I learned that in some ways homework is overrated.
Why? Well let me just tell you. I have talked before about how Lauren never has homework and if she does she can almost always finish it between school and home (15 minutes if there is traffic) she gets excellent marks and rarely misses a beat.
This is a bone I have picked with her school since first grade...where is the homework, how are they learning to budget their time against work and play etc. You would not believe me if I told you the response, well perhaps you would - but let’s just say it had something to do with busy schedules and parents complaining and the work not getting done....but then they would always say NEXT YEAR she will have more...then next year would come and I would bark up that same tree again and they started saying "well, she must get her work done in class, good for her" and I would argue not teaching her responsibility etc...
I finally quit barking, counted myself lucky she only has a short time left in elementary school and now we are just biding our time (poor Lauren)
Fast forward to...tonight; Lauren actually has homework. Something to do with Ute Indian Dances...she is supposed to research a Ute dance, make a poster board and potentially be prepared to talk about it in class on Wed. She had dance till 6:30 and came right home to dinner and home work –
She was enthusiastic and ready to go…until she realized that she still didn’t fully understand the POINT to what she was doing. Can you blame her? She is happy to go through the motions and do the work but she questions why she has to spend all this time learning about a dance the Ute’s did…again can you blame her? Some of her comments…Everyone is doing the same project “how silly”, what am I supposed to say about a dance?, I mean I read all this stuff, they use snakes and that is gross but what is the point to the poster-board? I just don’t get this assignment. I could just take some notes and talk about it right?
All that coming from a girl that LOVES to make things on poster board…
Ok…so back to what I learned this week: The moral of my story is - maybe not having homework is a good thing – at least she isn’t wasting time each and every night on pointless assignments.
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14 comments:
It's a mixed bag.
Learning to budget time is very important, especially with longer assignments (like projects).
I think daily homework- for the sake of it- can be wasted time.
Can you believe I would say that?
Secret message: That button idea is one I would LOVE but I don't think I have the nerve to post it.
We can communicate more on this. I'm interested in the topic.
Kiki's homework consists of reading every night for at least 20 minutes and then a word study packet that comes home Mon. and is due Friday. I'm fine with it. I'm not looking forward to projects though. That may have to be my husband's territory.
Boy I sure don't miss those days of homework AT all! Some of my kids did them on their own..other's needed me to be over their shoulder telling them the next step! You would think by the time they got to HS it would have changed! NOT! It was HORRIBLE! I feel for you...there are LOTS of FUN days ahead!
And a project like that in two nights?! I think it should have been longer time frame...just my two cents! ;-)
So far my kids' homework hasn't been too bad. We're only in 2nd and K but it is a chore to get my 2nd grader to focus. I like the idea of having a weekly packet to do at your own time. I agree with Laura - budgeting time gets to be so important as they get older, more activities, etc.
Well Sammy doesn't have homework yet (obviously) however, I remember the days of doing homework. I didnt really have to study for things because I did my homework and it drilled the things in for me. If I didn't have homework I am sure I would have had to study or my grades would have been worse. I think it is weird that she doesnt have any.. but its better than having pointless stuff!
definitely not looking forward to homework
Oh what a lucky girl to embrace such a topic. My grandfather was 100% Native American (Blackfoot and Cherokee). The (Northern) Ute tribe is native to Colorado. It is also how the state Utah got its name. The Ute tribe, especially the Northern region, were known to be exceptional artist. That must be why the teacher is asking to focus on the "dancing" part, although the jewelry making and paintings had more recognition.
Who knows, Native Americans may have actually made footsteps through your back yard at some point in time.
Girl. I had to read that twice to be sure you were complaining about NOT having homework!? OMG. I have complained that we have too much homework and so did other parents until the school cut back. THANKFULLY. They are in school for 8 hours a day. I am more than happy for my kids to play when they get home. I detest the homework wars. Fortunately my kids don't have much trouble with theirs. Not yet anyway.
Hey, thanks for hanging with the carny people! And choosing mine!! :-)
we detest dumb projects!
oooh, I learned a long time ago to NEVER say "why no homework?" LOL
we had a weird "why are we doing this" project this year.
For a book report my 7th grader had to do a 1 min. puppet show do you know how much time (and some $$) we spent on MAKING a puppet for a 1 MINUET puppet show???? and what did she learn? she got 0/5 for going over the 1 min!!! (she actually got 40/45 on the whole project - but come on!)
~Tidymom
LOL! I remember thinking that same thing about certain assignments. There needs to be homework on how to budget your monthly budget... ha!
http://elislids.blogspot.com/
Great point and lesson learned.
Well, I get Lauren's dilemma - it was not doing the assignment, or doing it in a timely manner. Lauren never has a problem with that. She is was puzzled by "how" the assignment was given to the class.....wondering why every kid in the class is reporting and illustrating on the same aspect of the same tribe and how that was going to be intersting to hear basically the same stuff from every kid. Not much point to the assignment in a Grams opinion!!!
Homework is a tricky thing.
Some parents DEMAND more...some BEG for less. I try very hard to keep it to a minimum and have it be something that has a point.
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