Thursday, March 29, 2007
Geesh!
I cant believe the project that Zachary just brought home. Let me read to you part of the instruction sheet. Students are required to make the environment better or better our community. Ok that sounds ok so far..let me continue. Students are required to find an adult sponsor with whom to discuss their ideas. Students decide on a goal, plan how to raise money, acquire/buy supplies, schedule and do the actual work, document the entire process in a binder with journal entries, receipts, charts, sketches, a letter from their sponsor and pictures of every step of the project. They have 9 weeks to complete it. WHAT? Receipts? Charts? FUNDRAISING? Sponsors? Don't we have environmentalists for this? This is too much if you ask me. He's in 6th grade! This sounds like a project of a high school senior! Im really pissed, especially about the fundraising part. Kids these days have way too many fundraisers as it is. Sports, explorers, school. A school project should not require fundraising. Zachary's talking of panhandling down at Geisslers! Great. This "Community Service Project" as its called is being done in groups. There are 2 other kids in his group. That sounds good at first, as it lightens his load but you know theres always at least one kid who gets lazy and leaves the other(s) picking up the slack and doing the whole project, or arguing over different ideas and determining who's idea wins out. Luckily we know the kids and hopefully that wont happen. Why cant "community service project" mean cleaning up local parks, or bringing in canned goods and working at a soup kitchen, or singing jingle bells at the nursing homes? I had to sign this paper too! Acknowledging his responsibilities and understanding that he may need adult guidance. Theres the parents getting roped into this. I really didn't want to sign it. I want to say something to the teacher or protest the kids doing this. But of course I cant do that, at least the latter half. I just think its way too much to ask of an 11 yr old. Aside from it being a ton of work for one class, its a huge time commitment. Its not like he gets to work on this at school. This teacher has been a pain in my ass all year. From problems with Zachary's grade, to snotty emails to me (when Ive asked for his homework in advance when I knew he would be out of school when the baby was born) to having projects every damn month. Other teachers have described her as being "set in her ways". That's nicey nice for saying shes a bitch. This lady needs a time out! Dont you think this is over the top?
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4 comments:
Wow!! That sounds like an outrageous project!! What ever happened to kids doing their school projects at school and taking some of it home here and there? And I hate to sound like an old fart, but when I was in grammar school, I don't ever remember my parents having to get involved like that!! The rare occasion they'd have to take me to the hobby store to buy something for a diorama or something, but that's it.
Honestly, I'm about freaking fed up with the fundraising bullshit that goes on in this town. For Kaila's school we get our first one within the first week of school starting. And it's never anything creative. It's that damn Yankee Candle stuff that they charge an arm and leg for (for candles that are ALREADY expensive). I agree with you, there are so many other options these kids could be doing, things you mentioned. Where they're duties would pay off in pride, ya know?
I do not think a school or teacher has the right to give a 6th grader such an extensive project and just expect the parents to pitch in. What if you worked 3rd shift and were a single parent on a fixed income? It doesn't even matter, you're trying to raise a family, take care of your boys, clean your house, do all the chores, etc, etc. and then donate all your time to fundraising and charity, that's mandatory?
You're a better person than me. I'd have ripped her a new one!!
Dude, I think its a little late for singing christmas carols!
The people in the old folks home wont know the difference if its jingle bells or mary had a little lamb. Hell,most of them dont know what season were in.
Why doesnt he collect cans and bottles, that raises money, cleans the environment and he can chart how many he found on a certain street or from a certain person. That is the craziest project I ever heard for an 11 yr old. Speaking as an old fart, I only had to do fund raiser for girl scouts when I was his age. It was not until we were in high school that we tried to raise money for trips ect. The teacher sounds like a bitch and they have a way of making you feel like a lousey parent if you dont participate. I would not want to be a kid in school these days. Way to much on their plate, cramming all we learned plus the history we have all lived. Kids have way to much homework. When I was in school we never had homework in 2nd grade and I see my grands with it all the time... crazy... I dont envy you, being a parent these days seems to be much harder then when I raised mine. GOOD LUCK.
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