I'd like to share a letter that I had planned to send to my 8-year old's teachers at the elementary magnet school he attended. My wife counseled against sending it because of possible retaliation against our son. But I share it with you as a cautionary tale of schoolbooks and the use of homework as the be-all and end-all learning tool…or is it learning crutch.
The body of the letter went like this; my child's name has been redacted.
First, we believe the mathematics text gives inadequate support for parent participation. It offers a very brief explanation and perhaps two examples. If our son is not fully, and I do mean fully, grounded in the concept being exercised, it is entirely possible that we will not be able to help him. Teachers absolutely must accomplish that grounding during class time, and must not push forward until every child knows what he or she is doing. Additionally, we can certainly not guarantee that we will turn every transactional situation into a learning opportunity for Andrew. This is real life, where we have to concentrate on accomplishing certain tasks. It would be nice to have the leisure to create little problems for [redacted] to solve, but, frankly, he has enough problems to keep up with as it is.
Secondly, I am beginning to become seriously concerned about the almost idolatrous devotion to homework that has been thus far an integral part of the magnet environment. Each and every magnet-based assembly has offered its paean to homework as the ultimate teaching reinforcement too, and has guaranteed catastrophe unless it is completed by some arbitrary date. Evidently someone missed the enlightening op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times, demonstrating that homework has no connection with academic achievement.
The real problem, however, is that the need to keep up with what to [redacted] is an unprecedented amount of homework. It has created acrimonious arguments, inspired tears, and spoiled valuable family time together. It will make it impossible to put [redacted] in any kind of after-school enrichment activity, be it athletic or religious in nature. You have inspired nothing thus far except additional stress in our household.
Please do not think we do not appreciate the goals that you have set. We are believers in the importance of education. We certainly do not believe leaving the magnet is the answer to these ills. But you have to do much, much more than assign homework. I cannot think of teachers as mere waiters, presenting knowledge on a platter for optional consumption. Teachers must motivate; they must inspire. The day [redacted] comes home and says “I hate school,” we have all failed in a big way. That attitude is forever, and we parents cannot change that attitude with an admonition.
Placing our children on the bench during recess is no way to motivate. We hear until we are tired about how important exercise is for our youngsters to avoid childhood obesity. Then you work counter intuitively to our child's health by benching him for the sake of a late assignment during that exercise time. No after-school sports or classes are possible, as well, with the homework burden.
[Redacted] , as we all know, has a challenging time focusing. But during open house, the only time I heard him speak enthusiastically was about one subject alone: science. For the best possible elementary education, he needs to be that enthusiastic about his other classes. We parents cannot inspire this. It is up to you alone to protect him from the fatal “I hate school” attitude. No amount of work at home will accomplish this.
