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I have long standing thoughts when it comes to homework. I am talking back to when I was my son's age. I am nearly 33 years old and they really have not changed. I saw this picture a few times on my Facebook feed. I also heard people talking about it this morning on the radio. A teacher's No-Homework Policy.
My Story with Homework
I was a good kid growing up! Perfect? Well, no. I didn't cause trouble though, I didn't party or do drugs. I was an all-around good kid....except...when it came to homework. I hated homework. I hated it so much I didn't do it!
When I was in middle school I was failing. All because I didn't want to do my homework. I was also too immature to know that I probably should just do it because the only thing my protest was doing was hurting myself. Not only my grades, but my butt from all the whippings I got for zeroes.
It got so bad that my parents had to come to the school and talk to them about holding me back. I believe that was the 6th grade. They set a plan in motion instead. I had to take this paper and go class-to-class and have my teacher notate and sign if I had any homework. I think they thought that if they made me do extra work and try to embarrass me I would do it.
Well, they were correct. That paper was something my parents could look at and force me to do my homework. They couldn't force me to turn it in though! That's right. I would spend all that time doing the homework, and I wouldn't turn it in. Talk about stubborn!
I should also say that most my life (outside my parents) I had a real problem with authority. I was not the kind of person that would do something just because you told me to. You better have a dern good reason why you are having me do this! "Because you said so!" is not a good reason and likely would have made me not want to do it all the more.
What are my thoughts on homework now? Sometimes what we think and feel as a child changes. Well, most of the time actually. We are thinking with a child's mind; and we might not always understand the bigger picture. Sometimes we are just stupid and stubborn children!
What I Think about Homework
I think it is completely pointless, and here is why. I have said this most my life. What is the point of homework? Why should children spend all day in school to come home and do, some times hours worth of homework? When I was in middle school and fighting daily against homework I was given the reasons from a few people.
- It prepares you for adulthood
- You do what you're told
- It helps you learn and retain teaching
Being told it prepares me for adulthood really annoys me now that I am an adult. Grant it, there are jobs out there that you work from home on. I made it a purpose in life not to have one of those jobs. I work to have a life to live! I absolutely do not live to work. Telling me that sitting inside all day as a child to go home and do hours of more sitting and working prepares me for adulthood and the "job force" is a big pile of you-know-what.
Let kids be kids! My goodness children grow up so fast these days. Cellphones, make up, and worrying about the opposite sex in freaking elementary school. Let them come home and run around outside!
I was raised that you do what you are told. No questions. You just do it! I agree with that. I hold my son to that standard (most of the time) as well. However, just doing homework because we are told to is not a reason to do it! Why are we making our children come home and work?! "Just because" is not a reason.
I can only speak for myself and my son. That being said, homework does not help him (or me when I was a child) learn or retain anything I learned. That is outside just writing over and over helps him with his penmanship. The whole "practice makes perfect" line just does not apply. Homework isn't doing the same thing day in and day out. It is different tasks everyday. Coming home and doing an hours worth of work with a parent who isn't a teacher isn't going to be practice. Only a practice in futility.
Don't even get me started on the way kids do freaking math these days. I promise you I do more confusing than helping my son when it comes to that. Maybe that it he problem and how I get my stance on homework. I am just not smart enough to actually help. lol.
In summation, I believe that doing homework really has no point. The only outcome I see personally is putting too much pressure on our kids and not letting them be the kids they actually are. If your child needs help and extra learning, that should be something between you and your child's teacher. I don't feel like an entire school of kids needs extra learning and tutoring. They don't need this homework. They don't need to go to school all day, sit in class all day, and them come home and battle through homework with parents that likely don't understand and only make things more confusing for the child!!
There you go. My rant about homework. I would also like to say that I make my son do his homework; and I don't do it for him either! Even though I don't believe there is a real value to homework, I do believe that children should be taught to follow the rules, even if they don't like them. We are going to have people our whole lives telling us what to do. We are going to have things in life we hate having to do, but do them anyway. Also...extra writing doesn't hurt my child who has terrible penmanship!
Am I right in my thoughts? Who knows. I have read (yes, actually read) articles where some studies suggest it doesn't help, some say it does, and others say depends on the child and age. These are only my thoughts. They likely stem from my very adamant stance on homework from a child. Somethings are just part of who you are no matter the age. I do hold my frustration with homework in when helping my son do his homework. I don't want to imprint my negative thoughts on him.
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- What are your thoughts on homework?
- Do you think my negative thoughts are just
a product of who I was as a child?
Does your kid have homework?
Seriously...
I want to know!
Comment below; or link me up
to your blog post about homework.
Before I leave, let me show you my new toy!! A fashion and make up blogger, I am not! This is a really fun hair straightener! I received this item at a discounted rate for my review on it.
I have been wanting to try out a hair brush straightener since I first laid eyes on one. My hair is not curly; it is wavy though. Usually when I am going out with my hubby or a family get-together, I will straighten it. Even with my non-curly hair, it takes a while to straighten it. Here is my review of this product:
Pros:
Quick straightening
Easy to use
Nice extras
Fast heat up
Good for wavy hair
Easy for curling ends under
Cons:
Would not turn off w/o unplugging
I am not sure it will work well with very curly hair. I cannot attest to that as my hair is just wavy. It is think though and this made quick work of straightening it out. It isn't slick straight as if it would be with straightener. It gets the job done though!
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