Does his current 2nd grade teacher expect that the 2nd grade math homework should take so long each night? Is it just a lot of work that he already knows how to do, or is it work that he's actively learning and that's why it takes awhile to do?
Have you asked about the math homework requirements in 3rd grade? Is there a general expectation that math homework should be x minutes each night, increasing with grade? Or is it possible that his current teacher is a teacher who gives out a lot of homework, but the 3rd grade teacher might be a teacher who doesn't give out much homework at all?
If he's taking as long or longer than expected by his teachers *now* to do his math homework - at this point in time - I'm not 100% certain I'd accelerate him. If it's just an issue of the teacher assigning a ton of problems there are ways to work around it. If the problems are repetitive, ask that he only have to do a small # (1-3 or whatever) to show that he knows how to do them. Or ask that he be allowed to have a set time that he works on math each night, and once that time limit is up he is done with math homework for the night.
First, has anyone faced this issue with acceleration-- kids are able to handle the intellectual side, but have maturity issues regarding work expectations. Care to commiserate?
Our kids have, for the most part, not had issues with work expectations when subject accelerated, but otoh, our kids also weren't at a school that required 45 minutes of homework a night in 2nd grade - our school district guidelines are 10 minutes total homework per night per grade. I will also admit that in early elementary, I didn't worry about my kids not completing a homework assignment - as long as I knew they understood how to do the work.
Second, proactively, does anyone have a good ideas to keep my DS focused, organized and not a burnt out shell of his former self (tongue in cheek) while meeting work expectations?
I'm sure I'm known as the mellow-about-acceleration parent among us, but if subject acceleration meant putting my child into a situation where they had to do what I perceived to be an excessively large amount of homework, I'd keep them where they are at and instead of acceleration offer after-schooling *IF* they wanted to.
Reading assessments occur next week- I predict that (with the exception of reading aloud anxiety) that DS will do well, and may also be accelerated in language arts (more homework?!). Yikes.
Keep in mind - some of that "more" homework might actually be fun, depending on whether or not your ds likes language arts, what books the higher level class is reading, what type of homework assignments he'll get etc. What I'd do is ask around among parents you know what their experience has been with 3rd (or whatever) grade Language Arts.
Good luck with your decision - let us know what happens!
polarbear
