The Storm and HS Homework/Tests - No Excuses (Vent)!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So my DC has had several emails last night and this morning from his high school teachers stating that various projects and tests are still due on Wednesday before the marking period ends, even if we all lose power. WTH? I think this is a bit ridiculous. I don't care if these are AP or Honors classes, and I know the marking period ends, which increases the sense of urgency to get the grades in. These kids aren't emergency personnel and they aren't brain surgeons. Would it kill MCPS to extend these deadlines if in fact this storm is as bad a expected and we all lose power?

Honestly, the pressures on kids these days has gotten out of control! (VENT OVER)

But you have not lost power. I'm sure f you do, and your child cannot do the assignment as a result, they will reconsider. Your child has an entire day to work on this instead of just at night. He/she has more time than usual. What is the problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, since there is no school, that means students have MORE time, not less, to complete these assignments. Why in the world would a storm be an excuse to sit around all day and ignore schoolwork? No one has actually lost power yet, and even once we do, there is such a thing as a computer battery, or (gasp!) writing longhand.

Have you actually lost power at your house and tried to work? We frequently lose power and this is utterly ridiculous. I strongly doubt this assignment is worth losing battery power over.

[Anonymous]

Good grief, it's not as though our children are actually out there risking their lives, for heaven's sake. "Staying safe" just means staying indoors. I, for one, would rather my teen be doing schoolwork than sitting around playing on Facebook, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We'll see if they really don't extend the deadlines once the scope of the damage becomes clear. I think they just don't want kids to assume that they're off the hook because you never know. Not every kid is as industrious as your son -- many would be treating today as a throwaway day even though they still have power.

Yes, like most of us would have done in the good old days.

In fairness, I would not have done this. Looking back as a 40-year-old, I think that it's crying shame that I didn't advantage of things like storm days.

[Anonymous]

that I didn't _take_ advantage.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is unreasonable or excess pressure to expect students to hand projects (assigned awhile ago) in on time as long as houses have power. So he has to do a bit of school work on his day off. If he hadn't had the days off the work would still have been due on Wednesday and he would have had to go to school and get this homework done. Having a day off to get work done would actually have been a good thing for me as a student and would have reduced the pressure as I would have had more time to do the same work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, since there is no school, that means students have MORE time, not less, to complete these assignments. Why in the world would a storm be an excuse to sit around all day and ignore schoolwork? No one has actually lost power yet, and even once we do, there is such a thing as a computer battery, or (gasp!) writing longhand.

Have you actually lost power at your house and tried to work? We frequently lose power and this is utterly ridiculous. I strongly doubt this assignment is worth losing battery power over.

I'm the above poster, and of course I have. We live in an area of MoCo where we joke that if it's a gorgeous sunny day, that means we'll lose power. We lose power ALL the time, and we always get work done off battery. And personally, I don't second-guess my children's teachers--if it is an AP course, then they have a timeline they have to uphold, so i n fact the assignment is probably worth using up battery life. AP exams are national, and they don't postpone the date of he exam because one region has an act of God.

That said, if you feel that strongly about it, tell your child not to bother. Rather than expect the school/teacher to bend to your opinion, however, I would think you could use this as a lesson for your hcild that he/she can use judgment about this, but to man up and take the consequences f there should be any. Perfectly reasonable to say to teacher, "I decided it wasn't worth using battery power for this assignment, so I understand if I am marked down." Whiny and responsibility-avoidant to say "I decided it wasn't worth using battery power over, and I think you're wrong, so how dare you mark me down?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. To those of you with the hardline approach, I don't get it. I work at a college and we are completely shut down today and tomorrow. Even the law school is shut down and has canceled classes. Don't most of the adults get off work when there's a storm like this? Sure, there are certain obligations that must be met in life, and I certainly agree we must prepare our kids to face that. All I'm asking for is some reason and balance. Sadly, this isn't easy to come by in many schools these days.

For those who are suggesting I've pressured my DC to be in these AP classes, you would be incorrect. He puts the pressure on himself to do well. I know he'll do what he needs to do to be successful. I don't think that's the point. This isn't necessary. It's pressure for pressure's sake, and who really needs that?

I know not eveyone will agree with me, but I know there are plenty of parents out there who understand.

But he had the assignments due on Wednesday anyway, right? And he would have had to complete them PLUS go to school these two days. And now he deosn't even have to go to school and obviously you have power. Where is the EXTRA burden on him? Because he doesn;t get to goof off with everyone else who doesn't have work/school? I don't get your problem. Sorry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. To those of you with the hardline approach, I don't get it. I work at a college and we are completely shut down today and tomorrow. Even the law school is shut down and has canceled classes. Don't most of the adults get off work when there's a storm like this? Sure, there are certain obligations that must be met in life, and I certainly agree we must prepare our kids to face that. All I'm asking for is some reason and balance. Sadly, this isn't easy to come by in many schools these days.

For those who are suggesting I've pressured my DC to be in these AP classes, you would be incorrect. He puts the pressure on himself to do well. I know he'll do what he needs to do to be successful. I don't think that's the point. This isn't necessary. It's pressure for pressure's sake, and who really needs that?

I know not eveyone will agree with me, but I know there are plenty of parents out there who understand.

there is no pressure - it is a reminder that the due date is still the due date. What is the issue?

[Anonymous]

No one is forcing your child to do the homework. Your child can take the F for the assignment if he or she chooses. A very simple solution here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, since there is no school, that means students have MORE time, not less, to complete these assignments. Why in the world would a storm be an excuse to sit around all day and ignore schoolwork? No one has actually lost power yet, and even once we do, there is such a thing as a computer battery, or (gasp!) writing longhand.

Have you actually lost power at your house and tried to work? We frequently lose power and this is utterly ridiculous. I strongly doubt this assignment is worth losing battery power over.

But posting on DCUM for the OP was worth battery power????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one is forcing your child to do the homework. Your child can take the F for the assignment if he or she chooses. A very simple solution here.

+1

[Anonymous]

I'm in nursing school up in Boston and although we have no school today, I'm still scheduled for a test tomorrow morning at 8am and one Wednesday morning. We are just starting to get hit with more severe winds and rain.

I guess i don't find it that abnormal because I remember being in middle school and high school here and was always expected to complete assignments and tests on time even when we had snow days. The only exception was a paper if power was lost and our papers were on our computers.

Now your son has extra time to work on his assignments. Unless he saved all the work until the last minute, he shouldn't have to spend all day on them. And if he did procrastinate, imagine what it would be like if he'd had school today and then had to get all the work done.

[Anonymous]

But, it will take from all the computer and TV time the kids have over the next 2 days!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, since there is no school, that means students have MORE time, not less, to complete these assignments. Why in the world would a storm be an excuse to sit around all day and ignore schoolwork? No one has actually lost power yet, and even once we do, there is such a thing as a computer battery, or (gasp!) writing longhand.

Have you actually lost power at your house and tried to work? We frequently lose power and this is utterly ridiculous. I strongly doubt this assignment is worth losing battery power over.

But posting on DCUM for the OP was worth battery power????

I have power. Please keep up.