Need Help from Mamas with School-aged Kids!

Hi! As a second grade teacher YES this is too much homework. Really? Worksheets? More than 8? Ridiculous! I would definetely speak with the teacher explaining how long it is taking and how family time is the most valuable time that is being sacrificed. Also, ask to see how homework is being credited (not just graded). I dont have a clue where she is finding time to record 8 sheets per student EVERY day. Lastly, you need to discuss with her her theory on the worksheet thing. Thats not real teaching to me :(
GOOD LUCK!

I let my son veg out for 30 minutes when he gets home, then he gets a snack, then he has to do his homework before he can do something fun. All except for the reading. That part he does with his dad up in his room right before bed. This kind of breaks it up. He is in 2nd grade. We go over spelling words/sight words each morning at breakfast. For me it helps to just be very consistent and have it be a "house rule" about doing homework right away.

depends on the teacher & the school district....talk to the teachers.

The thing you need to do is make sure it is "his" homework not yours. he needs to have a few minutes to unwind after school and have a snack and then right to the homework The homework they bring home at this age is a lot but it is not big/hard it is mostly just little stuff (color this in, read this, write this, circle this etc) spelling we always did in the morning before school so the words were fresh in her head when going to school. but the key is making it his not yours. don't make yourself crazy. remind him "its time to do the your homework" and no tv / play until its done. he will catch on quick.

Math flashcards can be done in the car while on the road, or over breakfast in the morning. Actually I don't use flashcards, just pick out two numbers and have my kids "shout" out the answer. (I've got three - 7th, 5th and 2nd - this year. The older two need to get faster with the basic stuff while the youngest was learning it last year). We do the same with multiplication too. Quizing on spelling words is done in much the same way.

I try to split up homework as much as I can with my crew. My older/daughter often did/does anything that is writing in the morning after she eats simply because of her vision issues. So the copying with spelling was easier for her in the morning before her eyes were tired.

The hardest subject for each kid we do right after snack after school. That was its done... easier stuff can be done while i cook dinner when they need minimal help.

Reading we do at bedtime. Either the kids read quietly out of a book they pick or we snuggle up together and the kids read "with" me as I read out loud - or we take turns reading.

best of luck.

Yep.
I have 2 kids in school now. Kindergarten and 4th grade.
They both have homework.

For me, the routine is: we come home, they relax and deflate, I feed them a snack because they are hungry after they come home.
Then, about 1 hour later, it is homework time.
Both at the same time.

Then after that, they can relax.
We get it ALL done, by evening.

That sounds about right. My son had a homework packet that he had to do every week (had about 10 sheets in it for math, spelling, reading comprehension) and was supposed to read 20 minutes a day. Plus he had a project book report once a month. Plus he had regular homework sent home BESIDES the homework pack. He was in 2nd grade too.
So, we had soccer practice and had to make time! He did his homework while I was making dinner. That way I could go over and help him if he needed it. Then, after dinner I would correct it or go over it with him if I wasn't able to while cooking. The evening was spent with papa and playing games (learning games!) and then I would put him to bed and have him read to himself for 20 minutes. That way he calmed himself down after the busy day and he got his reading in.
It wasn't that bad once I figured out a plan.
L.

I would check with the teacher if it isn't clear what is expected and what is optional. My daughter (4th grade this year) had some things sent home that needed to be turned back in, and some that were optional activities to do at home. We focused on the necessary and rarely did the optional. We did the reading at bedtime. On an ideal night, she would read for 20 mins, I would read to her for 20 mins. If it got late, sleep was more important than meeting the "20 minutes every night" reading requirement. We would read more on weekends. We practiced spelling words on the drive to school.

Our school gives "daily planners" to the kids at the beginning of the year so that they can write in their required homework each day, along with any other important info about what they are doing each day.

I agree about breaking up the homework time and making sure that your kids are getting outdoor and active time. And I agree that if they are sending home more than an hour's worth each night, I would have a serious talk with the teachers.

That's just busy work.
They should read and do flashcards. Then have maybe 20 minutes a night.

That does seem like an awful lot of homework for such a young age...my suspicion is that this is work that needs to be done according to state guidelines (so much has to be achieved in a year) and that the school isn't doing an effective job because of whatever reason...crowded classrooms, too many ESL children (that's a whole 'nother story, and I feel bad for them, and am currently helping a few), disruptions in the classrooms...whatever.

However, there are ways to streamline it a bit. Reading should be a bedtime activity, for sure. As soon as they get home from school, have them do all the worksheets, etc...even if it takes until supper. They can snack, listen to music, etc, while this is being done.

Sight words can be done during supper (if you don't mind sacrificing actual conversation) or in the car on the way to or from something. We spell and do math facts in the car and on walks all the time. I try to make a game out of it...if you get three words or facts in a row right, you get to take a turn at I Spy.

Same problem here in 4th at a private school.

I feel your pain. Our oldest child will be starting sixth grade amd our middle son will going into second grade our youngest ( a girl will be going into kindgarten) Anyhow we noticed a dramatic difference when our oldest returned to school after Easter vacation when he was in third grade. I remember they really started piling on the homework from then on. Ugh! This past year most nights he had 2 hrs of regular homework. Plus if had to study for quizzes or test that was additional. Plus extra for book reports. My middle one for first grade it was not bad. He had to study for his weekly spelling test. Most nights he had 2 worksheets to complete.

That sounds like a ton of homework. I like the suggestion of giving him a folder to put everything in, that way you can go through it together each night and make sure all the work is completed. Have him keep the folder in his backpack and add the worksheets to it as soon as they're assigned so nothing gets left in his desk by mistake.

A planner can also work, or just make him charts each week with the subjects across the top and the days down the side. He can fill in what needs to be done each day.

Sounds like a crazy amount of stuff to do and not really an effective way of teaching it.

I think it's ridiculous to have that much homework in elementary school, especially first and second grade. They are supposed to still be kids and have a life.

If your child is doing homework more than an hour a night and he isnt in middlle school there is a problem. If it is more than an hour then you need to contact the teacher and tell them.

My son's school has started using planners, with 1 page per week. His 2nd and 3rd grade teachers would write out the whole week's worth of homework and pass everything out on monday, with everything due friday. Each day on the planner would suggest what should be done when(Read 20 minutes would be written on every single day). Occasionally we were surprised with additional worksheets that he'd only have 1 night to complete. Some assignments would have choices- use spelling words to write a story or write their definitions or play an online spelling game.
My son has a lot of trouble with writing (he has ADHD/Aspergers) so I'd break some things up into smaller steps. First, I would have him tell me what he wanted to write, then as a separate step I would read it back to him to write, type, or trace. If after working on it for 3 days he still hadn't completed it I would type it myself but make it clear to the teacher that he didn't do it and how long he'd worked on it. When we got to the point of struggling for 4 hours with homework, they would work with him at school on some of it to see what he needed more help with, and reduce the amount they were sending home.

I find that much homework for a first and second grader ludicrous!

My daughter will start 3rd grade next week, and is looking forward to getting homework this year! This is the first year it will be given. And it will be minimal. Probably 10 spelling words to write out.

My son is going into 6th grade and complains constantly about all the homework he had last year and is dreading this year because he knows there will be more. His homework last year consisted of spelling/vocabulary words (20 of them) each week that he had to write three times and look up the definitions. He also had to write three book reports during the year. And he thinks THAT was awful. I tell him he has no idea what the public schools do to their kids, and he should be thankful that this is all he has.

If you and your husband are both teachers, I recommend you watch the documentary "Race to Nowhere" and share what you see with all of your co-workers and administrators. Children do not NEED all that homework. It is ridiculous.

I have kids with ADD so asking them to do homework straight through is not possible. What I do is turn off the TV and do homework. When they start having that look on their faces like they are going to pop we take a break and go outside. Lather rinse repeat until the work is done.

I find it easier to do this while I am making dinner since they work on the kitchen table. Then when they need my help I can still watch dinner and help them.

Oh if you can't tell they have to structure their homework themselves. I just supervise.

Oh and yes, sometimes there is too much homework. I would love to know how two nights they get nothing and the third they must write a book.

That's insane! In addition to the 20 minutes of reading, he should have about 20 minutes of homework a night. Of course there may be areas where your child has difficulty and it may take longer. Many children struggle with writing and 2 paragraphs can take an hour. I would schedule a conference with the teacher.

As far as organization, put 2 folders in the backpack. One is for homework the other is for "mommy papers" (permissionslips, newsletters, etc)

It depends on the school district, state and the individual teacher. I live in Warwick, and one of my sons friends goes to a different school. Their curriculum is completely different then my sons school. It is crazy. My son, for first grade had a math/english worksheet three times a week, spelling words for the week, and that was it. Second grade probably will be more then that, but not what you are experiencing-good lord!

that's way too much homework!!! my daughter started 2nd grade today. she has to read for 15mins. then she had a math paper that had about 6 questions on it, and then a spelling paper. that's it. last year in 1st grade she had a packet of 1 math paper, spelling words (about 6), and a story that she would have to answer a few questions on, and then she had to read for 15mins. i would talk to someone and see why they have that much homework a night. that's ridiculous.