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

[Anonymous]

I've heard that also and the new Head is already starting to address the workload issue. Basically, the school was surprised to discover how much tutoring was going on when they got the results of an anonymous survey of families. Prior to that, they'd assumed they had a good sense because some tutors work directly with the school.

The part I don't get is how heavy demands require tutoring (which takes time on top of assignments). Unless the tutor is basically telling the kid what to do/write.

[Anonymous]

Yes, most "denying" idiots on this board supplement their children's education (whether in private or public school). It's amazing how "grown" but "denying" adults actually have the audacity to claim no supplementation at home. Sounds like typical hypocrisy of the squealing "family values" D.C. area proponents who proove themselves nothing short of ... frauds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, most "denying" idiots on this board supplement their children's education (whether in private or public school). It's amazing how "grown" but "denying" adults actually have the audacity to claim no supplementation at home. Sounds like typical hypocrisy of the squealing "family values" D.C. area proponents who proove themselves nothing short of ... frauds.

Proove?

[Anonymous]

Well that's easy. You are the living proof and your supplemented children will confirm this!

[Anonymous]

Yup, ever so true. The young ones can embarass one by innocent exposure.

[Anonymous]

08:19, I think it's that the classes move so quickly and there's so much material to learn that kids get behind. Think fractions-- one day fractions, the next day common denominators, the next day percentages corresponding to fractions, and so on. If your kid didn't quite get the first topic basics, then they are so behind by day two, more by day three. So they have to have a tutor to try to catch them up as the class moves on and on, homework assignment after homework assignment piling up.

To me it sounds like hell and I would not subject my child to it. But maybe if you had a kid that got everything quickly iin every subject it wouldn't be so bad.

[Anonymous]

We supplemented math with cooking (e.g. halving recipes), with currency "speculation" (do you want me to give you your allowance now or when we're in Canada/etc.), and with the Number Devil. I wouldn't dream of using workbooks or Kumon: they're drudgery, and they're teaching arithmetic, not math. Google Thinkfinity math for more ideas. For science, we did a lot of kitchen chemistry (see Vicki Cobb's books, starting with Science Experiments You Can Eat), and plenty of vinegar and baking soda, later with pH paper. There's a lot of neuroscience suggesting that if it's fun they'll learn it better. If supplementing means sitting and writing answers, I am dead set against it. Take me to the museum, or just out in the yard.

[Anonymous]

Wow! Great supplementation for your kids. Nice to see that not all kids are homeless.

[Anonymous]

Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by "supplement." My kids play a musical intsrument and have a private music teacher but they are still in 1st and 4th and individual musical instruments are not offered at their school yet. Therefdore, I would not call that supplementing.

We go to the public library every week or so to get books and often read togther (1st grader) or discuss books we have both read (4th grader). In fact, my 4th grader loves to suggest I try books he has particularly enjoyed. Even if I am not truly interested, I will read them so we can discuss them. 1st grader and I will stop in the middle of a page and dicuss what a word means or a aspect of the story. Are those things supplementing? Not really, it just normal family stuff to me but maybe someone would think so??

I do not have my children enrolled in Kumon or Jabberwu or other such programs. I sometimes ask them random math questions though. In the summer though, they might go to a one week mornings-only math camp.

I dont know but I think the term "supplementing" can mean lots of different things to different people. My private school kids do not receive outside tutoring or classes in academic subjects during the school year. I think that is likely what you are asking, yes?

[Anonymous]

To get back to the original question (perhaps?)... I think what you were asking was whether there is "formal" supplementation going on. And if, by that, you mean do we work on workbooks or are my children in classes (like Kumon or Score!), the answer is no. They are involved at school in whatever interests them (because they're interested, not because I see it as "supplemental" even though, of course, it is). One plays an instrument, another sings, they play different sports (some on outside teams), and we play board games on rainy weekends or go to museums, whenever we can (because it's fun). Yes, it's educational, but that's just a side benefit. It's a lot like playing in the pool is exercise. I agree wholeheartedly with 11:59. Learning can be fun, and children learn better when it's fun. Cooking is perfect "math fun"!

[Anonymous]

My kid's a picky eater, and the school has banned peanut butter. So we supplement with gummy vitamins.