Do your kindergarteners get homework?

[blueshirt2003]

No, my son hasn't had any so far.

[bittybomb]

Oct 29, 2013 8:08:16 GMT -5 eddy said:

Oct 29, 2013 8:04:17 GMT -5 bittybomb said:

My son gets homework every single night.  They expect he should spend about 15 minutes on it.  He also has weekly "assessments" on five vocabulary words, and I found out he had a surprise social studies "assessment" Friday.  I think I'm okay with it; though it may seem to be too much too soon?  My husband is in favor it but has really only seen the amount of work and the substance of the work about a handful of times.  A lot of parents of kids in his class seem to have some type of problem with it.

Wow that is a lot.

Our kids learn 1-2 new sight words a week. Then they spend the rest of the week reinforcing the use of the words, using them in sentences, spelling them, finding them in books etc. Plus they also add in the previous sight words. Five is a lot for little kids.

Also the sight words at this point are the/like/I/A/see/to etc etc etc. Common words that are easy to spell and are used constantly.

Yeah, our vocab words are sight words.  I thought this was all because of common core, but we went up to my cousin's house thurs-fri in another common core state (my son had off because of teacher conferences), and her daughter's kindergarten class is apparently way more laid back.  I don't know; I think its good, if they're going to stick with common core, for him to start it now as opposed to having a switcheroo later on, but I do feel like it is a tad much for 5 year olds.     

[dragonfly08]

Here, kindergarteners get a small packet each Monday that is due back on Friday. They can work at their own pace during the week. It also cannot technically count for/against their grades since the state does not allow mandated homework until 1st grade. In addition, at all grade levels, students are expected to read/be read to on a nightly basis. Some teachers ask that it be logged, others work on the honor system

Personally, I liked it. It definitely prepared my younger DD for first grade (where homework is also weekly, and counts).

[silva]

no. Though we are encouraged to practice certain things.

[joenali]

Oct 29, 2013 9:59:22 GMT -5 dragonfly08 said:

Here, kindergarteners get a small packet each Monday that is due back on Friday. They can work at their own pace during the week. It also cannot technically count for/against their grades since the state does not allow mandated homework until 1st grade. In addition, at all grade levels, students are expected to read/be read to on a nightly basis. Some teachers ask that it be logged, others work on the honor system

Personally, I liked it. It definitely prepared my younger DD for first grade (where homework is also weekly, and counts).

Counts toward what??

[dragonfly08]

Oct 29, 2013 10:21:18 GMT -5 joenali said:

Oct 29, 2013 9:59:22 GMT -5 dragonfly08 said:

Here, kindergarteners get a small packet each Monday that is due back on Friday. They can work at their own pace during the week. It also cannot technically count for/against their grades since the state does not allow mandated homework until 1st grade. In addition, at all grade levels, students are expected to read/be read to on a nightly basis. Some teachers ask that it be logged, others work on the honor system

Personally, I liked it. It definitely prepared my younger DD for first grade (where homework is also weekly, and counts).

Counts toward what??

Their report cards.  We have (IMO) weird assessments here, which work on a number system rather than letter grades and include an evaluation of effort in each subject area (which is where I believe most teachers count the homework).  Kids who don't turn in their homework will have that noted in some way on the report card.  Does that count in the grand scheme of life when they're a first grader?  No.  But it follows them...my kids teachers know all about their academic histories, what they did last year and the year before, etc.  Plus it counts for me, as a way for me to watch their progress, help them where/when needed, and know when I have to touch base with the teacher about something.

[joenali]

Oct 29, 2013 10:33:31 GMT -5 dragonfly08 said:

Oct 29, 2013 10:21:18 GMT -5 joenali said:

Counts toward what??

Their report cards.  We have (IMO) weird assessments here, which work on a number system rather than letter grades and include an evaluation of effort in each subject area (which is where I believe most teachers count the homework).  Kids who don't turn in their homework will have that noted in some way on the report card.  Does that count in the grand scheme of life when they're a first grader?  No.  But it follows them...my kids teachers know all about their academic histories, what they did last year and the year before, etc.  Plus it counts for me, as a way for me to watch their progress, help them where/when needed, and know when I have to touch base with the teacher about something.

Well that's silly because it largely depends on the parents when it comes to a child's homework. Grades should not be dependent on homework at that age.

[cinco]

Yes. He gets a packet on Monday and it is due the following Monday. It gets him in the habit of doing a little every night. It also shows me what he is learning in class, b/c he sure isn't sharing that information himself. So even though I don't support homework in K, in our case it has been no big deal.

[Deleted]

Yes. Every Friday they send home the homework for the following week, due Friday. And also anything not completed during the week should be turned in then.

Her homework varies from writing sentences to counting or matching numbers up to 100. Some days there are worksheet games or activities like practice tying your shoes or making a list of sight words out of a book. This week is Turkey Tom, which they are giving us 2 weeks to complete - it involves disguising a paper turkey as another animal and then writing 3 or 4 sentences about how Turkey Tom made it out before becoming someone's dinner. Mia is making her's a peacock. It will get more involved as the year progresses.