Anonymous wrote:I disagree. Homework has some value, one of which is preparing the expectation to do homework. Also, especially in math it does help reinforce the concepts taught in class.

Homework is not "wrecking" schools -- such nonsense and hyperbole. I swear parents today want to coddle kids with their demands for four/five recess and less pressure. Good Lord, expect more from your children. They are capable and want to learn.

+1

I figure that the many anti-homework complainers on DCUM are mostly parents of elementary kids or kids even younger than elementary; OP, that seems to be you.

OP, your child is in pre-K. No pre-K has any business sending worksheets home; find a new pre-K since the one you're using sends homework. Or just say that your child is not doing it. It's pre-K. There are no grades.

But beware if you give your child the idea that when "real" elementary school starts, it's fine to not do things you don't like and to treat homework as optional. That's not what you want an elementary kid to pick up as the message here. You've dragged all of elementary into your issues with one pre-K program.

If kids have zero homework until they begin middle school (or if their parents tell them, "Ignore the teachers and don't do what they ask"), they will be utterly slammed by the idea of required homework when they hit middle school. They need to learn that the expectation of doing regular homework is important -- and in MS and HS, homework assignments are part of the class grade. Doing the homework consistently and with real effort can help a kid's overall class grade, both because the assignments themselves get graded, and because they help the kid understand concepts that will turn up on tests and classroom assignments.

If kids don't learn how to deal with homework gradually as they move into older elementary grades, they will be overwhelmed in middle school.

Anonymous wrote: My son spends a lot of time playing and studying chess for tournaments and his time is better spent on chess than school busywork. DS is above grade level academically across the board and I don't see how homework adds anything for elementary schoolers.

He won't be hurt by the five minutes he spend on homework either if they are at his level.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not a new idea. Research has been out there for many years decrying the value of homework at the elementary level.

As a former elementary teacher, I would agree.

It has always amazed me that parents think it is ok - actually beneficial - for teachers to mandate carrying over school time into the time of families.
Teachers are dictating how families spend their time.

This is such a weird thing to say. If you never assign homework that requires parental assistance, I don't see it as you are dictating family time.

If my Kindergartener is doing homework at home, even by himself, that means that we are not doing other things. Hence, it is dictating family time. See now?

New poster, and I agree with you. Do school work at school, family time at home. Family time is limited, particularly when both parents work outside the home.

FWIW, I never had homework until middle school, and I was able to cope just fine. I didn't need to spend 5 or 6 years learning the value of doing homework in elem., so that when helpful homework was assigned in middle school, I'd know how to do it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the pp, that is because preschoolers shouldn't be given homework. Elementary school children could do some homework. Your example is one of those bad homework assignments. That is why this research is useless. If homework assignments are inappropriate, the research of its efficacy is by necessity useless.

Of course they COULD do some homework. But, the question is - is it really beneficial.
I am with the experts who say it isn’t.
The research I have seen have looked at what many consider “appropriate” homework. And, they still find that there is no benefit.

What do you believe to be appropriate homework?

Our homework for first grade is a few math worksheets, most very easy and one science/history worksheet, and either 10 spelling words, a reader with answering questions (comprehension) or grammar. It takes us an hour or two a week. Then we supplement the rest of the week with workbooks to keep up the skills they have learned (i.e. addition and subtraction). We also supplement with handwriting workbooks. It doesn't take that much time and is part of our routine. As we do it more at home, the more independent my child becomes. He also knows that he has to do it in order to play video games so usually he asks to do it knowing there are no video games without doing it. I find it appropriate.

Every month or two he comes home with writing a report. They give us a theme and general guidance but he gets to pick the main interest so he likes researching and doing it. Usually it is 4 sentences on a topic. I think its great to get them prepared for work they need to do in higher grades. For his music and artist reports, he got to pick who and loved it. It was easier to do with him than other things as he really enjoyed what he picked (i.e. favorite musician).

The homework takes an hour or two at most. We usually do it in 1-2 days. That is not a lot of time. My child is also in 3-4 weekly activities on top of that and has no issue handling it all.

My son spends a lot of time playing and studying chess for tournaments and his time is better spent on chess than school busywork. DS is above grade level academically across the board and I don't see how homework adds anything for elementary schoolers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the pp, that is because preschoolers shouldn't be given homework. Elementary school children could do some homework. Your example is one of those bad homework assignments. That is why this research is useless. If homework assignments are inappropriate, the research of its efficacy is by necessity useless.

Of course they COULD do some homework. But, the question is - is it really beneficial.
I am with the experts who say it isn’t.
The research I have seen have looked at what many consider “appropriate” homework. And, they still find that there is no benefit.

What do you believe to be appropriate homework?

I see a lot of benefit of having a little homework, the simple fact of keeping track of it and turn it in the next day or next week is good exercise of the executive function. And if the homework is reinforcing learning at all is just a bonus. What is wrong with a worksheet on math facts everyday. It takes a few minutes and it is good practice.

And Harris Cooper is cited as an anti-homework expert. But he is not. He just want them to be less not none.

Anonymous wrote:I love this! DS has a debate tournament coming up and homework should be banned in ES is one of the topics. Keep it coming, because I plan to pass along a link to this thread.

ha ha. A perennial discussion topic.
Here is some good information for your son: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar07/vol64/num06/The-Case-For-and-Against-Homework.aspx

Is another topic about students having cell phones at school? Just curious.

Anonymous wrote:I love this! DS has a debate tournament coming up and homework should be banned in ES is one of the topics. Keep it coming, because I plan to pass along a link to this thread.

Nice debate topic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Being a parent takes lots of extra effort. If you are not willing to put in the effort, why have kids? The things that you do while the kids are young, set the example they will live by. Learning should be both at home and at schools.

This is true, but what does this have to do with homework??

Anonymous wrote:
Schools cannot provide everything.

I don't see anyone saying they should! Please explain this remark -- what made you write it? Did you think someone wants school to 'provide everything'?

Helping your kids with homework is part of parenting. Most parents who complain about it do not want to sit down and help their kids. They'd prefer homework when the kids are older so they do not have to deal with it. That is lazy parenting.

Yes, lots of people expect the schools to provide everything.

why is it part of parenting? Did your parents sit and do homework with you? Mine didn't. It's ridiculous to give kids assignments that they can't do. My preschooler was asked to do a report at home for black history month, using two sources. He just learned to write his name legibly a few months ago. I didn't want to do it, not because I'm lazy, but because it's stupid and not helpful.

Yes, my parents helped me. When I was little, they sat next to me, the older I got I sat at the table while they cooked dinner, and as a teenager they always reviewed it and went over it with me. My child needs a little support and guidance. Part of learning is new things and part of being a parent is helping them learn. It sounds like you need to spend more time working with your child and change your attitude. Sounds like at a minimum you need to start working on handwriting.

I love this! DS has a debate tournament coming up and homework should be banned in ES is one of the topics. Keep it coming, because I plan to pass along a link to this thread.

Anonymous wrote:To the pp, that is because preschoolers shouldn't be given homework. Elementary school children could do some homework. Your example is one of those bad homework assignments. That is why this research is useless. If homework assignments are inappropriate, the research of its efficacy is by necessity useless.

Of course they COULD do some homework. But, the question is - is it really beneficial.
I am with the experts who say it isn’t.
The research I have seen have looked at what many consider “appropriate” homework. And, they still find that there is no benefit.

What do you believe to be appropriate homework?

To the pp, that is because preschoolers shouldn't be given homework. Elementary school children could do some homework. Your example is one of those bad homework assignments. That is why this research is useless. If homework assignments are inappropriate, the research of its efficacy is by necessity useless.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Being a parent takes lots of extra effort. If you are not willing to put in the effort, why have kids? The things that you do while the kids are young, set the example they will live by. Learning should be both at home and at schools.

This is true, but what does this have to do with homework??

Anonymous wrote:
Schools cannot provide everything.

I don't see anyone saying they should! Please explain this remark -- what made you write it? Did you think someone wants school to 'provide everything'?

Helping your kids with homework is part of parenting. Most parents who complain about it do not want to sit down and help their kids. They'd prefer homework when the kids are older so they do not have to deal with it. That is lazy parenting.

Yes, lots of people expect the schools to provide everything.

why is it part of parenting? Did your parents sit and do homework with you? Mine didn't. It's ridiculous to give kids assignments that they can't do. My preschooler was asked to do a report at home for black history month, using two sources. He just learned to write his name legibly a few months ago. I didn't want to do it, not because I'm lazy, but because it's stupid and not helpful.

The Salon article is a very biased reading of the expert opinion. This is straight from the mouth of Harris Cooper.

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/12/12/stress-and-the-high-school-student/homeworks-diminishing-returns

He recommends a little homework to build study habit. My son is 1st grade and probably spend 5-10 minutes 4 night a week. I think this is correct amount for this age. Nothing before K. 10 minutes k-2 sounds about right.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Being a parent takes lots of extra effort. If you are not willing to put in the effort, why have kids? The things that you do while the kids are young, set the example they will live by. Learning should be both at home and at schools.

This is true, but what does this have to do with homework??

Anonymous wrote:
Schools cannot provide everything.

I don't see anyone saying they should! Please explain this remark -- what made you write it? Did you think someone wants school to 'provide everything'?

Helping your kids with homework is part of parenting. Most parents who complain about it do not want to sit down and help their kids. They'd prefer homework when the kids are older so they do not have to deal with it. That is lazy parenting.

Yes, lots of people expect the schools to provide everything.

It need not be part of parenting at an age when there is no benefit to homework!

I don't see anyone suggesting schools should provide everything.