Homework.....Government cover-up?

[Carphunter]

I thought PW, Ralph, Kenny and others might have some fun with my theory.<br /><br />I have two young boys who are in second grade. They are doing work now that I did when I was in the fourth or fifth grade. At the very least, they bring 35 to 45 minutes of homework home every night except Fridays. My theory is: This homework takes a lot of input from the parents, so.......... is this the governments secret way of really educating the parents? <br /><br />I predict that I will have to start studying, so I will be able to help with the homework .....

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

Actually it is very interesting to hear they are ahead of where you were at the same grade level. All you ever hear about is how bad the schools are. Perhap, they were just much worse in your day (70s right?) and they are just getting back to were they were in our parent's day?

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

Carphunter, I am probably going to slammed on this. But your kids are getting so much Homework because the the kids have to have so many nonsense classes they can't properly teach the kids so they send homework and you end up teaching your kid. <br /><br />My stepdaughter when she was in school had only a 45 minute math class before she had to go to library. the teachers always complained that there was never enough time to cover required material.

 

[plywoody]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

I have never understood this homework stuff. I don't think I ever did any homework ever thru junior high school.<br /><br />But I do recall having a big argument with my daughter's math teacher and the principal, who in my view were simply refusing to make the class accesible to her, and I insisted upon getting the teacher's lesson plans, and I would teach her algebra and trig myself. I thought it would be a piece of cake, and man did I have to scramble to keep ahead of her. It is amazing how much of that stuff you forget in not too long a time.

 

[KennyKenCan]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

Well, what do want, the teacher to have to work?<br /><br />The problem here where I live seems to be that the teachers became teachers only to have to work for 180 days out of the year!<br /><br />They are always too busy planning their 1 week fall recess vacation, their 1 week Christmas recess vacation, their 1 week Spring recess vacation, and their 3 month summer vacation!<br /><br />These spoiled rotten teachers complain to the school board when their class has more than 8 students, claiming its against "union rules" to have more than 8 students!<br /><br />These same teachers then need a 10 minute break every hour for a cigarette. (Lets not go there!!)<br /><br />This is why they send home so much homework, because they don't have enough time during school hours to teach the required material, so they send it home with your child and tell you to teach them!<br /><br />Basically, they want you to do, what they get paid to do, for free, so that they can continue to make their holiday plans.<br /><br />My Mom was a teacher for 35 years, and she would have continued, but the teachers of today put so much pressure on her, because she did not do the things I listed above, to conform to their way.<br /><br />The principle even demanded that she stop teaching summer school, because she was making the rest of them look bad for not teaching during the summer!?<br /><br />When the teachers start doing their jobs again, you will see that your children would bring home less homework.<br /><br />At least thats how it works here where I live.<br /><br />Kenny

 

[jim phillips]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

I have 5 kids in school from 1st. to 10th. grade and i can not belive the home work that they bring home.They come home, change clothes, start hgome work, break for dinner,do home work untill time for showers, do home work untill time for bed. Not much of a life for a kid. no time to play or relaxe they put in a longer day then i do at work. Some thing needs to change.

 

[11 footer]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

hehehe<br />I like the way you guys think!!!!!

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

If kids are getting so much homework, etc, then where is the "education" crisis? Why are test scores down as I keep hearing? What am I missing?

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

because kids nowadays get graded mostly on homework and not on tests. this helps pass everyone regardless of their knowledge of the subject. even if the homework is all wrong, they correct it in class and then get credit for it. the only real way to fail today is not turning in any homework.

 

[DJ]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

Carphunter,<br /><br />My wife and I home educated our children from 3 rd grade through high school. Their typical school was from 8:00 AM until Noon.<br /><br />There is a lot to be said for all the other "stuff" that makes up the rest of the typical school day. Most of it nonsense.<br /><br />I'll catch it for this. However, many parents want their children in school all day. It's a cheap babysitter.

 

[Carphunter]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

I believe its like I said guys, they are trying to secretly educate the parents, so we can teach our children. <br />Our Principal says that the school curriculum is decided by the state, not by the particular school, and that they are just teaching what is required of them. Who votes on this stuff?<br /><br />Lucky Jim, I hear ya man. Its rediculous how much homework my boys have now, and they are only in the Second grade!<br /><br />Ralph, I am an '87 graduate, so it would have been late seventies! <br /><br />Kenny, Jgregory, I agree 100%. There are some very good teachers at my boys school, but they are required to teach a certain way, and that is probably not the way they would always want to teach.<br /><br />As I said before, I am gonna have to go back to school, just so I can be of some help to my kids!<br /><br />My boys can learn more important lessons on the water with dad, then they could doing all this homework, but whats a parent to do?

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

Right on MY. I remember when I was in High school 80% of my grade was Homework. I almost didn't graduate because because I had this crazy notion that school stayed in school. After a sever beating and the thought of summer school I did enough homework to get by.<br /><br />Looking back I think Homework is important as long as it is reasonable, (reasonable in my book is 10mins per class per night)with the goal to be reinforcing lessons in class. But kids need to blow off steam also. I wonder if half the s**t that's happening in schools with kids going after each other is because of stress.

 

[DJ]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

Carphunter,<br /><br />You ask: "Who votes on this stuff?"<br /><br />Well, that is precisely the problem. National elections have somewhere around a 50% turnout of eligible voters. State/local elections are far less.<br /><br />Apathy is the "state of the day" in this country.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

In California the problem is that teachers are teaching kids to be test takers, and not critical thinkers. So much is based on how schools (not students) score on the S9 tests.<br /><br />My kids come home with so much homework, they have no time to be kids. Its riduclous too have weekends and vacations ruined because your kids are stressinng out over homework.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

That's why after the first 2, my wife and I decided that when the littlest aspeck gets to school age, it will be homeschool. More work for us - you betcha! But I believe it will be worth it, and through church and other social settings (like the hunting camp - he-he) there will be plenty of social interaction with others and she will not be isolated or unbalanced in social developmental skills, but will probably be ahead of the curve.

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

i can't argue with most of the stuff here. i don't know the exact structure of things in school, but here in my state, it must bite to be a teacher. mainly due to the bureacracy and stress. i know - lots of jobs have stress...<br /><br />i believe my wife, a 3rd grd teacher, gives a test on ea subject weekly, and then a couple extra when near midterm,etc. on thurs nights, when she is getting the fri folders ready to go home for parents to see the progress of the week, i sometimes file the individual students papers for her. they are more advanced than was my similar grade way back when. <br /><br />maybe its due to higher standards, or maybe just because some gov study listed the children are capable of more/earlier?<br /><br />i think a good generalization could be that alot of the problem is due to working a way around failing/holding back slower learners. i'm pretty sure that this causes diff scheduling every yr, just because the pace has to be adjstd to let the class stick together. some yrs the whole class is much more advanced per term than other yrs, and i imagine it leads to more homework to quicken the pace. JMHO<br /><br />btw- she loves to have a class of enthusiastic learners, and it does affect her demeanor(at home) during the school yr its a good thing. well, a good thing for awhile. until admin decides to move all the upcoming children with subpar performance into the classrooms of teachers with higher ratings from prev yrs... another cycle begins

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

I am blown away by this thread. I would have expected the exact opposite. Complaints about not enough homework and kids skating by... I am dumbfounded!

 

[aspeck]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

ebb, I agree with what you say. I have several good friends in the teaching profession and they ARE GOOD TEACHERS! The problem is there is no time for them to teach because of all the other things the school district bought into (if they would teach it, they could get gov. funding for 3 years, but then the funding dries up and no one wants to cut classes) and the need to "mainstream" special needs students. <br /><br />Before anyone gets bent about that, I think that special needs students need special attention and there are times when it works for them to be in classes with others. But the "regular" (I know, not a good term, but don't know what else to use) students are held back from in class time because of this. Solution - make them do hours of home work!<br /><br />Home work is good for kids (and parents) but not to the extent that it takes away from fishin' and huntin' er, I mean, good quality family time. 10 minutes per class may be a little on the light side (not much can be done in 10 minutes), but 45 minutes to an hour in each subject is way too much.<br /><br />Okay, I will shut up now - wife wants me to get the SUV cleaned and ready for 'Cation and the pool needs one last sweeping and the lawn needs mowed ...

 

[DJ]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

Ralph,<br /><br />I think the point being made here is that there is too much non educational garbage being tossed in with the basics. <br /><br />Both my mother and mother in law were teachers. They got out because they could not teach the basics anymore-little time. It was very frustrating for them. They were forced to teach to the lowest level. Bringing low level performers up to a higher standard was not on the agenda of the administrators.<br /><br />As far as home education goes, everyone always says: "what about the socialization?"<br /><br />Well, with what's going on in schools today, do you want them socializing with all the misfits?<br /><br />If my sons were any more social, they would both need day planners. During their homeschool years they went to someone elses house, at least twice a week, for a class. The group we were in each had specialists in certain subjects. These classes were 10-15 students each. Not to mention the sports leagues they were/are involved in.<br /><br />"Socialization" is a NON issue. It is used by those against or those ignorant of what's available out there.<br /><br />Aspeck, good luck in your choice. You will enjoy it.

 

[lakeman1999]

Re: Homework.....Government cover-up?

I'll catch it for this. However, many parents want their children in school all day. It's a cheap babysitter.

You oughta take a look at my tax bill. <br /><br />The biggest problem with the schools today, is instead of teaching a subject, and then testing to see if they are getting it, they teach the answers to the test (instead of the subject), so every student will pass, and make the district look good, and keep their success (success????) rate up. For instance, there is a class to teach them to pass the sat test, whereas they are supposed to take the sat test to see if they have learned anything. Graduates from high school do not have the education they had when I went to school back in the 40's and early 50's.