Homework Overload

by Debbie
(Texas)

This is my second year of home school and we are in homework overload! I love the Abeka video curriculum. I have 2 girls 11 and 12 in 5th grade. We are overwhelmed with homework. Our school day starts at 8:30 and ends at 2:00. But somehow the homework ends up to 2 to 3 hours long. The homework is a nightmare. We only have a 30 minute lunch break and a 20 minute morning break. If we don't find a solution I will have to change curriculums. I really don't want to because I personally like this program because it is so thorough. Any suggestions? My girls work but they are just slow.

Reply from Jamie on Homework Overload:

I totally feel your pain. I know what you mean. We're done at 1 or so with lunch break. We don't take a morning break because they want to get it done.

Let me start by giving a little background on why I chose Abeka. I wanted to make sure they had a complete education and not just learn the things I especially liked or was good at. So, when I found Abeka, it was exactly what I was looking for...a curriculum that covered everything including the things I didn't like!

Now, with that in mind, I will share with you what we do. I hope this does not come across like we're cheating! But when it comes to the math, they spend about 40 minutes in class. Now if they already know the material or it's a review day for instance, I don't make them do the homework because they already spent 40 minutes on math. However, if they're struggling with fractions, then they work on that for their homework during class. I don't always go by the book.

When it comes to spelling, they study and focus on that when they're watching the DVD. Then in the evening they need only 20 minutes or so to review.

I must admit, our first two years were overwhelming. We felt like we had to do everything and we did. We are much more relaxed now. I have learned to key in on what my children need to learn and do not overdo. We don't want our children to hate school!

I hope that helped a little. Just by being clued in on what your children need to do, will cut down the homework overload.

I would love to hear how things go for you in the next few months. Continued blessings!


Comments for Homework Overload

Click here to add your own comments

Options
by: Nita

For us having school at home makes sense because we may be sending our kids back to traditional school and we need them to be used to structure. However, you can cut down the course work to Math and Language and teach the other subjects in more interactive ways. No kid is going to like 'school' but in life we have to learn to do things we don't like.
Pace Yourself
by: Nita

We do the homework, but usually right after the class for practice where needed. I'm also in the room with the kids as they do school and the subjects I don't skimp on homework are English, Math, Science. In the other classes (Bible,History and etc) it's a lighter load and depending on the homework assignment I make it mandatory. We also do the Independent study since we are with a homeschool umbrella that handles our transcripts.
Thank you -- feeling overwhelmed
by: Anonymous

Thank you for your comments. I am searching for some answers to my stress. I have one son, whom my friend who also home schools says is high-maintenance. He is in 2nd grade. I am trying to figure out what works and what doesn't. I feel like I spend most of my day getting him back on track and by the time we are done I am ready to have some time on my own, but we need to really be doing "home work". Reading about flexibility really helped. Thanks again
Don't make homeschool home-school
by: Marcus Valdes

I think for us homeschooling allows us to depart from what public schools do. I think it is a mistake to merely try and recreate what the schools do at home. For example, we don't do any homework. For us it is all homework! One of my favorite blogs is educationoutrage.blogspot.com.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Abeka Forum.