Back to School Nights
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- September
- 25
Am I the only mother NOT taking copious notes at these back to school nights? After all, I’m not the one going to school—my girls are. And I DO think it’s their responsibility at this age (12 and 14) to take their own notes/understand what the teacher expects from them.
The other night: Sydney had Spanish homework that was clearly difficult. She asked for my help. I noticed that the top of the page said “Please do this alone. Do not ask for help.”
“I think your teacher needs to know you need help with this,” I told her. “I can’t give you the answers” (though I felt good that luckily I knew them—I haven’t been able to do her math homework for years). What I did help with—steering her in the right direction so she could find the answers.
Isn’t that what back to school night should be about? Not also: about trying to “make friends”/suck up to teacher so she’ll like you and in turn like your kid. I can’t tell you how many people I saw doing THAT too!
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, September 25th, 2007 at 3:21 pm by Jeanne Muchnick.
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It’s hard to suck up to the nuns here, they see through that kind of thing ;)
I have a BIG beef with the expectation that parents will be helping their kids with their homework. And, I don’t mean the occasional “steering her in the right direction�. I mean things such as 2nd grade projects that require internet research and higher-level motor skills, or “challenge� homework covering topics not yet taught. I think it’s a way that schools think they’re encouraging parental involvement.
Homework that routinely requires parents’ help is also a sure way to insure that the gap between the high and low-income groups continues to grow. Think about it. Busy working class parents are less likely to have the time or money to help their kids out than wealthier parents.
As best as I have been able, I have boycotted homework that requires parent’s help. This doesn’t make me very popular with the school, but I try to stand my ground.
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce