Too much homework for a 1rst grader with ODD?

[Anonymous]

  My six year old was diagnosed last year after going to four different professionals with having ODD. As a result he has a very hard time focusing, it normally takes three times as long for him to do his homework as a 'normal' child would. His handwriting is also behind so I as well as his occupational therapist/speech therapist have been working on it with him. Well his homework is currently: 1) Read one book a night and ask five questions for him to answer, 2) Go over sight words (10 words a week), 3) do one spelling block a night (such as write a story using your sight words or write your sight words five times each) 4) do one math block a night. It isn't too much except when you have a child who takes three times as long to accomplish it all :/  On top of having to ask him to erase and rewrite constantly because his teacher will put a red mark on it if she thinks it is not written good enough. Then she will send a note home asking him to re do it even though she knows we have been trying hard to work with him on his handwriting. I am trying my best to work with him on all of this, he gets overwelmed easily and 'shuts down' because he gets so frusterated with the homework. His dad works 1pm-3am so it is pretty much up to me to do the homework with both kids. Any other mom out there who shares this frusteration? Do you have a child with ODD or ADD? Any tips?

[ElitestJen]

If you think it's too much, get an IEP and fix it.

[graciesnycmama]

I think that's a lot of homework for a first grader regardless of ability.
My dd's 1st grade teacher sent home a packet of work on Monday and it was due on Friday.

[Anonymous 2]

I agree with PP.  If he is struggling that much you should seek some help.  It will only get worse if you don't get him some help now.

[Anonymous 1 - Original Poster]

 They consider him as IEP but they said he still has to complete the same amount of homework in the same amount of time. I am grateful that he was able to receive speech therapy as well as occupational therapy through the IEP program.

Quoting ElitestJen:

If you think it's too much, get an IEP and fix it.

 

[happymia]

Please get him an iep for handwriting, so he can get ot at school for it. My son only has to do the first 5 spelling words, and can take his tests orally. The ot. For handwriting is really helping him. Most schools suck at helping kids, you have to fight for them. Feel free pm me ifyou want!

[happymia]

My son is now in the fourth grade, and we finally got the school to do something last year.

[Kelsmomma123]

can I ask what is odd? like the symptoms? my son is in first grade also and has a good bit more work than that every evening but he has a very hard time focusing. I am having a meeting with the teacher tomorrow. he does excellent in every subject except reading. he comprehends everything but he is a slow reader. they are taking him out of gym class to read one on one with the teacher. I just don't know if he's below average or are they expecting too much with the speed reading. like is said he comprehends very very well. he can read a book one time and remember every detail. he just has trouble remmebering the easy words such as sight words. so he is having to slow down to sound out every word he reads basically. now if I use the flash cards he can spit every one of the words out so fast but when they are in a sentence he just can't grasp them well. he gets so easily distracted like any noise and I mean any will throw him off and he will get confused. he can not tell me a story and talk to me if anyone else is talking or making noise because it gets him off track and he has to start over with the story. sorry that is so much babble.

[Anonymous 3]

My son has autism and I never asked the teachers to give less homework even when his attention span was roughly 10 minutes or so. I just gave him frequent breaks and lots of encouragement. I didn't want to start a pattern of expecting less just because he had difficulties. That seems to be a typical amount for a first grader.

[ElitestJen]

Quoting Anonymous:

 They consider him as IEP but they said he still has to complete the same amount of homework in the same amount of time. I am grateful that he was able to receive speech therapy as well as occupational therapy through the IEP program.

Quoting ElitestJen:

If you think it's too much, get an IEP and fix it.

Um....I don't think you understand what an IEP is.  It stands for Individual Education Plan.  It is not a "program."   You have the right to contribute to the IEP and state your concerns.  You can absolutely schedule an IEP meeting and have it changed.  Contact the Special Education department of your school district for further information.   You are going to have to spearhead this.  They're not going to the work for you.

[Anonymous 4]

I am having the same trouble.  (my son was diagnosed with ADHD and ODD but I think he just has ADHD)  I have 4 kids and he has so much homework every single day that we can barely hang out as a family.