Pregnancy
Common Questions about the Third Grade
by Vito Perrone
Here are the answers to parents' most frequently asked questions about third-grade.
Q: How much time should my child spend on homework each night? Q: Should my child use a computer? What's the right size for my child's class? Ideally, a third-grade classroom should have no more than 18 to 22 children. Because children's levels of learning vary widely throughout the early school years, the more individual attention teachers can provide, and the more experiences they can facilitate for each child, the better. But as class size goes beyond 22 students, the potential for individual interaction decreases. My experience is that as class size reaches 24, 28, or 30 children -- which is too often the norm -- the classroom becomes a less rich environment for each child. Teachers and parents need to become more vocal about the importance of class size in these early, most formative years. How much time should my child spend on homework each night? Most teachers do not assign much formal homework during the early years, but some homework could be useful, especially if it's interesting, goes beyond the daily school activities, and can be done with a parent. Homework assignments in the third grade might include: A third-grader might also be expected to complete some mathematics problems, or to collect dandelions for a science experiment. But third-grade children should not have homework that takes more than 30 to 40 minutes. If your child's assignments regularly exceed this limit--or if there's no homework--ask to speak with her teacher. Should my child use a computer? Many children today use computers at home at age five or six, and a growing number of schools have installed computers in primary-grade classrooms. Much can be done with computers, especially in word processing, mathematics, and problem-solving exercises. Third grade is a good time for children to become familiar with the computer and begin using it regularly. Keyboarding may at first pose a challenge, but by the end of third grade children should be reasonably skilled in entering words, sentences, paragraphs, and commands. Reprinted from 101 Educational Conversations with Your 3rd Grader by Vito Perrone. More on: Your Third Grader Q: What's the right size for my child's class?
Copyright 1994 by Chelsea House Publishers, a division of Main Line Book Co. All rights reserved.
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