I'm starting to understand why people homeschool

[tmarquez]

I used to be one of those people who thought people that homeschooled were crazy (or at least weird!). But after a year and half with a kid in public school...I'm starting to "get it".

DD is in 1st grade and they have a reading program called "Chicken Pox". A kid reads for 75 mintues (logged and witnessed by their parents) turn it in and they get a "chicken pox" for their face they made for the program. If all kids get 20, they get a party or something.

It's day 8 of the program and DD is upset because she only has 3 "pox" and most of the other kids have 12 - 15.

That's 15 - 19 hours of reading in 8 days...1st graders. Does anyone actually buy that?

I sure don't. I know some of these kids (and the parents). The parents are cheating so that their little angels will "win" or "be first" or whatever. It's messed up!

Anyway...we learned a lesson, I guess.

 

[mamacatnv]

I'm a big fan of Charter Schools - we moved DD to a high achieving charter. DS went all the way thru high school in our local schools, what a difference 10 years and NCLB made.

Oh and to answer your question, I'm with you, I don't buy it

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I am with you. Unlikely a first grader can read 100 minutes a day. That is nearly 2 hours. Even if the parent was reading to them, it is a lot of time. I hate cheating parents. Wait until you get to pinewood derby and science fair to see the parents really shine.

 

[sunnyday123]

I am with you. Unlikely a first grader can read 100 minutes a day. That is nearly 2 hours. Even if the parent was reading to them, it is a lot of time. I hate cheating parents. Wait until you get to pinewood derby and science fair to see the parents really shine.

My first thought was "Science Fair"!! Dd won this year, mainly because you could see the effort she put into her project, and that no one helped her. It was obvious parents did the other projects. Her father overhead someone make a snide remark about her winning when they worked so hard on their kids project.

I would have to wander over to the chart and remark how the kids with "pox" ( really? that's the best they could come up with??) filling their faces must read until midnight to fit it all in. While making sure the teacher heard me.

 

[HsvTeacher]

I used to be one of those people who thought people that homeschooled were crazy (or at least weird!). But after a year and half with a kid in public school...I'm starting to "get it".

DD is in 1st grade and they have a reading program called "Chicken Pox". A kid reads for 75 mintues (logged and witnessed by their parents) turn it in and they get a "chicken pox" for their face they made for the program. If all kids get 20, they get a party or something.

It's day 8 of the program and DD is upset because she only has 3 "pox" and most of the other kids have 12 - 15.

That's 15 - 19 hours of reading in 8 days...1st graders. Does anyone actually buy that?

I sure don't. I know some of these kids (and the parents). The parents are cheating so that their little angels will "win" or "be first" or whatever. It's messed up!

Anyway...we learned a lesson, I guess.

I understand your frustration, but shouldn't the parents be to blame? They are the ones who are cheating, not the schools.

For the record, I also don't like incentive charts like the one you described. Not every child reads on the same level and at the same speed, so I don't understand how these incentives are encouraging. There are so many other ways to accomplish the same goal.

 

[jodifla]

I used to be one of those people who thought people that homeschooled were crazy (or at least weird!). But after a year and half with a kid in public school...I'm starting to "get it".

DD is in 1st grade and they have a reading program called "Chicken Pox". A kid reads for 75 mintues (logged and witnessed by their parents) turn it in and they get a "chicken pox" for their face they made for the program. If all kids get 20, they get a party or something.

It's day 8 of the program and DD is upset because she only has 3 "pox" and most of the other kids have 12 - 15.

That's 15 - 19 hours of reading in 8 days...1st graders. Does anyone actually buy that?

I sure don't. I know some of these kids (and the parents). The parents are cheating so that their little angels will "win" or "be first" or whatever. It's messed up!

Anyway...we learned a lesson, I guess.

Edited to add: I mean it's bull that they expect a 1st grader to do 75 minutes of reading, not that I don't believe you!

75??? What a load of bull.

It's 15 minutes in my district. Totally doable, and appropriate.

 

[amax]

the 75 minutes had to be in one day?

 

[jrmasm]

Edited to add: I mean it's bull that they expect a 1st grader to do 75 minutes of reading, not that I don't believe you!

75??? What a load of bull.

It's 15 minutes in my district. Totally doable, and appropriate.

I bet it's per week.

 

[glitterkittyy]

I bet it's per week.

I assumed it was cumulative. For each 75 minutes accumulated, the kid gets a bump for their face. <---BTW, that's weird. lol

Kids do this at my daughter's (middle) school for orchestra practice. They get extra credit for practicing their instruments at home. Some kids log 20 hours per week extra practice. I'm just not buying it.

 

[jfranklyn]

I'm not bashing homeschooling or anything, but try and look at it this way....

Life is full of people like this. Cheaters, people who "work the system", whether it be the kids themselves or their parents. It's unfortunate that your child had to learn that in 1st grade, but believe me, it's important that they learn it. If they were home with you, in an environment where they never encountered people like this, I would think that when they finally got into school, be it charter, or public, or college - that they would be SHOCKED by the level of cheating/lying/working the system that goes on and have no idea how to deal with it. Use this as a teaching tool with your child about honesty and playing by the rules - and then let it go. Otherwise, it's going to be a LOOOONG 11 years you've got ahead of you. You will encounter these types of parents everywhere - school, sports, I've even seen it in churches. It's pathetic, but a universal problem not solely restricted to public school.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I'm not bashing homeschooling or anything, but try and look at it this way....

Life is full of people like this. Cheaters, people who "work the system", whether it be the kids themselves or their parents. It's unfortunate that your child had to learn that in 1st grade, but believe me, it's important that they learn it. If they were home with you, in an environment where they never encountered people like this, I would think that when they finally got into school, be it charter, or public, or college - that they would be SHOCKED by the level of cheating/lying/working the system that goes on and have no idea how to deal with it. Use this as a teaching tool with your child about honesty and playing by the rules - and then let it go. Otherwise, it's going to be a LOOOONG 11 years you've got ahead of you. You will encounter these types of parents everywhere - school, sports, I've even seen it in churches. It's pathetic, but a universal problem not solely restricted to public school.

This is absolutely true.

BTW- The Chicken Pox idea is stupid imo.

 

[tmarquez]

Yes, it's cumulative. Once 75 mintues is done, they turn in the sheet...they can take as long as they want. Before this program it was 20 mintues of required reading a (school) day.

It is weird...but the kids are into it...I guess because most of them have never had the actual chicken pox...yuck!

I assumed it was cumulative. For each 75 minutes accumulated, the kid gets a bump for their face. <---BTW, that's weird. lol

Kids do this at my daughter's (middle) school for orchestra practice. They get extra credit for practicing their instruments at home. Some kids log 20 hours per week extra practice. I'm just not buying it.

 

[tmarquez]

I agree with you...lesson learned.

But to me (as an adult who has not lived a sheltered life at all) it's shocking that such a large group of parents of 1st graders would be doing this.

I'm not bashing homeschooling or anything, but try and look at it this way....

Life is full of people like this. Cheaters, people who "work the system", whether it be the kids themselves or their parents. It's unfortunate that your child had to learn that in 1st grade, but believe me, it's important that they learn it. If they were home with you, in an environment where they never encountered people like this, I would think that when they finally got into school, be it charter, or public, or college - that they would be SHOCKED by the level of cheating/lying/working the system that goes on and have no idea how to deal with it. Use this as a teaching tool with your child about honesty and playing by the rules - and then let it go. Otherwise, it's going to be a LOOOONG 11 years you've got ahead of you. You will encounter these types of parents everywhere - school, sports, I've even seen it in churches. It's pathetic, but a universal problem not solely restricted to public school.

 

[clovergirl5]

Here its 15min/day. Grades k-3rd from Oct.- March, kids get a coupon each month for free personal size pizza from Pizza Hut if they read their 15min/day for the month. Parents have to keep track on a chart. Its called "Book-It"

eta--the younger kids who can't read, parents read to them and they get the credit on their charts.

The chicken pox themed charting is kinda weird lol. But it sounds like the kids like it and are motivated by it (the ones that have parents who don't cheat on it lol)

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Eh, yea your dd is learning that people lie/cheat/etc. I agree with jfranklyn, it is everywhere.

Even my very savvy 7th grader had to learn something new this year about stealing. She got the item back however we knew the person stole it even though they played it off and we let them save face.

Lesson learned. You will have many many more lessons to come.

As far as the "prizes" for girls scouts, school book reading, donations, etc...we are now "numb" to it all.

 

[luvmy3]

I agree, the whole chicken pox thing is very odd. Our school as a great program and its open to all students.
If they read 15 minutes a night they have to mark it on a calender sheet(one is given to them each month). If they read at least 5 days in every week, at the end of the month they get to pick out a book to keep. I definitely like that much better than a chicken pox party

OP, unfortunately there is nothing you can do about other parents cheating, or doing their childs work etc, but you are definitely doing the right thing by making sure your child (and you) do the right thing. Thats a far more valuable lesson than being the kid in the class who read the most

 

[Momvic5]

I'm not bashing homeschooling or anything, but try and look at it this way....

Life is full of people like this. Cheaters, people who "work the system", whether it be the kids themselves or their parents. It's unfortunate that your child had to learn that in 1st grade, but believe me, it's important that they learn it. If they were home with you, in an environment where they never encountered people like this, I would think that when they finally got into school, be it charter, or public, or college - that they would be SHOCKED by the level of cheating/lying/working the system that goes on and have no idea how to deal with it. Use this as a teaching tool with your child about honesty and playing by the rules - and then let it go. Otherwise, it's going to be a LOOOONG 11 years you've got ahead of you. You will encounter these types of parents everywhere - school, sports, I've even seen it in churches. It's pathetic, but a universal problem not solely restricted to public school.

I agree...cheaters are everywhere...kids learn this early. I only disagree that homeschoolers are going to be SHOCKED when they do go to school. Other than school, they operate everday in the same world as everyone else and encounter cheaters...like you said, it is a universal problem that is not solely restricted to public schools.

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Homeschool mom here chiming...

Yes, it's ridiculous to expect a 1st grader to read for that amount of time. I have homeschooled all 3 of my girls and my youngest right now is in 1st grade. We only read 15 minutes once or twice a day. It is so much more beneficial to do it in smaller chunks like that. Unless you have an exceptional reader at that age, then I'd say your daughter's pox program is whacked!

Now, as for the argument that homeschooled kids won't learn how to deal with rude, cheating children, that isn't true. Unless you live in a cave somewhere of course! My kids are in ballet 3-4 times per week, piano lessons, recitals, field trips, playdates with neighborhood friends not to mention all the adult interaction they have as well during the week. I do think public kids may be more exposed to that kind of environment but homeschooled kids deal with it as well. It's an unfortunate lesson to learn but it isn't one that's only learned in the classroom.

 

[clovergirl5]

Op, If you think about it, in the long run the parents who cheated on reading charts for their kids, are the parents who are going to have kids who aren't great readers. I had a teacher tell me once, that reading is the most important thing in school. It decides if a child is right on track or falling behind. And if they are falling behind, its very hard to catch up. That is the one thing that is stressed more than anything in dc schools...Reading as much as you can.

Now, on the other hand, once my dc learned to read(1st grade), they would lay in bed for an hour reading before they went to sleep. Thats 60min right there. And the teachers also said they could use their reading time at school to add to their charts. It all adds up through the day. My 3 older dd's LOVE to read and always have. Ds on the other hand, is like pulling teeth to get to read on his own. Up until this year though. He is reading alot now and gets excited to tell me that he finished a long chapter book. He is enjoying it more now and does it on his own. As long as they are Pokemon and books about dogs

 

[Crystal0608]

Do they test the 1st graders on what they read? Just asking since starting in 2nd here, there is a point system where once you read an AP book you test on it when you finish. My dd started reading A LOT more to get those points and most of the time read an 80+ page book a night, 300 page on weekends so she could take a test everyday. The proof is in the test score that way. The chicken pox thing does sound odd, but last year dd's class read some book about chocolate or spots and came home with brown marker dots all over her face and loved it.