This is just WRONG! Big vent

[auntpolly]

Let's just stop arguing and put the blame where it belongs!

With BUSH and our government.

My sister is a teacher and she feels such pressure to get test scores up. So they end up doing a bunch of unimmaginative stuff to try to get kids ready for the standardized tests. That "no child left behind, in my very humble but unappreciated opinion, was a load of crap!!!!!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I haven't read many (or maybe any) of the "school" threads before, so I don't understand which side of the fence some of you are on. Let me say that I am a big supporter of education and normally stand behind and strongly support what the schools say and require, even if I don't always agree with it. I have 4 children, spanning all the way from a little one just beginning "the system" and one who is a freshman in college. So I've seen the pendulum swing.

But I've also been the type to occasionally go against something that the teacher and/or school has promoted. I've occasionally had my child bring home a homework assignment that I've, as a parent, excused. I've only used that "parent power" a couple times for each of my 2 older children for assignments that my 2 older children really did not understand (and that I thought were worthless--one of the assignments was the same for the 2 kids and the second child didn't understand any more than the first child, 3 years later...).

I think that it works in our case because I am not known in the schools or teachers as a parent who complains. Quite the opposite, as a matter of fact. My point is that we need to pick our battles with the schools, just as we need to pick our battles with our children.

If a person feels strongly about their child having to read a certain book over the summer and write in a workbook, find another book that is the correct reading level for your child (afterall, the book they give could be too easy or too hard for a particular child) and maybe have them write a one page paper about the book, telling their favorite part, or compare/contrast it with another book, etc, etc, depending on their grade and writing ability. Then turn that in with a brief note from the parent explaining that this is what they are doing for their summer reading. Or have them keep a log of their summer reading and not do any writing about it. Or do a summer reading program.

Bottom line is to take it in to your own hands without making a big stink. Just be proactive--this is what we're doing.

The goal of everyone should be what is in the best interests of the children.

 

[justhat]

Hold on a second. All that structure and categorization doesn't sound a bit like Montessori. Don't they promote following your own interests? Shouldn't that be especially true during the summer?

I'm really not sure what that has to do with my comment since neither my elementary school nor my jr high/high school were Montessori based at all. Private, yes, but Montessori, no.

But anyway, OP, I noticed you said your son enjoys the library program because they give incentives. Can you maybe do something similar with the workbook and book from school? I think maybe putting a fun spin on it might help him feel better about it, maybe not avoid it as much, and might just make it easier for him to complete. Believe me I know how hard it is for a kid with ADD to sit down and work on something over the summer, especially when you have 10 weeks before it's due, but I think if my mom had tried little incentives like that I would have been pretty likely to work on my summer homework all summer instead of cramming it into the last week or so. Good luck!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

but I think if my mom had tried little incentives like that I would have been pretty likely to work on my summer homework all summer instead of cramming it into the last week or so. Good luck!

Wait a minute, you're not supposed to wait until the last week to cram it in and make half of the writing portion of it up?

Well, crap on a cracker!

 

[VSL]

UK is a European country and we do not have year-round schooling. School kids (up to 16yrs) have about 13wks off a year. The times aren't the same for every school, but it usually works out to be
Summer = 6wks
Half-Term = 1wk
Christmas = 2wks
Half-Term = 1wk
Easter = 2wks
Half-Term = 1wk
(and various Bank Holidays throughout).

I believe that some areas of France have a school system where they spend much more time per day in school but then have a much longer summer holiday.

Oh, and I can't speak for all schools around the UK, but we were never given work to do over the summer holidays because it was the major break between year group changes (we did have some work to do over the other holidays though).

Somehow we got through

 

[disney junky]

Somebody mentioned countries like Japan, where they are supposedly so far ahead of us in academics.

Just wanted to put out a heads up here... Have most of you not seen how school in these places is like freaking boot-camp. And how they have ASTRONOMICAL child/teen suicide rates? These kids actually join web-sites where they hook up and coordinate group suicides.

Is this what we want for our kids, for the sake of 'scores' and 'competition'?

This is a true story....
I know somebody who who hosted an exchange student from one of these countries for a summer visit. It was the boy's birthday, and a package arrived. A birthday present!!! When the boy opened it, his joy turned immediately into anger and frustration. The boys father had sent him a book. Apparantly an academic book. He ranted and cursed in his native language, and hurled the darned book into the swimming pool.

Atlantic Monthly, November 1990, p. 96
"One staple of conversation among American parents is the supposed association between the rigors of Japanese education and suicide among Japanese youths. The figures were once more troubling than they are today. According to a report by the US Dept of Education, in 1975 the suicide rates in Japan for age groups ten to fourteen, fifteen to nineteen, and twenty to twenty-four were all higher than the US rates. But by 1984 the Japanese numbers for the three age groups had gone down and the American numbers had more or less held steady, with the result that the American suicide rates were higher for all three age groups."

Suicide rates currently among "young males and females" in Japan is 14.5 per 100,000, whereas in the US it is 33.7 per 100,000.
Source: http://www.nationmaster.com/

Just for the sake of accuracy.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

I guess I can't understand why anyone would object to a couple of hours of school work a week over the summer. My son is in middle school and has mandatory reading, but since kindergarten I have ensured that he read and *gasp* do regular math work over the summer. I told him, "I don't want your mind to go to mush," and he's never argued for a second.

I should also mention that he isn't fat and has plenty of time to play. Saying that kids shouldn't be forced to read over the summer because of the obesity epidemic is imo.

 

[declansdad]

Well this has become the typical school debate onthe Dis.

Honestly, I see nothing wrong with summer assignments as long as they don't require the child to spend hours everyday working on them. Yes summer vacation is a break and children should get that break but I don't think it would be impossible to fit in a few minutes of academics a day or even an hour a week.

Most kids that I know get so bored by the end of the summer break they can't wait to get back to school so the argument that summer is play time just doesn't make sense to me. A little studying over the summer will make getting back in the groove all that much easier.

 

[Marseeya]

I just thought of a solution! Tell him he's not allowed to read at all this summer.

I used to have to grab a book and hide because all the adults around me thought it was unnatural to want to read when I could be outside playing with my friends. Just made it all the more appealling because I knew they didn't want me doing it.

Reverse psychology.

 

[golfgal]

Atlantic Monthly, November 1990, p. 96
"One staple of conversation among American parents is the supposed association between the rigors of Japanese education and suicide among Japanese youths. The figures were once more troubling than they are today. According to a report by the US Dept of Education, in 1975 the suicide rates in Japan for age groups ten to fourteen, fifteen to nineteen, and twenty to twenty-four were all higher than the US rates. But by 1984 the Japanese numbers for the three age groups had gone down and the American numbers had more or less held steady, with the result that the American suicide rates were higher for all three age groups."

Suicide rates currently among "young males and females" in Japan is 14.5 per 100,000, whereas in the US it is 33.7 per 100,000.
Source: http://www.nationmaster.com/

Just for the sake of accuracy.

Along with this though you need to take into consideration that in the Japanese culture not doing well in school or you job is a big shame on your entire family. It isn't like it is here where yes, your parents might get mad that you aren't doing well in school, no one else really knows how well you are doing. In Japan, EVERYONE knows what you are doing. It's a lot more pressure to let down your entire family and shame them then it is do get a few bad grades and your parents are mad at you.


I have noticed that a lot of people on here that are complaining that there is too much homework, don't like that the schools assign homework over the summer, etc. are the same ones that grip about how bad their schools are, what rotten teachers their kids have, etc., etc. Do you think just MAYBE the problem isn't the school and it might be you?

 

[golfgal]

UK is a European country and we do not have year-round schooling. School kids (up to 16yrs) have about 13wks off a year. The times aren't the same for every school, but it usually works out to be
Summer = 6wks
Half-Term = 1wk
Christmas = 2wks
Half-Term = 1wk
Easter = 2wks
Half-Term = 1wk
(and various Bank Holidays throughout).

I believe that some areas of France have a school system where they spend much more time per day in school but then have a much longer summer holiday.

Oh, and I can't speak for all schools around the UK, but we were never given work to do over the summer holidays because it was the major break between year group changes (we did have some work to do over the other holidays though).

Somehow we got through

Your schedule would pretty much be considered year round school here. Our summer break starts May 30th and they go back to school Sept 5th, that is over 3 months off for the summer. Most schools have right around 3 months off, some a few weeks short of that, but not much. This is why I don't understand why parents have such a hard time with their kids doing a bit of homework over the summer. It isn't like they have a week off for summer break.

 

[skoi]

VSL I have a question!

What age do kids start school (in general) in the UK? When do they start to learn reading, writing, etc. It used to be that European countries began this later than we do now in the US, but I'm not sure if this is still the case.

Julie

 

[ryka]

The thing here is that her son has ADD. I understand how hard it is to get him to concertrate to just do regular homework ( you said it takes 3- 5 hours for that) I can see how hard it would be to have to complete something like this over the summer especailly if he has no interest in whatever book they assign. I think you need to find out what is true first and then ask the school to work with you and your son so that he can get it done.

 

[In a hurry]

Your schedule would pretty much be considered year round school here. Our summer break starts May 30th and they go back to school Sept 5th, that is over 3 months off for the summer. Most schools have right around 3 months off, some a few weeks short of that, but not much. This is why I don't understand why parents have such a hard time with their kids doing a bit of homework over the summer. It isn't like they have a week off for summer break.

You've got a nice break! Ours is from June 17 to August 9 (or something like that!) I get my years confused! When we were kids we had a school year like yours, though, and it was great!

I teach 1st grade, and I think the schools are giving too much work (esp. busy work), so it isn't just rotten parents who believe such a thing. I don't see scores and/or retention improving as this trend has developed. I think children need solid academics, and play time to develop into well-rounded individuals. To spend a day in school, then another hour or two on homework leaves little time for family and friends. My opinion, anyway.

 

[ozarkmom]

I wouldn't think the PTA would have any ability to tell you what to do. Here it's the PTO (organization instead of association) and it has no authority. There's evening meetings. They raise money and donate things to the school and that type of stuff but they are not the school .

 

[momrek06]

The way I always looked at READING is that it develops the child's MEMORY SKILLS.

Good MEMORY Skills are a key to a good education. And just to simply keep those memory skills FRESH throughout the Summer months is vital to their ultimate return to the classroom come the Fall.

Good memory skills will aide you right through to college and after!

And most of all try to make it FUN and not a CHORE. I had two DS' and some days during the summer were longer than others...I had to make these reading assignments FUN esp when they were young, even if it included ME reading a PAGE and then my DS reading a PAGE and back and forth. Now I did not do this ALL the time but just to switch things up abit. The biggest reason I would do this (unknown to DS) was to make sure he was reading for COMPREHENSION as well. We would even close the book, and I would have him tell me what he just read. AND on an on!

To the OP: Bottomline, just keep sharpening those MEMORY SKILLS

 

[DVC Sadie]

Along with this though you need to take into consideration that in the Japanese culture not doing well in school or you job is a big shame on your entire family. It isn't like it is here where yes, your parents might get mad that you aren't doing well in school, no one else really knows how well you are doing. In Japan, EVERYONE knows what you are doing. It's a lot more pressure to let down your entire family and shame them then it is do get a few bad grades and your parents are mad at you.


I have noticed that a lot of people on here that are complaining that there is too much homework, don't like that the schools assign homework over the summer, etc. are the same ones that grip about how bad their schools are, what rotten teachers their kids have, etc., etc. Do you think just MAYBE the problem isn't the school and it might be you?

I hate when posters make sense don't you. Good post.

 

[airhead]

...people complain about their kids having to read in the summer! You have to be kidding. Shame on you!

 

[In a hurry]

...people complain about their kids having to read in the summer! You have to be kidding. Shame on you!

No one is complaining about reading. The OP does the summer reading program at the library. Some people think that kids should get the chance to choose what they read rather than being told what to read, and filling out workbook pages. Shame on you for not paying attention to all of the facts.

 

[C.Ann]

...people complain about their kids having to read in the summer! You have to be kidding. Shame on you!

----------------------------
I don't think the OP is complaining so much about her child having to "read" over the summer, but rather the idea that every child has to read the same book and complete a workbook on it.. There are extenuating circumstances in that her child has learning disabilities and while he may show an interest in reading "other" books, it appears that won't be allowed..

Most kids do read during the summer - without it being "assigned" to them (or at least that was my own experience and that of my own children - as well as my 7ry. old granddaughter now).. I don't think it's necessary for the school to take it upon themselves to "assign" the reading - and worse yet, choose the same book for every child.. Most people realize that the quickest way to get a child to "not" do something is to tell them they "have" to do it.. If the school insists on some kind of summer assignment, at least allow the parents and children to choose age and reading level appropriate books that the children will enjoy.. Wherever possible, learning should be an enjoyable experience - not a punishment..