Why do teachers do this???

[mickeylove2]

First off let me say that I DO care about my childrens' educations, and I am always there to help them with their homework. My children are in Kindergarten and 2nd grade and they ALWAYS have "craft" type homework! That bugs the crap out of me!!!!

I am a single mother, work fulltime and go to college fulltime, I sent in 30 bottles of glue, 25 glue sticks, 15 boxes of crayons, 8 pairs of scissors, 10 packs of markers and 10 packs of colored pencils into school at the beginning of the year.

I send my kids to school 5 days a week for 7 hours a day, my question is, why can't they do all the cutting, coloring and gluing at school???? Is it so hard to get that stuff done there and then have their homework focus on math and spelling??? I have colored, cut, glued and decorated a piece of posterboard for Turkey Day, we constantly have dittos that need colored, cut and then glued, games that need to be played, etc.

Any teachers out here who can maybe shed some light onto this, and explain to me why I can't help my children with spelling and math and have them do that crafty work at school??? Thanks

Vent over!

 

[I Love Pluto]

Lazy teacher? Doesn't want to deal with the clean-up?

 

[Cindy B]

Dittos?

I thought they went out in the late 70's?

Games are mandated by my district. It has been shown by various mathematics and educational professionals that math games are the best way to promote quick and fun learning of math concepts as compared to doing rote worksheets or multiple problems. My students seem to retain concepts by playing the math games.

Sure they are a time sucker. As a parent, I did not like them. I usually paid my older son to play the math game with my daughter.. because like you I was working full time and going to school full time.

The crafty stuff will end soon. Starting in 3rd grade (at least in my state) is is standardized test time. All 3rd graders have to complete the state level assessments in language arts, math and science.

Our homework that I assign has no coloring, cutting pasting or gluing. It is strictly academic work. It has to have "rigourous academic content" per my principal. Some schools think that homework still needs to be fun (ie coloring). Some schools also believe in "performance based assessment" that are aligned with the students learning style -- ie a poster that reflects what they learned about Thanksgiving versus a handwritten report.

 

[jfulcer]

First off let me say that I DO care about my childrens' educations, and I am always there to help them with their homework.
Vent over!

When your kids are teenagers and want nothing to do with you for whatever invented reasons they come up with you're going to look back on this and wish it didn't end. Chances are there is a percentage of kids in the class whose parents wouldn't do ANYTHING with them if the school didn't ask them to do things likes this.

Lazy teacher? Doesn't want to deal with the clean-up?

Sorry, really nothing against OP but you could substitute 'parent' for 'teacher' in that sentence and it would apply in some situations, too. (maybe not OP...)

 

[texaslover]

It's so funny because I'm a 2nd grade teacher and all year the parents have complained that we are too focused on academics. Homework every night, guided reading every night, assessments for every subject, expectations of good behavior so they can learn, etc. etc.

I work in a high income district and 80% of my kids didn't do their reading last night. They told me they had to "visit cousins", "do gymnastics", "go to basketball practice", "go to the park with my grandma", and other excuses.

I would love to send home a cute little project that parents and kids could work on and enjoy together. However, I'm revamping my whole schedule to compensate for all the kids who don't do homework and don't do their reading. Now it will be done in class and there will be less time for fun stuff.

So, my advice would be, if your district doesn't value academics, make it a priority in your home. Read with your children and ask comprehension questions, do math problems together, drill math facts or sight words, or just sit down and play a learning game. These will all help the kids!

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

It's so funny because I'm a 2nd grade teacher and all year the parents have complained that we are too focused on academics. Homework every night, guided reading every night, assessments for every subject, expectations of good behavior so they can learn, etc. etc.

I have to agree with you regarding academics since many people complain that kids have too much homework.

The one thought that comes to my mind why 'busy work' is sent home as homework instead of spelling and math maybe the fact that some parents (I'm not saying that it is the OP because if she can juggle all of those rolls, she is a wonderful mom) may not be able to handle the homework. I don't know the answer, but maybe the school district wants the children to have fun but at the same time wants the academics to take place during the school day. Just a thought though.

 

[MoniqueU]

just wait til the science projects begin. I would much rather be back at the coloring and pasting point though with my kids this age not younger. I am going to be so relieved when my kids are out of this elementary school and the science projects stop.

 

[wendy darling]

This is not directed at the OP, but I know alot of people who pawn their children off on other people all day (after school)- nannies, sports, arts, ect... And claim it is for the children's own good. Why people have children and then do not want to spend time with them is beyond me?

Maybe this teacher sees this and thinks if she sends home a project may bring the family together.

Maybe the OP should try to speak to the teacher, they do have parent-teacher conferences.

 

[merryweather20]

I agree with the poster that said talk with the teacher. My cousin had the same problem in Kindergarten. Everyday was a two hour project. No one is going to convince me thata kindergartener needs 2 hours of homework. God forbid the kids actually got to play and spend time with their family when they got home. To the posters that complained she doesn't want to spend time with her kids, I'm willing to bet its the opposite. They'd rather spend time together as a family, then fiddling with instructions and putting away craft supplies.

After my uncles talk the homework became optional.

 

[Kteacher]

I do send "homework" home, but usually it is something that should take no more than 15 minutes, like practicing writing one letter, or towards the end of the school year we do journal "writing". My students feel like "big kids" when they have homework.
It's also a way to get good homework and study habits started. I know when my own kids were little my neighbor and I started an after school homework club. We each had 3 kids, all about the same age. Right after school they would all sit together and do their homework. The older kids would help the younger ones with their homework. They knew that they needed to do homework first, then they could play. My kids and my neighbor's kids are grown now-the oldest member of the homework club graduated with honors from Georgetown this past June, and the youngest is my daughter, who is now 16. These study habits have followed them all through school and into college-it is very sweet to see them come home from college on breaks and still help each other with homework .
I know not everyone is able to be home with their kids right after school. My school has a great after school homework club. I've worked with our PGO to get local businesses to provide snacks for the kids in the club, and have even had my girl scout troop come in and help the kids with their homework.
I didn't mean to downplay the OP's concern for the amount of time the homework was taking-homework should be age appropriate-2 hours for a kindergartener is too long I do want to stress the importance of getting kids into good study routines

 

[aprilgail2]

just wait til the science projects begin. I would much rather be back at the coloring and pasting point though with my kids this age not younger. I am going to be so relieved when my kids are out of this elementary school and the science projects stop.

I was jumping for joy when they revamped our whole mandatory scince fair program! It used to be starting int 4th grade and going through 8th This year with all the state testing for the 4th graders they decided that they won't be doing a science project at home- they are all working on scientific method in class- what a novel idea since most projects are done by the parent anyway!!!! and then 5th grade will do one working on it mainly in school. 6th grade will do one at home and then they cencelled it for 7th and 8th grade so all we have now is 2 years of science fair!!!
As far as busy work- if its coloring or word searches they got tossed, I see no need to send that crap home to keep my daughter busy- I can find things for her to do I don't need the teacher sending home busy work. She is in 4th grade now so we dont get those projects that have to be worked on together anymore- last year we had the "you and your family create a diarama"- I hated doing those myself in school and its no more fun doing it now LOL- but we did it. Right now the homework is managable- she gets it Mon-Thursday (no homework on weekends or school breaks) and its usually spelling, language arts, and either social studies or science so its all actual work and not just busy work. Most night she can get it done in 30 minutes, occassionally if she is distracted by things it can take longer. Last night we had to run out right after school and do some toy pickups for a toy drive we work for and she did it all in the car in about 30 minutes.

 

[DisneyFan06]

I teach 1st grade and I believe developing fine motor skills is important. So I assign one cut and paste activity related to academics a week.
I am not lazy, I care!!!!

 

[disneyjunkie]

This is not directed at the OP, but I know alot of people who pawn their children off on other people all day (after school)- nannies, sports, arts, ect... And claim it is for the children's own good. Why people have children and then do not want to spend time with them is beyond me?

Do you have children? If so, are you with them 24/7?

 

[GJM]

Originally Posted by wendy darling
This is not directed at the OP, but I know alot of people who pawn their children off on other people all day (after school)- nannies, sports, arts, ect... And claim it is for the children's own good. Why people have children and then do not want to spend time with them is beyond me?

I wouldn't call that pawning your kids off. My DS went to after school care because I had to work. He now does Karate 2 nights, cub scouts 1 night and guitar lessons 1 day a week. These are things he wants to do, if he didn't he can stop. I think kids having an outside interest in something is a good thing. As he gets older I am sure he will have other interests also.

 

[goofyernmost]

When your kids are teenagers and want nothing to do with you for whatever invented reasons they come up with you're going to look back on this and wish it didn't end. Chances are there is a percentage of kids in the class whose parents wouldn't do ANYTHING with them if the school didn't ask them to do things likes this.



Sorry, really nothing against OP but you could substitute 'parent' for 'teacher' in that sentence and it would apply in some situations, too. (maybe not OP...)

I have all the respect in the world for teachers...but...you cannot really believe those two statements do you?

No longer cared about by their children because they didn't do some busy work inspired project sent home by a teacher? Parenting goes way beyond cutting out colored paper and gluing up a poster. It is not the job of the teacher to get "the parents" involved. In a hard nosed sense, the teacher is paid by the parent to take care of that part of there upbringing. You supply the formal education, we will supply EVERYTHING else that is involved with raising them. How much I am involved or not involved is not part of your job description.

As for the second part I will agree that the comment by the poster about teachers being lazy was uncalled for, but, I would hope that the person in charge of educating my children were a little more mature than to classify parents as lazy because they don't always have the time to devote to paper cut outs. That's what teachers are paid to do. That is the job unless there is no redeeming educational value in the project, then, it is just a waste of time for kids, parents and teachers.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

This is not directed at the OP, but I know alot of people who pawn their children off on other people all day (after school)- nannies, sports, arts, ect... And claim it is for the children's own good. Why people have children and then do not want to spend time with them is beyond me?

Wow! In these days that's an unbelievable statement .

OP, I hated cute and paste homework too.
I do applaud you raising children as a single parent and going to college.
You're an inspiration to your kids.

 

[3Leafs]

OP I applaud you for doing all that you do. Its not easy. I was a single mom for 4 years I know.

I am lucky this year. My dd is in preschool and gets homework once a week. It has 3 simple questions on it. It says to have someone read to you. A simple game to play and to draw something on the back of the page. It is sent home on Monday and due on Thursday. Gives plenty of time.

My one ds is in K and he gets homework on Friday its writing a simple word 5 times and to write a sentence and draw a picture. Due the following Wednesday.

My oldest is in 6th grade. His teacher at the begining of the year said that she has kids of her own and does not want to sit all night grading papers or going over homework so the only homework the kids will have is what is not done in school..

This may be my easiest year ever and it will probably never happen again..

 

[SC Minnie]

Just wait until they get a bit older and you have no idea *how* to help them with their homework because you don't understand it. DD is a freshman and I haven't done algebra and geometry in 20+ years. I don't remember this stuff enough to even help her. I feel so dumb sometimes and I am college educated!!! The cutting and pasting was a breeze!

 

[Mkrop]

I teach 1st grade and I believe developing fine motor skills is important. So I assign one cut and paste activity related to academics a week.
I am not lazy, I care!!!!

Thank you, thank you for your post!

Learning is not all about academics. Fine motor skills like cutting and pasting are essential to learning. It aids in learning academics if the fine and gross motor skills are mastered.

I have learned so much about how gross and fine motor skills play in the learning process by having a child who is delayed in those areas. We as parents, I dont think realize this.

Just recently DS5's PT observed him during math class bc many times kids who have his condition (hypotonia, low muscle tone) have problems in motor planning and math. His class was working on sequencing. Luckily DS5 did not have any issues with this, in fact he was one of the few who got it the first time through.

Many times through these assingments parents and teachers can spot delays in children and get them the necessary help, early in the learning process.

I see so many children who have poor handwriting skills and their parents just laugh and say "oh my kid will be a Dr since he cant write" well in my head I am always thinking but yeah you just may have limited him/her from being a surgeon bc you dont care about fine motor skills.

Dont get me wrong OP I do appreciate that there are only so many hours in a day but I think you need to look at the benefits of these assignments vs the time they are taking up.

Good luck!

 

[Liberty Belle]

I have to agree with you regarding academics since many people complain that kids have too much homework.

The one thought that comes to my mind why 'busy work' is sent home as homework instead of spelling and math maybe the fact that some parents (I'm not saying that it is the OP because if she can juggle all of those rolls, she is a wonderful mom) may not be able to handle the homework. I don't know the answer, but maybe the school district wants the children to have fun but at the same time wants the academics to take place during the school day. Just a thought though.

That made me giggle.

Who knows exactly what's behind the teachers' thoughts on this kind of homework. It could be that's what the "team" decided on. Maybe the principal stresses this. Maybe the teachers feel that if it is something as involved as the OP says, the parents will have to help. Or, maybe they think they have to assign "fun" homework since the day's work is so rigorous? Perhaps it helps with skills the teachers are unable to get to in the classroom.

I think the only thing to do, if you are that concerned about it, is talk to the teachers.