Kindergarten and HW

How much HW did/does you Kindergartner get?

I ask because my family member has a daughter in K and she is easily getting 30-40 minutes of HW daily. While doing the HW, she has frequent meltdowns - screaming, crying, etc. She is capable of doing the work, but is most likley burnt out after school - understandably so. I also think 30-40 minutes is EXCESSIVE for a 5 year old. I only give my High School students 5-10 minutes of HW 2-3 times a week.

I think my family member should talk with the teacher and discuss the amount of HW and say how it is overwhelming her daughter. Thoughts?

Kindergarten and HW

In Kinder, she was getting like 15 minutes. I think 30-40 minutes is absolute insanity and I would def say something.
On a side note, I'm about to write a note to DD's 1st grade teacher because the word "Quantitatively" is in her Math book and I think that's just nutty. I'm 44 and have no idea what that means.

Kindergarten and HW

Definitely too much HW for a kindergartner. DS gets about 10-15 minutes per night.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

I think it was 20 min max last year. This year in first, it's usually about 10 minutes.
ETA - I would definitely discuss with the teacher. Our K teacher said that hw shouldn't take more than 20 minutes and if it's taking longer to let her know. I would also try to increase sleep and consider trying a different routine - either getting to hw immediately or letting DC relax for a while first and see which way works better. This year, we do HW right away, but in K, DD needed a little relaxation and snack time when she got home.

Message edited 11/20/2018 10:51:43 PM.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

In K, 10 to 15 min a night.
What you describe is way too much.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

That does seem like a lot. If I remember in K homework was about 15 - 20 mins. It actually could be faster with DS, but he takes his time with breaks, questions, a few heavy sighs, but in the end it's all done. LOL
It was usually a math worksheet and a writing or word WS. Nothing insane. Sometimes a journal entry too.
My boys are in 4th and 2nd. I feel like most of the time there's some procrastinating with something and that usually makes HW take longer. Half the time I feel like my 2nd grader will take forever just to write his name.

Kindergarten and HW

Is it taking her 30-40 mins cause of the meltdown, or is it really that much work? I only ask because I always hear about how much work the kids in my DD’s grade get, but my DD completes her hw in like 15 mins.

Either way, I think your friend should reach out to the teacher and let her know what’s going on.

Kindergarten and HW

that does sound like a lot! I don't even feel like my 2nd grader gets that much! When he was in K, it was maybe one math sheet (with like 5 problems) and one handwriting sheet a night. took him like 15 minutes. and the same now in 2nd. he has maybe 1 sheet of something, and then his spelling words to review for the test of friday. and they're supposed to read for 30 minutes, too. that usually happens, but not always depending on how busy we are that night.
i would have them talk to her teacher... because maybe it shouldn't be taking her that long, maybe theres something she might need extra help with or something....

Re: Kindergarten and HW

My son received a crazy amount of homework for kindergarten and I hated his teacher. It was easily an hour of homework every day. Spelling word lists, math, dioramas,
Essays. In kindergarten. It was terrible. My daughter got no homework in kindergarten.

Kindergarten and HW

Dd typically had a book to read, a math sheet, and a sight word sheet or a sentence to write and illustrate. Some days it took 5 minutes and some days it took 20+minutes.
This year she has an occasional math sheet and a monthly packet but it's all optional.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

My LO gets 1 math sheet, 2 writing sheets or 1 ELA sheet, needs to read, and practice sight words Mon-Thur. No HW on Friday's.
We usually get the worksheets done in 10min and then read for 10-15 mins (and practice sight words as we read).

If her daughter is having meltdowns and knows the work and gets the concept... personally I wouldn't push it. Do as much as you can in 10-15 min time frame. In K
no child should feel that much pressure. It's so sad!!

Message edited 11/21/2018 9:58:28 AM.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

Message edited 11/21/2018 10:25:22 AM.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

I taught Kindergarten and would give the homework out on Monday, due back on Friday so parents/students could work at their own pace. Even if they did it all in one sitting, it shouldn't have been more than 15-20 minutes TOTAL. So if they wanted to break it up nightly, it would be around 5 minutes per night. My Superintendent is not big on HW so most teachers give limited amounts, if any.

ETA: This was aside from their guided reading books, which for most in Kindergarten, only takes like 5-10 minutes.

Message edited 11/21/2018 10:45:34 AM.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

Most nights my kindergartner gets 2 or 3 reading worksheets plus 2 pages in his math workbook. I feel it’s just the right amount.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

We have a district hw policy...for K, it's no more than 2x per week and no more than 10 minutes each. All assignments have to be things that students can complete independently and there are no punitive measures for not doing hw.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

DS is in K and doesn't get homework. I love it!! It is a LONG school day for a 5 year old, and they do a lot of work during the day...I am amazed at how much he has learned in just a few months.

I know not everyone feels this way, but I prefer no homework at this age.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

I definitely think something should be said to the teacher. And it's important to know whether it's supposed to take this long or whether something else is going on that contributes to it taking her so long.

I personally do not agree with HW in kindergarten. My son got very little homework in K but even so, I chose not to have him do it. I have strong opinions about what our children are being asked to do in school at these very young ages and what is developmentally appropriate and based my decision on this. At the end of the day I'm the parent and they don't get grades in K.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

30-40 minutes seems like a lot for routine work. Not much they can do in K. Is it because she needs extra practice in something? DS needed more practice writing, so had to do what came out to be 20 minutes of writing/spelling daily. It helped a lot and though he moaned and groaned... it was a great thing over all.

That said, my kids (1st and 3rd) are to do 20 minutes a day of reading at a bare minimum with a “no homework” policy and some extra 5-10 minute assignments here and there (so does this count as 30 minutes???).

Lol. In HS, I was doing at least 3 hours a day of homework and extra on the weekends (it was an adjustment coming from NYC public school BUT it was a competitive school). Prepped me well for college and grad school. This was in the old days... ;)

Kindergarten and HW

We didn’t have homework in K but this is only our third year of full day K. My first grader gets like 5 minutes of homework other than reading 2x a week.

Kindergarten and HW

My daughters had more HW in K than they do in first grade. While they were able to handle it, I can see how it would be too much for some kids. I thought it was overkill, personally. About 30 minutes.
Then again, they're beyond prepared in 1st grade and in the top reading groups

Kindergarten and HW

Ugh -- this is a tough one. I think what one kid does in 5 minutes another kid can take 30 mins to do. My child is on the young side of his class. The teacher gives 2 math sheets, and ELA sheet, and 3 other HW sheets that she gives Monday but are due Friday. He usually breezes through the math but then has trouble with the ELA and the other sheets because his handwriting and drawing are terrible. He knows all the answers but can't get them on the page without a lot of time and patience. Some nights it is hell. I feel for your friend.

Kindergarten and HW

My son had 5-10 minutes of HW every night in K. Even now in 2nd grade he spends 10-15 minutes on HW depending on what he has to do that night.

Kindergarten and HW

My son had 1 sheet and reading every night. The reading some days would be torture. But imo reading in one of the most important things so we suffer through.

Ask the teacher the expected time for the work. If it’s taking all the kids that long then it’s too much. If it’s just a few kids than maybe those kids need extra help in those areas. K is very different than when we were kids and if We didn’t put the work in then my son would be far behind now in first. As it is he is in reading help and I had thought he was doing good.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

Thanks everyone!

She has tried doing HW right after school, letting her watch a show and then doing it, doing it after dinner. Same result no matter what.

My SIL is a K teacher and has looked at my niece's HW and said it is absurd. My sister is going to discuss the amount of HW with the teacher at her parent-teacher conferences this week.

Message edited 12/6/2018 10:39:55 AM.

Re: Kindergarten and HW

My daughter had the same experience in kindergarten. The homework in terms of quality and quantity was ridiculous. I was very vocal about it. I went to the principals, complained to parents, spoke at school board meetings, put it on agendas at committee meetings. Finally, after three years, they abolished all homework except reading for my elementary school's kindergarten. The following year, the two other elementary schools in the district did the same. My daughter never benefited by the change in policy, but I know I helped other children. It was a LONG battle, but one that is supported by research. There is really no research that supports elementary school homework. In high school, the connection between homework and achievement is stronger but still very weak.