Homework in Kindergarten is ridiculous!!

[Anonymous]

Does anyone else agree that it's ridiculous for kindergartners to have daily homework? That this puts unreasonable stress on kids and families - ultimately being detrimental to both.

We go to a school in NWDC and KINDERGARTENERS are suppose to do daily worksheets (packets due weekly not daily), ST Math, and keep a reading log. At back to school night the teacher tried to assure us that it was just "20 minutes a day". Even if it doesn't take up more than 20 mins a day, that 20 minutes a day is

1) Taking away from the already vary short amount of family time that we get together.
(With work, we get from 6-8 with our children each day. That's important time to bond and to work with our children on their emotional needs and unique interests. Please don't take that away from us.)

2) Creating family discord
(Kindergartners are not at their best from 6-8 PM. "20 minutes" of work will require 20 minutes of nagging, reminders, encouragement, frustration, threats, tears)

3) Increasing mental load for parents with little ROI for kids
(The mental load for parents overseeing this is substantial. And there's no ROI. No study says that homework in Kindergarten improves overall education)

4) Creating unnecessary and detrimental competitiveness and labels among kids
(The teacher noted that kids know how far everyone gets in ST Math and that their identities start to form about being "good" or "bad" students)

Our friends who went through Kindergarten last year confirmed that it was a big issue for them for all the reasons noted above. I know there are educators who think this is ridiculous. I could tell our kindergarten teacher was unsure/uneasy about it. The hostility from parents in the room when this came up was palpable - our guts know it is wrong. This is HARMFUL not helpful to kids and to families.

Shame on DCPS. It's a detriment to DCPS reputation and trust among stakeholders.

I'm very tempted to just refuse to participate but my kid is a rule follower and that will devastate him. What to do? Get a petition going to make homework optional? How much support is out there for this?

[Anonymous]

Not really sure why it's the schools fault that you don't get more time with your kids in the evenings because you don't get home until 6.

[Anonymous]

My kids get theirs done at aftercare, or not at all, and I care not at all.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you need to look at your family situation if its such an issue? You can spend time with them and do it with them.

[Anonymous]

Don't do it. Take the packet the day it is sent home. Write a note on it saying that in your family you are choosing to reinforce learning in other ways.

Send it back when it is due so your child has something to hand in.

OR - just throw it out. We did. Our upper NW school still allows us to re-enroll.

[Anonymous]

If you really don't like it, don't do it. It's kindergarten. It's not going on their permanent record.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you really don't like it, don't do it. It's kindergarten. It's not going on their permanent record.

OP here. Thought about this but my kid was obsessed. Anticipating it, talking about it, stressing about it when they couldn't get onto ST Math the first day - seriously tried for hours on end and cried and cried when couldn't get on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not really sure why it's the schools fault that you don't get more time with your kids in the evenings because you don't get home until 6.

You, this PP, are an ahole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not really sure why it's the schools fault that you don't get more time with your kids in the evenings because you don't get home until 6.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really sure why it's the schools fault that you don't get more time with your kids in the evenings because you don't get home until 6.

This.

OP here. Please elaborate. I have a job. I would love to be an heiress but alas, that is not my lot in life. I think it's normal to work to put food on the table, a roof over your head is it not? And if this is in reference to having two working parents - I'm afraid that's far and away the norm these days. Most, us included, have no other way of making ends meet.

[Anonymous]

Our DCPS doesn't have K homework, so why are you "shaming" all of DCPS? Go talk to your Principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you really don't like it, don't do it. It's kindergarten. It's not going on their permanent record.

OP here. Thought about this but my kid was obsessed. Anticipating it, talking about it, stressing about it when they couldn't get onto ST Math the first day - seriously tried for hours on end and cried and cried when couldn't get on.

Maybe your child's anxiety is the real problem.

[Anonymous]

I agree it’s a pain and totally unnecessary in kindergarten. It should begin in 2nd grade with about 20 minutes of total homework. Family time is more important than having to do worksheets. Evidently some families don’t do it- I didn’t realize that!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our DCPS doesn't have K homework, so why are you "shaming" all of DCPS? Go talk to your Principal.

How to be a better person:

"That sounds frustrating. Just so you know, our DCPS doesn't have K homework - so this may be an issue / policy for your school in particular. I would talk to your principal."

[Anonymous]

My kid is at a title 1 east of the park and no homework yet. I kind of wish she had some so I knew what they were doing every day.