Comments on: Have you finished your homework

By: Ginny

Ginny — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:02:03 +0000

I know isn’t that upsetting when your kid does their homework like that. In 4th grade, my daughter had to make an instrument. She worked really hard & it turned out good.

The night before it was due, the boy’s dad brought in an entire drum set made out of PVC pipe! I was at the school & was shocked by it. He even bragged about how he made it & the teacher was eating it up. Another girl’s dad made a guitar out of wood. My daughter ended up getting an 8 out of 10 & was marked down in creativity.

I was furious, she worked so hard on it. Oh well, what can you do.

By: Tinkerella

Tinkerella — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 02:45:12 +0000

I used to teach 1-3 grade and I only gave a few homework projects all year. I specifically spoke with the parents about the importance of letting the kids do their own work (even if it looked horrible), but there was always a handful of completely obvious parent projects. I didn’t give grades, so I used to just hang up the ones I could tell the kids did, ohhhh and ahhh over them and tell them how beautiful the work was, and send the parent-made ones home. When the parents asked why their kids work wasn’t on the walls I’d say cause they didn’t really do the project.

By: Lisa A.

Lisa A. — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:37:38 +0000

It’s wonderful that you allow your son to have his own vision and work to get it done. The kids whose parents “help” them, are going to be totally perplexed when they get to college and have no idea how to do anything.

Your fog machine story reminds me of my own 3rd grade book report on “Little House on the Prairie.” We were supposed to dress like a character from a book we chose and give an oral report. I wore a long skirt and my hair in braids and announced I was Laura. After giving my report, the next girl got up. She was also Laura, but she had on an authentic looking (to my 8 year old eyes at least!) 19th century costume, complete with fur-trimmed hat, cape and muff. I was mortified. Of course, even at that young age, I knew that my meager appearance was more in keeping with the real Laura, but it still smarted to be shown up in public like that!

By: Sheri

Sheri — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:24:53 +0000

We had one teacher, when my son was in 4th grade, who got so disgusted with all the work that was clearly being done by parents that she sent home note that specifically said, they are to do their own work. I’m sure it didn’t make much difference, but that just shows how bad it was. It just doesn’t teach them anything, and I don’t want my son calling me from college asking me to come do his projects. They have to learn sometime.

By: Zen Mama Wannabe

Zen Mama Wannabe — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:08:34 +0000

My husband spent one evening at Kinko’s (doing HIS own work – getting a presentation ready) and was shocked to see all the parents busy copying and fixing up these project boards while the KIDS sat in chairs against the wall with their cell phones and iPods! He couldn’t help thinking, “This is what it has come to?!”

I think it’s GREAT your kids take on the responsibility of doing their own work. You are teaching them valuable lessons (like you said, your vision isn’t necessarily his vision and after all, it is HIS project).

What makes me sad is that most the other parents are not like that and it throws off the grading curve. Why don’t TEACHERS step up and say they want the assignment done by the student and only the student and if they discover otherwise a failing grade on that project will be given. Wonder how all the volcanos and board games would look THEN??

By: Katherine owlfan

Katherine owlfan — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:06:50 +0000

I wish I had kids who would want to get work done early! Instead mine seem to want to wait until the last minute, which I dislike.

I try to keep out of homework, other than reminding, though I am always willing to try to explain something (even if a certain 12 yo will almost always tell me that I am wrong – which I am not). I don’t tend to know about tests, but the projects are pretty obvious. I got thanked on the science fair project acknowledgements page for “nagging to get the project done”. Other than buying/finding supplies that was about my level of participation.

I’ll agree that it is very discouraging to see all the parental projects out there, but I have been assured by the teachers that they appreciate the student projects, even though they may not look as nice and orderly.