What are kids supposed to be doing all day in school?

[Anonymous]

I posted this on the general forum because I would like to hear from everyone.
My child is in a "good" MC private school. I am wondering if what he does is normal for first grade.
I would say that total instructional time is less than 2 hours a day MAX in reading and math. Now there is a lot of time for Spanish, PE, art and so on. But when I put it together, it is really no more than 2 hours on the basics. DS does a lot of coloring and art within the math and reading classes. Like he made an abacus the other day. Maybe someone can help me to understand why making an abacus helps him with math.
Don't get me wrong, I am willing to be open minded about this. Maybe some teachers can weigh in. I just think that if you have my kid for 6 hours, 4+ hours should not be play. Also, is this the norm in public school?

[Anonymous]

If you don't want him to be playing, send him to public school. There is rarely any of that going on. People pay money to send their kids to private school in part b/c they want to instill a love of learning as well as a deeper understanding of what they are studying. Publics tend to focus on the basics b/c that is what is tested.

[Anonymous]

This is similar to what my older DD did as a first grader in FCPS. The amount of specific instructional time is relatively small compared to the length of the school day. And direct instruction, vs large group instruction, is a lot less than 2 hours a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don't want him to be playing, send him to public school. There is rarely any of that going on. People pay money to send their kids to private school in part b/c they want to instill a love of learning as well as a deeper understanding of what they are studying. Publics tend to focus on the basics b/c that is what is tested.

Wow! Top THAT for sweeping generalizations! Anybody?

[Anonymous]

OP here, I was hoping that someone could shed some light on how much time kids this age need in direct instruction. My friends who homeschool say that it is no more than about 1.5 hours of core academics a day at this age, and no more than 4 hours when they are in HS. They might be right.

[Anonymous]

OP, 2 hours of direct instruction in reading, writing and math seems about right to me.

I would like to see another hour at least of science(nature)/Social studies, which could include read aloud (history, learning about customs in different countries) each day, but that's asking a lot.

Art, music, foreign language, PE and recess are education as well. I wouldn't call them playing.

When you say your chld "made" an abacus -- do you mean your child colored a worksheet of a picture of an abacus? Not good.

Do you mean your child physically MADE an abacus, with moving beads to represent the hundreds, tens, and ones column? THat's pretty cool! I'm sure the teacher is trying to show the children the significance of place value and is helping them to memorize their addition and subtractions facts over 10 by regrouping and "carrying" one ten into the next column. That's a fine approach to developing mental math skills, which should be the end goal. Ask the teacher what the point is and see if he/she explains it to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, 2 hours of direct instruction in reading, writing and math seems about right to me.

I would like to see another hour at least of science(nature)/Social studies, which could include read aloud (history, learning about customs in different countries) each day, but that's asking a lot.

Art, music, foreign language, PE and recess are education as well. I wouldn't call them playing.

When you say your chld "made" an abacus -- do you mean your child colored a worksheet of a picture of an abacus? Not good.

Do you mean your child physically MADE an abacus, with moving beads to represent the hundreds, tens, and ones column? THat's pretty cool! I'm sure the teacher is trying to show the children the significance of place value and is helping them to memorize their addition and subtractions facts over 10 by regrouping and "carrying" one ten into the next column. That's a fine approach to developing mental math skills, which should be the end goal. Ask the teacher what the point is and see if he/she explains it to you.

Thanks, are you a teacher?
I am happy with the school, just a bit surprised at the amouint of time that goes into a project like an abacus, which could be used on facts. They do social studies too. They get very little homework, which is fine by me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don't want him to be playing, send him to public school. There is rarely any of that going on. People pay money to send their kids to private school in part b/c they want to instill a love of learning as well as a deeper understanding of what they are studying. Publics tend to focus on the basics b/c that is what is tested.

It is the truth. All public schools have to follow NCLB. So unless they want to have low tests scores and risk being taken over, they have to have good test scores. So the good schools may not need to push their kids are hard b/c they will get good test scores anyway or maybe they need to improve every year. The majority of the papers (homework and classwork) that my DD brings home at the end of every week have MSA Sample written on the bottom of them. Sadly she seems proud to finally learn how to write a BCR which is what is going to be on the MSA... in third grade. She's in first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don't want him to be playing, send him to public school. There is rarely any of that going on. People pay money to send their kids to private school in part b/c they want to instill a love of learning as well as a deeper understanding of what they are studying. Publics tend to focus on the basics b/c that is what is tested.

It is the truth. All public schools have to follow NCLB. So unless they want to have low tests scores and risk being taken over, they have to have good test scores. So the good schools may not need to push their kids are hard b/c they will get good test scores anyway or maybe they need to improve every year. The majority of the papers (homework and classwork) that my DD brings home at the end of every week have MSA Sample written on the bottom of them. Sadly she seems proud to finally learn how to write a BCR which is what is going to be on the MSA... in third grade. She's in first.

What is MSA and BCR?

[Anonymous]

Maryland State Assessment and Brief Constructed Response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Thanks, are you a teacher?

I am happy with the school, just a bit surprised at the amouint of time that goes into a project like an abacus, which could be used on facts. They do social studies too. They get very little homework, which is fine by me.

Yes, I am. The abacus project seems fine to me -- assuming they actually are using it! How much time went into making it?

[Anonymous]

Our (private) school week is 33.75 hours, breakdown for second grade is as follows:

Language Arts 7.5 hours
Math 4.5 hours
Music 1.5 hours
Social Studies 1.5 hours
PE 1.5 hours
Library .5 hour
Spanish 1 hour
Science 2 hours
Computer .5 hour
Art 1 hour
Morning Meeting 1.5 hours
Chapel .75 hour

Arrival (you have 15 minutes within which to drop off) 1.5 hours
Dismissal (you also have 15 minutes within which to pick up) 1.5 hours
Snack 2.5 hours
Lunch 2.5 hours
Recess 2.5 hours

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maryland State Assessment and Brief Constructed Response.

What is wrong with a BCR?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Thanks, are you a teacher?

I am happy with the school, just a bit surprised at the amouint of time that goes into a project like an abacus, which could be used on facts. They do social studies too. They get very little homework, which is fine by me.

Yes, I am. The abacus project seems fine to me -- assuming they actually are using it! How much time went into making it?

Took a good part of the math class. All they had to do was string/wire it together then glue the sides onto some thin slabs of wood. I don't know if they use it.

[Anonymous]

If it was just one math class, it really seems quite reasonable to me.