They say all things come full circle! We go to school, we do the homework, and we graduate hoping never to do homework again! We get married, we have the kids, and then here it is AGAIN...HOMEWORK! Its only 30 minutes but its interesting to me that we must have our kindergarten students do homework in order for them to make the mark. To be successful according to the standards that have been set! So we do the homework and by we I do mean me because part of the homework requirement is 15 minutes of reading a night. Difficult for him to complete that on his own because well, he can't read! I know it sounds like I'm being a whiner but really I'm just thinking about the pressure that we are putting on our kids to succeed by the "standard"! Have we set the bar too high? I've talked to parents that have 6th graders that are already getting high school math credits?!?! So do they graduate and then get their driver's license? Is it their desire to learn or is it our need for our children to have "success" that has created this pressure to BE the BEST? How can you help your kids with their homework if they are doing math in junior high that you didn't even do in college? Have kids just gotten smarter? Are the teachers just that much better than they used to be? I'm sure that there are plenty of people with plenty of different answers to all of these questions and really I'm not looking for answers. I was just sitting with him tonight (and of course documenting his first homework experience by camera) and thinking what will his future be? As he sat there practicing his letter D's I'm wondering where did my little boy go and why do we have to be in such a hurry to have them grow up? I think that's why my desire to take pictures has grown as the boys have grown. Just for a second that little bit of them at that particular moment is captured. Just so I can look back and remember the day that we practiced the letter D and he still needed me to read to him.
2 comments:
With tears in my eyes I will try to write a comment...
Standards, expectations, requirements... everything has been raised - and not always for the good.
As a teacher, and now as a mom, I get to see both sides to this crazy thing we call education... and honestly, it is one of the most frustrating things I've ever had to deal with.
My first year of teaching (9 years ago) was completely different than today. I used to have time to teach the "fun" stuff and ignite excitement for reading & writing & math... now, especially since the "no child left behind" thing, the pressure put on teachers is horrific. Their students HAVE to succeed or they don't have a job. They are giving homework because the standard has been set that it is necessary for their students to have the best and highest scores ...basically, it's a race to see who can get to the top first.
Who suffers?...the kids
Who's to blame?... the world is Teachers didn't all of a sudden decide that their students were not smart enough any more. In this world, people in general are wanting to be the best... they want to get paid the most...they want their kids to be the "honor roll" student, the MVP, the first chair in the band. I could go on and on, but enough is enough, and well... I'm at a loss.
I wish I had a better response... I' don't. Just know that the prayers and love that you give your boys is what they need...now, more than ever! They need to know that you support their education but you're not going to let it define them. You can help with their homework, capture those moments on film, treasure the read-aloud time, make the most of their childhood when you can... and know that God is good... all the time! He is the definer of excellence...not the world!
WOW! I was going to comment, but after Lindsay's comment... I am not even going to attempt.
I think she said all that there is to say. I feel all the same feelings that you expressed here and love, love, love her response!
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