Comments on: Kindergarten + Homework = Necessary?

By: Susan Deen

Susan Deen — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:30:09 +0000

Homework for kindergarten age students is only the beginning when we measure what children learn using paper pencil test. Just remember that school funding is partly based on how well the students perform on tests. If schools want money to run on they must jump through hoops and one of these is increase test scores. Please be careful when playing the blame game the real problem is that our elected officals who make the rules know absolutly nothing about child development. In many schools play is considered a waste of time for 5 year olds.

By: Lynn Weddle

Lynn Weddle — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:05:55 +0000

I agree with you but my husband does not. We have our daughter in Montessori and we’re into our 3rd week of reading, first week of writing spelling words. I’m waiting now for our teacher to call because my gut feeling is that it shouldn’t take an hour. My child should be screaming at me with frustration because she can’t get an s to look right and worse: she missed dinner because the screaming fit resulted in her going into her room and sleeping for 12 hours, which she never does.

So I react to the comment that it teaches them to work. Well so does helping with dinner or cleaning up their lunch box or cleaning their room. But I get much more enjoyment out of all that than homework.

And esp. in montessori, who doesn’t typically believe in HW. I’m just flabbergasted and about to make an argument of “I will do the reading, but if she doesn’t want to do the writing or flash cards, then I’m fine and she shouldn’t get penalized.”

I want to instill a love of learning and we’re off on path to despising.

By: sunnymum

sunnymum — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:07:19 +0000

Wow, I don’t remember assigning homework to kindergarten kids when I subbed. They grow up too fast!

By: Daleene

Daleene — Thu, 21 May 2009 06:29:56 +0000

Sarah,
I totally agree with you. My now 11 year old had homework in kindergarten 4 out of 5 nights. He has worked so hard and has come a long way since then, but unfortunately he is tired of school already and he has 7 more years left to go and atleast 4 years of College. His grades are getting worse everyday. The teachers do not teach. I don’t know how many times I have contacted his now 5th grade teacher regarding his grades. They are horrible and he is not being taught at school. The teachers are relying on the student to bring their homework home for the parents to figure out. I’m sorry, I am a stay at home Mom. I never said that I was smarter than a 5th grader. It has been so long since I have divided fractions and knew what a prepositional phrase is. What is wrong with the school system? I get frustrated with him not knowing it and he gets frustrated with me because I’m upset.
What can we do as a society? The system is failing hard and fast!

By: Sarah E. Ludwig

Sarah E. Ludwig — Fri, 08 May 2009 20:35:06 +0000

Mark,

Thanks for your input. I can see your point, but at the same time, what you said also illustrates why I have a problem with young kids getting homework: “Work never goes away.” We do it for most of our lives. So why rush them into it? Why not let them be kids without the responsibility of homework for as long as possible?

Of course, this is just my opinion, but I think kindergarten is far too young to be doing homework. They’re already in school for hours a day (not to mention the bus time that many school kids have). They need time to do kid things because they will be doing plenty of homework soon enough.

As I said before, I have no problem with the reading we’re supposed to do, but I do resent cumbersome/time-sucking/useless homework that just stresses both me and my kid out. It’s hard enough to get him to read because by the time he gets home from school, he’s worn out and just wants to crash.

This is a much more volatile topic than I ever thought it would be. It seems that opinions are very divided on this issue.

Needless to say, I love summer vacation when we’re not so scheduled and my kids can all have plenty of play time, along with their regular chores. Everything in moderation, I say.

By: Mark Jambas

Mark Jambas — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:57:53 +0000

Little kids should get used to it.
Work never goes away.
They shouldn’t have much, but at least some.
The purpose of school is to prepare people for their lives ahead, and work is necesary.

By: Tritonesam

Tritonesam — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 21:20:36 +0000

As a former teacher from elementary through college, I agree with all who say there should be no homework for the young crowd. Furthermore, it is highly questionable if kindergarten is required at all. Despite what the teachers (and their unions) say, children who skip kindergarten do just as well (if not better) as those who have attended kindergarten. In fact, studies show that those who start school in later years fare better and are better adjusted with all facets. The family is also a stronger unit, which only reveals itself in later years.

I would advise each of you who have such hesitancy about early, kindergarten school to speak up to the educational “authorities.” It is you, the family, the public that determines what our schools should and shall be, not the educators. They are hired to do our bidding, not vice versa. The government is only constituted to serve the people, not the people to serve the government. If this is impressed upon the “authorities,” we shall all be a much happier nation!

By: mayberry

mayberry — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 03:40:39 +0000

My 1st grader does not have homework–she goes to a Montessori school and it has a little-to-no homework policy. Thank goodness! Because most days she barely has time to take a bath, let alone do homework.

By: Gretchen

Gretchen — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:47:43 +0000

Kate has too much homework as well. We let it pile up on her desk because the days seem so short anyway (by the time Sophia wakes up from her nap and we pick Kate up, it’s about 4:30 by the time we get home). The week flies by, and then it’s the weekend, and neither of us feel like doing homework. I have to make her sit down and do it, and it’s a huge effort for both of us, and then she gets mad at me for making her do it. I don’t think this kind of battle is necessary for a 5-year-old.

The reading, I don’t mind. She reads to me before bed, and then I read to her. It’s the projects like “Collect 10 leaves and fill out a very detailed and impossible-to-do-yourself informational sheet on them” that I object to.

By: paula

paula — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:44:33 +0000

Outrageous! Homework in Kindergarten! Lots of places still have half day. You have full day and homework? At what point do these kids get to relax? My bigest fear is how early they are teaching children to hate school! At that age I think they should be teaching children to love to learn, not dread it. Honestly, Homework was a huge factor in our eventual decission to pull our children out of public and homeschool them. I hated the “homework fights” Me standing over them, eventually yelling at them to get it done. Our town had a policy of 3 missing or late assignments = detention! and then every missing assignement from there on for the rest of the term, starting in the first grade. Crazy! In teachers defense, My sister teaches fourth grade. She is required by the principal to assign a certain amount of homework per night. (She does NOT believe in homework!) Her answer to this is to assign it all on friday to be turned in the following friday. That way, the children are able to work on it when they have time. I think that is much more reasonable. I still say “work should stay at work” and “school should stay at school”