I’m Concerned My First-Grader Is Being Overburdened with School Work: How Much Is Too Much?

A mom writes in asking for advice on the topic of school work. She says her first-grader is struggling a little bit, but this mom is concerned that the work being asked of her daughter is a burden and ultimately not productive in terms of solving the issues.

Writer, podcaster, and mom Erika Hardison weighs in with some expert advice below.

A Mamas Uncut fan asks:

“How much work is too much work for a 1st grader? My first grader needs to improve grades to go onto second grade. Right now, she is an L/B, which in our generation is a C/D student. I work with her at home. I am just wondering how much extra work at home is too much. I want the work to be effective, not overload.”

– Mamas Uncut Community Member

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Advice from Erika Hardison

According to Very Well Family, the first-grade curriculum includes a variety of development needs to encourage and expand on their reading, math, writing, art and science skills and curiosities. Your child should be learning how to confidently read and write, understand basic math problems, and should be going on a decent amount of field trips throughout the school year.

The workload of homework your child should be getting should reflect their current grade. So you have a first-grader so your child shouldn’t be spending more than ten minutes a day at home on homework. If you are finding that they are spending more than that you might want to, contact the teacher and find out if your child has some blind spots that you are not aware of. 

Parents that work effectively with teachers can gain insight into their child’s learning and help cultivate better study habits. Find out what subjects your child is having a hard time with and then find educational games to help them learn while having fun. If math is a sore spot for your child, you can find numerous games and activities online to help strengthen their math skill.

You can look into apps, games online, or problem-solving puzzles that they can use on their downtime. But the best answer here is to talk to the teacher. Find out what you can do at home to help improve your child’s grades. Try to find a middle ground with your child’s teacher with homework assignments and be open to recommendations.

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