Does anyone just sent their kid to school and not supplement at home?

[Anonymous]

"I also, along with my spouse, read books with my children and engage in frequent discussions to help them present their viewpoints I also, along with my spouse, read books with my children and engage in frequent discussions to help them present their viewpoints in a clear, focused and orgainzed manner. I wish I had learned this much earlier in my education and not after I got out of school.

I had learned this much earlier in my education and not after I got out of school. "

I wish a LOT of DCUMers would learn how to present their viewpoints in a clear, focused,and organized manner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I gather from your response you too supplement at home. You choose to supplement reading and play. Great. Others supplement music and computer programming. Their kids may lag behind in music and computer programming but your child may be an outstanding reader and writer. Big deal. You can't cover the entire terrain. Why worry? Does it bother you that some choose to supplement math? It would be so boring if we all (parents and children) had the same interests and supplementation needs?

A responsible parent with knowledge of their child knows where there are needs for supplementation, nurture, mentorship and guidance.

No, she doesn't "supplement reading and play." When they're at home, her family members like to read and play. It just seems stupid (or, at best, tendentious) to treat anything short of imprisonment in a sensory deprivation capsule as a form of "supplementation."

No, play just happens! IF you give your kids enough unstructured, unsupervised time. That's not called "a supplement." that's called norml childhood. Seems to be rare these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I gather from your response you too supplement at home. You choose to supplement reading and play. Great. Others supplement music and computer programming. Their kids may lag behind in music and computer programming but your child may be an outstanding reader and writer. Big deal. You can't cover the entire terrain. Why worry? Does it bother you that some choose to supplement math? It would be so boring if we all (parents and children) had the same interests and supplementation needs?

A responsible parent with knowledge of their child knows where there are needs for supplementation, nurture, mentorship and guidance.

No, play just happens! IF you give your kids enough unstructured, unsupervised time. That's not called "a supplement." that's called normal, healthy childhood. Seems to be rare these days.

[Anonymous]

You can always return to the stone ages if you cannot cope in the 21st century.

[Anonymous]

No, play just happens! IF you give your kids enough unstructured, unsupervised time. That's not called "a supplement." that's called norml childhood. Seems to be rare these days.

Who is preventing you from allowing your own kids unstructured and unsupervised time for play to happen? If no one, why do you fret over other families and childen that prefer a little dash or dollop of Kumon math? Is this all about envy...keeping up with the Jones?

[Anonymous]

Many students attend Kumon and other enrichment programs because the school systems spend so much time teaching kids (leave no child behind) who spend most of their time in unstructured and unsupervised play, in plasma screen and video zombieland. Until the school systems are prepared to meet each student's ability, aptitude and performance kids will get stimulation and enrichment elsewhere (home, weekend school, dual enrollment in community colleges).

You can't have it both ways. "I let my children play in an unstructured environment. They get no supplementation at home. I do not want any homework (no more than 30 minutes) and busy work given to my child. This drill and practice techniques are for the birds. I'll sue the school and teacher if my child does not come home with straight As, aces the SAT and proceeds into a college of their choice."

[Anonymous]

Bingo...the very definition of entitlement.

[Anonymous]

"Does anyone just sent their kid to school and not supplement at home?"


Wouldn't it be nirvana if we could just send our kids to school then wash are hands and kick up our feet!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Does anyone just sent their kid to school and not supplement at home?"


Wouldn't it be nirvana if we could just send our kids to school then wash are hands and kick up our feet!

Some of you are being ridiculous. I am sure OP meant no such thing. Getting to the library once a week, playing educational games, taking in concerts and museums, reading to/listening to DC read, reviewing homework and answering questions, are all parenting. Pulling out workbooks and having tutors stop by is supplementing. Sometimes the latter is needed, but often parents go overboard and consequently suck the love of learning out of a child.

[Anonymous]

Some of you are being ridiculous. I am sure OP meant no such thing. Getting to the library once a week, playing educational games, taking in concerts and museums, reading to/listening to DC read, reviewing homework and answering questions, are all parenting. Pulling out workbooks and having tutors stop by is supplementing. Sometimes the latter is needed, but often parents go overboard and consequently suck the love of learning out of a child.

What's wrong with wookbooks and tutoring? Even if not "needed"? How do you decide when it's not "needed"... if a child has an B+ average at Beauvoir, B at Sidwell, A at an inner city elementary school, a homeschooled kid.

When are workbooks and tutors not "needed"? Does this depend on the objectives or goals (passing grade at Sidwell versus winning the National Spelling Bee or Mathcounts trophy)? Who decides? The School? The Child? The Parent? or YOU?

On the contrary, tell us when workbooks and tutors are "needed"? For kids attending poor schools with inadequate teachers? For kids with a C average at area elite private schools? Who decides? The child? The school? The parent? The courts? or YOU? Does this depend on short and long term goals and objectives? Are these short and long term objectives the same for all children in all parts of town and the country?

[Anonymous]

Some of you are being ridiculous. I am sure OP meant no such thing. Getting to the library once a week, playing educational games, taking in concerts and museums, reading to/listening to DC read, reviewing homework and answering questions, are all parenting. Pulling out workbooks and having tutors stop by is supplementing. Sometimes the latter is needed, but often parents go overboard and consequently suck the love of learning out of a child.

When is athletic coaching (swimming, lacrosse, gymnastics, soccer) and personal training outside of school "needed"?

I know several families that do not tutor or supplement or use workbooks with their bright kids that have sucked the love of learning out of their children? The kids are bored, poorly performing, drop-out wannabes in school. It takes alot more than homework, workbooks and a tutor to suck the love of learning out of a child? Open your eyes and look around you.

[Anonymous]

The problem with poorly or average performing students in America, in general and compared to other nations, has absolutely little to do with too much homework, too much tutoring, too many workbooks and too little play time. Just my opinion as a student, teacher and parent of students in the public and private edcuational system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I pay $25k/year to our private school on the optimistic assumption that they will use this money to teach my children the core academic skills they need. At home, we read together and talk. Oh yeah, and they play a lot. That's it. No extra math workbooks, no math computer games, no tutoring, no nothing. So far they seem to be doing fine. They probably will "lag" behind some of the kids who spend two hours a day on extra math drills. But I'm betting that they will nonetheless grow up to be be happy, creative, successful adults. Maybe more so.

Same here, but my DD with nothing beyond school work and homework is top of her math class and one of the top in the other subjects.

[Anonymous]

Alternatively, beware of grade inflation or a false sense of academic security. An Grade of an A in a school (without homework or extra work at home) does not imply a kid knows anything. On the other hand, a your child may be a genius.

[Anonymous]

We don't supplement with Kumon, flashcards, or anything like that. We do help re-teach any concepts that they are having trouble with. My kids have enough trouble getting through the school day. When they come home, they want to play. Actually, they NEED to play. I have no problem with supplementing academics/sports/music etc. as long as it is not at the expense of play time. Some kids can get all the "supplementing" done quickly and still have plenty of free time. My kids do best with as much unstructured time as possible. The supplementing is not a priority.