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Two suggestions: seek out a Christian school for your children/grandchildren and take the rest up with the religion forum, where you'll likely find more people who share your perspective on the matter. In the meantime, let's stick to the topic, shall we? This is a thread about homework, not the role of religion in public school.
You have TOTALLY missed everyone's point on this subject-you are under no requirements to do the homework if you don't want to (but then again the school is free to fail your child). If you think that family time is more important then your child doing homework, perhaps you should homeschool otherwise, accept the consequences of your child not doing homework and leave it at that.
Also, schools are NOT state run, they are run by school districts either on the local or county level with locally elected representatives serving on the school board. The state sets guidelines for graduation requirements and the local districts can add to those as necessary.
No, you have missed the point. I am the one who started this thread, so I get to determine what the point of the thread is and it is explained in the title.
Duh, of course any idiot could refuse to have their child do homework and the child would flunk. That has nothing to do with the topic of the power of schools and WHY they have the ability (who gave it to them?) to assign homework that infringes upon family time and to insist that parents help their children with assignments.
That was a very specific argument and no one really addressed it. Instead, people took the opportunity to explain how their children are so special they can do homework in fifteen minutes, or that they have managed their lives to cater to their children's schedules, so it is not a burden, or that they think that sports or other activities or superfluous . . . the only parent who gave the topic any serious consideration is also contemplating Montessori for her kids (which I personally think is wonderful).
But no one really got into the meat of the topic.
Teachers defended their "reasons" for giving homework . . . but nowhere is it addressed who gave schools the authority to take not only six hours out of every weekday as compulsory education, but to pile onto that whatever they deem "necessary."
No, you have missed the point. I am the one who started this thread, so I get to determine what the point of the thread is and it is explained in the title.
Duh, of course any idiot could refuse to have their child do homework and the child would flunk. That has nothing to do with the topic of the power of schools and WHY they have the ability (who gave it to them?) to assign homework that infringes upon family time and to insist that parents help their children with assignments.
That was a very specific argument and no one really addressed it. Instead, people took the opportunity to explain how their children are so special they can do homework in fifteen minutes, or that they have managed their lives to cater to their children's schedules, so it is not a burden, or that they think that sports or other activities or superfluous . . . the only parent who gave the topic any serious consideration is also contemplating Montessori for her kids (which I personally think is wonderful).
But no one really got into the meat of the topic.
Teachers defended their "reasons" for giving homework . . . but nowhere is it addressed who gave schools the authority to take not only six hours out of every weekday as compulsory education, but to pile onto that whatever they deem "necessary."
This is just a result of the way schools have evolved in this country. I am sure that if you went to your public school and told them that you do not want your child doing homework they may try to accommodate your request.
My children get homework packets over the summer. For one of my friends, summer homework unacceptable. She has infomed her children's schools that her kids will not be doing any schoolwork over the summer and sure enough they have never completed the assignments. It has never been held against them.
Who has given the schools the "authority"? You have, or your ancestors. From the first compulsory education laws in the early 1800s (because the New England mill owners wanted workers who could read, write and cipher at a minimum level) to today with the push for all day Kindergarten and, coming soon to a school system near you, compulsory Pre-K.
The school boards that are voted in, or appointed, follow rules set out by the state Departments of Education. Parents demand more school, experts say that's a good thing and everything falls into line.
It used to be until the 1970s that someone could drop out at 16 and find a job that would pay the bills with a minimum of education. No more. Even the most rudimentary tasks require a level of education and sophistication not needed 40 years ago.
I gave my 9th graders homework today, a vocabulary list about the 1920s. Not because I wanted to fill up their 3 day weekend (Monday is a furlough day for me) but because the school system's popularly elected school board has mandated that all high school students will have weekend homework a minimum of twice a month in each subject along with break packets at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Why is that? The parents demanded it.
As far as helping my 4 kids with their homework (oldest is 27, youngest is 14), I can count on my hands the number of times I helped them, and their mother comes up with the same number (now I did haul all of them around to various activities. Enough so that I couldn't wait until they got their driver's licenses). The oldest graduated from college with a 3.98, the second is finishing up his Engineering degree and the 3rd one has a 3.95 in her junior year of college.
By what right do public schools get to mandate compulsory homework that interferes with family time?
It is enough that kids must be in school 180 days per year, six hours per day. But by some magic, somehow they have badgered parents into accepting homework standards which are outrageous and do nothing to further the child's actual intelligence or love of learning (in fact, homework does the opposite).
Rote memorization and ridiculous projects don't a fascinating, intelligent human being make.
A well-rounded person might need down time, time to read and reflect, time to play outside, time to devote to sports or music or just do NOTHING. But no, the state run school systems say that homework is mandatory, sometimes starting in Kindergarten.
Where my family resided, homework was given in first grade. I would assist the family member with the 20 pages that were given for the entire week. I encouraged the child to do as much as possible in one sitting so as to leave free time later on. It was painful. And of course it only got worse and more outrageous.
I know high school students who voluntarily get little sleep because they are trying to keep their grades up - they work till 1:00 a.m. - often.
Schools are deadly boring testing institutes to begin with, add homework to the mix and I can seriously see why some kids crack and commit suicide, get into drugs or otherwise rebel.
The other, related subject is the school's expectation that parents MUST help. It's not enough that one person do the work, it now takes a team. If you have more than one kid, your life as parents is pretty miserable because of the schools. If you have lots of kids, it has to be hell! The schools no longer just guilt you into helping, they have some kind of plans that the parents have to agree to. What if you are sick or have a demanding job or DON'T WANT TO DO SCHOOLWORK (again)?
Too bad.
Who has given schools the authority to take over family time and family life in this abusive way?
If you don't like it then homeschool and give your kids NO homework.
Then see how they do on college entrance exams or HS exit exams to get their diploma.
You have a choice here..do it yourself or find a school that doesn't give homework.
Who has given the schools the "authority"? You have, or your ancestors. From the first compulsory education laws in the early 1800s (because the New England mill owners wanted workers who could read, write and cipher at a minimum level) to today with the push for all day Kindergarten and, coming soon to a school system near you, compulsory Pre-K.
The school boards that are voted in, or appointed, follow rules set out by the state Departments of Education. Parents demand more school, experts say that's a good thing and everything falls into line.
It used to be until the 1970s that someone could drop out at 16 and find a job that would pay the bills with a minimum of education. No more. Even the most rudimentary tasks require a level of education and sophistication not needed 40 years ago.
I gave my 9th graders homework today, a vocabulary list about the 1920s. Not because I wanted to fill up their 3 day weekend (Monday is a furlough day for me) but because the school system's popularly elected school board has mandated that all high school students will have weekend homework a minimum of twice a month in each subject along with break packets at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Why is that? The parents demanded it.
As far as helping my 4 kids with their homework (oldest is 27, youngest is 14), I can count on my hands the number of times I helped them, and their mother comes up with the same number (now I did haul all of them around to various activities. Enough so that I couldn't wait until they got their driver's licenses). The oldest graduated from college with a 3.98, the second is finishing up his Engineering degree and the 3rd one has a 3.95 in her junior year of college.
The missing piece is that parents do not VOTE on how school policy will play out. The process is hidden; invisible, and not accessible to parents (I know, I tried going the school board route).
The agenda is presented and parents just take it. That's how it "works."
I think any pre-K legislation is misguided, which is another issue.
If you don't like it then homeschool and give your kids NO homework.
Then see how they do on college entrance exams or HS exit exams to get their diploma.
You have a choice here..do it yourself or find a school that doesn't give homework.
Missed my point again. The "common school" model (i.e., now "public school") was supposed to accommodate the large swath of "the public."
Not everyone CAN home school (for financial and/or other reasons). And there are no high school exit exam requirements for home schools, or if there is a requirement, it can be opted out of by parental signature on a waiver.
If you read about the history of homework you'll see that both amount assigned and the public's view has fluctuated over the years; there have been backlashes against homework levels deemed excessive in the past, with laws passed to regulate appropriate levels (in 1901, for example, California banned homework for grades K-8). It will presumably continue to change in the future, so one way or the other it's not a set-in-stone concept or reality. Currently most people are pretty pro-homework, but we'll see what the climate looks like in 10 or 20 years.
Schools and districts have the ability to put in place homework policies, so the most effective way to more systematically address this (for those who do have concerns) is to work on that level to create policies that are age- and grade-appropriate. If nothing else it's a way to have an open discussion among all parties involved.
I do find it frustrating to see so many of the responses be, essentially, "if you don't like it then go elsewhere." I don't think that's a healthy attitude for schools, parents, teachers, or kids. That doesn't mean that all parents should get their way at all times, but it's certainly reasonable to expect that the public can and should be involved in helping to shape a community's schools.
And (as illustrated by the parents in North Beach Person's district) parents have power; some parents are out there demanding MORE mandated homework. Parents who don't agree with that stance need to also speak out and make their voices heard.
The book "The Case Against Homework" has a very useful section suggesting point-by-point how parents can discuss this topic with other parents, with teachers, with school boards, etc., and how to get policies created (or changed, if needed).
The kids can still take the AP test without taking an actual AP class if they want to try for credit. A lot of schools aren't giving "credit" so much as putting them into higher level classes to start but it works out to be the same.
Look at any job postings and many of them want people proficient in PowerPoint. I know most companies use PowerPoint for everything these days. Our kids were learning PowerPoint in about 2nd grade. It isn't difficult but putting together a presentation is a valuable skill-PowerPoint is just one way to present that presentation.
I'd love to teach AP chemistry but I don't see that in my future unless our district about doubles in size and that isn't going to happen any time soon. Seriously, the top 20% of my students belong in AP chemistry or, at least, honors chemistry. You should see my grade curve. It kind of looks like a ski slope with A's being the high point.
The consensus seems to be that parents want homework, so it would be an upstream fight to attempt to change it. I think it is much easier to get "tougher standards" because that SEEMS more logical and that it would do more good . . . on the surface it seems like the common sense approach. If you dig a little deeper, you begin to see the flaws in the thinking, but most people aren't really deep thinkers.
It's counter-intuitive to suggest that less homework could result in more relaxed students who might view school in a more positive light and therefore learn more while they are there.
I wish someone would do a study of the negative impact of homework on students and involve students in the study - I think you would find horrible stress, medical conditions caused by the stress and a host of behavioral and psychological problems brought on by pressure HAVING TO LIVE IN AN INSTITUTIONALIZED SOCIETY (thank God I was raised when I was when kids were allowed to "roam free" and there were not so many rules and standards). Poor kids these days are simply commodities to be "our future." The heck with what they might want or how their spirits or natures would prefer to be. They must BE PRODUCTIVE above all else. Homework is a sign that something is being produced, even if it is a huge waste of time (meaning, a waste of one's life spent in useless pursuit just to please people who don't know what they are doing in terms of the theory of it).
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Seriously, the top 20% of my students belong in AP chemistry or, at least, honors chemistry. You should see my grade curve. It kind of looks like a ski slope with A's being the high point.