with them daily.

Aren't you just special. Where would you like your blue ribbon delivered?

I'm not the one seeking approval for her methods. You're the one seeking approval for shirking responsibilities. I only signed it that way so that you didn't retort saying you didn't have time because you work or don't have childcare, etc. If you have time to be on DCUM, you have time to help your kids with their homework whether YOU think it is necessary or not.

[Anonymous]

I totally do. Last year we were planning a trip to Yosemite to spend 5 nights camping and hiking. DS's teacher assigned a big project on animal's habitats and one of the mothers was freaking out about how it would take up all of spring break. I told the teacher I was not spending a week in the library supervising my son researching that shit because we were busy GOING to an actual place where he could research it live and SEE animals in their natural habitats. She started babbling about the importance of learning to research and I told her that he'd already proven his ability to do that in the library setting with the other SIX research projects she'd given the third grade class earlier in the year that he'd gotten A's on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I totally do. Last year we were planning a trip to Yosemite to spend 5 nights camping and hiking. DS's teacher assigned a big project on animal's habitats and one of the mothers was freaking out about how it would take up all of spring break. I told the teacher I was not spending a week in the library supervising my son researching that shit because we were busy GOING to an actual place where he could research it live and SEE animals in their natural habitats. She started babbling about the importance of learning to research and I told her that he'd already proven his ability to do that in the library setting with the other SIX research projects she'd given the third grade class earlier in the year that he'd gotten A's on.

Good for you! No kid is ever going to be inspired to become a biologist by staying in the library and doing worksheets. They have to get out and be free to play and experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I totally look down on the parents on here who are bitching about some homework in the elementary years. If you don't want to help your kid or check it over, so be it. If you want to bitch about it, though, you're clearly passing that attitude (overtly or covertly) to your kids. What a shame.

Go ahead and look down on me. My kid will be your kid's boss some day, because your child will be so busy internalizing lessons about boredom, paperwork, and compliance with authority that he will not learn the skills of creativity, executive function, and expression that are essential for success in today's economy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally look down on the parents on here who are bitching about some homework in the elementary years. If you don't want to help your kid or check it over, so be it. If you want to bitch about it, though, you're clearly passing that attitude (overtly or covertly) to your kids. What a shame.

Go ahead and look down on me. My kid will be your kid's boss some day, because your child will be so busy internalizing lessons about boredom, paperwork, and compliance with authority that he will not learn the skills of creativity, executive function, and expression that are essential for success in today's economy.

We shall see, won't we? That's quite some statement, about which you have no knowledge. I'm looking down on parents who pass the attitude onto their kids (about homework the parents feel is stupid).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I totally look down on the parents on here who are bitching about some homework in the elementary years. If you don't want to help your kid or check it over, so be it. If you want to bitch about it, though, you're clearly passing that attitude (overtly or covertly) to your kids. What a shame.

Go ahead and look down on me. My kid will be your kid's boss some day, because your child will be so busy internalizing lessons about boredom, paperwork, and compliance with authority that he will not learn the skills of creativity, executive function, and expression that are essential for success in today's economy.

We shall see, won't we? That's quite some statement, about which you have no knowledge. I'm looking down on parents who pass the attitude onto their kids (about homework the parents feel is stupid).

It's called critical thinking ... Mindless respect for authority is very 19th century.