ForceOfAHorse t1_j6hhbqv wrote on January 30, 2023 at 10:35 AM

Reply to comment by canna_fodder in Parents hate homework just as much, if not more than their kids. by PeculiarPete

Rightfully so. Homework is for students, not for their parents. There is everything needed to do it available in the books. Also, homework is feedback to teacher. If kids struggle with homework, that means something is wrong and it should be addressed.

w33dcup t1_j6i1m7p wrote on January 30, 2023 at 2:08 PM

You'd think so but books aren't even issued for some classes. Some teachers rely on online sources to teach "just watch this Kahn Academy video". Or it's all online and the site is down or links don't work properly. Not to mention the number of mistakes I've seen in my child's homework. Sometimes, the homework doesn't even make sense or is not aligned with the course. And there's unrealistic deadlines that almost feel punitive sometimes.

Something is wrong, more frequently than it should be, and it's that art/science of teaching is lost on some teachers. As a parent, I've had to address with more than I'd hoped I would need to.

Not to say there aren't good teachers out there...there definitely are. And I know it's challenging and they lack resources. Yes, homework is for students. But students need support at home as well (and teachers will tell you that). Learning doesn't happen solely at school.

ForceOfAHorse t1_j6i8do6 wrote on January 30, 2023 at 2:58 PM

> And there's unrealistic deadlines that almost feel punitive sometimes.

Wouldn't it be easily explained by assuming that parents are sharing the workload? After years and years of kids coming to class with all the assignments done, it would just become a new standard. If all kids are showing homework done, what's the problem then? It's easy job!

Anyway, it's just homework. It doesn't matter if there are mistakes, or if it's not done fully. All it matters is that a kid spent time on their own (or with peers) trying to solve the problems using materials available to them and skills they acquired during class.

The only acceptable (to me) help with homework is to show your kid the methods. Never use your own knowledge on the subject to "help" them solve issues, only encourage your kid to seek the answers on their own. But that's something that would be done few times at start of their education, not some regular occurrence.

Maximum_Lengthiness2 t1_j6jetf9 wrote on January 30, 2023 at 7:29 PM

What do you mean, it doesn't matter if they make a mistake doing their homework? I was never that lucky! If I didn't turn my homework in done correctly from start to finish, I'd get reprimanded in front of the class and be bullied after that by the teacher and the rest of the class, alike. Plus I'd be made into an example of what not to do. You see 😍Blank, this is the way you do it, not like blank 😠 over there that is stupid and will always be stupid, and amount to nothing, because she's unwanted by everyone, including her family. Cut back to you over there wanting the Earth to swallow you. You are a first grader, crying, and the teacher mocking your cries and provoking other students to mock you and say other aggressive things to you, and the other students following suit. There was a point where the teacher told all the students to tell me whenever I said something, to shut up and that I and my words were worthless. Then the teacher would give me an order and no one would listen to me. This would carry on until the teacher would come back and ask me how the thing went. Then when nothing of what she had told me to do was done, she would try to place the blame on me. Then the other child would say blank was insisting on doing such and such things. Then she'd proudly announce that she had barred me from doing those things. Then I, would say. See Miss BLANK, I did try to do what you told me to do, but Blank barred me from doing that which you told me to do. I still got blamed most of the time because people were used to punishing me, and they did not want to lose the bribe that was given to them Blank's parents every Friday or every two weeks.

w33dcup t1_j6jm65z wrote on January 30, 2023 at 8:14 PM

I agree with you. Parents doing their kids homework doesn't help. I told my kids basically the same. "Homework is for you to exercise and practice what you've learned. It doesn't need to be perfect. Just do your best, make notes of questions where you struggled for teacher followup." My assistance was as you described. "Show me what you're doing" and I might course correct, suggest a resource, but never give the answer. I would affirm a correct answers and walk back incorrect answers. If there were ridiculous deadlines, I told my kids not to worry too much about it.

Most of us have been through it with a bad/boring/vindictive teacher. As a parent, I try to be understanding (of both sides). I don't hate homework or teachers. I do hate poorly planned or executed assignments/projects. That includes my (former) jobs too.