My 3rd grader has been melting down over the expectations I have of him. And, I am starting to doubt myself. Perhaps it is too much??? Perhaps I am an ogre?
He has a 30 minute piano lesson once per week and a two hour Hebrew lesson on the weekend (this is instead of Sunday School). Though Sunday School back in the US was clearly more fun than one-on-one tutoring. I get that, but it doesn't mean you don't have to do it! Still, perhaps there is some wiggle room here?
During the school week, he has maybe 10 minutes of homework each day, 5 minutes/day of speech therapy practice, and 10 minutes of either Hebrew or piano each day (alternating them so he only has to practice one each day). So, a total of 25 minutes of study per day. And, we ask him to read for 20 minutes a day before bed. I really don't think this is asking too much.
Now, next year in 4th grade, he may have more homework. I really don't know. But, is it really too much to ask a 4th grader to spend a total of an hour/day on study. And, do some reading before bed.
I worry about lowering my expectations. But, I also worry about burning him out. Honestly, I don't really want to be an ogre. So, next year, we will cut his Hebrew lessons to one hour/week. But, require him to do both 10 minutes of piano and Hebrew each day, except lesson days. I think he will actually get more out of that. And, we will have a one hour scheduled block of time for his work each school day. If he gets it done early, he still must use that time for study or getting a head-start on his bedtime reading. The questions are. . .will he spend more time doing it than complaining about it? Will this new system cut down at all on the "fuss factor." Dare to dream I say, dare to dream.
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