Professor Mom
I'm supposed to have all the answers, but I don't
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Turns out my blog about homework help was right on the money, as this week's Washington Post article is about just the same topic.
See "With Homework, a Helping Hand Can Sometimes be a Hindrance"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/15/AR2007041500778.html
The article details the experience of a parent named Joe who builds his 12-year-old daughter's history project for her - a catapult - and earns her a D. This ends up bringing down her entire course grade. The article does not really say WHY the child earned a D, but I guess the teacher could tell the parent helped?
I know of one school that has explicitly forbidden parents from helping with annual Science Fair projects. Instead, overzealous parents are encouraged to make their OWN project. I wonder if they then enter them into the parents' science fair?
The Post's article makes the point that teachers need to be clear with parents about how much help is too much. For example, with a long-term project, parental help maybe needed to get supplies and help the child plan ahead.
But with homework assignments involving writing, it should ALWAYS be in the child's own writing. Not the parents.
Makes sense to me.
Member Comments On...
More on Homework Help
I think it's two things. First, some of the stuff that 5th graders are expected to crank out is stuff I did at a good, private high school. It's insane what expectations are at ages that are too young. Second, it's that parents feel like they must compete with each other through the kids. That's my two cents.
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About Me
I am a 40-something Mom with a Ph.D. in Education who has been an
educator for nearly 20 years. I've taught everything from preschool to
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