I'm starting to understand why people homeschool

[glitterkittyy]

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.

That's what they do at my DD's elementary school too. She has to take an AP test after reading the book.

 

[clovergirl5]

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.

My dc do that too. I believe it eccelerated reading tests. They earn pts to buy things at the school store. They took those tests after every book they read.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

My oldest son taught himself to read by age 4 and was/is a voracious reader. For him, that would have been a stretch at that age. For my younger son, it would not have been possible at that age. In fact, we struggle to get him to read a few chapters in a book every night, and he is in the 4th grade.

Twelve to fourteen 75 minute sessions in 8 days? Did the kids do anything else? I'm with everyone else - not buying it.

I agree that kids need to be required to read at home. My 4th grader has to read 5 books (or 500 pages worth of books) per marking period. For each book, he has to fill out a card describing the book. The parents have to sign off on the work. This is for a percentage of his grade, and we like it. It forces us, as parents, to make sure that he gets in his reading - something that we didn't even have to consider with our first...

 

[allison443]

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

I have a dd who would have happily read for 75 minutes a day but I'm pretty sure most kids wouldn't or don't have the time. There's no way "everyone else" in the class is reading that much every day.

OP if you've read any of the homeschooling threads, it seems like most homeschoolers participate in activities in the community like scouts, library reading programs, etc. So you're problems with these cheating parents would not go away if you homeschool. Like another poster said, you could use it as a lesson for your dd.

 

[tmarquez]

No, there are no tests. I think they do this in 2nd grade though. Most of the kids in the class are only reading the simplest of books. I think there are 3 kids in DD's "reading group"...they are reading regular chapter books. They don't take tests either, but do simple books reports.

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.

 

[Pembo]

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.

ROFL! I hated the pinewood derby!!!

 

[ajwomic]

Ours is called 100 book challenge. My son loves to read and also loves a personal challenge. He has read 1 hour a day , including weekends since the beginning of 2nd grade. He is now in 4th. I know some parents have thought we were cheaters because he has so many lines, but he really does the reading. Our school does have a limit of how many lies you ca count per night per grade to discourage what you have described. I think 1st grade they were only allowed to record 30 minutes a day. Once I did get ticked b/c a kid in his grade passed him and I knew that was not possible because my son to that point had read the max allowed. So they had obviously fudged the lines and recorded more than allowed. Some people are that way. It is also frustrating when you child actually is doing the work and people a suspicious. So ya never know.
Alicia

 

[mjkacmom]

ROFL! I hated the pinewood derby!!!

In our house, the kids do things themselves (makes it easier for us!). I still remember one of ds's cars - shaped like a whale! Nothing more aerodynamic than a whale! NOT!

 

[bumbershoot]

Although my brother and I could probably have met those goals REALLY fast, I know from experience that most kids at that age (or any age, really, at least among the people we went to school with) have to be lying their teeth off.

We're homeschooling, and DS has run into some cheaters already. But the difference is...I'm right there with him and see the behaviour, and can help him if he wants it, or just listen to him. I know it has happened so there's no doubt of what he's seeing/experiencing. That's the lovely difference. (and if he starts to be a cheater, I know that immediately, too!)

 

[Tinkmom75]

I hated pinewood derby also. Also artsy projects for school. I refuse to do my children's projects. It is not my job. I already went to school and suffered through those things. I think there should be an options. Some students see these type of projects as fun, others like to talk and do reports etc. My DS is not artsy either and it is agony when your project looks awful and others are all prim and proper. I still don't believe in doing a childs project though.

I don't think 1st graders are reading that much, but starting in about 4th grade my DS really started to enjoy fictional reading (previously it was all non fiction books about dinos, bugs etc.) and will still read about and hour each night at bedtime. My DD is an avid reader as well and started really getting into it in 3rd grade. They would bring books to the dinner table if we let them.

 

[Magic Mom]

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!

Are the parents allowed to read to the children? DD has to read a certain number of minutes an evening, and when she was younger, parents were encouraged to spend some of that time reading to their children. Sometimes we would read a higher level chapter book and if we were really into I would read for a long time. Now she only had to read 30 minutes an evening, and we would just count it for that night whether we read for 1/2 an hour or 2 hours.

If your child is upset by the competing aspect of it, but loves the reading, set your own goal (make it challenging) at home. If she meets your home goal let her choose a reward. That way she can have something to look forward to and not get discouraged.

 

[wvjules]

If the OP is the reason you think you might want to homeschool, you are in for a bumpy ride. That is nothing! that doesn't even blip on my bad school/teacher radar.

 

[princesspiglet]

My DD has this in 2nd grade also, but they are only required to read 15 mins per day, which is totally doable. However, it is not a competition with the other kids. If she reads her book and we sign off on it, then she gets to move on to the next book. No one knows what level any other kid is on except for the reading specialist.

Now, art projects are a totally different demon! On the 100th day of school the kids were required to make something out of the same item, but use 100 peices of that item. DD decided to use wooden popsicle sticks and built herself a cute little barn with a fence out front. It was good, but you could obviously tell a 7 year old made it. We went to the open house to see the projects and there were a few that were beyond belief. One was the Leaning Tower of Pizza built out of macaroni noodles and another was the Parthenon built out of pipe cleaners! Seriously, what 7 year old could do that??? I don't get it. Let your child do their work, it doesn't have to be perfect and it doesn't have to be the best in the school!

 

[tmarquez]

No really I don't want to homeschool. I can't teach. DD and I would kill each other. I just understand it a little more. I think (just my opinion) that people that homeschool are probably less likely to cheat for their kids academically.

I don't think the school is bad or the teacher...just the cheating parents.

If the OP is the reason you think you might want to homeschool, you are in for a bumpy ride. That is nothing! that doesn't even blip on my bad school/teacher radar.

 

[Snoopymom]

I agree! That is at the top of my never say never list.

When ds comes home with something crazy, I try to remember that my work environment isn't so different from grade school at times : so if he's sheltered from it now, it will only make things more difficult for him when he's an adult, but it sure can be frustrating.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Now, art projects are a totally different demon! On the 100th day of school the kids were required to make something out of the same item, but use 100 peices of that item. DD decided to use wooden popsicle sticks and built herself a cute little barn with a fence out front. It was good, but you could obviously tell a 7 year old made it. We went to the open house to see the projects and there were a few that were beyond belief. One was the Leaning Tower of Pizza built out of macaroni noodles and another was the Parthenon built out of pipe cleaners! Seriously, what 7 year old could do that??? I don't get it. Let your child do their work, it doesn't have to be perfect and it doesn't have to be the best in the school!

Boy did this bring back memories. DD had to make a pilgrim house. Just a log cabin, that was it. She went to the yard, picked up sticks. DH cut them down so they matched and she did a Lincoln Log type build. I helped her with the hot glue gun. She pulled grass from the yard to the thatch roof and used cotton balls to make smoke coming out of the chimney she made. The teacher so nicely commented that "Wow those pilgrims are going to get cold with all the holes in the wall." Nice. This was second grade.

DH saw the projects coming out of the classroom and told me that there was no way in hell that those kids made those houses. One came complete with a fenced yard, barn animals, a garden, a bed, mattress and pilgrims sleeping. Oh yeah, and a fire pit with a cooking pot. Yep, that was the result of a 7 yo. The assignment was for the outside structure of the pilgrim house, not a complete freakin' village!!

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

ROFL! I hated the pinewood derby!!!

My Dh loves the pinewood derby so does his boss. Anywho all of my kids are avid readers and even then in 1st grade that would have been a huge stretch. My kids are the ones with their noses always in a book but I still say were have some cheaters in the parents.

 

[lillygator]

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.

do the other kids really have 8-12 that you saw or could she have been inflating the number....?

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.

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 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.

If the OP is the reason you think you might want to homeschool, you are in for a bumpy ride. That is nothing! that doesn't even blip on my bad school/teacher radar.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

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.

Yes, your daughter learned a lesson. People cheat. Even adults cheat. Tests may be skewed against you. Life is not fair.

It's unlikely your daughter would have gotten such a good lesson from you homeschooling her. Public school is not just the three R's, it's where you learn about the public.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

Yes, your daughter learned a lesson. People cheat. Even adults cheat. Tests may be skewed against you. Life is not fair.

It's unlikely your daughter would have gotten such a good lesson from you homeschooling her. Public school is not just the three R's, it's where you learn about the public.

lol, because either all homeschoolers are too nice to do this, or the kids aren't ever in public?

I really don't think 6 years olds have a vested interest in finding out that people cheat, personally. They have another 80 years to figure that one out no matter where they wind up educated.

Sorry, OP.