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"To the parent of six kids who is craving MORE homework . . .what is stopping you from providing whatever enrichment material or drills you would like for your children? Why must the school do it for you?"
If what they need to learn is not the multiplication tables, but how to be obey constituted authority, that wouldn't really help, would it?
imcurious, since you have done your reading about the history of modern compulsory education, then you must know that it was instituted during the industrial age for the benefit of business magnates like Rockefeller, Carnegie, & Morgan. There's lots more to know, but suffice it to say, it was never really about helping the children. Fortunately, we've come a long way since then.
And, my concern about your mental health was genuine, but since you've implied you're a-okay, I'll leave well enough alone and stick to the discussion at hand. Might I suggest you do the same?
This is just beyond the pale. I must have really hit a nerve with you for you to sink to such a low, vicious, personal attack. Please direct me to what it was I said that made you fear for my mental health.
[quote=brooklynborndad;17501971][quote=Magritte25;17501933]She didn't do the assignment as directed and she was actually quite flip in her remarks to the teacher.
Quote:
She said that to US. Thats not what she turned in.
I apologize. I read it that she wrote that as her paper.
It seems quite reasonable, especially at a school where the kids work like bears all week. They are entitled to SOME time off.
But don't worry too much, the policy was not enforced.
Even at that rate, it's not a phenomenon I've ever experienced or observed. I have observed that assignments are often not given over breaks (probably due to the high likelihood that they'd not be completed, anyway...losing battle, that one), but I've not observed instances where it's due to policy or mandate.
BTW - this has been a lively and interesting discussion thread that I have enjoyed- though it should be noted that the OP is NOT a parent - which is why their posts are laughable to me.
Last year, my son had an assignment over Spring Break. He had to make a timeline of his life, including photos. It took about 2, 3 hours from start to finish. I guess I don't see the big deal really.
"People that take issue with structure, rules and respect always pull out the "creativity and independent thought" cards. "
Structures should be created democratically, rules should be functional and mutually agreed on, and respect must be mutual. This assignment was stupid, it was profoundly useless to this population (leaving aside the question of how many actually used drugs, was the assumption that all kids were interested in celebrities. We do not own a TV, and our DD does not follow celebrities, other than JK Rowlings) And what she said was PRECISELY on the mark. The excess of homework at her school is a threat to the students mental health, and adding an additional useless assignment WAS more likely to add to drug abuse than to decrease it. Of course she had the sense to hand in what was expected, but ALSO the sense and self awareness to to see what was wrong.
"People that say this don't realize that in order to be truly creative there must be rules and respect. You can't just slop something on a paper and say it's creative."
She is a perfectionist, the massive amounts of homework are PRECISELY what has taught her to do less than she otherwise would want. Her fifth grade teacher once marked her down for writing too long.
"Even the most abstract art forms are confined to a framework of accepted rules"
Generally rules not created by timeserving idiots though.
Last year, my son had an assignment over Spring Break. He had to make a timeline of his life, including photos. It took about 2, 3 hours from start to finish. I guess I don't see the big deal really.
We are talking big academic assignments.
Either your school has more reasonable assigments, or your kid is one of those fortunate, non-gifted, non-perfectionist kids the system seems designed for. Enjoy your good fortune.
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