Homework and School

So when I was asked to voice my opinion on Moms Talk: Is There Too Much Homework? I was excited by the comments when I cross referenced the article to my personal Facebook apge.

To see the full article go to
http://livermore.patch.com/articles/moms-talk-is-there-too-much-homework.

I do not have permission from the authors on my Facebook page to reprint their posts nor did I ask this time. I realized though I wanted to add a few comments of my own about homework and school. My comments are not meant to offend. My comments are for my family and might not work for yours.

1. First off stop blaming the schools if your child was not educated or not getting an education. Get involved and change the system. If you cannot change the system, change your perspective and move your child to a school where they will be educated. Or home-school. Or add educational tools to your child's life. You are their primary teacher from birth, take advantage and stop the blame. If your child is not educated it is truly your fault along with the schools.

2. Most teachers teach because they have a gift. I know many will disagree, but I think of all the teachers I had throughout the years and with the exception of a few, most wanted to be in a classroom and most wanted to have students learn. Give them a break.

3. Vote. Demand from our politicians that our education system needs an overhaul. Become part of the solution.

4. Work in the classroom. Work in the classroom. Work in the classroom. Become involved. Know the teachers, know the administrators, know the parents and the kids. If you work for a business, become a partner with your local school. Show them your best practices, teach them alongside the teachers.

5. Stop the blame. You are responsible for your child. Not the government, not the school and not the teachers. You are. If your child is not educated, what does that say about you?

Yes, I write this as Emma is about to only hit kindergarten. I am not an expert in all subjects taught in school in fact very few but I have family and friends who can assist where and if the school I feel is lacking.

Clark and I are Emma's primary teachers not the school. A revolutionary thought I think for some. Emma is not an island when going to school either. We, as her parents are her biggest supporters and will embrace her educational years alongside of her.


Here is my opinion from the article if you do not want to click on the link from above.

Contributor Kathleen Schoening says:

Recently, I attended the open house for those with children entering kindergarten in the Livermore school district in the fall. They highlighted the expectations of what the child should know: letters, numbers, colors, shapes, etc. For the class of 2024, it is called kindergarten ready.

Great, Bring it on. Also, bring on the homework. My child and many of her peers already know most of the kindergarten-ready information, so what will challenge them?

My child is no Einstein, but we as parents have read to her since birth. We have spell words and are working on numbers. Colors and shapes happen when playing games. All of those things also are reinforced at preschool and church.

We do not live in a district in which every school is top-rated but our immediate community neighborhoods schools are. We also placed our daughter’s name in for the public lottery for the Livermore charter school. Charter offers music, art and science but the community school offers well the community and there is much to be said about that in a pretty good rated school system.

We know families who are choosing to place their children in the dual immersion public language school program across town.

We want what is best for Emma and what is best for our family. Homework is part of the plan no what matter what school she is in. If she struggles, we will help her find out why. Schools make you work and the best part of working is learning and that is critical to education. School is not a daycare provider. Schools are a joint supplier of our future generations' minds. Let us, together with the teachers and administrators, create an environment that produces a child who loves to learn and that will build character and responsibility.

So bring on the academic rigors for our child. We as a family are ready for it. Here is to the class of 2024.