What would the schools reaction be if I had my daughter not finish her homework repeatedly?

Question

This kid is in grade three and her teacher sends home WAY too much homework. I have talked to the teacher, but she is very difficult in her personality and my daughter can't stand her (and I don't' blame her). I have talked to the teacher about many things, including the homework. I have tried being nice, I have tried compliments, I have tried being -bi-tchy (than I felt bad and apologized, lol), and I have tried explaining my daughters perspective as a child. Nothing works and now for the new school year, my daughter has this teacher again.

I am thinking of sending a note to school with my daughter everyday saying

"After 7 hours of school, I only allowed my daughter to do 45 minutes of homework in the evening. The rest will have to remain unfinished. Please don't make her miss recess to finish it, she is only 8. I can't have her with more than 45 minutes homework at night."

I think the idea of homework is ludicrous for these little kids. My daughter makes very good grads and so I am not worried about that.

Answer 1

Maritza B gave great advice. As long as your daughter is working at or above grade level, and is an intrisically motivated learner, I'd say just do the 45 min. shot and that's it. If she is working below grade level, do the work, but do it in the car, finish it in the morning. That sux the teacher isn't giving 10 minutes of homework per grade level; Ex: 1st grade=10 min., 4th grade=40 min., 7th grade=70 min. I'm sure you guys are so over this school year already!  

Answer 2

It seems like you don't have many options. If your daughter is not understanding the material, perhaps she should be held back a a grade. I know that the material the teachers use needs to be approved and many times the principal will sit in the class and listen.

Another option would be to switch teachers. I know that this is also very possible and fairly easy to do. You are the mom.. remember that. They can tell your 8 year old daughter what to do.. but they can't tell you! :)

Answer 3

If this is a public school and you can't do anything about changing schools, you could consider the option of homeschooling. If that is not an option for you, I think you should put in writing, addressed to the teacher, the principal, and the school board, your philosophy about how much school work an 8-year-old should do. You should mention that your daughter gets good grades without the extra work at home and that you believe the amount of homework given is excessive and that you will not require your daughter to do it. You should also be ready to cite the particulars.

Schools exist to assist parents in YOUR responsibility to educate your children. They are not there to force you to do things against your will. Be prepared, however: there may come a day when you will have to withdraw your child if the school or teacher gives your child consequences for not doing the work assigned.

Answer 4

Well, you could certainly give it a try and see what happens.  If there is backlash (& I predict that there will be) go over the principal's head to the school board instead.  Good luck!

Answer 5

You could try the note, but I doubt if you've been bugging the teacher all last year that it's going to change anything.

Instead of complaining to the principal, ask the principal to move your daughter to a different class. There has to be more than 1 teacher in her grade, isnt there?

Answer 6

I have not worked in Canada but hope that my in the UK experience helps.

My policy as a school principal was that if children worked hard enough at school they should be allowed to be children and not have any work at home. That said, homework is a good way of embedding the work that has been done in school during the day.

Given what you have done I feel that you have three choices.

1. Rebel - find other parents who agree, make a fuss. Believe me, if enough parents jump on board the school will listen. This is very threatening for school leaders.

2. Monitor the homework and select what your daughter does. How much of it is useful, productive or just the teacher paper filling. I suggest you keep a log of what your daughter gets and record what you have allowed her to do and what not. That means that you are seen as a supportive but discerning mother. The log can then used if you are challenged about it later. By the way, I would also monitor what happens to the homework after she has done it. Is it marked properly? Is it assessed against learning objective for which the homework was set or is it ignored and therefore of little use. If you find the teacher is not assessing it properly to further your daughters education then you are justifiably able to refuse to have it done.

3. You could finally pop into see the teacher each day as you collect your daughter to ask what homework has been given each day and then ask why and what its purpose is. This will annoy the teacher of course but she cannot complain that you don't care. Ask her to exemplify what the homework should look like. What would she expect out of an outstanding piece of work. What will she be looking for after it.

The purpose of this is to ensure that the teacher thinks about her homework. You are acting like a conscience.

I don't know where you are in Canada but found these links;

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2...

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/st...

Finally I wonder what the schools actually policy on homework is. Do you have it? Is it being followed, abused, ignored.

School Head Teachers (Principals) will often back their staff but then keep a close eye on what is going on. Don't back off, be relentless. Although from the UK I would be interested to see what is being given and to comment on it as an educator.

I hope this helps

Answer 7

Hmmm.  We have this issue in our schools as well.  They have homework in kindergarden right now. 30 min everyday for a 5year old!!!  I would write the school district a letter.  Even better, if you get the local parents going, get a petition signed.  Right now, it is just you, which they can write off as a crazy parent, but if you get everyone going, they HAVE to listen.

But if you send her with a note, they will make her do it on recess which isn't fair either.

We can thank the "no child left behind act" for this, it's more like "panic, our school needs to pass!!!"

Worse comes to worse, ask the school district for a variance transfer, and take her to a different one.

Edit.  No other schools?? Then for sure, get the parents together for a change.

Answer 8

Are the other kids doing all the homework? If they are all overwhelmed by it, you may talk to the other parents and organize a committee to go and talk to the principal.  

Answer 9

The worst that the school could do is give her a bad grade. Of course, you could go to the School Board and demand less homework. Are the other 3rd graders having this problem? Nevertheless, 8-yr-olds need to enjoy themselves when they are young, not be sitting at a desk or table all day long in order to do homework. I agree with you, that a child as young as yours should only have to do 45 minutes of homework each day. And if I was you, I would send that note up there every day. That teacher sounds like an old hag who is stuck in her ways and will not move on. Maybe you could talk to the principal again and demand to have your child moved into a different classroom. I had to do that with my kids a couple of times. I hope you can resolve this problem. Good Luck! ( Oh, and did I mention I havent got a best answer yet? Wink, Wink)