4th grade homework

[Unregistered]

I talked to other 4th grade teachers in my district to see the average amount of homework they give their students...they said that they rarely do and that they just require their students to read for 20 minutes a night. I was appaled because I think there needs to be reinforcement of the lessons learned during the day. Any suggestions of how long they should spend nightly? I was thinking atleast 40 minutes!

[Lisa's Hotscakes]

That seems about right. Not giving students homework is setting them up for difficulties later in their academic career.

[Unregistered]

I agree that there should be homework. I don't think it should be overwhelming, but giving a little practice of what they have already learned in class can be beneficial. It also keeps the parents aware of what their child is learning in your room. I did have a teacher one time give over 100 problems in math and that was way too much! If a child can get it after doing 8 to 10 problems, why keep going? Just communicate with the other teachers in your grade if your student is changing classes to make sure all you teachers together aren't overloading the students. For example, if one teacher is teaching Language Arts, maybe that teacher can give homework every other day while the other teachers in other subjects can give it on the other days.

Does that help any? Or is it clean as mud?

[Unregistered 2]

I am from Belleville, Illinois. I feel the same way with my daughter who is in 4th grade. They only get homework on Mondays. I wish they did because it teaches time management when they move into the upper grades. Right now they are sailing like a breeze. My daughter will get so overwhelmed when the homework starts rolling in. I feel for her but what can I do? I've already talked to the teacher but it did not good.

Her school won the Blue Ribbon Award for No Child Left Behind. I sometimes wonder how they do that. I figured it out. The kids are only taught what is on the ISAT right before taking it. My daughter is very intelligent but is not challenged with this school.

[Unregistered]

Don't be concerned with what other teachers do. If you believe in it, do it! That's why you were hired! I give homework everynight but Friday. It should take no more than an hour and rarely should take 1/2 hr.