Anonymous wrote:Um, so we can reinforce what he's learning at school at home??? Tough to do when nothing is coming home. Guided reading hasn't begun yet, there won't be any spelling tests (so no basic memorization or quizzing this year), and no clue what they are doing in terms of math. Before I get flamed, let me assure you that I have reached out to the teacher to get a heads up on what's going on in class, and I received a long winded non-answer that didn't provide any details...very 2.0 like complex sentences with fancy words that tell you nothing.

Too bad I can't afford private school.

So look at the curriculum guide for first grade, and do something related to that at home.

Here's the curriculum guide:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/curriculum/elementary/parent-guide-curriculum2.0-grade1-en.pdf

In the first marking period, first-graders are doing plants and animals in science, civics in social studies, and bar graphs, pictographs, numbers to 120, and addition and subtraction of 1-digit numbers in math. Plus of course you can read with him at home.

Um, so we can reinforce what he's learning at school at home??? Tough to do when nothing is coming home. Guided reading hasn't begun yet, there won't be any spelling tests (so no basic memorization or quizzing this year), and no clue what they are doing in terms of math. Before I get flamed, let me assure you that I have reached out to the teacher to get a heads up on what's going on in class, and I received a long winded non-answer that didn't provide any details...very 2.0 like complex sentences with fancy words that tell you nothing.

Too bad I can't afford private school.

Anonymous wrote:Our 1st grader hasn't brought home ANY homework yet. None. Zippo. And they haven't started guided reading yet....not unti October.

Sigh.

Why do you want your first grader to have homework?

My 3rd grader has been in guided reading for weeks.

Our 1st grader hasn't brought home ANY homework yet. None. Zippo. And they haven't started guided reading yet....not unti October.

Sigh.

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?

"Um"...this is NOT the point of homework. Teachers assess IN SCHOOL if the child has mastered a concept, needs additional instruction and/or practice.... HW is practice and an opportunity for parents to understand what the child is learning. It is also hopefully helping the child establish positive work habits for when HW is more independent and does "count" towards grades. Teachers certainly can't "grade" work that when they have no way of knowing if it was completed independently or not. If a parent notices a child really struggling with an assignment, it would certainly be appropriate to send a note into the teacher.

With this being said, I'm an MCPS teacher who actually feels strongly AGAINST HW in those early grades!

Even in second grade our teacher-- who I loved-- sent home worksheets and basically said, they are optional if you think your kid needs more homework. We hardly ever did them. I think homework in k-2 has more potential to hurt than to help.