Homework SOS: How We Can Help Each Other

I'm looking forward to the time (yes, it's really coming ...) when we can easily swap ideas in the GreatSchools Parent Community.  We're all here because we want to help our kids do better in school and schools do better by our kids.

But in the meantime, school has started and you're looking for advice. Two of you (Aurelia and "Tired of homework already!") posted pleas about homework: Aurelia wants to know if spending 2-3 hours a night helping two kids do homework is excessive. And "Tired" says her kids spend 3 hours a night, too, leaving little time for social and family life.

Let me illustrate how we can help each other on our community in the months to come, and, in the process, offer my own advice to Aurelia and "Tired."  I'm sure lots of you have tips, too.

First, we'll be able to share resources more easily — articles we've read, research on the issue at hand — that can make us more effective advocates for our kids at school.

In this case, Marian Wilde, GreatSchools' senior writer, has done a lot of research on homework, and her report might help you. She says there is an ongoing debate among researchers about whether the amount of homework has actually increased, but everyone does agree that homework is now being assigned in the early grades.

That doesn't seem to quite jibe with the experiences of Aurelia, "Tired" or other GreatSchools parents who say their kids are swamped and their family life is strained.

Here's why: The quantity of homework varies enormously from school to school. So while some kids are indeed getting too much, others aren't getting much at all. Marian also talked to a teacher who said she assigned homework because of the pressure from — parents, particularly high-achieving parents who want their kids to be able to get into the top universities in the country. That's evidence of parent power, clout that you and your parent group can exercise. In response to pressure from parents, some school boards have voted to rein in homework. (You can read Marian's article, How Much Homework Is Too Much?, to find out more. )

The National PTA has endorsed a policy of 10 minutes per grade for homework. If your child is getting a lot more than that, consider talking to the teacher and perhaps your parent group or school board to advocate for that policy. In the GreatSchools Parent Community, you'll be able to talk to parents across the country about whether they've put similar pressure on their schools.

Maybe you want to start a move to increase the quality and decrease the quantity of your child's homework. You'll be able to connect with parents in your own district to work together on issues like this one.

But often, what we really need is solid parent-to-parent advice to get through the day. Where to get online geometry help when you've forgotten your middle school math? How to find a writing tutor in your town? You'll be able to come to our community for that kind of advice.

Meanwhile, here's something to try: Ask the teacher how much time your child should be spending on homework. Sit down with your child at the kitchen table (or somewhere else away from the distractions of video games and cell phones) and make a homework schedule, setting aside the amount of time for each subject that the teacher indicated. Make sure you schedule study breaks, too. If the homework consistently far exceeds the allotted time, it's time for a serious talk with the teacher. Your child may need extra help with a subject or in getting organized (Take a look at our study skills article for some tips). Or the teacher may be giving too much homework — 100 math problems when 20 would do. Appeal to the teacher and, if necessary, the principal.

This may not solve your problem, but it might help you get a handle on it. I wish I had done it earlier in my children's school careers. It would have saved us a lot of late-night tears! I'm hoping our community can help save you some, too.  Let me know what you think.

Comments

[simone zuber]

Has anyone read any good books about patience while helping your 4th and 5th grader with homework?

[80]

I ditto that! lol

[Lou]

HI: I would like to keep a conversation with mothers with school kids that have difficulties with focusing.
Do you have any tricks?

Persistence: trick::?
keep in touch,

Lou

[Roger Dix]

I guess I would like to post a blog but I don't know how to. As for me and my 6 year old daughter, I have the exact opposite problem. After reviewing what 1st and 2nd grade curriculum is it is obvious to me that my daughter belongs in 2nd grade. She went to to a Montessori for 4 years and since her mother told the school last year she was in "kindergarten doing 1st grade work" there you have it she is in 1st grade. She is at a school that is known for its high academic achievement. However her homework is so easy and so minimal that my daughter finds it embarrasing. Like tracing letters and giving the definitions for high frequency words when she has been reading chapter books for the last 2 years. I have implored the teacher to give her something more challenging but she and their first grade team have insisted the year has just started and that they are working on the important building blocks. Building block which my child had last year and before. As a teacher myself I understand the limitations of the public school system. It is not individualized, rather everyone is expected to be on the same track. I am a PE teacher at another elementary school in the same district and I see the same homework required there for first graders who are mostly ELL students as my daughter's "high achieving school. I have given her 2nd grade problems and she finds some of them challenging but she is learning. What should I do??! My daughter needs to be in 2nd grade (she is older and more advanced than most of her classmates- many parents I find out enroll their children in that school early at the age of 5). The school just wants me to wait and be patient. I gave her an end of the year first grade assessment and she got 95%.

[Dad]

I courious my one son is in the first grade ,he did OK last year but we moved to a school that is more advanced ,they say it would be better for our youngest son to go back to kindegarden that it would be better than to keep going to first grade and maybe retaking first grade again my son does not want to go back half way through the year but the school says its been researched that its better to go back now than to keep going through the rest of the year in 1st grade that he would learn more after going back a grade than to stay and take 1st again ,I know my son would be devistated going back now he says if he has to he would rather just redo 1st grade than to go back to kindigarden has anybody ever seen any research on which is best for the child

[Neal Froese]

My wife and I are grandparents living in Fruita CO 81521. We aren't able to make it to Hayden for Christmas and wonder if the kids will be out of school anytime during the first part of January so we can celebrate a late Christmas with them.

[Robert]

Hi;

I am new to this site. I live in NYC & have two children who attend public schools.

I am an active volunteer in my community & work for a non - profit Org in NYS that offers public Health insurance to low income families.

Do you plan on having a section of the community website where people can post info about local resources, meetings etc, which a non-profit org is sponsoring??