Anonymous
Post 09/16/2013 22:14     Subject: Re:Homework in first grade question
Anonymous wrote:Maybe it's the teacher's way of providing extra practice if the kid needs it and keeping the parents in the loop about what they are learning in school, but making it up to the parents to decide how much homework and how much time needs to be spent on it. I can imagine as a teacher it would get exhausting to have all these vocal, hyper involved parents who have strident ideas about what is best for their child. Some parents veto homework in early elementary school because they think it is a waste of time and doesn't help their development and they would rather their kids do "really enriching" activities. Some parents think a lack of homework equates to a lack of rigor in the curriculum, and want to have a lot of it so they can be involved in their kid's education. Some kids really need a lot of rote practice on math, and others think rote practice is boring if they catch onto it easily, etc. Perhaps it is the best way she has found to tailor the class to the need of the kid's learning styles and to put up with pushy parents who have very strong ideas of what is appropriate for their child.


OP here. You are probably right. Like I said, I'm the one who is going to have to get used to this system.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2013 22:04     Subject: Re:Homework in first grade question
Maybe it's the teacher's way of providing extra practice if the kid needs it and keeping the parents in the loop about what they are learning in school, but making it up to the parents to decide how much homework and how much time needs to be spent on it. I can imagine as a teacher it would get exhausting to have all these vocal, hyper involved parents who have strident ideas about what is best for their child. Some parents veto homework in early elementary school because they think it is a waste of time and doesn't help their development and they would rather their kids do "really enriching" activities. Some parents think a lack of homework equates to a lack of rigor in the curriculum, and want to have a lot of it so they can be involved in their kid's education. Some kids really need a lot of rote practice on math, and others think rote practice is boring if they catch onto it easily, etc. Perhaps it is the best way she has found to tailor the class to the need of the kid's learning styles and to put up with pushy parents who have very strong ideas of what is appropriate for their child.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2013 21:54     Subject: Re:Homework in first grade question
OP here. I get it's about actually sitting down to do it. And, it's about repetition. There is a spot where I can write a note to the teacher if I need to. I guess I'm just going to get used to this. It still just doesn't sit right with me. A friend was telling me that MCPS teachers are not allowed to actually grade homework anyway (something about self-esteem issues). Does anyone know if this is true? If so, at what point to kids have to demonstrate (outside the classroom) that they grasp the material (and prove this to the teacher)? I'm not being snarky. I'm genuinely curious. (Caveat: I have an older child in private so this is my first experience with MCPS (other than remembering what it was like when I was in ES in MCPS--which, I'm finding out, is very different than what my DD is experiencing).
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2013 19:53     Subject: Homework in first grade question
At this age it's less about doing it correctly and more about doing it at all.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2013 19:51     Subject: Re:Homework in first grade question
I don't disagree. But then the teacher shouldn't be giving out homework. Each of my children's es teachers in MCPS has emphasized they do not want parent involvement in homework because they use hw to see who may need some extra time with a concept, or if the class on the whole does.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2013 19:19     Subject: Homework in first grade question
From what my teacher friends say, HW doesn't count towards a math or reading grade in elementary school. I'm sure it doesn't give the teacher information about what the kids grasp because some parents practically do their kids HW for them and other kids never turn it in. I would rather the teacher spend the time giving meaningful feedback on graded work, rather than waste time checking papers that might not have been done by the students.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2013 05:21     Subject: Re:Homework in first grade question
Anonymous wrote:Um, the point of HW is so the teacher can see if a student needs more work in that area, and also to catch if the class on the whole didn't grasp the instruction. If the teacher wasn't collecting it, not sure I'd make my child do it! This is MCPS?


OP here. Yes. That's why I posted in this forum.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2013 23:13     Subject: Re:Homework in first grade question
Um, the point of HW is so the teacher can see if a student needs more work in that area, and also to catch if the class on the whole didn't grasp the instruction. If the teacher wasn't collecting it, not sure I'd make my child do it! This is MCPS?
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2013 22:44     Subject: Homework in first grade question
I'd say no the norm. We've always turned in homework, but I think the teacher's do not correct the math since they assume the parents did that. Most teachers read the writing assignments though.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2013 21:12     Subject: Homework in first grade question
Anonymous wrote:Sounds like the teacher does not want to grade it..I sort of don't like the message it sends to the kids. If you child had any difficulty with any of it..I would send it in anyways so the teacher knows.


That is what I was thinking (OP here). I do not like the message it sends at all. It is supposedly all math this year (no reading comprehension homework of any kind will be given according to the teacher). My DD likes math a lot. I know she will want to complete the worksheets. I don't know what her reaction will be when she finds out she isn't turning it in on a regular basis.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2013 21:10     Subject: Homework in first grade question
Anonymous wrote:In Kindergarten, our teacher didn't want the homework handed back in. I think she didn't want to spend the time correcting it. First grade teacher collected, corrected, graded, and returned every piece of homework.


OP here. Our experience in K was the opposite of what it is now. K teacher wanted it handed back in. She corrected for things like backwards letters and number formation. Mostly she wrote "excellent" etc... on it, I assume to make the kids feel good about completing it (and I agree with that in K). Not sure what the strategy is in 1st. The message it sends me is that it doesn't matter to the teacher (not the message I want sent to my child).
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2013 20:59     Subject: Homework in first grade question
Sounds like the teacher does not want to grade it..I sort of don't like the message it sends to the kids. If you child had any difficulty with any of it..I would send it in anyways so the teacher knows.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2013 20:15     Subject: Homework in first grade question
In Kindergarten, our teacher didn't want the homework handed back in. I think she didn't want to spend the time correcting it. First grade teacher collected, corrected, graded, and returned every piece of homework.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2013 07:49     Subject: Homework in first grade question
My son handed in the homework itself last year in first grade MCPS. However it was only graded on done/not done. Still it seems like the tea her should at least see it.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2013 07:46     Subject: Homework in first grade question
Got a note from DD's teacher about homework. Packets given and due a week later. However, only the top sheet is to be returned with parent signature. The actual homework is not turned in. Is this the norm?