I almost posted this anonamously (sp) because I don't want anyone to think I'm not brilliant (I'm being facetious) but....

I am seriously worrying about what on earth I am going to do when ds brings home homework that *I* do not understand! I'm almost breaking out in hives just typing this! Now, math, my absolute worst subject that I will never understand is a given - ds goes to Montessori, and their (mysterious) methods of it I'm not worrying about too much. He's only 5 and he's been talking about the 'gold' chain which is multiples of 10 that go to 1,000 - I'm lost already! So I'm leaving that to his teachers when they get into the even more complicated stuff. I can add, subtract (never was good on that borrowing thing, though) and multiply - forget division. I can do the 'small' problems but the longer problems with three or more digits? Forgetaboutit!

English I am definitely more comfortable with, except that I've forgotten SO MUCH! Geography - well ds learned his Continents at 3 but that's pretty easy to 'fudge' my way through - thank heavens for the full size wall map (I'm talking as large as our wall) hanging in our library!

I read a lot and people take me as being pretty intelligent. I mean I AM, but I see myself more as common sense/worldly type intelligent. I watch the news every night and can discuss current events, etc. But strictly Book intelligent - like I said I've forgotten SO much - I don't want to appear to be un-intelligent - especially in ds's eyes

So what on earth do I do? Ds is in K, so no homework yet, and Montessori might be different in the way they handle 'homework' - it might largely be 'experience type' homework for the most part - like visit the Art museum and write a report about the new exhibit - KWIM? But what about the rest? Thanks for any and all advice.

I'm right there with you. I've figured the only thing I can do is bring it up to the teacher either before it happens or when it first happens. A standard response is, "Well, we went over it in class." Well, if you did, then my child should know it. If they know it, why send homework?

I just feel it's their job to teach and our job to reinforce. If our kid doesn't get it, there should be an opportunity for the teacher or an aide to work with them. I also strongly feel that children should be given classroom time to do homework so if they have issues, they can be addressed at school. Also, with extracurricular activities, so little time is left for homework, dinner and family. I truly don't think homework should be "homework". So much seems busy work. Homework for homework's sake.

My son's in second grade, and although at this point, I still understand the work, often find the instructions poorly written and ambiguous. It's not the teacher doing this, it's the author of the worksheet pages. I've already started putting notes on the homework when even I can't understand what they want. Sometimes I think the teacher doesn't know, either and puts her own slant on it.

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I have two high school children and I couldn't begin to do most of the math or science, which is funny because those were my two best subjects in high school and college. The problem is that even if I took calculus or trig, it's been too many years and I'm lucky if I can multiply now. Through elementary and probably middle school myself or dh could check their homework, but I don't do that anymore. I still offer advice on "papers" and proof them and I still quiz them if they want (which is almost never) so they're on their own. I've always told them if they don't understand something to let their teacher know or us. If I had a child really struggling with a subject I'd get a tutor, but most of the time the teacher can help them. Our high school even has a period every other day that is set aside for students to see teachers for help or get tutoring by national honor society members or go to the library to work, etc. So don't be so tough on yourself. I don't really know many parents that can still do the high school homework....sad but true.

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Well...outsource it. LOL! I have trouble even with some of the 4th grade math, but I scan and email to DH and he helps DS. I also have a good friend of mine, who can help with math anytime. I don't have any trouble with the science incidentally.

Oh thank God my dh is a math wiz!!!!! I've already told him that will be his department. I can handle just about anything else or reread the material with them. The way it's looking, my oldest will probably be being homeschooled next year anyway, so I'll learn right along with him. My little guy is just scary smart and loves every minute of school. He has yet to have a question. He shouts out his older brother's homework answers so much that we have to put him in another room. He will probably be the one to teach us all.

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My mom, a very smart woman in her own right, would sort of talk us through stuff. She got really good at asking the right questions to get us to figure it out on our own. I didn't realize until later that half the time she was winging it.

I figure it will work out in the end. Between dh and myself, we can figure it out.

There was one homework assignment that my dh and I could not figure out the instructions of what to do. When I asked the teacher about it, she told me most of the other parents did not know what it was either.

Last year when DS was in 9th grade he had to take Algebra, I hated math in school and did not do well. I bought a "Algebra for Dummies" book. When DS would need help we would find a similar problem in the book and figure it out together. This year he has geometry which is easy for him and me.

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DD-13
DD-5
DS-3

The internet has been my best resource for looking up some of dd's confusing homework. The first thing she brought home that had me scratching my head was regrouping in math. I looked at that stuff and said "Say what?" After researching it online, I figured out that it was just a fancy name for borrowing/carrying for adding and subtracting. As for any other math stuff so far, fortunately my dh can help out on that since he's good in math.

A good side effect of helping my dd with her homework is that it's actually made me smarter. I can do math in my head a lot quicker than I used to. I can just feel my brain growing with all of this new knowledge.

I know you'll do fine Stormy.

I totally agree with this..it should be done in school. So far, my ds hasn't had much homework that I couldn't or didn't understand, but there were a couple times where I had to explain it to him the way I know and tried to get him to understand me. I've had to write a couple notes to the teacher letting her know my ds did not know what he was supposed to do..

The teachers here put homework assignments on the website so there should be no questions as to what homework is. The only problem with this is they don't keep it updated with current assignments.

I called a couple teachers out on it. It's very frustrating when you want your kid to excel and you don't know what the assignment is.

The internet is a great buddy Also ask around your friends - I help tutor some of our friend's kids because I am good at school stuff - most subjects (science, writing, reading, math, geography etc). Since I've been going to college on and off up until last year, those brain cells haven't gone dormant - yet.

Don't beat yourself up at all though! Ya want to feel better - catch reruns of that "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader"