But seriously? Homework in kindergarten? First grade? Don't you understand that we're barely getting by meeting basic needs right now - you know, like making sure the kids get a bath every other day and that we have nutritious food in the house when the school week rolls around and remembering which park they are playing at with the babysitter when its time to pick them up at the end of the work day? In this rat race of a society where those of us with a job are doing the job of three more all under the guise of the fact that we're lucky to have a job in the first place, you're nearly breaking us, homework. (This statement is in no way made to diminish my thanks for the fact that I have a job or the struggles of those that don't right now, but seriously, we could certainly stimulate the local economy a little by filling the six vacant positions I have in my program alone right now.)
I know, the assignments are simple. Ashagre needs to count his teeth - upper and lower - but have you tried to have a six year old count their teeth? When they're tired and can't figure out how to say the number of the next tooth, thereby closing their mouth, without loosing track of which tooth they're on? Seriously, what my kids need is not to complete this arbitrary application of their math skills - believe me, we count arbitrary things ALL THE TIME, they love it - what they need is a couple of hours of quality time each night to soak up as much love as our little family can generate after it has been rushing from place to place, task to task, all day long.
I guess I'll leave it at this. Homework, be warned. That energy we threw out into the world a few weeks back is starting to coalesce and has the potential to turn into something tangible. When it does, homework, the Coranski family will be no match for you. You will no longer trip us up when its 15 minutes before bed time and Ashagre hasn't gotten started yet or when its Thursday night and our total reading time does not add up to the required 80 minutes. Oh no, homework, we will school you.
You put it so much more poetically than I would! I hate homework. I think it is ridiculous to think that 5,6,7,8 year old kids need any more time sitting at a table with a pencil in their hands. So many studies show it doesn't improve learning, especially in the younger grades. And our kids don't have enough time to run around, make friends, be outside, learn skills from M&D, etc. etc. Grr.
ReplyDeleteBut, I also believe in respecting what the teacher says and does, so we do the homework. However, I felt free in K, 1st and 2nd grade to modify as needed to suit my child - more of this, less of that, change this up into a game, etc. I worked with the teachers, it wasn't (completely) arbitrary. And, if it didn't get done, so be it. I am grateful none of Max's teachers really seemed to mind if his homework was late (or missing), or if it was done to a tee. And, Max can read and write, he taught himself long division last year, and can school most adults on the make up of the universe (both the real one and Star Wars!), so I'm not too worried about missing math worksheets or misspelled words :-) I am so with you that it just doesn't seem as important as really spending time together in those few precious hours we have at the end of the day.
And, yay for energy from the universe! Can't wait to hear what is flying your way -
Elizabeth
Seattle