This is just WRONG! Big vent

[Pin Wizard]

Every summer B&N has summer reading lists here. This summer darling son must read three books written by the same author from a list they choose from. They need to write notes on them which will be checked on next year, and they have to be prepared to write papers on setting, plot, etc., etc., etc., compare and contrast, etc. among the three stories. I see a LOT of work this summer. This will be rising 8th grade. Ugh.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Summer vacation is just that - a vacation from school. You wouldn't expect to have to work on a project when you take a vacation from your job, would you? (If you do, then it's not really a vacation!)

However, I do think reading while on summer vacation should be encouraged. Our school has a voluntary reading program, and encourages kids to read so many pages. All the books and the pages read are logged and turned in at the beginning of the school year. They earn awards and prizes for doing so. It's been a huge success at my dd's school!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

To be fare--year round schooling would solve the issue--there would be no long breaks that create an unnatural disruption to the learning process.

They do this overseas. So they don't have to worry about summer reading lists--they work hard and then take a break for a few weeks.

Summer vacations original purpose was harvest.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

CEDmom-
We are paid members of the PTA which is how I get the minutes e-mailed to me. The meetings alternate - one month it is in the morning, the next month it is in the evening. The morning ones start right before I have to be at work - I might catch the first 5 minutes if it started exactly on time. To be completely honest I probably could attend the evening ones if I got off work on time that night. I am usually tired and want to come home and have dinner with DH & DS so I don't go. I don't have a problem with the program as an option, I have a problem with it being mandatory for everybody with complete and utter disregard for anything other than grade level. As part of DS's 504 the modifications he has for his ADD are that he will not be required to do any sort of "busy work" and if he is getting fatigued and/or frustrated that his assignment will be altered. The way I see it, a workbook is busy work.

Lisa loves Pooh -
This isn't a district requirement we are talking about. This is ONE school coming up with a program because they happen to have extra funds. My point about extra credit for kids who were new to the school was that they wouldn't have had the chance to do the work. But I see your point too, that they wouldn't be entitled to the credit in the same way that the kids who opted not to do the extra work wouldn't get extra credit. That could go either way.

TOV-
We go swimming, to the library, to museums, movies, DS rides his scooter, he plays with the little ones I nanny, he draws, he goes to summer camp for basketball or golf or movie making or art. I can keep my child busy without the interference of the school, and if I need their assistance I will ask for it. They have no right to tell me that he will be penalized for not completing their little packet when we are the only school in the distrct to have such a requirement.

 

[U2_rocks]

I wouldn't mind a mandatory reading program for summer as long as it wasn't to onerous ..... BUT .... I agree with you that it seems a bit ridiculous under the circumstances (the trouble you had over pulling kids out of school). You're right .... if they are discouraging kids from travel during term time, then holidays are all that's left.

That said, if the reading program has an expected number of hours out of the whole summer needed to complete it, and those hours aren't excessive (i.e. you could easily work a 2 week holiday around them - for a longer vacation surely you could take the books with you?), then I don't really see a problem.

ETA: kids lose a lot of skills over the summer if they don't practice them, and I KNOW a lot of parents do not encourage their kids to read out of school! On this board I'm sure we're a bit different from the norm where this issue is concerned, so that fact that we ould all encourage our kids to read isn't relevant. The school is likely trying to prevent the loss of skills they deal with every time a new year begins.

 

[momrek06]

From as early as 4th grade on my DS' had reading lists for their summer break. They were to choose a certain # of books per grade per summer. Read the books and then do a book report. Usually the first week of school there would be a quiz or test on the summer reading assignments. If you did not read a book and hand in a report you generally were given an F. My DS' did this right through high school. As they progressed in years the # of books to read would increase.

I SAW ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM WITH THIS AT ALL! My DS' and I would go to the local Barnes and Noble or Borders (which had all the schools listed and their current reading list)(if you misplaced your list, NO PROBLEM it was at the store) and we would go through the list and pick the books that looked interesting to them.

To the OP: As a SAHM, during the summer there were MANY MANY times my DS' needed a TIME OUT (big time) and it was so nice FOR ME to say..."go to your rooms and get your books READ"!!!!

 

[diznygirl]

I have a friend that teaches in a year round shool system in California. It's how they deal with the over-crowding. Two months on, one month off. She says there is still a lot of review when they get back to school. That may not be the right solution.

I think summer break should be a break. The only ones that WILL be doing the work are the kids that DON'T NEED the extra work. And in the OP's case, her child will actually benefit more from NOT doing the work.

And children were originally needed to work the farm. I guess since summer vacation is obsolete, children are too.

 

[U2_rocks]

Summer vacation is just that - a vacation from school. You wouldn't expect to have to work on a project when you take a vacation from your job, would you? (If you do, then it's not really a vacation!)

The difference is that a school summer break is really much longer than a child needs. The ideal scenario is that the family gets a complete break doing something (vacation away, whatever) ... the rest of the time the kids are spending a little time keeping up to scratch on what they have been learning. I wish my job would give me 2+ months off - but that's just not necessary as a break! I know that after 3 months of maternity leave I was pretty rusty!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Lisa loves Pooh -
This isn't a district requirement we are talking about. This is ONE school coming up with a program because they happen to have extra funds. My point about extra credit for kids who were new to the school was that they wouldn't have had the chance to do the work. But I see your point too, that they wouldn't be entitled to the credit in the same way that the kids who opted not to do the extra work wouldn't get extra credit. That could go either way.

I moved around alot and while unfair--it is not the schools responsibility to have bonus opportunities for potential students.

I don't think it could go either way at all.

In the real world--if you get a job and you just missed the boat on an incentive program b/c of when you are hired--well it is the same thing. The real world does not make extra credit contigencies.



I'm aware that it is one school--I don't see how a PTA can mandate curricula. Make suggestions yes--mandate and run the school--I don't think so.

While odd that it is not a district requirement---a school can set up programs as it sees fit. BUt that would be the school. Not the parents. The PTA is out of line.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

It's not the reading I object to. I make DS read every day in the summer, but what he reads is up to him. He can choose whatever books he likes - science fiction, Harry Potter, Lemony Snicket, Captain Underpants, I don't care. I would be FINE with a mandatory requirement of number of books, number of hours, whatever. I would be fine with reading selections from a list of books.

My understanding is that everybody going to 5th grade will be given the SAME book - no choice - and required to complete the SAME worksheets followed by a major activity. This isn't about DS not having time to do it, it is about me refusing to take his summer away from him when that is all that has kept him going for the past few months. The school needs to get a grip on what is "their" time and what is "my" time. Just like Mr. Hand in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". Summer is MY time, and I will not have the school telling me what we need to do on MY time. The school year is THEIR time to accomplish whatever teaching and instruction needs to be accomplished.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

They have no right to tell me that he will be penalized for not completing their little packet when we are the only school in the distrct to have such a requirement.

Devil's Advocate.

Not all schools are created equal. And taking the PTA out of the equation--and individual school can morally, ethically, and legally--put individual requirements into how they implement their curriculum to meet county and state standards.

What may be required at one school--may not be required at another and vice versa.

So the "only school to have to do this" argument will only get you so far. I think you have more weight with the parents trying to mandate curriculum as I thought it was the principal's job to manage his/her school with input--not mandates from the staff and PTO/PTA.

 

[kdibattista]

It's not the reading I object to. I make DS read every day in the summer, but what he reads is up to him. He can choose whatever books he likes - science fiction, Harry Potter, Lemony Snicket, Captain Underpants, I don't care. I would be FINE with a mandatory requirement of number of books, number of hours, whatever. I would be fine with reading selections from a list of books.

My understanding is that everybody going to 5th grade will be given the SAME book - no choice - and required to complete the SAME worksheets followed by a major activity. This isn't about DS not having time to do it, it is about me refusing to take his summer away from him when that is all that has kept him going for the past few months. The school needs to get a grip on what is "their" time and what is "my" time. Just like Mr. Hand in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". Summer is MY time, and I will not have the school telling me what we need to do on MY time. The school year is THEIR time to accomplish whatever teaching and instruction needs to be accomplished.

I don't see a problem with it and honestly, how long can something like this take? Although I should say that I don't have kids yet

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

And children were originally needed to work the farm. I guess since summer vacation is obsolete, children are too.

How did you come to that conclusion?

 

[OceanAnnie]

I see your POV, JSG.

Yes, reading is great. But the "manditory/penalization" from the PTA would rub me the wrong way too. I'm sure the PTA has the kids best interests in mind. But there are different ways to approach it without a negative consequence. IMO they should've made the assignment optional. They could've hooked up with a book store or pizza place where they'd have a symbiotic relationship. Win-win.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

My kids have to read 2 books from a small list and do a paper/project on each. They also have a math packet. This starts prior to 6th grade. All the schools in my county do this, but it is not the PTA!

 

[m&m's mom]

I am curious what school district you are in. I have not heard any uproar about this...yet

 

[MAKmom]

So this is sponsored by the PTA? I would think that this would come from the school or the school district. Are PTA meetings held during the day or in the evening? I ask, because if you work outside the home and they have meetings during the day, they make it difficult for all parents to be heard. If they have evening meetings, you probably need to go once in a while to voice your opinion on this type of thing. You could contact the National PTA and see if legally they can enact something like this. More than likely, the school probably backs this. I wouldn't have a problem with this, but I can see where it would be hard for some kids. If your kid sees you upset about this, he will more than likely not want to participate. If you make it just another "fun" summer reading activity, he probably will too.

This would have to come from the school board the PTA has no power over summer reading. PTA can just suggest things around here & do fundraiser.

We have had summer reading for at least 15 years that I know of in our district. We can take the test all summer. It counts for thier grade. If you do not do it you have to do it in Sept so you just have extra work.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I don't see a problem with it and honestly, how long can something like this take? Although I should say that I don't have kids yet

Well, there's the thing. DS has inattentive ADD. He can sit and stare at the same page for a good 20 minutes and not retain a single word. If I read something to him he doesn't always comprehend that, either, because he is twisting in his chair, looking at the ceiling, whatever. He has had nights where ONE math problem took 45 minutes. That's why we are TRYING to find a treatment plan that works for him. Summer has been our oasis in the desert - we NEED summer to be a break. The last thing I need is some stupid packet of worksheets hanging over his head and no teacher to contact if we have questions. This "one size fits all" summer assignment smacks of something that has NOT been thought all the way through.

At one of the very first PTA meetings of the year that I did manage to attend, a mom brought up that she thought it would be nice to have every child in each grade level get the same book to read over the summer. That comment seems to have morphed into something much bigger and uglier, and it would have to have the approval of the principal and the cooperation of every single teacher. I might go have a chat with DS's teacher in the morning when I drop him off just to see if she knows anything about it.

 

[mylilnikita]

I believe children should be in year round school. Kids in other countries go 6 days a week and during the summer and that is why American kids don't do as well as children in Japan or Korea, etc. I don't even like my DD has a part day on wednesdays, what is the point in having them go for 4 hours with 30 minutes of it being lunch? She is "suggested summer reading lists" each year. BUt at the same token, I wouldn't think the PTA would have any say in a mandatory thing during summer.

 

[Nancy]

Don't your kids get homework to do over Christmas vacation and Easter/Spring vacations? What is the difference if it is one week off of school or 2 months?

I don't know how big this workbook thing is but couldn't a child get it all done really quick and then still have almost the whole summer to play and relax? I know my kids don't even start their summer reading until a few weeks beofre school starts back up. I think the biggest complaint I would have with this is the fact that it came from the PTA and not the district.

edited to add: for jackskellingtonsgirl...I can really understand where you are coming from in regards to your son, I never had to deal with that and I just can't imagine how frustrating situations like this can be for you and your son.