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Homework Trouble

Started by WitchSabrina, February 18, 2013, 10:55:33 AM

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WitchSabrina

Asking 4th graders about infidelity is not routine apparently........

//http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/kids-homework-arizona-fou_n_2697560.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl8%7Csec1_lnk1%26pLid%3D271768

Not that the teacher should have given out an assignment she didn't check herself (error #1) but the 10 yr old seemed to very much know the answer. Too much TV maybe?

Paranoid mom or good mom?
I know I jumped on stuff like this when my girls were still little and in school. But I was a very hands-on Mom questioning nearly every educator we saw during those 17 yrs.
I am currently experiencing life at several WTFs per hour.

Nonsensei

Of course the kid knows about sex and cheating. All she has to do is watch a soap opera with mom, where people fuck and cheat on each other five times a minute and she will know all about it.
And on the wings of a dream so far beyond reality
All alone in desperation now the time has come
Lost inside you\'ll never find, lost within my own mind
Day after day this misery must go on

WitchSabrina

Quote from: "Nonsensei"Of course the kid knows about sex and cheating. All she has to do is watch a soap opera with mom, where people fuck and cheat on each other five times a minute and she will know all about it.

You didn't answer = good mom or paranoid mom?
lol
I am currently experiencing life at several WTFs per hour.

SGOS

Quote from: "WitchSabrina"Not that the teacher should have given out an assignment she didn't check herself  

Oops.  What is also odd is that this assignment must have come from a book of teaching assignments.  Usually, these kinds of supplements are grade specific and often even specific to a certain text book.  If that was the case, what was the company that published the thing thinking?

Nonsensei

Quote from: "WitchSabrina"
Quote from: "Nonsensei"Of course the kid knows about sex and cheating. All she has to do is watch a soap opera with mom, where people fuck and cheat on each other five times a minute and she will know all about it.

You didn't answer = good mom or paranoid mom?
lol

I choose lazy mom, who is afraid of being forced into having a conversation about sex and interpersonal relationships with her kid.
And on the wings of a dream so far beyond reality
All alone in desperation now the time has come
Lost inside you\'ll never find, lost within my own mind
Day after day this misery must go on

AllPurposeAtheist

Mom, why were you and that nice man making all that noise in the bedroom while Daddy was at work?

Rehersing for a play we're putting on..

Is it a play about spanking?

Uhh.. yeah, that's the ticket!
All hail my new signature!

Admit it. You're secretly green with envy.

SGOS

Quote from: "AllPurposeAtheist"Mom, why were you and that nice man making all that noise in the bedroom while Daddy was at work?

Rehersing for a play we're putting on..  
Rehersing for the play, "All My Mother's Uncles" ...

WitchSabrina

Quote from: "Nonsensei"
Quote from: "WitchSabrina"
Quote from: "Nonsensei"Of course the kid knows about sex and cheating. All she has to do is watch a soap opera with mom, where people fuck and cheat on each other five times a minute and she will know all about it.

You didn't answer = good mom or paranoid mom?
lol

I choose lazy mom, who is afraid of being forced into having a conversation about sex and interpersonal relationships with her kid.

Good one.  LOL  
Yeah-- we tackled these types of things on a day by day basis.  Clearly these things can trigger a great opportunity for Q&A with your kid. (you can answer questions about sex, etc with kids and not devastate them)
but sometimes - depending on situation - Something was quite amiss at school and I'd be in my car pulling into a parking spot like a Banshee on fire.
Like when my second grader came home insisting we pray over our dinner cause "teacher said so".

Finding this on a home work assignment would have led to a conversation at home and maybe a little hand written note to be delivered to the teacher with a simple "WTF? LOL" sealed in an envelope.    I tried to not give teachers a hard time unless I felt it absolutely necessary.  But when it Was necessary - then so be it.
I am currently experiencing life at several WTFs per hour.

Aroura33

I vote for paranoid and stupid mom.  Did you guys read any of those comments, too?  People are so completely ignorant of our education system.  They are sure quick to pile insults on our "liberal" teachers and education system, as if that was the problem.

The teacher admitted to not having read the assignment carefully, and is taking a lot of verbal abuse for that, but when you have 30 kids per class, no more teachers aids, shorter and shorter school days and school year, and the complete lack of involvement of teachers in creating curriculum, this sort of thing will keep happening.  The teachers are given the work to give to the kids, they have little to no choice in what they teach.

Since I've gotten back to volunteering in the public school system, I'm seeing first hand how broken it is.  My daughters teacher has admitted that without volunteers, they would completely have to abandon arts and crafts for Kindergardeners and other classes.  She was telling me how some school districts in our state have eliminated recess so they can keep up to the increasing testing standards. Yet more and more kids are unable to finish school. The kids are not taught how to learn, or how to enjoy learning, they just memorize crap all day, then forget it 2 weeks later.  This is a problem right from Kindergarden!  How are kindergardeners going to learn that school and learning is fun when at the very top end, our policy makers are doing everything in their power to make it NOT fun?

The fact that this homework sheet made it home to students shows how American funding priorities are just screwed up.  The conservatives will blame the teacher, and use this sort of thing to hold down teacher wages, all the while continuing to make classes larger, and cut funding to everything except math and English.  It makes me furious.

Sorry sort of got off topic there.  Back on topic, this shouldn't even have been a news story.  The question in question (hehe) does not HAVE to have an answer of infidelity.  Just because daughter and mom jumped to that conclusion doesn't make it the only answer.  And also, even if it is specifically related to infidelity, so what?  This is just more prudish behavior on the part of too many parents.
"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.  LLAP"
Leonard Nimoy

WitchSabrina

Quote from: "Aroura33"I vote for paranoid and stupid mom.  Did you guys read any of those comments, too?  People are so completely ignorant of our education system.  They are sure quick to pile insults on our "liberal" teachers and education system, as if that was the problem.

The teacher admitted to not having read the assignment carefully, and is taking a lot of verbal abuse for that, but when you have 30 kids per class, no more teachers aids, shorter and shorter school days and school year, and the complete lack of involvement of teachers in creating curriculum, this sort of thing will keep happening.  The teachers are given the work to give to the kids, they have little to no choice in what they teach.

Since I've gotten back to volunteering in the public school system, I'm seeing first hand how broken it is.  My daughters teacher has admitted that without volunteers, they would completely have to abandon arts and crafts for Kindergardeners and other classes.  She was telling me how some school districts in our state have eliminated recess so they can keep up to the increasing testing standards. Yet more and more kids are unable to finish school. The kids are not taught how to learn, or how to enjoy learning, they just memorize crap all day, then forget it 2 weeks later.  This is a problem right from Kindergarden!  How are kindergardeners going to learn that school and learning is fun when at the very top end, our policy makers are doing everything in their power to make it NOT fun?

The fact that this homework sheet made it home to students shows how American funding priorities are just screwed up.  The conservatives will blame the teacher, and use this sort of thing to hold down teacher wages, all the while continuing to make classes larger, and cut funding to everything except math and English.  It makes me furious.

Sorry sort of got off topic there.  Back on topic, this shouldn't even have been a news story.  The question in question (hehe) does not HAVE to have an answer of infidelity.  Just because daughter and mom jumped to that conclusion doesn't make it the only answer.  And also, even if it is specifically related to infidelity, so what?  This is just more prudish behavior on the part of too many parents.


I don't think off-topic, Aurora.  I completely agree we could discuss education.  The original story can catapult us into a better conversation that's for sure.   By the way - as far back as 94 I started volunteering at schools as a class-room mom and even back then the teachers said if it weren't for volunteers they'd never be able to handle it all and successfully teach.  I taught reading in the hallways of three different schools from 1st grade reading level to 6th grade level.  I'd hate to stop and try to do the math estimating how many kids I helped that clearly got Zero assistance at home day after day, year after year.  It's appalling.  
Unfortunately many parents think that once they send their kids to school *their* jobs are pretty much done.  And they'll blame everything from lack of whatever on a teacher and system if they can.
I am currently experiencing life at several WTFs per hour.

Aroura33

Quote from: "WitchSabrina"
Quote from: "Aroura33"I vote for paranoid and stupid mom.  Did you guys read any of those comments, too?  People are so completely ignorant of our education system.  They are sure quick to pile insults on our "liberal" teachers and education system, as if that was the problem.

The teacher admitted to not having read the assignment carefully, and is taking a lot of verbal abuse for that, but when you have 30 kids per class, no more teachers aids, shorter and shorter school days and school year, and the complete lack of involvement of teachers in creating curriculum, this sort of thing will keep happening.  The teachers are given the work to give to the kids, they have little to no choice in what they teach.

Since I've gotten back to volunteering in the public school system, I'm seeing first hand how broken it is.  My daughters teacher has admitted that without volunteers, they would completely have to abandon arts and crafts for Kindergardeners and other classes.  She was telling me how some school districts in our state have eliminated recess so they can keep up to the increasing testing standards. Yet more and more kids are unable to finish school. The kids are not taught how to learn, or how to enjoy learning, they just memorize crap all day, then forget it 2 weeks later.  This is a problem right from Kindergarden!  How are kindergardeners going to learn that school and learning is fun when at the very top end, our policy makers are doing everything in their power to make it NOT fun?

The fact that this homework sheet made it home to students shows how American funding priorities are just screwed up.  The conservatives will blame the teacher, and use this sort of thing to hold down teacher wages, all the while continuing to make classes larger, and cut funding to everything except math and English.  It makes me furious.

Sorry sort of got off topic there.  Back on topic, this shouldn't even have been a news story.  The question in question (hehe) does not HAVE to have an answer of infidelity.  Just because daughter and mom jumped to that conclusion doesn't make it the only answer.  And also, even if it is specifically related to infidelity, so what?  This is just more prudish behavior on the part of too many parents.


I don't think off-topic, Aurora.  I completely agree we could discuss education.  The original story can catapult us into a better conversation that's for sure.   By the way - as far back as 94 I started volunteering at schools as a class-room mom and even back then the teachers said if it weren't for volunteers they'd never be able to handle it all and successfully teach.  I taught reading in the hallways of three different schools from 1st grade reading level to 6th grade level.  I'd hate to stop and try to do the math estimating how many kids I helped that clearly got Zero assistance at home day after day, year after year.  It's appalling.  
Unfortunately many parents think that once they send their kids to school *their* jobs are pretty much done.  And they'll blame everything from lack of whatever on a teacher and system if they can.

It's true, parents are the largest part of the problem.  Too many people just really show no interest in their children's education....or their children in general for that matter.

My daughters teacher started sending Homework home last November.  The kids get their homework on Friday, and it has to be turned in by the following Wednesday.  She has sent home multiple notes explaining to parents that they need to be involved, kids need to get into the habit of doing and turning in homework, etc.  This last week, less than half of her kids turned their homework in on time.  LESS THAN HALF!  I mean, the homework is like 2 worksheets, usually one for math and one for reading/writing.  It takes my daughter about half an hour to do the really hard ones, where she has to write whole words or a short sentence or two.  This isn't hard.  If parents seriously cannot find half an hour a WEEK to help their kid with their homework, those kids are already screwed.  No teacher can fix that.

About volunteering, I understand.  Now that I started again, I can't stop! I cannot help but feel obligated to help, since I have the time to do so, and now I've seen how badly it is needed.  Even if I had one of my bad nights of insomnia, i still go in.  I can always nap later.   :lol:

On a positive note, the local high school is allowing some freshmen to volunteer during their 4th period as an elective.  So there are a couple of high school girls there for the last 45 minutes of each day to help out, lately.  I think this is great, and would love to see more programs of this sort, as it benefits the older and the younger kids.
"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.  LLAP"
Leonard Nimoy

WitchSabrina

Quote from: "Aroura33"
Quote from: "WitchSabrina"
Quote from: "Aroura33"I vote for paranoid and stupid mom.  Did you guys read any of those comments, too?  People are so completely ignorant of our education system.  They are sure quick to pile insults on our "liberal" teachers and education system, as if that was the problem.

The teacher admitted to not having read the assignment carefully, and is taking a lot of verbal abuse for that, but when you have 30 kids per class, no more teachers aids, shorter and shorter school days and school year, and the complete lack of involvement of teachers in creating curriculum, this sort of thing will keep happening.  The teachers are given the work to give to the kids, they have little to no choice in what they teach.

Since I've gotten back to volunteering in the public school system, I'm seeing first hand how broken it is.  My daughters teacher has admitted that without volunteers, they would completely have to abandon arts and crafts for Kindergardeners and other classes.  She was telling me how some school districts in our state have eliminated recess so they can keep up to the increasing testing standards. Yet more and more kids are unable to finish school. The kids are not taught how to learn, or how to enjoy learning, they just memorize crap all day, then forget it 2 weeks later.  This is a problem right from Kindergarden!  How are kindergardeners going to learn that school and learning is fun when at the very top end, our policy makers are doing everything in their power to make it NOT fun?

The fact that this homework sheet made it home to students shows how American funding priorities are just screwed up.  The conservatives will blame the teacher, and use this sort of thing to hold down teacher wages, all the while continuing to make classes larger, and cut funding to everything except math and English.  It makes me furious.

Sorry sort of got off topic there.  Back on topic, this shouldn't even have been a news story.  The question in question (hehe) does not HAVE to have an answer of infidelity.  Just because daughter and mom jumped to that conclusion doesn't make it the only answer.  And also, even if it is specifically related to infidelity, so what?  This is just more prudish behavior on the part of too many parents.


I don't think off-topic, Aurora.  I completely agree we could discuss education.  The original story can catapult us into a better conversation that's for sure.   By the way - as far back as 94 I started volunteering at schools as a class-room mom and even back then the teachers said if it weren't for volunteers they'd never be able to handle it all and successfully teach.  I taught reading in the hallways of three different schools from 1st grade reading level to 6th grade level.  I'd hate to stop and try to do the math estimating how many kids I helped that clearly got Zero assistance at home day after day, year after year.  It's appalling.  
Unfortunately many parents think that once they send their kids to school *their* jobs are pretty much done.  And they'll blame everything from lack of whatever on a teacher and system if they can.

It's true, parents are the largest part of the problem.  Too many people just really show no interest in their children's education....or their children in general for that matter.

My daughters teacher started sending Homework home last November.  The kids get their homework on Friday, and it has to be turned in by the following Wednesday.  She has sent home multiple notes explaining to parents that they need to be involved, kids need to get into the habit of doing and turning in homework, etc.  This last week, less than half of her kids turned their homework in on time.  LESS THAN HALF!  I mean, the homework is like 2 worksheets, usually one for math and one for reading/writing.  It takes my daughter about half an hour to do the really hard ones, where she has to write whole words or a short sentence or two.  This isn't hard.  If parents seriously cannot find half an hour a WEEK to help their kid with their homework, those kids are already screwed.  No teacher can fix that.

About volunteering, I understand.  Now that I started again, I can't stop! I cannot help but feel obligated to help, since I have the time to do so, and now I've seen how badly it is needed.  Even if I had one of my bad nights of insomnia, i still go in.  I can always nap later.   :lol:

On a positive note, the local high school is allowing some freshmen to volunteer during their 4th period as an elective.  So there are a couple of high school girls there for the last 45 minutes of each day to help out, lately.  I think this is great, and would love to see more programs of this sort, as it benefits the older and the younger kids.

I wish more schools would do this - especially since applying to college these days the resume of the student needs to be spectacular! Volunteer work was very much looked at when Kendra was interviewing with colleges and universities.  It really could be a win/win for both the little one needing better reading skills and the teen looking to polish their resume a bit.
I am currently experiencing life at several WTFs per hour.

Jason78

Quote from: "Nonsensei"Of course the kid knows about sex and cheating.

I love the way that that's the conclusion everyone immediately jumps to.

That someones been cheating.  The situation was about a woman finding a hair clip underneath her bed with another woman's hair in it.  There are any number of ways that situation may have come about.
Winner of WitchSabrinas Best Advice Award 2012


We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real
tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. -Plato

WitchSabrina

Quote from: "Jason78"
Quote from: "Nonsensei"Of course the kid knows about sex and cheating.

I love the way that that's the conclusion everyone immediately jumps to.

That someones been cheating.  The situation was about a woman finding a hair clip underneath her bed with another woman's hair in it.  There are any number of ways that situation may have come about.

Some kids know about sex (and extenuating circumstances) at age 8(+ or -) while others can yet be clueless into their teens.  It's a pretty individual matter based on a lot of contributing factors, I think.
I am currently experiencing life at several WTFs per hour.

SGOS

Quote from: "Jason78"I love the way that that's the conclusion everyone immediately jumps to.

Maybe the assignment was measuring where the kids fit on the Winslow Depravity Scale.  The school is just trying to see how deep their minds are into the gutter.  The scores will be placed in the students' permanent records, so teachers can discuss them in the lunch room.

(I just made all of that up)