Can I just say . . .
. . . if I wanted to spend 3-4 hours a day at the dining table doing schoolwork, WE WOULD STILL BE HOMESCHOOLING!!!!! Yes, that was deliberate yelling. And lots of yelling was going on. This is horrible and I hate it. My mantra is “Once we get into a routine and they get used to homework, this will get better.” It better, or I am going to develop some serious mental problems. So far, we’re two for two, days that I have ended up sobbing because I am sure I cannot handle this homework thing. I don’t want to yell, I don’t want them to hate it, and I yell and they yell and we all hate it.
On the good side, they are understanding most of the work. I was most concerned about math, but so far they’ve aced their worksheets. Oh, except for the timed test today. They’ve never been timed for anything in their lives, so I really don’t care as long as the answers are showing that they understand the concepts. I wonder if their teacher has ever had students with a parent like that?
I was a little irked yesterday, Jasmine came home and said the teacher wouldn’t let her get the book from the library that she wanted because it was too old for her. It was flashbacks to my school days for me! I do realize, now as a parent, that she just wants to see if J can really handle it before letting her dig in. But if she keeps holding her back that way, she will be hearing from me.
I think I’m going to be know as that note-writing mom. So far, I think I’ve written notes to the teacher 4 out of 5 days!!! Yesterday it was on their worksheet about volcanoes that said that Mt. St. Helens was in Oregon. I really wasn’t trying to be snarky, just thought she might want to change it to Washington for next year. What would you do, would you risk seeming a know-it-all and tell her, or just have your kid answer “Oregon” since that’s what the reading said? We put Oregon (Washington) in our blanks.
This is so just mental flushing right now, please forgive me! I am so busy with this homework stuff (no kidding, from after school to 7:30 pm, small break for dinner), plus we’re leaving Friday for a possibly life-changing trip to Florida for the weekend. Still under a gag order on that (not a legal one, just a Squid one), so can’t say much more. Just please pray for us. Stressed to the gills is not how I work best, that’s all I can say there!
Well, I guess that’s it for now, need to go pack lunches. Have I said how much I hate this?
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The 4 year old has an agenda and we write notes back and forth all the time.
I would have corrected the teacher too. How would a teacher not know that??
September 11th, 2007 at 9:54 pmOh hon, it’s a whole different ballgame when you wait until they’re in high school before sending them! I don’t know how much to get involved…. This year, Emily has a teacher that seems to be a real jerk and I haven’t a clue how to deal with the situation. Things had better improve, or she will wind up with a horrible grade in geometry.
September 11th, 2007 at 10:21 pmI remember how many and how difficult the books were that you read when you were young. J has that same love for books that challenge her…don’t let her loose that even if you have to write a note. You might tell the teacher it’s not J’s fault, you read 3-4 books a week when you were pregnant with her LOL. The homework situation must be very trying, since it’s all new to all of you, but it’s one of those things that really WILL get easier, as they (and you) adjust to a different rhythm of teaching. As for the Mt. St. Helen’s thing you should mention that. The teacher may not have been the one writing the worksheet, but if she did, she needs to know the correct answer. I remember being sent to the principal’s office because my teacher said I didn’t have the correct proNOUNciation of a word, and I told her the word was proNUNciation….you can go to the office for worse offenses. Hang in there, all of you. Have a good trip and try to forget homework while you’re gone.
September 12th, 2007 at 8:20 amI lived in Oregon when Mt. St. Helens erupted. We got ash, but no lava:)
September 12th, 2007 at 9:46 amI totally understand! I homeschool one and do homework with the other two! Thankfully Jennah and Jake are old enough to do almost all of their homework by themself now! Jake still needs help once in awhile.
They will get used to it and be able to more of it on their own after adjusting to the school atmosphere. You will get used to it too!
Hugs, Have fun in Florida — and I know what you are up to! Can’t fool me!
Sherry
September 12th, 2007 at 4:27 pmGripe away on the school-building-school homework. While I *totally* understand that going from homeschooling to school-building-school is a good choice, a necessary choice at some points. . . heck, we did it. . . for me, it was SUCH a relief when we started homeschooling again. And a big part of it was MY educational values and philosophies. As well as my irritation at the school schedule. My son in full-day K was sent homework home. Which we didn’t do. (I couldn’t bear to spend my limited time with him doing inane homework.) And when he asked for more challenging work to do AT school, the teacher gave him more homework. *eyeball roll* On the plus side, my boys who were good at mental math learned better how to express it on paper, and. . . oh yeah. . . did I ever tell you I completely ignored handwriting? Yup. Hated it as a kid and ignored it as a h/s mom. Figured if they could print decently and type we’d get by. *blush* My oldest learned cursive out of desperate need when he went to school.
Anyway. . . this is meant to be encouraging, and commiserating and let you know that it is okay to be frustrated with the school and the homework and the schedule–and still be thankful for it and the blessing that it can be for your family at this time.
November 15th, 2007 at 2:45 am