My He Said's are usually sexual in nature but this week's, unfortunately, is not.
My son started middle school this year. Things are calming down, knock on wood, but once school started getting into the real nitty gritty my boy seemed to lose it a little.
One thing he struggled with was homework. Forgetting it, forgetting how to do it, not writing the whole assignment down, etc.
My frustration level was at it's peak. One day I yelled, "I feel like I am doing more of your homework than you are!" That's when something occurred to me.
Why do kids even have homework? I know that may sound like a crazy question but I am serious.
Shouldn't kids be allowed to go out after school to discover sports & all sorts of adventures without having to worry about homework? When I worked at Verizon I got overtime for anything after 8 hours a day! Why do the kids have to go to school all day then come home to go nuts with this stuff all over again? Most parents will tell you that it's nothing but a battle so what is the real purpose here?
Do I sound like the clueless, dumb guy that I am or do I have a point here?
Tony!! BRAVO!!! I agree with you 100%! There is no reason for the "work day" to continue at home! I think studying for tests would be easier than too! After doing a few hours of homework, juggling sports, drama, religion and random friends parties it is overload for these kids! I heard that a few private schools in NYC are going to eliminate homework. A few months ago I wrote about summer homework...enough is enough! Let these kids have some down time!!!!! AWESOME POST TONY!!
ReplyDeleteThe current amount of homework kids have is just stupid. It's there so that parents will see that there kids are hard at work, even though an average kid in high school puts in more hours than someone with a 9-5 office job and doesn't get any of the perks.
ReplyDeletePerson with a cubicle job: 8 hours a day x 5 days a week: 40-hour week. Weekends off, vacations that are actually vacations (or at least you probably have the chance to not bring a laptop.) You get paid. You chose to go there.
Kid in high school: 6 hours of school+~3 hours of homework+2 hours extracurricular's. 44-hour week. +2 hours for weekend homework = 46 hour week. ( Not counting non-school activities such as music lessons and instrument practice.) Extensive summer projects rob you of vacations. You don't get paid. If you don't go there (for a reason that doesn't please the authorities) the police can come by and pick you up.
Holy Moly...This is something we all talk about. I heard a father on the news complaining of the same. It's not fair that kids have to juggle it all. They can't. They get so burnt out! My boys want to play football. The schedule is grueling and if they miss a practice, they don't play that week! Really??? The kids have to rush home, do homework, eat dinner, change clothes and be there from 5 - 7. How did we do it when we were their age? Then they get so bummed because , they can't see their friends. Correct me if I am wrong here, I just dont remember getting that much homework? I don't remember my friends in Honors doing that much homework. We always hung out after school.
ReplyDeleteI took 2 dance classes a week in Jr High and played field hockey. I was never good at school. Never went...For me it was a social gathering ( if you tell my boys, I will be forced to kill you ) :o)
Awesome Post is right Tony! Keep them coming!
It seems to me that parents want teachers to do more and more as the parents are willing to do less and less. As teachers we have to make sure our students learn what is in the curriculum. We pack all the learning we can into the school day, but the curriculum has been so extended that we can't fit it all in. Homework should be for reinforcement and guided study but out of necessity it has become covering material we couldn't get to. Don't blame the teacher, blame the administrators and school boards who place test scores above children. Teachers also complain that they don't have time for "fun" things at school. They want to make learning fun but are dictated to by principals to get those scores up. Your evaluation and job depends on it. A reasonable amount of homework is a good thing, and necessary to reinforce learning,but kids should have time for other activities as well.One more thing-school should come before sports or other activities. If football is grueling, find another team that has a lighter practice schedule and concentrates on developing skills and self esteem rather than winning at all costs.
ReplyDeleteFrustrated Teacher
ReplyDeleteNo one here is blaming the teachers. I know Dawn & Jackie are wonderful mothers... them & everyone like them are not looking to give the teachers more & more. It should be less & less for everyone.
I don't know if I agree with your school comes before everything stance. Many kids don't fit in at school & need that one after school activity to fit in somewhere. Seems to me that your complaints tie in with ours but your finger is pointing at the wrong people.
I think that our students are completely bombarded with test prep for ELA's and the likes. I think that the fat cats who are making the big bucks are making poor choices for our children, I think that they have "scores" and "ranks" that they worry about more than the actual grooming of the students. I think that our teachers are put in position to worry about contracts and our state taxes are going to the wrong places. But that's just my own uneducated opinion...
ReplyDeleteI was using football as an example. My kids just finished BMX after 3 years. I guess we got spoiled with the fact of , we could go and practice when we wanted. If we didn't practice that week, no big deal. No one told us we could not race that Sunday. They stopped because they want to learn every instrument and play every sport! Wish we had the time and money to fulfill a quarter of their desires.
ReplyDeleteA small amount of homework is fine with me. My oldest is in Middle school now. Our friends are already preparing us for the years to come. This is my issue. I do not think it is right for kids to ( in the future ) , having to sit for another 3 hours or so to finish the day.
I have friends who are teachers, I totally agree with you. It is not fair on you guys either. They are so stressed out. In my original response I was focused on " the time it takes at home for homework". Not the whole picture. For that I am sorry. I Thank you for bringing it to light. And let's not forget all the things that are in the classroom because " The teacher bought it, not the school". I applaud teachers for their hard work and dedication. People say being a parent is the hardest job? Parents are responsible for whom they bring into the world. And I am sure, we all sadly know of parents who do nothing to help. Teachers have a very diverse group, on an average of 20 - 26 kids. Never know who is going to walk through that door every year. Not to mention if there are any " issues" you guys have to deal with. This is a no brainer however, I will say it anyway. Teachers, Firemen and Police do NOT get paid enough