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Yep, I was going to suggest The Homework Myth to confirm that really, no kids need homework.

In my humble opinion, homework is designed to make sure the parents know that the kid is doing something at school and to demonstrate progress to parents. DS has homework every day and it takes him 15 min to do, plus his required and documented 20 min of reading every day. We do it but I disregard a lot of the individual assignments and make them better and more fun.

Here's an interesting bit of research I found while googling, and supports JJsMom's point - the right amount and the right kind of homework can be beneficial.

http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2006/03/homework.html

My DD in middle school routinely has 3 hours plus of homework almost every night. She's hardly doing anything but homework during the week. DS in 1st grade gets about 30 minutes, most of it so far not really worthwhile. He's frustrated at the lack of challenge, but so far, not refusing to do it. So, needless to say, we spend most evenings planning, doing and checking homework. Fun, fun

My DS8 refused to do homework in first grade and I had to really think about how I felt about it. I decided that I like the values that homework teaches: hard work, responsibility. And I did not want to set a precedent for slacking off in middle school,high school. I worked with his teacher to make it more challenging and interesting. His school actually calls it practice work and I agree you get better by practicing. However, I am ever vigilant to make sure that the kids' homework is at the right level for them. (My cover has already been blown so I'm free to speak up any time.) With things like practicing math facts, we add challenge by doing them fast. My daughter just started high school and she has a couple of hours of homework a night. It doesn't matter if it's too easy, too hard, boring, stupid or crazy, she gets it done.

I've been 'protesting' homework since DS started school....to myself anyway. It was always pitifully redundant and I didn't see that he learned anything from it, other than it took away from his playtime.

The only thing I don't mind so much now is the handwriting aspect of it. Only because DSs writing could use some practice and I can see where it's not feasible to have him really practice for say 30 min to an hour in the classroom - there are other things he could be learning. I consider the 'write your spelling words 3 times in cursive' task a handwriting assignment and not spelling since DS doesn't/didn't learn to spell that way.

My dd6 started doing HW in K. It took about 5 to 10 mins. She got very tired of coloring and practicing her handwriting after school. I spoke with her teacher about it and she said she was doing much more than she needed to do. My DD is a little perfectionist. She would completely color everything when a little coloring was ok and she would erase her letters several times until she was satisfied. Once I told her what the teacher said it made a big difference in he HW attitude and took some of the pressure off. It seems sad, she put this pressure on her self in K. I was glad I talked to the teacher because I would think lots of Moms might just think oh well she just doesn't like it, that's how school goes sometimes.

My DS9 gets HW that is suppose to take 30 mins but his does it in 10. I am glad I see and do some HW with him because it lets me feel like I know more about how he is doing in school. The school feels this parental involvement is very important to the kids success. I've heard other parents complain about the HW and how hard it is for their kids and what is suppose to be 30 mins turns into a dreaded occasion.

Our school has a NO HW on Friday policy. I do love that because it makes play dates easier.

Our school district has a policy that homework should be 10 minutes per grade--so a first grader should have 10 minutes, and a 3rd grader should have 30 minutes, and so on. Or no more than that, at least. By that logic, a senior in high school should have two hours of homework. This seems reasonable to me, insofar as homework is necessary at all. They seem to give homework every night except Fridays--at least some little thing to do, no matter what it is. No homework on weekends, at least so far.

We ignored a lot of the homework in first grade, with the teacher's blessing--I'm not going to have him sitting around coloring or working on two-letter spelling words. This year I'll probably just give him extra things to do if there's nothing worthwhile.

This is the type of homework I worry about. I'm glad you've gotten the teacher's blessing to ignore it!

I agree that by middle school or high school some homework is appropriate, and I wouldn't protest about a small amount in the late elementary grades. However, I live in fear of the day when DS (now grade 1) starts bringing home busywork homework. I think I'll take the approach another parent on this board has and substitute more appropriate work. I just do not see the point of making a child who spells quite well practice a typical grade-one spelling list of words he's known for years!

Homework in 6th grade takes my DYS two hours per night. It is HARD homework. Ceasar's English (latin roots), 40 problems of math (not her favorite) and social studies that *I* found challenging.

She used to breeze through homework in 15 minutes in 4th grade (like the two or three sheets tops she'd get) but now she has to really *work.*

I wish it wasn't so much but I also think she's finally learning to study, work and have to think hard about things. Skipping 5th grade I was freaking about this to be honest. It got really challenging really quickly (and not everything was an automatic 100% every time!) but I think in some ways that is a good thing. When you get 5/10 on an assignment because you blew through the homework and didn't really READ the instructions is a mistake she has remembered!

I picked up a copy of The Homework Myth today. Thanks for the tip.

Val

If some creative teacher can find a way to teach our son to slow down just a tiny bit -- and pay attention to details, instructions, etc -- he'll be unstoppable. "Going too quickly" really is his only problem in school right now, and is the only thing negatively affecting his grades.

He's seen the pinch on a few quizzes and reading tests... and says that he agrees he needs to slow down... but ZIP! ZAM! ZOOM! he continues to go at his own breakneck speed.

On the rare occasion I can get him to slow down ever-so-slightly, his quality and accuracy go through the roof. I just haven't figured out a way to get him to hit the brakes.