How do you handle homework?

My kindergartners are getting homework. It's due monthly. They are in separate classes, but their teachers follow the same basic plan, thus their homework is pretty much the same. If your kids have the same type of homework, do you have them work on it together, or separate them?

Lily is a much more advanced reader than Grace, so I've been having Lily read Grace books for both their reading logs. I read to Grace too, and make he read stuff she can. We have one penny jar that they both use to count pennies.

But this month they have one project of drawing a layout of our house and labelling things. Obviously we'll need two of those to turn in, but would you work on something like that as a team or do it individually? The other issue I have is that Lily will blurt out all the answers without giving Grace time to, so we specifically have to say "Grace, tell me ..." and tell Lily quiet. But if we completely separate them we'll be spending twice as long on homework.

Just curious what others are doing.

 

My girls are in the same class. We have color sheets and practice sheets once a week and reading logs and parent teacher homework once a week. We do it together just because ease of use. Sometimes I have one work on one sheet and one work on a differen sheet to prevent competition

 

When we had projects like mapping the house or finding things around the house, we did them as a group. I worked on homework together at that age. Part of it was because I also knew the teacher was comfortable with me doing that and my kids were pretty good about taking turns and both of them coming up with stuff for the homework. We still did turn in two sheets because I wanted both of them to practice writing things out.

Now, it's separate. They just have to do it before they can play wii or computer games. Right now, Sarah usually plays in her room for a bit and Timothy goes outside for a bit before they start homework.

Marissa

 

Our kids never had homework in kindergarten. Now in first grade, one has it 3-4 days a week and the other just now started to have some about a day a week. The second mentioned loves blurting out answers for the first one (Audrey). They do not have the same homework on the same day. So far, Clayton has had homework that Audrey has had already. I would NEVER have them do it together. I would definitely seperate them while doing homework, but I do realize that is harder on the parent. They need to learn as individuals.

 

My kindergarteners have homework on T days, so Tuesday and Thursday nights. It's always a little sheet glued into their composition book and right now is total review for them so they can both do them independently. They are in separate classes and until yesterday were bringing home the same homework, but now it is going to be different on some nights, not a big deal to me.

They also once a week bring home their bag of books that they have read in reading group and they need to read them to us and we need to sign their reading log. Also in their backpacks nightly is their word ring and letter/sound ring which we are to go over as well (we try to do these about 3-4 times a week).

Right now they sit at the kitchen table and do their own work. But like I said it's super easy for them and they have no trouble doing it by themselves.

 

Mine have been in separate classes since Kindergarten. In Kindergarten they both got homework everyday and it was some of the same work on different days, this year in 1st grade they also get homework everyday but it is the same work on the same days. Since homework should not take more than 15-20 minutes I have them do it separately. I tried having them together in the same room and they seemed to bother each other and having them in different rooms didn't work because I wanted to be able to keep an eye on what they were doing. So this year I start one and once she is started and knows what she is doing and tells me all the words for the day I call my other DD in to start on hers. But that is just what works for me.

 

Something like the house plan I would do with both of them together, as they're going to be basically the same. If they're allowed some freedom in the labelling (eg have to pick two things in each room to label rather than a specific direction to label the doors/windows) then I would encourage them to do that independently but not really worry if they copied.

Maths/English things I make them do separately, regardless of whether they have the same or not. I think it's only fair that each one gets the chance to work it out for themselves. I don't want one not putting in the effort because they know they can copy their twin or getting disheartened because they never get a turn to answer as their twin always jumps in.
I generally either set them up so one does task 1 while the other does task 2, then switch them over or work with one and send the other off to play then switch. It depends on how much help I think they'll need and, now they're older, their choice of when they want to do the work. On the occasions when they are working on the same thing at the same time I just make them sit at opposite ends of the (large dining room) table so they can't peek at each others work.

 

I would be very weary of doing this. It may result with Grace feeling bad because she isn't a "good" reader, and make her shut down. I know you feel that it takes too long to do homework, but it really isn't fair to the girls to put them in a position where one is doing the work for the other. You should find Grace some books that she can read and have her read them to you--because I am sure if she read them to Lily, Lily would just jump ahead and correct. When mine were at different reading levels, I would always do the reading one on one in another room. At that time, the other child would work on math or something they could do independently.

 

Oh, we have Grace read to us books she can read while Lily does something else as well. Our reading doesn't just consist of Lily reading to Grace. Lily would literally read 25 books a night if she could, and Grace often goes and sits next to her to listen. It's not a forced thing at all. Grace is jealous of Lily's reading, but that really came out in preschool, and she pushed herself to start reading too. She just really dropped it in the summer, where as Lily kept reading all summer and moved quite a bit ahead.

 

I agree with Sharon. It is a very fine line to tread with same age kiddos. They will compare themselves to each other regardless of what you do or say. I would not tie 'one reading to the other' in any way to school related activities. If one is reading for school- have the other girl do so as well or take turns reading to each other (even at books at different levels)-- not placing one in a leadership role even if they try to fall into that pattern themselves.

This happened to our DD in preschool. One Dd was a stronger reader early on (they are about equal now) other DD felt she was a 'poor' reader even though, she too read well. It took us a while to convince DD2 that YES you are good at this too it is NOT something only DD1 should do. DD2 read more and became better at it.....Now in 1st grade they are equally good readers (I would bet DD2 is slightly one level ahead to be honest since her comprehension is higher).

I was very aware of making sure to emphasize strengths, read one child/one parent when we could. Not to say they did not read to each other : they did and still do to share funny bits, jokes, read the backs of things, etc- but it was just that, reading on their terms and in their own situation. I made sure that they both got a role in reading grocery lists, books, etc but each at their level. Because they would attempt to pass these things off to DD1 , who at the time was a faster and stronger reader. I also made sure they allowed for the other to make mistakes and problem solve how to figure out a word, that is how you learn. We say in our house " Use your own brain!" LOL, not to use someone elses or be given the answer.

One of my DDs will blurt out too. But she also knows that after a warning to take turns or not answer when we ask DD2 a ? she will get some time to herself to cool down (sent away from the activity, not a time out- but a concequence of not participating fairly). FWIW-- in the classroom kids blurt too. It is something a good teacher will work on and also be specific for other kiddos to answer by addressing them by name. It is an important skill for all kids to learn.

Yes, we spend twice as long no homework some days. But that is no different that two kids two grade levels if they both needed help...it would take twice as long.

I would really really try to keep school work separate.

For homework, my DDs are in the same class. We do one child- one parent when we can. On nights that cant happen- I split them and have them work independently while I rotate helping. The rare occasion it is a 'group' project then we do it together. But I have found that you really SEE what each child knows if they are totally separate. Often , even sitting near each other they will glance over and use the same idea/concept / or overhear a conversation.


As for the house project. I would do it one child at a time and have the other go outside w/ another adult. or assign 'rooms' (DD1 label the living room, DD2 label the kitchen).

 

I have nothing to add to this thread but I wanted to say it exemplifies why i love coming to this forum. I am stocking all of the different tips/POVs for when my twins are older.

 

My boys are strong in different spots. William reads better and tends to blurt out a word Nathan is stumbling over. Nathan on the other hand will blurt out answers for everything else. Luckily I have them in different spots in their math books and phonics books so we don't have that issue as much anymore. We do tend to work on the same subjects at the same time to keep me sane.

 

My kids have always had different homework, and am very glad for that. This way they all work on their own, at their own pace. If they did have the same homework, I would allow them to work at the same time, but never collaborate on answers. They need to figure them out on their own. Using their own tactics to decipher the answers.