1st grade HW packet question

So each week my daughter gets a packet of HW consisting of reading and writing activities. There are never any details stating, "do pages 1 and 2 monday" etc. The teacher never explained what she expected as far as when to hand it in. Normally, DD does 2 pages every night (that is the one thing the teacher said about HW...that there would probably be two pages every night, but never anything concrete). She's a very good student and actually likes to do her HW and zips through it. Yesterday she finished that packet for the week. I was feeling like "phew, we don't have to worry about that for the week". We have a busy week and my hubby is away so it's just me and the two kids, so not having to do as much HW helps our evenings. So today I check her back pack and the teacher put a star on her HW packet and then an UNDERLINED note, "Please do a little each night". This bugged me because of what I stated above...she never specified when she wanted the HW. This comes after a note I got yesterday regarding DD's lunchbox(es). She has been forgetting them at school a lot lately and had TWO that were still there. I keep telling her to bring them home, but I figured it couldn't help to write a note to the teacher. So I wrote "Ms.xxx, Could you please remind xxx to bring home the two lunchboxes that she has left at school. thanks!" She writes back on the back of my note..."I did remind her but she keeps forgetting. I will tell her again." and the whole thing was underlined. This pissed me off. It was like she was getting defensive! Listen...my kid is six years old. I can tell her til I'm blue in the face "bring home your lunch box" but I'm not there with her all day, so I thought I could ask the adult she spends her day with to remind her also! Ok, vent over!

PS...she is a first grade teacher and every not she sends home and every slide in her open school night presentation has 10, 000 !!!!!!!

Re: 1st grade HW packet question

I would ask the teacher to specify what she expects each night. In addition if you are doing all at once - only send in a few pages at once.

Our teacher sends home the list on Monday but specifies each day what needs to be done, in addition to flash cards, popular phrases, and reading 20 minutes each night. and now we have started some hw on the computer - I find it a little too much each night.

Teacher should cut her a little slack about lunch box and remind her when packing up did you take your lunch boxes. They are still little and learning to be independent and responsible in 1st grade. I think 1st grade is the first year they have to be more responsible it is a big change.

Re: 1st grade HW packet question

We have the HW packet right now in K. It is due every Friday. The point is that many kids have other things going on so they can't do HW every night.

DS finsihed his too on Monday and yesterday, I guess he had a sub who sent it back home. He got upset because he actually wanted more HW to do.

I think that is where the parental role comes in with finding stuff for them to do, and the teacher also as part of the packet gives us a list of things they are doing in school to talk about/do at home.

Re: lunchbox. I recall a few weeks ago a thread that I felt turned pretty dramatic because a new 1st grade mom was questioning similar stuff and she was told in a not so nice way (in my humble opinion) that this is how it is in 1st grade and to deal with it.....

My son's teacher tells us we can always call her or email if we have specific questions. That is what I would do....instead of the back and forth that may get lost in translation.

Re: 1st grade HW packet question

My DD's 1st grade teacher writes in her packet what HW is to be done each night BUT so far, it's all been extremely EASY for my DD and she sometimes will do it all in one night. Her teacher has never said anything about it being done early and even if she did, quite honestly, I would have an issue. IMO, as long as the HW is being done and it's complete, neat, and correct then it shouldn't matter to the teacher if it's getting done all at once or a little each night.

I do think her response regarding the lunchbox was a little rude. I know it's easy to take things on paper out of context but still, underlining it all kind of reads like she's annoyed.

Re: 1st grade HW packet question

Re: the homework - Is the packet sent home Monday and due on Friday? If so, I would have your DD do the homework when she wants and when it's convenient, and just hold it until Friday (or whatever date the entire packet is due back).

If you are supposed to send it in piece-meal, then I would ask the teacher to specify which pages are to be done on which nights. She shouldn't expect you to guess about "what a little bit each night" means, or what order it should be done in.

I know for my son (in K), we get a list of math homework on Monday that specifies which pages in the workbook to do each night. I only have him do the assigned pages each night because -- (i) it seems like the homework for a particular night echoes what was done in school that day (e.g., they did a worksheet on grouping numbers in school that day that I saw come home in his folder, and then the homework worksheet is similar), so I wouldn't want to push ahead to things he may not have yet been taught, and (ii) the workbook goes back and forth to school each day, so the teacher would see if we went ahead in the assignments.

But in his old pre-K, we'd get a weekly homework packet of 3-4 worksheets and I'd have him do them whenever (sometimes in one sitting) and just make sure it was all sent back on the due date.

I agree that the note re: lunchbox sounds a bit defensive and snippy, but I also know that tone is sometimes misconstrued in written communications. I'd withhold judgment on that unless it happens over and over. She may just be in the unfortunate habit of excessive underlining and overuse of exclamation points. Can you ask your daughter if she can just stick the lunchbox back inside her backpack in the classroom after lunchtime, so she doesn't have to remember to take multiple things at the end of the day (she can just grab the backpack and go?).

Re: 1st grade HW packet question

I am sorry that your child's teacher is giving you issues. My kids have received homework packets and the teacher has specifically said I know how things can get busy during the week, so if everything needs to be done on one night vs. spreading things out it is fine. I think that is the point of the packet - to accommodate crazy week schedules.

The other girls gave a good suggestion, hold the packet back until placing it into the folder on Friday. As for the lunch box, I am sorry. The teacher has a bad attitude. It is October and first grade. I would expect her to have to remind kids about this. If it was the end of the year, I could understand her sentiments, but until December and in first grade she needs to cut your dd some slack.

Re: 1st grade HW packet question

Re: 1st grade HW packet question

thank you everyone. it seems you understand where i'm coming from. I think i will email the teacher today and just ask for clarification. my husband always thinks i make a big deal out of things like this. last year in kindergarten she got a packet too but it also had a cover sheet that specified what to do each day. i completely understand the idea of reinforcing what is done in class each day and not rushing ahead. the other 1st grade teacher told parents that the HW packet is due at the end of the week. I'm going to bring that up with my DD's teacher. Thanks everyone. I'll let you know how it goes :)

ps...I know the lunchbox thing isn't a big deal and that I could just be reading too much into her note, but it still bugged me.

Re: 1st grade HW packet question

I would be a little annoyed with the teacher too.

DS is in first grade, also, and he gets a homework packet on monday. The teacher specifies what pages are to be done on what days, and he is supposed to bring it back Friday.

DS is very studious and loves school/homework, just like your child. He often finishes the packet early. But i just keep it at home and send it in on Friday. Even if your DC finishes the homework early in the week, maybe you could just send it in on Friday. In my opinion, every family is different. Some nights we are really busy and don't have much time for homework, and other nights we are not busy. The teacher doesn't really need to know whether or not my DC finished the homework "early " or not.

1st grade HW packet question

Do a page a night, turn it in on Friday. That's the way it usually works ;)

Re: 1st grade HW packet question