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Perhaps the OP can clarify, but from the description, the sense I'm getting is that the teacher is giving an amount of homework that takes most children in the class (or "is intended to take") 30-45 minutes or so... but the OP's granddaughter is making it take six hours because she's working so slowly, which may or may not be due to her just dragging her heels and not wanting to do it. OP says she works quickly on tasks she likes.
I agree with the advice that she should be testing to rule out anything that could be causing her to be unable to work faster. However, the OP has also stated that she works very quickly at things she wants to do--video games, playing sports, watching movies, the computer, going to amusement parks--and very slowly whenever it's something she doesn't want to do like get dressed in the morning or whatever. While I think to some extent you cannot change a person's nature and some people are just hardwired faster or slower than average, there are plenty of things kids aren't naturally good at that we train them to master because it's an important skill. No one comes out of the womb knowing how to tie shoes, write their name or wipe correctly in the bathroom. If it takes her longer than average to do schoolwork, fine. But if she's taking six hours... that's a HUGE amount of time and really cutting into relaxation time to be a kid. No wonder she's anxious! The poor thing drags it out so much she never has down time. She may very well need to be taught techniques to speed things up a little, or else what will she do when she gets to high school and homework is supposed to take 2 hours but she makes it take 20? Never sleep?
Taking hours to do tasks she doesn't want to do (getting dressed) but being agile and speedy as can be when playing sports or running around a theme park sounds suspiciously like she's to some extent choosing this behavior. I'm not saying this little girl needs to have her room stripped down to a mattress and her homework, but I also can see why the OP is concerned. I think the "do nothing" answers may be a little too lenient and in the long run could potentially do a disservice to this girl.
That's true...cept I think 45 mins of homework a day is b#ll s##t too..I agree that she could use some techniques to help her speed things up though, maybe even something that could entice her...something she really enjoys?..she must be close to grade 4 or 5...she's got lots of time for speeding things up. I'm wondering if maybe she takes so long because she's sooo smart, and finds the work soooo borrrrring..That could "potentially be of disservice to this girl" too.
.Imagine having to do an hours work that you knew was unnecessary (every day), cause it's not teaching you anything...that must be how it is for her, cause she IS a grade A student....I'd be very proud of her...she could probably really excell in a program (or home schoolin) that's designed more for her skills. Maybe she needs work that's more challenging, to pique her interest.
Maybe then she'd speed up, for herself.....and not just for the teachers and grandma.
She needs her homework timed & she has to submit in one and a half hours like every other kid.
I don't think I know a single parent that does timed homework. Usually its do your homework at such and such time and spend at least X amount of time... telling your kid that they can only spend 1.5 hrs on homework just seems odd. If they need to spend 6 hrs on homework in order to get it completed, then they should spend 6 hrs on homework.
Although 6 hours does seem a little extreme, so I suspect the OP might be exaggerating those hours. Around here the elementary schools get out around 4:15, some kids don't make it home until close to 5. That would mean from the second they get home until 11pm they are doing nothing but homework? I could maybe let that slide one or two times, or if they were in high school. But for a 9 year old to be continuously spending that much time on homework means there are some problems that need to be addressed. If the OP doesn't want to believe she has anxiety, ADHD, etc... then at least get her a tutor and see if she just needs extra help understanding her school work. But having her evaluated for a possible learning disability would probably be best. That is not something that should be ignored. She'll just end up getting further and further behind in school.
On average, kids' homework is timed. This one is allowed to take as long as they like. 6 hour homework for a 9year old is indeed too slow & that explains the As. Cut the time to ""normal"" say 1 and a half hours (as psychologists & child care experts recommend for a nine year old.) Lets see if she still gets As with a ""reasonable"" time limit.
I've never heard of anyone timing homework. It's homework, not a test. The point us to understand it and/or practice it. Some kids are faster than others.
Perhaps the OP can clarify, but from the description, the sense I'm getting is that the teacher is giving an amount of homework that takes most children in the class (or "is intended to take") 30-45 minutes or so... but the OP's granddaughter is making it take six hours because she's working so slowly, which may or may not be due to her just dragging her heels and not wanting to do it. OP says she works quickly on tasks she likes.
I agree with the advice that she should be testing to rule out anything that could be causing her to be unable to work faster. However, the OP has also stated that she works very quickly at things she wants to do--video games, playing sports, watching movies, the computer, going to amusement parks--and very slowly whenever it's something she doesn't want to do like get dressed in the morning or whatever. While I think to some extent you cannot change a person's nature and some people are just hardwired faster or slower than average, there are plenty of things kids aren't naturally good at that we train them to master because it's an important skill. No one comes out of the womb knowing how to tie shoes, write their name or wipe correctly in the bathroom. If it takes her longer than average to do schoolwork, fine. But if she's taking six hours... that's a HUGE amount of time and really cutting into relaxation time to be a kid. No wonder she's anxious! The poor thing drags it out so much she never has down time. She may very well need to be taught techniques to speed things up a little, or else what will she do when she gets to high school and homework is supposed to take 2 hours but she makes it take 20? Never sleep?
Taking hours to do tasks she doesn't want to do (getting dressed) but being agile and speedy as can be when playing sports or running around a theme park sounds suspiciously like she's to some extent choosing this behavior. I'm not saying this little girl needs to have her room stripped down to a mattress and her homework, but I also can see why the OP is concerned. I think the "do nothing" answers may be a little too lenient and in the long run could potentially do a disservice to this girl.
The reason I would think "do nothing" is that this could also be attention seeking.
But also it's probably become a pattern -- child is expected to sit down and do homework and starts dawdling and not doing it, gets a reaction and may try but doesn't get what she should do and starts day dreaming and gets negative attention, and then maybe starts feeling pressure which makes it harder yet and still gets attention -- sometimes negative attention works.
It's probably not fun for either - and the adult needs to take another look at this and figure out another approach.
These statements are from my personal life experience:
I too was slow at doing my homework as a fourth grade child, but unlike what the original poster thinks, it had a net positive impact on my later life. From my experience, its better if your granddaughter is taking time to do her work perfectly and slowly at this stage. She will develop a deeper understanding for the concepts discussed, and this positively affects her potential for success. In fact, I found out that taking it slow and easy during my grade school days helped me master and retain knowledge taught in school. This turned out to be a major advantage for me during my last 2 years of high school, which is when academic performance really matters a lot for college admissions. It also helped me get through my first 2 years of college without any problem. To punish your granddaughter over this issue would be a grave mistake. I see the potential for your granddaughter to become a smart and successful woman in the future. Its your choice to mold her into one by making the right decisions.
They said "He is capable of doing this" which is what I said in my original post that stated I talked to his doctor and neurologist to make sure this was something he was capable of doing...sometimes it helps to read the whole sentence instead of just picking out random words.
As far as the timing of the homework, my son's homework is "timed". I'm trying to teach him time management and also the concept of a schedule. So when we get home we look at his homework for the day and we make a schedule. I talk to him and allow him to have input so I know that he knows what's expected " You have 30 minutes of free time, then we need to work on math for about 20 minutes, you can have a 5-10 minute break and then you have to write you spelling words 3 times each; how long do you think it will take for you to do it? We have dinner at this time; do you want to (fill in the blank activity) before or after dinner? Okay that means you have x amount of time do finish x amount of work, can you do that?"
Understanding that he has to finish things in an allotted time has not only helped him at home but helped him at school because last year he was constantly missing his specials (PE, music, art) because he was doing his work too slowly. And it wasn't because he was being meticulous, it was because he erased a wrong answer and suddenly the pencil shavings became a colony of ants marching across the frozen tundra in search of food. Or a car horn honked outside and he thought he was a NASCAR race driver. Or the girl next to him has on a shirt from a TV show he likes.
It took a lot of trial and error to find a system that worked for my son, which is why I repeat that in the case of the OP whatever the slowness issue is it needs to be addressed to find a solution. Time management is a necessary life skill and it's much easier to learn at 9 then as an adult.
And for all of you who keep saying "Oh I was a slow worker as a child" how many of you had crying fits in class when you couldn't keep up with the teacher?
Last edited by nat_at772; 10-27-2013 at 10:06 PM..
I have a 9 yr old grandson who moves like a sloth. It makes me crazy sometimes and I know it does his mother. But, he does have some learning disabilities. I just try and accept him as he is. He is a great kid.
For those who were asking about the homework, my daughter says the teacher told her it should be taking no more than 2 hours MAXIMUM to complete the homework. It's basically 3 sheets of math, 2 sheets of vocab, some reading and a computer game. This is taking 6 hours and killing the home life. Yes this child is basically coming home from school and dragging out the homework, taking breaks only for dinner and a bath.
My daughter is going to have her evaluated but I don't think this child has a "disorder" unless there is a disorder that entails being fast when it comes to creating detailed Christmas websites with all the gifts she wants, and being slow when the school day begins and it takes 30 minutes just to put one shoe on.
Again I ask what the recommendations are based on this being behavioral not psychiatric????
the child should be looked t for a learning disability, not punished i went to school for ths kind of thing, and it could be a sign .
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