On my 5th grader's first day at a religious private (probably not the same since you are just asking and we started last week) they were doing intro stuff, though there was a whole class math activity. On day 3 they first got homework - multiplication by powers of 10 seems to be what they are working on right now.

My 3rd grader colored on her first day. My 7th grader also had to make a colorful project about the summer reading over the past week.

It’s the first day of school. What did you think they would be doing?

Anonymous wrote:China is going to conquer us in 20 years. I wonder if they’re “waking up their kids’ brains” with coloring and simple multiplication in 5th grade. Or 3rd grade.

Everyone said this about Japan in the 80’ s. Didn’t happen. Relax.

The teachers are introducing the students to new routines and classroom procedures. Rigorous instruction can follow once your student is familiar with how the classroom will run.

We live out of the DMV and the first couple days of 9th grade, the health teacher had the students coloring. My kid was not happy.

Probably baselining each child. Keep watching and see if the content and schedule change after 1 or 2 weeks.

China is going to conquer us in 20 years. I wonder if they’re “waking up their kids’ brains” with coloring and simple multiplication in 5th grade. Or 3rd grade.

Call the principal and state your boundaries OP!

That does sound a little off. But as PP said, maybe it's just to get the kids acclimated.

It’s the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. My god. Your kid can still go to Harvard!

Single digit multiplication sounds like K to me

Anonymous wrote:And I mean single digit multiplication, like 6 x 7.

Probably baselining kids’ math facts abilities. Or just waking up their brains after summer. Our (non-Catholic) HS gives math assignments over the summer that are entirely review from the year before, and ask them not to do the assignment until August, so they are ready to get back to work. Maybe the teacher assumes kids need a refresher.

Multiplication seems ok. What class was the coloring in? Regardless, a lot of teachers probably do icebreaker/ease-in activities on the first day.

And I mean single digit multiplication, like 6 x 7.

At a religious private. I understand that it’s only the first day, but is this normal rigor?? Seems more like 3rd or maybe 4th.