How much homework is appropriate for an 8-year old?

Question

My daughter is in the 4th grade and on average she takes 2 hours to complete her homework. Is this normal? If you're wondering, she isn't struggling in school, she is very independent - does her homework without being told. She just seems to be a slow writer. How much homework does an average 4th grader get?

Usually she comes home with a math assignment, a reading and another subject. It isn't that she doesn't understand the assignments, she's expected to write everything out: the questions, the problems and the definitions. The teacher is a well respected teacher at the school. I also don't want my daughter to think not doing her homework is ok. I am just concern on the time it takes her to complete it all. Last year, she managed to finish her homework in about an hour.

Answer 1

The idea behind homework is to reinforce what the student learned during the day. Remember each student will work at a different rate so the amount of work may not be the real issue. It is okay to help and monitor your daughter and make sure she keeps a good attitude towards the work. The advice you heard here saying that there should be no homework is probably being given by kids.  

Answer 2

if it takes more than a half hour not cool, my daughter is the about same age and well if it takes to long or she doesn't get it i just tell her to stop doing that rubbish and have some creative time.

Answer 3

I dont know, it does seem like a lot of time . Does she ever complain about it taking so long? If she still has time for her friends its ok. Im in seventh grade and we get 1 hour of homework science, english. The science takes a long time for me to do even though its easy because I have to write it all out and that takes a long time. By the time im done with that Im so tired I can barely do my english. Does she get tired? I suggest talking to her, see how she feels. If she does think it takes to long, talk to her teacher with your daughter together and see what they both think. She should be getting math, (another subject) and reading for homework but not too much. Hope for the best

Answer 4

I feel this is too much.  A good rule of thumb is 10 minutes per grade.  So, your daughter should have about 40 minutes of homework per night.  Though as you mentioned, if she is a slow writer this may require more time. Writing everything out is perfectly acceptable, however I think I would talk to the teacher about your concern.  Ask her how long she expects the homework to take and voice your concerns.  She may simply not realize how long all of this is taking your daughter, or other children.  Chances are there are other students who are having similar problems.

I teach 1st grade so we do not have a lot of homework, but I do tell the parents it should take them no more than 15 minutes and they should be able to do it by themselves for the most part.  I also don't believe in Friday homework...that's family time.

Answer 5

No amount of homework will make for a normal child!

It  is about time that parents took on the school system about the whole set up.

Children need a return to control and discipline with reward or controlled  physical punishment appropriate to their behaviour.

Second they need a curriculum that imbues the intelligence to handle the demands of the kind of work they aim to choose to do. This could be achieved by having various streams and levels within each year as we used to have Form 1A, 1B and 1C etc.

The total freedom we have allowed to children has proven a dismal failure with whole communities being terrorized by out of control teens (gang party invasions/graffiti/car hoons/trail bike freaks/gang assaults et al) with no respect for anything and even less for themselves.

The problem now is that those who are young parents were brought up through the same system that has produced the kind of society we now have to put up with and many just can't cope with their children anymore as  they have the same mindset as their out of control children (the "My kids never do anyfink wrong and don't you touch 'em" mentality ) and also lack the necessary skills to engender change for the better.

Why don't you take my text to your next P&C meeting and start the ball rolling?

Answer 6

I think your right

Answer 7

I am going to say something that may shock you but parents and educators need to re-evaluate this whole idea about homework at the elementary school level.

Two hours of homework is ludicrous- especially for an 8 year.  I taught for 30+ years in the system and have seen it all.  The general recommendation is that children not have more than 1/2 hour of homework in an evening.  This DOES NOT mean that they are expected to do 30 minutes of homework every night.  It means that if there is homework assigned it should be in moderation and not take more than about 30 minutes to complete.

Parents have the misconception that unless their child is bringing home assignments every night then they're child is suffering and not getting a complete education.

I was a very organized classroom teacher and my classroom management skills were excellent. My students always put in an honest day's work for me.   One day, well into my career I asked myself, "Why am I giving homework when my students have been working their little buns off all day"?  

I realized my students did not see either parents all day.  Few went home for lunch where they could see at least one of the parents.

Why would I give students 30+ minutes of homework when that time could be spent as quality family time - especially at the elementary school age.   Little youngsters this age need to spend more quality time with mom and dad- not less.  Especially in today's society.

Certainly there is a time to give a child in elementary school homework and make no mistake I gave homework assignments.   But I gave it to children who were behind in their class work or who needed reinforcement and additional practice.  

There are some parents who believe that more is better.  This is a misconception.  There are some who believe that if the teacher is not giving out homework on a daily basis then he/she is lazy.  That too is false.  These same parents do not understand that when homework is given it often requires class time to mark it.  This led me to rethink my own attitudes about giving homework.  I was no longer satisfied with giving for the sake of giving it.

It is my belief that homework at the elementary level has become an extension of a child's school day.  And I believe this is wrong.  Children are at school for 6+hours of their day.  

I have found that most children in elementary have a love for learning and work very hard at school.  At least my students did!  For most of them their reward was no homework or they got to choose what they would like to do for that evening.  After all, how many moms and dads have homework to do after putting in a hard day's work?

High school is different.  I would expect them to receive regular homework.

Two hours of homework for an 8 year old?  Unacceptable.

Answer 8

That does seem excessive , I don't think they should do homework at her age when does the poor little thing get time for recreation . She is probably a bit slow because she is conscientious , I feel the schools are putting to much on them at an early age , for pity sake she has done a full day at school and then has to start again when she gets home .

Answer 9

30 miutes a night

Answer 10

I don't think they should get  any home work at all unless they are struggling with a certain subject

Schoolwork should stay in school