Why are parents now expected to help with all their kids' homework?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I NEVER do my kids' homework! I tell everyone involved that homework is my kids' responsibility. I will answer questions or explain things but beyond that my kids are on their own. DH and I have PhD so clearly we finished and passed elementary school. It's their turn now!

Yes, I sometimes wonder if it's the less educated people who help with homework more - but it's a misguided effort.

Yes, you are right. I only have a master's degree that I got at 23. Kids need support and encouragement. There is a difference between doing it and helping. If you refuse to be involved in your child's education, you are extremely selfish. In the early grades kids need guidance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It merely penalizes poor kids whose parents work odd hours or don't have it together. It's profoundly immoral because it immediately creates an academic self-image of failure for poor kids.

If you read the previous posts I don't get the impression that the people not helping with homework are poor. It seems to be quite the opposite.

You're using DCUM as your sample. Sure, there are people here not helping by choice, but the reality is if DCUM parents (who have resources and know the material) are struggling with the time it takes to help kids with homework, imagine how people who are poor are struggling (either because they don't have the time or they don't know the material).

So while it inconveniences DCUM parents, it penalizes the poor parents who aren't on DCUM.

It also penalizes parents who don't have computers or internet access, so they nor their kids can even search for help online.

What does this have to do with rich vs. poor? Is that everything to you? I know plenty of lower income parents who are far more involved than the "rich" ones. Many lower income have internet access and computers. Many organizations collect and give out computers for free. There are low income programs to get internet, and plenty of places to get it. If anything, they may have to put more effort into helping their kids, which speaks volumes of their parenting. A parent who is financially comfortable who refuses to help their kids, supplement or participate in their child's education, well that speaks volumes on the type of person they are. If you don't have time, then you need to rearrange your schedule to make your kids a priority. Too many kids, well, stop having them if you cannot handle the ones you have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There has been no grade where I have felt that the homework was too much for my kids. Infact I always feel that my kids have had less instruction at school and less homework at home.

But, my schooling has been in another country so I am informed by what I was taught and what the students in my home country are still being taught.

+1 The American culture does not respect education and that is why we are falling behind as a country. The homework so far has been really basic and the real improvements we see in our kids are because of the work we put into it through supplementing. It makes no sense people complain their kids handwriting is bad, yet, they don't have their kids writing at home. Same for reading. You take 20 minutes a few times a week and work with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Global competition from kids who work harder than our's.

Nope, I don't buy it. My kids' school day only has 1.5 hours of reading/English and math, the rest is fluff. 1st-3rd grade doesn't need music, art, science (not real science), and social studies EVERY DAY. If I have to do 1 more diorama, I'll scream. If they were teaching more reading, writing and math at an early age, we would be globally competitive. Math doesn't even use timed tests or drills anymore to learn math facts, so we do it for an 1-2 hours at home every night.

You clearly know better than the educators. Why aren't you home schooling your DC? You could knock out an hour of English and an hour of math after breakfast and never have to do a diorama again. Meanwhile your DC can learn the really important skill of complaining in DCUM rather than actually acting to change what you don't like.

[Anonymous]

The poorest family we knew when my older DD was in public school was also the most involved in the kids' education. They weren't DCUM poor, but really living in poverty: on public assistance, receiving FARMS, single mom headed family with three kids, one of whom was profoundly disabled and medically fragile. The two older kids were honor roll and perfect attendance all the way through MCPS. The mom had only one semester of community college, but she posted vocabulary words all over their apartment, supervised their homework nightly, reviewed mistakes on graded tests, and learned Spanish when they were in ES so she could help them in middle school. Honestly, I became a more engaged parent starting in primary school because I was embarrassed that she made no excuses for herself or her kids. Today, the two kids without SN are college grads. One has a Master's in Nursing. The other is in a MSW program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Global competition from kids who work harder than our's.

this

[Anonymous]

Sometimes, homework is the only way parents know that their kids don't understand the material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is all sad to me. Research has shown that homework is not only ineffective in elementary school l, it can actually have a negative impact on learning and attitudes about school. There is no need for be in elementary beyond reading at night a book you chose and perhaps math facts. Seriously. More is not better! I think teachers would be more on board of later a were more on board, and parents would be on board if more teachers were. It is sad what we are doing to kids and families with this homework. It will not help us raise global citizens ready to work with others. There are so many great articles and studies about this. Kids, parents and families deserve better.

For every "study" showing one outcome there is a study showing another. The current mantra now is not homework. Just like the current mantra is a convoluted manner of teaching math. I don't put a lot of stock in the latest fad.

[Anonymous]

There is a reason the US in behind in education and it isn't homework, folks. Stop making excuses for laziness and lack of parental involvement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a reason the US in behind in education and it isn't homework, folks. Stop making excuses for laziness and lack of parental involvement.

Total nonsense.
Been a teacher in several countries, in elementary, middle and high school.

Education is a lucrative business for big companies here in the USA.
Instead of direct teaching any material, education in the USA is mostly about implementing different methodologies and constant testing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Global competition from kids who work harder than our's.

There is no competition with the US. They have surpassed us and we are not willing to change and meet our kids needs.

This is such a load, yet widely accepted in the US.
Most nations separate academic kids from vocational track at middle school. We're comparing all high school graduates to a very small select pool in Asian and European countries. A tiny minority go to college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Global competition from kids who work harder than our's.

There is no competition with the US. They have surpassed us and we are not willing to change and meet our kids needs.

This is such a load, yet widely accepted in the US.
Most nations separate academic kids from vocational track at middle school. We're comparing all high school graduates to a very small select pool in Asian and European countries. A tiny minority go to college.[/quote

Nothing wrong with vocational tracking kids in middle school to give them a career and teach them the skills they need to be successful. I know guys doing very well in construction, HVAC, plumbing and electrical as they are jobs "Americans" don't want to do anymore. Its not a select pool. The educational choices we have made for all our kids from the ones struggling to the top performers is not working for our country and we need true reform. Of course, we'll never get that as it all comes down to money and those who have the greatest financial interests would be against it.

[Anonymous]

I don't help my kids with homework. The teachers are getting paid to teach them how to do the work. The kids should then be able to do their homework on their own. I don't remember the last time my kids asked for any help, but it's been years. They are 8th and 9th graders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. I help my kids for 2-3 hours each night (after a 10 hour workday). 1 hour would be acceptable.

We all do it and don't like it, but accept it. What if parents rallied together at school district meetings and said "this is unacceptable. Find a way to teach our kids better."

As several of you posted, they don't do drills anymore. They don't take time reviewing homework. They don't focus enough on the core skills- they fill the day with nonsense. Our school year is too short compared to the rest of the world (thanks teachers' unions) We have to supplement all summer long.

I'm a teacher and I have seen a lot of blame placed on unions before but this is new. I'm interested in how it is the fault of the unions that our school year isn't longer. To make it longer, they would need to pay to put a/c in all of the schools. Then they would need to come up with more money to pay teachers to work the additional days. Hmmm. Could it be that this is simply too expensive? Parents complain about paying for school supplies for goodness' sake. I doubt they would want their taxes hiked up a lot more for more instructional days.

This! I'm a journalist who covered education for years. The school year isn't longer because it would require an increase in taxes. Teachers would mostly support a longer year.
As a general rule, I agree that way too much homework is being assigned.
My kindergartner grandson received homework before his first full week of classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I NEVER do my kids' homework! I tell everyone involved that homework is my kids' responsibility. I will answer questions or explain things but beyond that my kids are on their own. DH and I have PhD so clearly we finished and passed elementary school. It's their turn now!

Yes, I sometimes wonder if it's the less educated people who help with homework more - but it's a misguided effort.

I can smell the smug and arrogance. Could you be any more obnoxious?