Comments on: Dad, Did You Finish Your English Homework?

By: My comments | Grammatista

My comments | Grammatista — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 08:31:44 +0000

[...] 7. Brad – Dad’s Homework [...]

By: bicej

bicej — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:12:45 +0000

I think this is a great idea, but like you, I say that with an uneasy sigh. I think that in today’s society with our current economic situation in mind there would be a great backlash from those parents who do work two jobs to support their family. Even more difficult could be the single parent household struggling to keep their head above water as it is; let alone having to do homework as an adult. I do agree with Carol Jago, incoming VP of NCTE, that this time spent working on homework could be the only time a student and teenager get to spend together in a meaningful capacity. In a very Christensen-y way of thinking; I believe the students who need/ or would benefit most from this positive parental interaction would be the least likely to receive it. This kind of assignment presupposes a few integral items; first, a parent that has a work schedule that would allow participation, a connection to the internet, an understanding of both the material and how to use a computer, and most of all a general want to be involved. Regretfully, all of necessary items are demographically segregated. By that I mean, it is much more likely that a wealthy student from a well off and highly educated family would be able to successfully participate in this assignment whereas a poor student from a working class family who lives in an impoverished urban school district would be hard pressed to find any of the presupposed items. I’m not attempting to just point out the faults in this assignment because I truly do think it’s a great assignment that could allow parents the ability to more involved with their students academic life; I just think it would be an extremely tough thing to do outside a privileged school district. I guess the question remains: how could this kind of assignment be successfully instituted in an impoverished classroom?

By: You Write, I Respond | learning, living, and lesson plans

You Write, I Respond | learning, living, and lesson plans — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:36:58 +0000

[...] http://mypedablogy.edublogs.org/2008/04/10/dad-did-you-finish-your-english-homework/#comment-14 [...]

By: Allie

Allie — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:43:01 +0000

This is such an interesting article. I think it is so vital to get parents involved in their child’s education, but students often seem closed off and unwilling to discuss their experiences in school with their parents. This method seems like it would be conducive to opening up many avenues of discussion between the parent and the child.

However, I think it would be beneficial for the student to have homework to bring home, instead of just completing it in class. Ideally, for students and parents to work side by side on similar “assignments” could present some really interesting opportunities.

In high school, I remember wanting to involve my parents in my studies. I would want to discuss papers and projects with them, and bounce ideas off of them for different assignments. It was often hard, because my parents hadn’t learned the same things I had, or read the novel I was writing my paper about. This solution seems like it would even help kids who ARE open with their parents about their school work.

One complaint I often hear from the high school students I work with is that their parents don’t understand or remember what it was like to have homework. Taking the approach mentioned in the article would allow students and parents to work side by side on related assignments, opening many doors for communication and involvement on both sides.