I know this is an old issue, but it seems some teachers just don’t get it.
Why in the world is homework being given out Erev Yom Tov? Do you honestly think parents have nothing better to do during the Yom Tov season than do homework?
The only thing I can think of as an explanation, is that perhaps some of these teachers are single and don’t yet understand the responsibilities of preparing a Yom Tov.
How about we teach the children real ‘home work’ and allow them the opportunity to participate in the Yom Tov preparations, such as baking, cooking and more?
I, for one, won’t be doing homework with my child tonight. Sorry in advance.
Signed,
A Lakewood mother who washed the flour off her hands to write this letter.
(TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to [email protected])
If you have time to pen a letter to TLS, you have time to do homework with your kid.
TorahTruth you obviously don’t have kids, or have a wonderful spouse/help that do all the prep in your home. But for the rest of us, homework puts alot of unnecessary stress.
If your child receives homework it is their job to complete it. Why should it take more than 5 minutes time to check to see if they completed it?
6 children and 13 grandchildren beli Aiyan harah and we did it with minamal help, but I do have a wonderful spouse. It’s all about finding time for what’s important. G’mar Chasima Tova.
I agree. There’s enough on our plates without the added stress of homework. Parents and children working side by side in the kitchen preparing for Yom Tov will provide a lifetime of cherished memories.
Why the need to write a public letter? Cant do homework,dont! and have it out with the teacher or school. Unless you’re not sure about your decision and need peer support?? How about make one less cake and do the hwk?
Be grateful your child is in school and has hwk and not ch”v elsewhere where you would have to spend loads of time with him or her and definitely not baking anything!!
Reframing helps every situation!!
Some children require lots of help with homework. It can be a 45 job per kid. I’m happy to hear that some parents just have to check that it’s done, but that is not the reality across the board.
Yeah was wondering about that too although I sat and did it ? What choice is there? My kids’ teachers claim they should do the homework on their own but reality dictates otherwise
having shepherded KA”H many kids through elementary and high school, including a couple with learning differences, I can attest to the fact that good chimuch is a combined effort on the part of the school AND the parent(s). I may not have cooked gourmet meals and baked many cakes, but homework was always done (and the teacher/Rebbe was always right) And no, My husband was not available to share the effort
Yes I think a large percentage of children need a lot of assistance with their homework. Although to have homework this week is not the end of the world. It’s not like it’s pesach coming up or that yt is this week. My children all have homework and although I never love doing it tonight wasn’t an added strain. As someone else mentioned if you have a prob don’t do it and take it up with your child’s teacher. Why post here where the person you are targeting will prob never see it.
My purpose of giving hw (which btw there is a school wide rule of max 10 min, then stop), is to teach the child INDEPENDENCE and to see how much additional help a student student may need. The parents job (as a major partner in the chinuch) is to sign, and to look over the work so that parent and teacher can be on the same page. Additionally, if a child refuses to do hw, it should not become a stressful time by having a power struggle. By coming to school with uncompleted hw, it becomes an important learning experience for them on how it’s worth it to act the responsible way the next time around.
Gut yom tov!
A teacher and mother who makes time for cooking, baking, and signing hw.
Chip on your shoulder at all? Just write a note to the teacher that you are sorry, but due to circumstances you weren’t able to help. Teacher will understand. Why are you making a federal case out of this?
Everyone is just doing their jobs – The teachers job, as a teacher, is to give the homework. Your job as a mother is to make a decision if u wanna do it with her. Remember, You’re NOT in school. You can choose to do the h/w; You can choose not too. As a Daddy, I recently found I can give myself recess. Or extended Lunch break. And occasionally, nap time. School is OVER for me. And you. And all the other Mommies & Totties. Sometimes we forget.
gut yom tov.
Although my kids teachers , schedule loads of homework ,quizes or tests each day this week, I’ve told my kids to just ignore it, Yontiv is more important. we can barely keep our eyes open these days, what are these teachers thinking. And yes most of the guilty, either are single, or very young or don’t have children
As a teacher, I think there is a happy medium. This week I’m just giving them much lower scaled homework assignment. I am not giving any math because many students might need help with that but I do want to keep the structure going cuz they thrive on that. So the weekly spelling homework and quiz are in place. For those who are worried that they won’t survive without the extra math practice there are a couple thoughts on this. Firstly, every day before I go onto the new lesson I could assign them a couple examples from the day before’s lesson just to ensure that they remember it. Also, we are close enough to yomtov that any very complex math we teach now will likely need reteaching after yom tov. Now is a good time to do the subjects we don’t regularly get to in class (I teach boys, less time for secular studies)and to make a nice sukkos project! Gmar chasima tova to all!
If you have a few kids and have to help them with their homework every night that takes a lot of time. Even if it’s only 10 minutes per child (and it’s probably more with Hebrew and English). A friend of mine has a child who has to bring home his 850+ page math book which must weight about 10lbs! every single day!
Didn’t Reb Matisyahu say NO HOMEWORK? Doesn’t the Moscow say they follow him?
Sorry Mosdos
I’m looking for a school that does not give homework. if anyone knows of one please let me know…..or maybe i should just open one myself…If you want to give homework add 15 minutes to the school day and everyone can do their homework in school in that time.
Well there is the shopping for the perfect new dress for the first and last days.
New suits and ties to so for the boys and of course the outfits for the babies , they are adorable.
Let`s not for get those seven delicious patchke recipes that I must make because my perfect sister/ in law/aunt/ mother/shvigger (your pick) is coming.
I mean who has time for education ,especially since the kids will read Mishpacha/Ami/Zman/Yated/Hamodia/Binah etc what difference does it make?
The schools don’t listen to gedolim regarding this issue. Most have said that homework should be a 10 minute stint. Not a 1.5 hour ordeal each night!
And yes, most kids need their parents help.
And don’t forget, Each teacher gives homework without considering that there are 3 other teachers that also gave homework.
May the geulah come speedily in our time, and may all homework fall to the wayside.
The school just spent upto 8 hrs educating ones child. Doesn’t a parent owe it to the child to the school and to oneself to spend a few minutes daily on that education as well?
To see where the child is holding and also to be Personally involved ?
One side point- I think it is unfair to say that it must be the single teachers. Personally, I can say that the single teachers are a lot busier preparing for Yom Tov with all their married siblings piling in than all the young marrieds who are going to their parents.
In my opinion,there should never be homework–whether you are a Jewish kid or not. Children spend enough time learning inside the school. If they want to learn more, they can study at home–but not have projects or homework to do.
If I were to relive my life again going back to my childhood, I wish that I had been home schooled. I could have learned alot more about real life rather than going to school, and learned the trades of my parents in order to earn a living. I also wish that my parents had purchased a recreational vehicle so that we could have traveled throughout the United States and seen all that this country has to offer such as National Parks, National Monuments, and the way other people live in this country. I never could have learned these things if I were sitting all day in a school. Learning should be an adventure. Schools do not provide such a learning experience where you can learn about history in person, and decide your own destiny.