What’s Wrong With Homework Over Vacation Break? Nothing

The United States compared to other countries in education continues to decline. That is a FACT!!!.

 Based on an international test of reading, math and science last year,  it was announced that amongst the world’s 15-year-olds,  the United States was  an “average” “performer.  “Average!” The United States is the supposedly the greatest country in the world and  our U.S. high schoolers are “average.” That is shameful.

Even though my daughter goes to a good public school, I am continually amazed when I see the homework she brings home.   It’s pathetic especially in the light of the reports that annually come out on the decline of our educational system.

So I was only too happy that she was assigned homework during the most recent Winter vacation.  Mind you, she would have been doing some type of homework during the break so it at least the school provided some structure to her assignment.

During her eleven days at home, what would she be doing anyway;  watching television, playing video games, playing with her toys, having play dates, ice skating, etc. Mind you, I think it’s important for my daughter to enjoy all of those activities during her break but there is also nothing wrong with exercising her brain, either.

But apparently, there was an issue  with the homework assignment because as soon as the packet came home, there was an email from the school, communicating that the homework was “optional.”  Imagine what happened that would prompt this action.  Parents complained. My buddy, Daddy Mitch at gaynycdad.com even sent a letter to the Department of Education (Feel to read his view on the topic)  Good Grief!! Are you kidding, me?

These people made it sound like the students were assigned hours and hours of work.  Where they asked to build a volcano or another  goofy project,  collect things, buy anything, NO, they weren’t!!! So what was the homework?

• 20 minutes of reading a day. Give me a break, kids should her age should be reading EVERY DAY, regardless of whether it’s the weekend or the break. No one is asking them read Moby Dick over the weekend. My daughter read The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Harry Potter. And trust me some of the kids in my daughter’s class should be reading 20 minutes a day, 365 days a week.  READING IS NOT HOMEWORK!!!
• Write 1 personal opinion piece – I think that….
• Write 2 Personal narratives 
• Summarize  3 books they read –  Who are the main characters in the book? What did they want? What happened? I ask my daughter these types of questions on any book,  she is reading. If anything, they are learning to  think about what they read and to write about it.
• 6 word problems – And the word problems were basically, adding and subtraction. Seriously, it’s like asking ONE addition/subtraction problem a day.

And the teacher even attached paper with the assignment so you could just take it with you on vacation. THAT’S IT!!!  You are talking 30 minutes a day tops!!! And let me reiterate READING IS NOT HOMEWORK so in my opinion, that doesn’t count.

First, the kids don’t get enough of the basics as it is during the school year , vacations,  yes,  are for taking a break but I just don’t think doing 30 minutes of reading, writing and minimal arithmetic during vacation is a BFD!

I am sorry, I refuse to let my daughter sit around on winter break and do nothing that doesn’t stimulate her mind. I JUST REFUSE!!

I also don’t buy the argument that when adults go on vacation they aren’t handed work to do. There is no comparison to what was given during my daughter’s break. Also, even if families were going to Disney World or other vacation destinations, I just don’t believe a child should not have a book to take with them on the plane or car. Again 20 minutes a day of reading.

Now if she was given a project in which I had to run around and buy stuff or I thought it would take hours and hours, I would think differently but that was not the case.

Bring on the homework during mid-winter break, it makes my life easier.