No homework for my kids. No school for mine. For whom do such approaches really work?
I read an interesting blog by a parent on her resistance to homework. In “Starlighting Mama,” writer Heather Shumaker explains why her household bans homework. In a nutshell, her kids have better things to do. Things that are more fun and probably more educational.
So, every year, Shumaker sends a letter to the school that is generally accepted by her son’s teacher.
Here is part of her letter:
My son gets home around 4 p.m. He gets into pajamas around 8 p.m. In those short four hours, he:
Has an after-school snack, talks and unwinds from his day, plays/ pursues his own interests, goes outside and climbs in tree forts, giggles with his brother, does family chores, practices piano, has a family supper, reads his own book and listens to a bedtime story
These are all more important uses of his time, or any young child’s time. My view is homework interrupts home learning. Homework tends to give school /learning a bad name and when given too young, kids learn to resent it instead of value it. Kids don’t need to “practice” the routine of homework. That can come much later, in middle school.
The only type of “homework” I value at this age is reading at home. In our family we already do this every day. When homework does become important, I view it as the child’s responsibility. We will take an interest in what our kids learn in school, but not tell them to do it. No parent signatures signing off on assignments, etc. I also don’t believe in the practice of adding 10 minutes a day per grade, or any arbitrary amount of time. Learning doesn’t work by filling a quota of minutes. I realize this is not the prevailing view in education right now, and perhaps flies in the face of the school’s policies or your own ideas. Can we talk? I’d like to find something that’s comfortable for everyone and make sure your goals are supported as well as ours.”
First, we can all agree that Shumaker’s children are going to do fine in school and life. I doubt many educators would worry about children who have access to the natural world every day and who live amidst books and music. An assistant principal in Gwinnett once described these students to me as “teacher proof.” He said they flourish under most any circumstances because their daily lives provide rich learning experiences.
But I do have concerns about parents opting out of all homework.
Some kids do not go home to log jumping and piano playing or parents attuned to their emotional, intellectual and physical development. They don’t go home to shelves full of beloved classics and the best of new children’s literature. Without assigned school reading, those kids may not read at home, in part because there are no books around their houses. Their parents aren’t terrible people; they are just overwhelmed with the challenges of keeping their kids fed and housed.
These students could end up sitting next to the Shumaker boys who get a pass every day on the homework. How does that affect the class culture? Do kids see different expectations for one another? Do we cast school as a cafeteria where you get to pick and choose your activities? (For the record, I am not a fan of homework for young kids and have no problem with a class-wide or school-wide limit on how much is assigned.)
In a related vein, I was reading a New York Times profile of the Thiel fellows, the wunderkinds who receive grants from billionaire Peter A. Thiel to drop out of college and pursue their dreams. One of them was Laura Deming. I was struck by her father’s comments about education and about what he and his wife were willing to do for their daughter’s sake.
According to the story:
Ms. Deming is clearly brilliant. When she was 12, her family moved to San Francisco from New Zealand so she could work with Cynthia Kenyon, a molecular biologist who studies aging. When Ms. Deming was 14, the family moved again, this time to the Boston area, so she could study at M.I.T.
“Families of Olympic-caliber athletes make these kinds of sacrifices all the time,” says Tabitha Deming, Laura’s mother. ”When we lived nearby in Boston, we were lucky to see her once a month. She never came home for weekends.”
John Deming, Laura’s father, graduated from Brandeis University at the age of 35 but says he disdains formal education at every level. His daughter was home-schooled.
“I can’t think of a worse environment than school if you want your kids to learn how to make decisions, manage risk and take responsibility for their choices,” Mr. Deming, an investor, wrote in an e-mail. “Rather than sending them to school, turn your kids loose on the world. Introduce them to the rigors of reality, the most important of which is earning your own way.” He added, “I detest American so-called ‘education.’ ”
Again, I have no concerns about the education of a young genius whose parents have the wherewithal to shift continents to optimize her learning opportunities.
But it is one thing to “turn your child loose on the world” in the rarefied regions where the Demings clearly live and another to loose a child in a world where mom works two jobs, where intellectual curiosity is not nurtured and where reality can be both bleak and dangerous.
Interesting stuff. What do you think?
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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91 comments Add your comment
Lee
September 20th, 2012
4:11 pm
We’ve blogged the homework issues many times in the past. When my daughters were young, the impression I got was that most of the homework was a) busywork because the teacher felt obligated to “send something” home, or b) a way to get the school work done that should have been completed during the day, but wasn’t because the teacher was too busy dealing with [take your pick] the sugar’d up ADD/ADHD demon bouncing off the walls, the future felon, the SPED kid who just soiled his diaper, or the ESOL kid who can’t speak a lick of English.
Either way, I don’t remember having the amount of homework that my daughters did.
Tony
September 20th, 2012
4:15 pm
Homework is important in many ways and when used properly by teachers. Telling a child he doesn’t have to comply is certainly going to create hardships later in life. By the same token, that does not mean that schools (mine included) should burden children with inordinate amounts of irrelevant, repetitive junk. Reading is one of the best, especially for younger children. A couple of math problems, too.
Homework? What homework??
September 20th, 2012
4:58 pm
“NONPC
September 20th, 2012 2:19 pm
I never had homework in elementary school ( in MASSACHUSETTS).”
LOL me too – I thought my elementary school was the only one! Weren’t the 70’s grand?
In all seriousness, though, I do have some mixed feelings about never having had any homework as a kid. On the one hand, maybe it would have been useful to get some assignments starting in the fourth or fifth grade.
Then again, if my elementary school had assigned homework I wouldn’t have had the time to play French horn, sing in all-city chorus, play kickball with the kids in the neighborhood, attend CCD (Catholic Sunday school – it was on Tuesdays), start a pretty serious bug collection, watch lots of TV (MASH reruns were a personal favorite), and read the entire school library by the time I finished sixth grade.
I have a Ph.D., so I did develop a lifelong love of learning…but to be honest, I still don’t like following directions.
On the bright side, however, I am known for my ability to create innovative methodologies and an ability to problem-solve, and I am tapped as a ‘fixer’ at my current job when problems arise on complex projects.
I feel a little bit ambivalent about not having any homework as a kid, though. It’s a mixed bag. Maybe homework would have helped tame me.
SEE
September 20th, 2012
5:06 pm
I am a teacher who never gives homework. My students test scores are not any worse than my fellow, homework-giving teachers. Why is that?
mountain man
September 20th, 2012
5:45 pm
“I am a teacher who never gives homework. My students test scores are not any worse than my fellow, homework-giving teachers. Why is that?”
Probably because you can give any grade you want (ever heard of grade inflation?) Real question is did your students LEARN as much as your fellow teachers.
Students need PRACTICE. YOu cannot learn your multiplication tables just in class. Of course, Ms. Schumacher would say HER son doesn’t need to know multiplication – he has a calculator.
dubious
September 20th, 2012
5:50 pm
Much of the homework my kids received in elementary school was pure busy work. When my oldest started school, the assignments were often so basic I would have her younger sister do them for her. The little one enjoyed playing school, the older one got play time, and the teacher never noticed that her homework was being completed by a 3 year old.
Old timer
September 20th, 2012
5:56 pm
As a social studies teacher…primarily, I gave little homework. But I sent home a schedule of lessons covered, quiz dates, test dates, and due dates for projects. Many of my better students found reading the lessons, doing the vocabulary, etc increased tests and quiz grades.most project assignments checked out by parents…even if mostly done in class were just better. I found homework hotlines extremely helpful…without Telly anything specific you “HAD” to do. I also found if I went to the local library and put together a reading list to support….say WWII…..those who did some of the reading really learned a lot more.
The Deal
September 20th, 2012
5:56 pm
Obviously there is a reasonable middle ground here. Worksheets to master a skill not completely mastered in class – fine. Things that can’t be done during school and are fun for the kid anyway like bug and leaf collections – fine. Mindless busy work – not fine. More than 20 minutes for lower elementary and more than 30 for upper elementary – not fine. I don’t blindly accept things the way they are, nor do I blindly reject authority and inconveniences for my kids.
Old timer
September 20th, 2012
5:58 pm
Mountain man, .correct..math and spelling must be practiced. My kids always had some kind of math, one did it quickly and one not. I also had one that needed to practice spelling. If they are in band, which mine were…practice every night….though as one said, sometimes that got bunched up…depending….
mountain man
September 20th, 2012
5:58 pm
“When my oldest started school, the assignments were often so basic I would have her younger sister do them for her.”
THAT should teach her to complete assignments! And gave her the benefit of the practice! Maybe her sister can do her reports for her boss when she gets a job!
mountain man
September 20th, 2012
6:00 pm
From what I have seen on these blogs, teachers should have assigned more homework in the proper use of you’re and your (and there, their, and they’re). And some more practice in spelling would help, too.
3schoolkids
September 20th, 2012
6:21 pm
Funny, I don’t remember much homework during elementary school but I do remember my siblings and I getting fun “puzzlebooks” from my Aunt who is a nun and knew most of my Catholic school teachers. We thought it was fun so it didn’t feel like work and when it came time to do real homework in later years it didn’t seem like an obligation. It was what we did to get to the next level.
That was before standardized testing though. My oldest children did not have “real” homework until 4th grade. Between 4th and 5th grade the homework load was heavy to prepare them for middle school and 5th grade ITBS, which largely determined their class placement in middle school. If her son is self-motivated he will be fine. If he is not, she may have a huge struggle on her hands.
My younger homeschooler doesn’t do homework, per se, just fun “puzzlebooks”. Today’s reading was the Sunday funnies (the age appropriate ones-great for helping teach social skills) and for our fractions lesson we baked (and divided and ate) oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
iTeach
September 20th, 2012
7:11 pm
Aw, mountain man… people don’t need to learn to how spell. They have speel checkers for that.
[see what I did there?
]
Wilbur
September 20th, 2012
7:19 pm
Wow. In an early grade, this mom’s attitude is perfectly reasonable. No wonder people who care about their kids are leaving the system in droves. Some of the reasoning on the comments are about what is best for the child but a lot of the comments are selfish, mean and petty.
Listen folks, it’s not like the public school is doing such a great job anyway. If a child in early elementary is getting what he needs to learn who are you to demand that he do your mindless homework. As for the people who suggest that his mom’s desire to make time for play for a seven year old will make him somehow unemployable, you are just beyond ridiculous. I bet that kid is your kid’s boss in twenty years.
John Konop
September 20th, 2012
7:26 pm
Atlantamom,
I agree, that is why I said balance…….being a parent not easy……
incredulous
September 20th, 2012
7:35 pm
Since when does conforming lead to learning? Those of you that predict failure for those students who don’t follow the “herd”, sound similar to some religions that guarantee an eternal lake of fire for those who dare disagree.
long time educator
September 20th, 2012
7:46 pm
I never graded homework, but allowed students to use it to complete pop quizzes given randomly at the beginning of class. If the kid really didn’t need the extra practice, he probably passed the quiz without using the homework. But for those who needed the practice, it helped them pass the class. For those who needed the practice, but chose not to do it, their lack of preparation showed up in quiz grades. That seemed fair to me.
irisheyes
September 20th, 2012
7:49 pm
My students have math and spelling every week. I give it on Monday, and they return it on Friday. Whether they do it all Monday, all Thursday, or a little bit each day is entirely up to them (and their parents). I have kids, and I know that some nights with Girl Scouts, football practice, and a late meeting at work, it’s a miracle if everyone gets fed, so I don’t make something due the next day. The math is a continual review of skills, so nothing gets forgotten. The spelling is a list of activities, and parents can choose which ones they want to do.
I compare homework to sports practice. You can’t just show up for the game without practicing. Homework is the practice so that you’re ready for the game. Should it be 2 hours a night? Definitely not, but I don’t think asking for 30 minutes of a child’s time to reinforce what we’ve done in class is asking for too much.
Lady GaGa
September 20th, 2012
7:54 pm
This is the problem in public education; sorry parents who refuse to follow the rules and teach their kids they don’t have to follow the rules. Go private or homeschool. Geez!
catlady
September 20th, 2012
8:14 pm
My school doesn’t assign much homework. Teachers largely gave up on it when someone at the central office decided that kids below 6th grade could only have 20 minutes total per night. She was tired from doing her grandkids’ homework for them. I think the limit is 30 minutes total per night for middle school
For the most part, in the two college towns my kids grew up in, they had relatively little homework. That doesn’t mean they didn’t do schoolwork at home, though. They practiced/studied a great deal at home so they could do well in the classroom. Almost totally self-determined.
I have assigned homework such as “Find out how you got your name” to my students, but nothing except ways to get them to engage with their parents. I gave up on getting anything overtly academic years ago. Sometimes you have to sneak in learning.
Fred ™
September 20th, 2012
8:25 pm
I think you gave up on teaching long ago catlady. I read your comments and I mostly try not to comment, but just damn. If you hate it so much why do you do it?
Really amazed
September 20th, 2012
8:31 pm
Why even bother sending your child to public school if your not going to adhere to what is being implemented. I just talked to a high school teacher in a Cherokee county school this afternoon. She was telling me about parents threating to sue if their child couldn’t get to re-take a test. What is the point of learning if you get re-do’s all of the time. She told me all the parent has to do is threaten and they will get whatever they want. No wonder why colleges have caught on to this. Good luck to those children that continue on to college. Wonder which colleges are going to allow re-dos, or for that matter a boss (employer) that will allow redos!! Project that you have to complete at home, well just try to tell your boss or your professor that you couldn’t do it at home because outside nature was calling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bootney farnsworth
September 20th, 2012
8:47 pm
lets try an analogy most might relate to:
Mike Vick. society says you don’t drown Rover.
Mike Vicks says those rules and standards aren’t for him – he’s Mike Vick, just ask his mother.
Mike Vick gets away with drowning Rover as long as he plays well and keeps a low profile.
Mike Vick stops playing well and begins acting like he’s above it all.
–by his own admission VIck didn’t study his playbook (RE: homework) enough
Mike Vick does time in Federal Prison and misses the best years of his career.
long time educator
September 20th, 2012
9:31 pm
Fred,
I disagree that catlady hates teaching. I read this blog often and see her as a veteran who loves kids and teaching, has learned not to expect much from parents and shakes her head at the stupidity of the decisionmakers at the top.
CY 2.0
September 20th, 2012
9:38 pm
We need to stop trying to make education “one size fits all.” The real problem is that people think that things have to be the same in order to be fair. The fact is that students need different things. Some need more basic practice while others need more enrichment. Some will need to work outside of school while others may not need to do as much. As the trained professional, I should be free to work with parents to make sure their student is getting what he/she needs rather than something that is too much, too little, too difficult, or too simple for him/her. If we change the culture and the way of thinking, then this sort of thing will not be a problem.
Truth in Moderation
September 20th, 2012
10:57 pm
1960 I’ll follow the sun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq7DGPYzAvg&feature=endscreen
2012 I’ll follow you on twitter.
tjatl
September 21st, 2012
12:16 am
Wow. Do these people also think that their children should not have chores or clean up after themselves or perform community service?
There are plenty of tasks that build character that do not provide instant gratification. While I’m all for having time for free play, kids need to learn that they will be required to do tasks throughout their lives that do not necessarily fit their (or their parents’) definition of “enriching”.
I just finished filling out (by hand) 77 separate waybills for product shipments to a major retail chain for a product I manufacture. I have 3 kids, 2 college degrees and no time to spare, but it has to be done and I’m not “above” it.
And no, I don’t think homework is in the category of “busy work” unless it is onerous. Homework is “reinforcement”, and in its best incarnation it serves to expand the student’s ability to research, make connections between data items and to practice competent articulation.
I will be skewered for this, but I think many of the homework opponents over-schedule their children with after school activities.
Majormalfunction
September 21st, 2012
1:26 am
I see it with my own eyes on an almost daily basis the progression of (enter name of huge SUV here) with parents shuttling their kids to an endless menagerie of after-school functions. I know several families personally where the kids have a full afternoon and sometimes evening of activities most nights of the week, then um … homework?? Ut oh! They aren’t doing so well with their grades, call the teacher, call up a tutor! Break out the ritalin! Danger, Will Robinson! By the way, mountain man, I agree with you on the teaching of “to” vs “too”, and please don’t forget “alot” vs “a lot”. (I saw some of those typos on signs carried by striking teachers in Chicago the other day on the news *cough*) I would have been given an “F” for one of those oopsies when I went to school many decades ago. Seriously though, homework should not be given “just because”, and it should not consume the entire amount of waking after-school hours of the kids. The best teachers I had were the few who gave homework that made me go “hmm” and think about life, the universe, everything. Then there was the 9th grade English teacher who gave 45 minutes to an hour of homework most days of the week “just because”… 9th grade took forever hahaha.
Sandy Springs Parent
September 21st, 2012
1:35 am
I went to school in upstate NY , I went to Catholic School from 1-6. I know that we never had Homework in 1-5. We may have had a little bit in 6th grade, but not much. Then I went to public School. I was basically a year ahead when I arrived. We were given a period called Study Hall/Library once a day after lunch. Somedays it was in the Cafe other days in the Library. We had this full class period during Middle School and High School. We also had PE at least 2-3 days a week that we alternated with either a computer lab or library. This was in the 70’s. Now this was in a Union State, this times also gave teachers time to grade tests and homework too. You were able to basically get 90% or more of your homework done in Study Hall / Library Period. I was stunned that my children do not receive a study hall period in their schedule. At least on the 4X4 alot of teachers give the students the last 15 minutes to do thier homework, or when they finish the class assignment or lab.
My Children have gone back and forth between Public and Catholic Schools here. I have found that the homework in the Public schools has been ridiculous bunch of copied worked sheets. Busy work starting in Kindergarten. Why would a 5 year old baby need Homework ?, I didn’t even go to Kindergartern, let alone any Pre-k and I have a Master’s in Engineering. My oldest daughter was in Public until mid 3rd grade. She stayed at Afterschool they spent the first hour doing the homework before they let the kids go out to play. But I always thought these copied sheets were unneeded and were the stuff they didn’t get to do to the unruly kids. My daughter’s school had 17 in K in 2000 and was great. But by 2003 we were up to 28 kids and a completely different demographic had moved in with a line change.
At Catholic School the Homework was not as bad and what we got was relevant. We did not have any stupid cereal box projects, that seem to be dejour in public school. In Catholic School we did a project to dress up as someone would from your county of origin, make some food from your family country of origin, and explain how your family came to this country. Then there was a big presentation, all parents and Grandparents were invited and heard the children in 6th grade I believe make their presentation and try the food. Lots of Irish, German and Columbian food.
I have found that the Home work varies immensely from school to school in the same District. My youngest was bullied in Cobb County, so I got a transfer for her to the next school. Her best friend stayed at the old school. The old school did poster board project after another, alot of expense. We transfered to the higher income school, we only had one or two poster board projects, less expense.
I am completely against Homework in Elementary School. You can assign 1 project per semester, poster board, but no shoe box or cereal boxes. Cereal Box projects should be outlawed they look like crap, they are a cluster F., they don’t show any imagination or ability to think. People in the real world do not make presentations using cereal boxes or shoe boxes. Maybe we don’t eat cereal in my house, so then we are wasting $4, to buy this stupid box, to do a project. Then I have to save shoe boxes to do shoe box projects. I rather save money and buy my shoes at Marshals or TJ Maxx without the complete box. Just let us use a poster board, let the kids be creative. I don’t know how many elementary projects I, I person with a design degree have had to do because my child with ADHD is to fustrated to do.
That is another problem with Homework, the ADD and ADHD medication only lasts between 6-8hrs then it wears off. It is next to impossible to get a kid with ADD or ADHD to do Homework as there medication wears off. I have had them scream, pull out their hair, throw things, hit me, because you, their teacher don’t realize what the come down is off the Concerta, or other ADHD drugs. I keep my kids medicated so your day is better, but you make my life living hell with homework. What a kid with ADHD really needs to do is come home and run around. Tonoight mine went to Honors Chorus, did the dishes, went to Martial Arts classes for 3 hours, then made her class a cookie cake, made her sister a cookie cake, took a shower. Then she went to look to see if she had homework. Then she told me I don’t think I do. She probably lied to me. I am not willing to fight with her at this point. She went to bed.
She has a 504 plan and not one of the teachers bothered to call me about it yet. I asked every teacher about it at Open House last week. I was told this isn’t to review your child, we were told to talk about us, what we like, what we are about. ( Some of the teachers openly admitted that they were doing what was told and they thought this was stupid.) The next day, I got a call from the so called 504 cooridator, she said why were you announcing at the open house that your daughter has a 504 plan. I said I was asking the teachers why no one sent up a meeting with me. She said your renewal yearly meeting isn’t until December. I said well that is Stupid. I said that is when I first got it in place last year. It would be stupid to wait 1/2 a year to discuss it with her current teachers. What a complete Moron that called me. Then she said well I can’t meet next week I will be out of town on Training how about the next week, and she throws out a date and time, I said Ok. But send me and e-mail because I am driving and can not write it down. Did she do it no. I think she said the 26th, I didn’t even catch her name. I was driving and I clearly told her that.
Sorry to run on. But reading what some of you so called teacher’s post really piss me off. I am one of the volunteers. I am one of the ones who buy your supplies. I give you seperate gift cards for gifts in addition to what my child buys you, if I feel you are a good teacher. 80% Get one of these. I no longer give to the group gift in Public School, because I was a room mother and know how few give. I don’t think it is fair that everyones name should go on the gift card when only a few really give. Like I said, my daughter made a cookie cake for tomarrow, and I bought 6 boxes of tissues, since all the teachers were already begging for more tissues at Open House last night.
I will vote no on Charter schools. But I would vote yes, for straight up vouchers for a minimum of $8,000 ( the real cost, what the state is willing to give the Charter Schools) for everyone with no income limit). That and a change in the state constitution to remove the limit completely on the number of school districts, is the only thing besides raising taxes having 2-3 legitimate parties in each race ( or non-parisan races) to save education in this state).
homeschooler
September 21st, 2012
8:32 am
@ Sandy Springs…I enjoyed your post and agree with almost everything you said but I don’t agree with the writer of this letter to the teacher.
I think homework in the early years (K-3rd or 4th) is unnecessary, but, that’s why I chose to home school. This mother who wrote this letter is self-centered and definitely one of the “I’ll do it my way and shouldn’t have to follow the rules” types. She can’t have her cake and eat it too. This reminds me of the people who take their child to day care and bitch and complain about how they change the diapers, feed the child, nap time etc.. They want every thing a certain way. Sorry, if your desires and opinions are that specific then do it your damn self! Not everyone does things your way. Your way may not be the best way. It might be best for your child but you are choosing to put your child in with the masses so you must DEAL with what is deemed best for the masses! That was your choice. This letter just ticked me off.
Pride and Joy
September 21st, 2012
11:07 am
Her kids get home at 4 p.m. and are in bed by 8. She has a sane family schedule. but….most moms work. I get off at 6 and get gets from afater care and have to do what she does in two hours and it doesn’t get done. To get in bed by eight it is rush rush rush with no family time.
Aftercare ignores homework or does it incorrectly with my children.
Teachers are cluess when they give an hour a day or more of homework per kid. I have more than one kid. That’s two or more hours and no time for dinner or family or even a bath. If we get homework done, life at home is robbed. Schools have six hours a day — if they can’t teach in six hours a day they need to choose another profession.
Pride and Joy
September 21st, 2012
6:17 pm
this is the inflexibility i run into — homework assigned on mondy and due on friday — we both work and have almost no time withour kids — i begged for homework to be assigned on friday so that when I am OFF of work on the weekends i can do it with my child — and four teachers flat out refused — what’s up with that ? MOST parents work full time. If you think doing homework WITH my child is important than give it to us two days earlier so that we can do it with our children when they are awake.
JW
September 21st, 2012
10:53 pm
1. Why people insist that it — education, working, whatever — must be done they way it was for them? The world and the avenues open for learning about it are far different than just 10 years ago, much les 20 to 30 years ago.
2. Have any of you read the reams and reams of research on homework? Obviously not or you’d know that most of it shows that homework is an ineffective tool for learning prior to about middle school age. For nice summaries of said research, pick up Sara Bennett’s book, _The Case Against Homework_.
Concerned Teacher
September 21st, 2012
11:40 pm
Parents need to realize that public education is just that, public. Private school runs over $10,000 (at least) per child. Your $3000 in property taxes does not afford all three of your children a private school education. Teachers do what is in the best interest of the students and use homework to reinforce what is done in class. No teacher gives homework because they just love to grade more papers (on their own time). Parents, you chose to have more than one child, and if that means more work for you at home, that is not my problem. Let your children do work, learn life lessons, and become good students, workers, and people. Stop making excuses for being lazy and raising lazy children.
HoneyFern School
September 22nd, 2012
9:16 am
The resistance to this idea is amazing to me. There is a knee-jerk reaction to squeeze everyone into the same box, and a simmering resentment of this letter writer for defending her kid’s childhood.
Just because her kid doesn’t do homework in elementary school does not doom him to a slacker life. This is a fallacious extrapolation. Just because a kid does hours of homework doesn’t mean they will be successful.
There has to be a balance for children, just as there has to be a balance for adults.
Pride and Joy
September 22nd, 2012
5:40 pm
Concerned teacher, you are really bad at math and at understanding how public schools are funded. You wrote “Your $3000 in property taxes does not afford all three of your children a private school education. ”
Here’s what you refuse to understand — we don’t pay just $3,000 a year for the property taxes — we pay $5,000 EVERY year, not just the years our children are in school AND most public school money comes from State and federal money — that money comes from MY pocket too. $3,000 a year for every year my kid was in school WOULD be a bargain but that doesn’t even begin to account for all the taxes I’ve paid for and will continue to pay for for my children’s education. APS gets 14K per student per year. My kids’ private school costs much much less and has a 1 to 5 teacher to student ratio.
Public schools are some of the priciest schools in the world. I pay for public schools every year I pay federal AND state income taxes and every year I pay for a mortgage or rent a home — yes renters pay for property taxes too — they’re just bundled.
I pay for my kids’ private school ONLY when they are in school, not every year I earn a living. I have paid for public schools for as long as I’ve had a job and will continue to pay for public schools as long as I have a job, pay for a home or rent a home. Your “only $3,000 a year cost for public schools is a joke and you know it — or you’re sadly ignorant.
HS Math Teacher
September 23rd, 2012
5:47 pm
If a lecture over math goes throughout the period (usually at the beginning of a new unit of instruction), the students certainly benefit by independent work at home. Over 20+ years, I’ve found that some kids need the extra practice, while others don’t. Why make all of them do it? I give a few recommended problems for those who think they need the extra work, and go over the problems at the first of class the next day. However, there is no substitute for independent practice, and my students get plenty of it in class.
A good portion of my students either work after school on a family farm, or in local stores. Others are involved in athletics, and don’t get home until around 7:30 or 8:00 p.m.
another comment
September 24th, 2012
1:47 am
@ HS Math Teacher if a child does not need the extra Math practice they should not be penalized 15% of the grade for turning in the extra practice if they can ace the class.
I was a TA, taking a full load of Engineering and Business classes in College. Along with teaching and grading two classes. One graduate Accounting Professor gave the most ridiculous and confusing homework everyday. It would take hours to do. I did not have time to do it. But he went through it problem by problem every class at the beginning. I listened, copied it down, got it and turned it, in. I got high A’s on all of the exams, so I got an A. in the class. I set next to these Lt.’s from the Corp of Engineer’s that were receiveing their full pay, plus tuition, plus per diem to take 12 hours of classes and had their wives to take care of everything else. They lived in a luxury subdivision in town not in student housing. They would complain to me that I did this. I told them I did not have 2-3 hours every day to mess with this ridiculous homework. The professor knew students would copy and turn in. The Corp. of Engineer guys were really pissed at me when they only got B’s on the tests and only ended up with a B in the course. I told then it was all a game, you just needed to learn to play it, boys.
Jayne L.
October 9th, 2012
12:23 pm
In our school district they did the flipped classroom. So kids come home with a 1-5 page double sided print out for most subjects. Like: life cycle of a butterfly. Kid reads it and answers no more than 5 practice questions on each it seems. For math, get a page with a math rule and example on top: like shows a division problem being solved and gives a brief explanation. Then the kid does 3-4 practice problems and that’s it. In science, read about a process. Then the next day at school they do what would typically be the ‘homework’ like write a report, solve a ton of division problems in groups and alone,etc… Basically they call it flipped because instead of spending time teaching the kids have to read and learn the concept and then do homework in classroom.
Atlanta Mom–yes, I expect the teacher to teach my child his letters and arithmetic facts. My kids all learned with me doing nothing at home. When my son comes to me and says he needs help with ninth grade math, I say, I’m don’t do homework anymore.
Also to whoever said let teacher give you a zero. Haha…I turned in blank TESTS all the time in highschool and college because I didn’t study and the teachers ALWAYS came to me and said something like what’s up? me: I was too tired to study and couldn’t remember. them: okay why don’t you retake it or give a speech instead. I think with homework most teachers count it as extra credit stuff because my oldest son is borderline IQ and fails pretty much every test but makes the high honor role every grade period due to turning in homework that I help heavily on to point of just telling him answers and they rave that ‘he is always attentive and answers questions in class, usually not correctly but he tries’.
Jayne L.
October 9th, 2012
12:37 pm
Pride and Joy–
honestly I’d say what’s up with that is that teachers, who I’m not, I don’t even know any personally, but from what I see or hear in all those strikes and such, probably are grading those papers over the weekend. Teaching sounds like a really tough job to me and no way you are grading 25 sets of homework, more due to teaching multiple subjects in younger grades, during your 2, 15 minute teacher breaks.
Jayne L.
October 9th, 2012
12:40 pm
Pride and Joy (again),
I feel you. I often don’t get home until 7:30 then need dinner and occassionally quick shower and off to bed. That’s why I just refuse helping with homework. The down side is that sometimes my kids, in grades 1-5, are so terrified of not doing the right thing/teacher wrath, that they are sobbing and crying over not being able to finish homework: in which case I just did it for them.