Parents, do you agree with what my principal told the students?Added info bottom pg2

[DawnCt]

Originally posted by CJMickeyMouse
I think the principal definitely should have discussed this with the teachers. Maybe a homework free day could have been agreed upon, but to spring it on the teachers, I think, is unfair.

As for the students' perception of the event.... you will find out in the next few weeks. If they are begging you to be "kind" and assign them no homework and/or calling you "mean" if you DO assign something.....

Actually, IMO, homework is part of every day school. The principal would not grant a day off of school as a random act of kindness. How about an extra recess? Or maybe a fun assembly?

The principal is an administrator. He doesn't necesarily have to discuss and come to a consensus with the teachers. It isn't a "fair" relationship by nature. Teachers would only have been treated unfairly if only the blue eyed teachers were prohibited from giving homework. I think the concern about "student perception" is short lived. As far as granting extra recess or organizing a "fun" assembly; that cuts into instructional time and is a greater loss than homework for one night.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by skiwee1
I just might have to call the schools and insist that there be a non homework day so that my kids can do other things like go outside and play a game of basketball, play video games, or just veg out for once.

My teens have plenty of time for homework and all of the other activities you mentioned.

We had one first grade teacher who assigned homework EVERY night. Now before you start doing this... .....

It may have been as simple as take this paper home, write your name three times, and have you parents sign it. Some days it was matching, some days which item is different, some days it was counting or writing letters.

The whole idea was to get the students in the habit of taking their backpack home, opening it, completing the work, showing their parents (thus the signature) putting it BACK in the backpack and getting it to school the next day. EVERY student in the class completed the majority of the assignments and it became a habit.

Wouldn't you know it, the second grade teacher didn't believe in homework so they never brought anything home.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Originally posted by DawnCt
The principal is an administrator. He doesn't necesarily have to discuss and come to a consensus with the teachers. It isn't a "fair" relationship by nature.

The principal is also the one who typically asks for lesson plans, and this action may have prohibited the teacher from following those. For example, if a test was scheduled the following day.

I think it's common courtesy for administrators to at least give advance warning if asking the teachers not to send homework.

 

[Gupsmom]

It would have been nice if the principal, at the very least, sent a memo about this before announcing it to the studnets. Aside from that, I agree with the person that said the oposite of extra nice doesn't have to be mean. I don't think giving kids a day off of homework as a nice gesture implies that when you give homework you are mean.

As a parent, this would not bother me. We aren't heavy into homework yet (pre-K, K and 1st grade) but it's still a part of our daily routine. I certainly wouldn't mind an extra nice night off...lol. I think any parent that, as you stated, would be upset because they WANT their kids to have the extra work to keep them away from TV etc, has a strange perspective. If you want the TV off, then turn it off. I think homework can get a little out of hand. If a child is in school for 6+ hrs, then I hate to see them come home to 2-3 more hours of work. There are other things just as worthy of a child's time as practicing academics. I know my kids (even at 4, 5 and 6 yrs old) have hobbies and a couple outside activities that I think are very beneficial in development. I'm all for smart but well rounded counts for something too. I've drifted off topic so I'll stop...lol.

Jess

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

You know, maybe the principal should have shown an act of kindness to the teachers instead of asking (forcing) them to do a specified "kind" thing for the students.

If you make someone do something kind, is that the sort of example they are really trying to set?

 

[Trish Bessette]

I have to agree with you. Even though "politically" the principal does not have to advise the teachers, I think it was done in poor taste. And to choose homework free night is even worse. Simply give them a longer recess, a free snack with lunch, give them a fun day where they can wear comfy clothes or something.....anything instead of no homework.

Don't get me wrong, as a parent I would welcome the break, I just think that was the wrong message for the principal to send.

At my daughter's school they don't believe in assigning any homework over the weekend. They believe that is the kids time to enjoy....I LOVE THAT!

We are also kicking off a "good deeds" period at school. Next monday we are beginning with a community breakfast. If the students get caught in the act of doing a good deed at school or at home they get their name on a paper snowflake that will be hung throughout the school. There will be a "blizzard" of goodness happening at school.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by DISshopkeeper

This made me LOL. I personally don't know ANY parents that LIKE homework. It's just a necessary evil! Though I'm no longer involved in my kid's homework, I can tell you I would have welcomed the night off!

I am TOTALLY against homework of any kind...I feel that they sit in school for 6 hours every day and when they come home that should be time to get out and run and play and get some exercise....on a normal day my neighbors daughter goes to school...comes home and sits on her butt another 2 hours doing homework...then its dinnertime, bath a little while playing in the house then to bed.....it is not healthy....I will be one of the parents leading the parents meetings against large amounts of homework in every grade my daughter is in...

 

[pokiemomo181]

My grand-daughter is in a 4 star school here in Indiana. A 4 star school is top of the line. She has homework 2 days a week, every Tuesday and wednesday. This is to prepare them for their tests on thursday and friday. She has excelled in this school, and is on the honor roll. The other school she attended her first year sent homework every night. Her grades were just average. It just goes to show that homework doesn't necessarily mean you learn more. It really depends on how they are taught in the classroom. Its not just my GD either. All students in this school make very high marks on the state assessment tests. It really does work. They know the nights they have to do homework and really take it serious. When she brings it home she has learned the lessons so well the work is really easy for her to complete, and she tells you that she doesn't need help to do it. I always check it when she is done, and she is right, she didn't need my help to complete it.


Pokie

 

[Wishing on a star]

You know, if the Principal did something like changing some major school policy, schedule, etc.. without any advance notice, then I could possibly agree. But ONE night of homeowork as an act of kindness? Ohhhh how insensitive and cruel!!!! Let's bash the Principal now for trying to do something nice.

I do not know if I agree with absolutely NO homework... Especially in the higher grades. But, all too many families find themselves in the situation of the poster who mentioned the kid who NEVER got the chance to anything BUT academics and did not have enought time to 'just be a kid'. I agree that this is NOT good! My neice had to give up Ballet, which is a very wonderful and beneficial discipline.... because the demands of school and teachers were just to great to excell at both... SAD.....

And, how could anybody even begin to blink an eye and waste their time concerned about ONE night with no homework???? What in the heck is the big concern?

And, jeez, since when do teachers have the right to expect say-so in what the Principal does... They seem to want to control the Principal, the students (homework EVERY night by-Golly) and even the Parents.... who are not good enough to be parents and to offer their children wonderful and beneficial extra-curricular activities. They need/want HER to provide 'work' for them, in order to save them from the EVILS of free time at home...... QUOTE: from the original post.
______________________________________
because they want their children to have the work to do when they get home rather than running for the tv or video games!!!
______________________________________

I am glad that my DS teacher does not have similar attitudes.

 

[Suzy Mouse]

I just wanted wanted to put this here for a little background about me. After receiving a pm from a person who knows nothing about me I felt the need to respond to them with this. And to respond to them....I don't have any attitude issues and I am very happy when I see what looks back at me when I stand in front of a mirror!

Here is a little bit about me that might help you get a better feel of who I am. I am a special ed teacher who works with 5th grade students. My (4) students come to me for Math in the resource center and I work in the "general" classroom providing support for them along with the other students. THe only subject I teach to everyone is Social Studies.

My homework policy is VERY lax. In fact I don't always assign homework. The reason I choose to do this is because the children I work with need so much help in school with their work and they don't necessarily understand it when they get home. I hate to get them frustrated. Some of the students have parents who have a difficult time understanding the homework as well. So I always say....why give homework? It is doing nothing for them.

During back to school night my first year I was bombarded by requests for more homework. THey didn't like the fact that I only gave one assignment. Therefore I gave more to those that requested it.

I hate the fact that teachers give homework when kids go away on vacation. What kind of a vacation is it if you have to do work? But believe it or not we get parents requesting homework before they take their children away. Same goes for students who are sick. I have parents send in other children to collect homework for their children. Why would you want your sick child doing work? I NEVER send it home! That's plain old cruel.

I just collected a homework assignment from my students where they were told to chose 3 out ot 7 problems to attempt to complete. I had 1 student that came in and told me his father made him do all of them. Don't know why he did that.

I guess I only posted the question because a few of the teachers here were in an uproar. I was disappointed in how the entire "act" was a surprise to us. He really should have talk to us prior to this.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Sometimes I think we all take life too seriously. What a great idea of the principal! (My DS would love to go to his school! )

TC

 

[Lanshark]

I have no problem with it. It's one night. It not only give the students a break but doesn't it also give the teachers a break the next day. I don't think anyone will be scarred from it.

Maybe it was also meant to be an act of kindness to the teachers.

 

[CookieGVB]

Why couldn't the teachers have designated it "extra credit work" for one evening? That way, whoever wanted/needed extra credit could get some help. Whoever wanted a break from homework, had it. Sounds like a kindness either way.

Too late now...but maybe next time.

 

[phamton]

Originally posted by Lanshark
It not only give the students a break but doesn't it also give the teachers a break the next day.

Maybe it was also meant to be an act of kindness to the teachers.

I was going to say the same thing. Less papers to grade!

 

[Megan's Mom]

I think that I can understand the teacher's point of view of thinking it would be nice if they had known that the principal was going to assign no homework. I work in a school where the "select" few are in the know about what goes on in our school. And this is things that affect everyone. It is just polite to let people know things that are going to affect them. It's not asking permission its call communication. I hate it when I get to school and have my plans all in order and find out that there is an assembly or pep rally that takes away class time and that we didn't know about. It kind of makes us look bad or unorganized when we don't know these things.

 

[Kallison]

No I don't think that was right of him, I would say he didn't think that one through before he did it. School is not supposed to be a punishment.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Whoever said that school was punishment???? WAY off topic... What does 'punishment' have to do with anything?

Also, the OP never asked if the teachers should have been given 'approval'... That was also not the question. Sure, some advance notice would have been nice. That is obvious.... But it is not what is in question.

Do you agree with the Principal in his 'One day break from homework as an 'Act of Kindness'?

That is the question.

 

[Dreamer04]

IMHO, it is not an act of kindness.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Why not?

If your Boss said, "Hey, we're not gonna work late tonight, everybody go on home early and take a break, on the house." then that would not be considered an Act-of-kindness on his part?

If your DH walked in tonight as you were pulling some meat out of the fridge, planning to cook supper as you usually would, and he said, "Hey, put that back in the fridge. Let's take a break tonight, I wanna take you out for a nice supper." then that would not be considered an Act-of-Kindness on his part?

 

[sha_lyn]

double post