Message Boards
Replies to '03/23 Homework Hell'
|
December 4, 2006, 6:23 am PST
 Quote From: mnpsych I think home work has gone too far. The schools are saying they are giving 1 to 1 1/2 hour of homework yet it is the same amount of homework I had as a full time college student and this is in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. My children, who do need someone to help them stay focused (no not a drill seargent) usually take up to 3+ hours. This leaves no time for studying and no time for family life. I have even adjusted my work hours so we are all home by 3:30 yet there still is no family time. Japan has recently started to abolish homework due to several studies that found that kids do no better with homework than they do without. I think since the US followed Japan when they started the homework concept, that we should follow them yet, again. After all they seem to have much less educational problems than the US does. School work should be done in school and the only homework should be what the children don't finish in school. Lets face it, its not reality at all!! Most of us are off of work when we leave at the end of the day. There are some times I do work from home but that is only the work I was unable to finish during the work day. I much prefer to help my children build their study and reading habits and have some fun each night than to have to be yet another teacher! You know what; it is not always the parent's fault. My oldest child, Julia, has many issues. Whenever there is a challenge presented to her, she whines and cries, throws temper tantrums and shuts down. I am not a drill sergeant, but I do expect her homework completed within a reasonable amount of time. I do my best to keep patience. Homework has become such a problem at home; it sometimes can take her up to 6 hours to complete her homework too… She manipulates people well, sometimes a little to well, so she does not have to complete her tasks. I have gotten a TSS worker to help with this situation for both home and school. (So, I am not the only one that is having the problem) The problem is, the TSS work is temporary, usually for a few months. I have been there, and still there, so I am not judging anyone. I have found myself saying the same things to my daughter after a few hours of temper tantrums. What do you do in instances where the child refuses to complete his/.her homework? I make her sit at the table until it is done. Sometimes she goes to bed and her homework is still not completed. I do not stand over her and say complete your homework, I check in on her every half hour or so. I should not have to fight with her to start or finish writing her spelling words 10 times each, or to complete a simple addition work sheet. She is 11 years old. She knows that she is supposed to put her coat away and start her homework as soon as she gets home; she has been doing that since she has been five years old. Nothing has changed. In addition, the homework she comes home with, she should be done within 20 minutes. So, why does she make it out to be this horrible task she has to complete? Why does she act as if completing her homework will hurt or kill her? I have offered her reward options if she completes her homework, but she is not interested in them. She would much rather sit at the table and whine or shut down. People just do not understand and are too quick to judge others without knowing the whole story. |
|
Return to the Message Board
