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Post by debmast on Nov 22, 2016 16:30:52 GMT
Hopefully it won't be as much work as it seems. Ds told me last night that the basketball coach asked if he wanted to come in and practice on Thanksgiving Day  First year coach, 20 years old so no meal to cook and he's really taking ds under his wing because he sees potential. Depending on time we can probably make it work but I had to laugh a little when he told me. Please do yourselves and this new coach a favor and say no. Say no to this for your own sanity, and to preserve having this holiday off from school and extra curricular activities. And say no to the coach so that he learns right from the get-go that it is inappropriate to hold a practice on a holiday. Everyone complains about insane coaches and their rigorous schedules that don't account for school breaks and holidays. And his is exactly where that mentality starts. He's asking now, as he's new and inexperienced at coaching, and is probably bored on thanksgiving. But if you say yes to this practice, this absolutely sets the stage for this sort of request to be okay and tolerable within his team. And he will be more likely to do it in the future if you say yes now. And eventually it will get to a point where these are not just for fun practices, but instead mandatory practices. People don't like to say no to their coaches, they don't want to let him/her down, nor the team down. So they will feel pressure to say yes, even though hey don't want to go, or cannot go because they already have plans. He may not even be ALLOWED to have it. There are certain days when school is on holiday that our school sports are forbidden to hold practices. You might want to check into that. At least here, breaking those UIL rules is a big no no! |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2016 16:41:35 GMT
After Thanksgiving (assumed celebrated on Thurs), there is Friday, Sat and Sunday. I suppose one could watch YouTube, make musically videos, play minecraft, etc. But most kids I know would be bored about halfway thru Friday or Sat. So why not have them do a little school work ? A paper won't kill them. Seriously how much of a break do they need - aren't they off in december too? Our district has 17 student days in Nov and 18 in Dec. Granted, a group project's logistics are harder to handle.
I am of the opinion that kids are off of school way too much. YMMV.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2016 16:49:32 GMT
I also hate group projects and think it's ridiculous to expect that from the students. As for the other assignment, I don't see it as a big deal at all.
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Post by Marina on Nov 22, 2016 17:20:41 GMT
There is a program based out of Stanford called Challenge Success that addresses the stress so many high school students face. They work with schools to help promote a healthy balance. www.challengesuccess.org/about/Our school as a result of this group does not allow any homework to be due before Wednesday after a break. Depending on the teacher is how well it's implemented. Last year was the first Christmas break without any homework. |
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quiltedbrain
Full Member
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Jun 26, 2014 3:34:53 GMT
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Post by quiltedbrain on Nov 22, 2016 17:58:48 GMT
After Thanksgiving (assumed celebrated on Thurs), there is Friday, Sat and Sunday. I suppose one could watch YouTube, make musically videos, play minecraft, etc. But most kids I know would be bored about halfway thru Friday or Sat. So why not have them do a little school work ? A paper won't kill them. Seriously how much of a break do they need - aren't they off in december too? Our district has 17 student days in Nov and 18 in Dec. Granted, a group project's logistics are harder to handle. I am of the opinion that kids are off of school way too much. YMMV. I gently ask you to consider that not everyone's lives are the same and everyone does not spend their time off in the same manner. What might not be a big deal for you and your family, may be a big deal for mine. So, obviously, my mileage does vary.  |
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johnnysmom
Drama Llama
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Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Nov 22, 2016 18:25:35 GMT
Please do yourselves and this new coach a favor and say no. Say no to this for your own sanity, and to preserve having this holiday off from school and extra curricular activities. And say no to the coach so that he learns right from the get-go that it is inappropriate to hold a practice on a holiday. Everyone complains about insane coaches and their rigorous schedules that don't account for school breaks and holidays. And his is exactly where that mentality starts. He's asking now, as he's new and inexperienced at coaching, and is probably bored on thanksgiving. But if you say yes to this practice, this absolutely sets the stage for this sort of request to be okay and tolerable within his team. And he will be more likely to do it in the future if you say yes now. And eventually it will get to a point where these are not just for fun practices, but instead mandatory practices. People don't like to say no to their coaches, they don't want to let him/her down, nor the team down. So they will feel pressure to say yes, even though hey don't want to go, or cannot go because they already have plans. He may not even be ALLOWED to have it. There are certain days when school is on holiday that our school sports are forbidden to hold practices. You might want to check into that. At least here, breaking those UIL rules is a big no no! I don't think it's considered practice unless there are more than 3 kids. At least that's how it is during "dead weeks". This would just be a one on one thing. But it might not matter, I picked ds up early today and he said he wasn't sure they were doing it. They do have practice Wednesday and Friday. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2016 19:12:41 GMT
So, obviously, my mileage does vary. Hence the mileage option. Of course no one's lives are the same. But all this hangwringing over homework...just don't get it. And again, I get the group project is going to be difficult. But a paper? nah. |
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Post by monklady123 on Nov 22, 2016 19:19:58 GMT
So, obviously, my mileage does vary. ![:wink:]() Hence the mileage option. Of course no one's lives are the same. But all this hangwringing over homework...just don't get it. And again, I get the group project is going to be difficult. But a paper? nah. Yes, but if you'll notice most of us aren't "hand wringing" over the paper, only over the group project. |
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seaexplore
Prolific Pea
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Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
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Post by seaexplore on Nov 23, 2016 2:03:37 GMT
I'm a middle school math/science teacher. I told my kids last Monday that I was going to work their butts this past week so that we could take a math test on Friday and not have any homework over the thanksgiving week break. Science had an inclass mitosis matching thing that should have taken less than 30 minutes. If they didn't finish, it was homework. I had a sub since I was in training. No clue if it got finished in class. The sub will not be invited back since he could not control my kids. Yes, some of the blame lies with my students but that is a whole different issue!
I try as often as possible to not have weekend homework or break homework. If they do happen to have work, it's one nights worth, not a load up.
I never test on a Monday after a break either.
Oh, and group projects suck donkey butts!
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Post by gmcwife1 on Nov 23, 2016 2:12:24 GMT
Unless you are traveling, I do not see the big deal. They are off Thurs-Sun. Plenty of time. Traveling group project members need to speak up today/tomorrow and let the teacher know the logistics. It would help in my district if they actually attended school for a full GD week in November. I remember in college asking my professor to change the date a 10 page paper was due from before Thanksgiving to after. Initially he said no, but then announced to the class he changed his mind. I appreciated having all that free time to write the paper at home. Can't they facetime/group text for the project? Will everyone be in town? My 17 yr old would facetime/group text for the group project. But she has been in 4-H for 8 years and is the president of both her club and the county teen dog club. So she's used to using text and facetime to communicate, schedule and hold meetings. |
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Post by txdancermom on Nov 23, 2016 2:16:00 GMT
group projects over holidays are not good.
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Post by partridgeinapeartree on Nov 23, 2016 2:56:22 GMT
Teacher here, I validate you! I don't want to do school work on my days off; I would never ask it of my students.  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2016 3:19:13 GMT
This brings back a very bad memory!
My 4th grade son had a project due after thanksgiving. And all the research work had to be done in class. The woman in charge of the class only helped the her favorites.
Over the holiday they were to put their project together from the research notes.
We went to the library, got books, and researched all the way back to grandparents house.
Spent the weekend helping him put the project together, grandpa even helped. Grandma quizzed him. By Monday, my son was 119% ready to give his report!
The f'ing woman in charge was pissed. She intentionally wanted my son and a couple others to be humiliated in front if their classmates. She said it was to teach them a lesson on doing better research. OMG I severely disliked this woman.
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Post by tidegirl on Nov 23, 2016 3:19:33 GMT
I will validate you as well. Can they complete the "group" project via google docs? or similar program.This way they can each contribute on their own time and in their own space? Just a thought.
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Post by ntsf on Nov 23, 2016 3:24:19 GMT
I hated any homework for the kids over break.. as we spent time at places without internet, and no time for studying. unless high school. i usually let the kids blow it off. too bad. especially elementary. bad mom here. the kids all survived.
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Post by 950nancy on Nov 23, 2016 3:32:23 GMT
How would a kid who has to travel do this? Yikes. The only homework I asked kids to do over the weekends or breaks was to read 10-15 minutes a day.
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,172 
Location: Western Illinois
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Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Nov 23, 2016 4:09:03 GMT
I'm a teacher and I think a school break should be just that - a break. And to assign a group project over a holiday break? Ridiculous.
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Post by jamielynn on Nov 23, 2016 4:35:55 GMT
Parent of a really little one here ....
So what I understand from this board is we shouldn't plan to pull our kids from school for family things, or vacations September - June. We should plan any/all for the most part around the school breaks. (Don't let me get on the tangent about parents in careers where summers are the busy season and they can't use vacation, or the fact that most families who live in the northern half of the US actually get decent weather and don't want to take their kids to Disney when it is 100 there and finally over 70 at home).
However, over said breaks, where families may consider going out of town or a full on vacation, we not only get homework, but group projects?!
I can tell already I am going to be a terrible parent of a school aged child. I wouldn't be planning our weekend around homework, let alone 3 other families family commitments/travel schedules. I would be asking for an alternative assignment my child could work on solo (with our help) while on vacation, out of town, or at our home.
I think I need to be studying up so I can homeschool my child on my very own terms based on the opinions above.
I am totally of the party that any kind of group work is just cruel and unusual punishment - and that any/all of it should be done in class time. That goes for college - and don't get me started on how much I disliked that compared to elementary, middle school and high school group work. (Because everyone's spouse, small children, job, or job and second job totally plans around the fact that you have to meet with 2-5 other people regularly outside of class for a whole semester to work on a group project - since everyone is 18 and has nothing but education to work on those years of college).
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Post by momx1 on Nov 23, 2016 4:59:29 GMT
Let me add to your vent. DD had 2 test scheduled for the Monday coming back from Thanksgiving break. We knew this on Tuesday before break began on Friday.
Totally fine. Dd brings books, notes etc with her so she can study for these two test. No complaining from me, although Dd wasn't happy!
We get an email Monday afternoon informing parents the grades on a test the studrnts took on the Thursday before break, were not good and they will be required to take another test on the material THE MONDAY they return from break! Are you kidding me!?! None of the kids we know even brought home information on this subject!!
I realize the teacher may not have known about the other two test, but come on. Many families are already out of town and when they return, the school won't be open so the kids can get what they need!
Edited to clarify; break started on Friday so many families were already out of town when the received the email.
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seaexplore
Prolific Pea
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Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
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Post by seaexplore on Nov 23, 2016 5:10:50 GMT
Let me add to your vent. DD had 2 test scheduled for the Monday coming back from Thanksgiving break. We knew this on Tuesday before break began on Friday. Totally fine. Dd brings books, notes etc with her so she can study for these two test. No complaining from me, although Dd wasn't happy! We get an email Monday afternoon informing parents the grades on a test the studrnts took on the Thursday before break, were not good and they will be required to take another test on the material THE MONDAY they return from break! Are you kidding me!?! None of the kids we know even brought home information on this subject!! I realize the teacher may not have known about the other two test, but come on. Many families are already out of town and when they return, the school won't be open so the kids can get what they need! Edited to clarify; break started on Friday so many families were already out of town when the received the email. Check khan academy for info to help your DD study for the retake test. not cool on the teacher's part. |
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CeeScraps
Pearl Clutcher
~~occupied entertaining my brain~~
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Post by CeeScraps on Nov 23, 2016 10:11:07 GMT
Hopefully it won't be as much work as it seems. Ds told me last night that the basketball coach asked if he wanted to come in and practice on Thanksgiving Day First year coach, 20 years old so no meal to cook and he's really taking ds under his wing because he sees potential. Depending on time we can probably make it work but I had to laugh a little when he told me. Please do yourselves and this new coach a favor and say no. Say no to this for your own sanity, and to preserve having this holiday off from school and extra curricular activities. And say no to the coach so that he learns right from the get-go that it is inappropriate to hold a practice on a holiday. Everyone complains about insane coaches and their rigorous schedules that don't account for school breaks and holidays. And his is exactly where that mentality starts. He's asking now, as he's new and inexperienced at coaching, and is probably bored on thanksgiving. But if you say yes to this practice, this absolutely sets the stage for this sort of request to be okay and tolerable within his team. And he will be more likely to do it in the future if you say yes now. And eventually it will get to a point where these are not just for fun practices, but instead mandatory practices. People don't like to say no to their coaches, they don't want to let him/her down, nor the team down. So they will feel pressure to say yes, even though hey don't want to go, or cannot go because they already have plans. My dh is assisting a coach right now. They have practices over the holidays, although not on it and meets too. The kids have asked to practice because they want something to do. Consequently the coaches are doing everything they can to hold a few practices. |
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Post by monklady123 on Nov 23, 2016 12:19:53 GMT
Parent of a really little one here .... So what I understand from this board is we shouldn't plan to pull our kids from school for family things, or vacations September - June. We should plan any/all for the most part around the school breaks. (Don't let me get on the tangent about parents in careers where summers are the busy season and they can't use vacation, or the fact that most families who live in the northern half of the US actually get decent weather and don't want to take their kids to Disney when it is 100 there and finally over 70 at home). However, over said breaks, where families may consider going out of town or a full on vacation, we not only get homework, but group projects?! I can tell already I am going to be a terrible parent of a school aged child. I wouldn't be planning our weekend around homework, let alone 3 other families family commitments/travel schedules. I would be asking for an alternative assignment my child could work on solo (with our help) while on vacation, out of town, or at our home. I think I need to be studying up so I can homeschool my child on my very own terms based on the opinions above. I am totally of the party that any kind of group work is just cruel and unusual punishment - and that any/all of it should be done in class time. That goes for college - and don't get me started on how much I disliked that compared to elementary, middle school and high school group work. (Because everyone's spouse, small children, job, or job and second job totally plans around the fact that you have to meet with 2-5 other people regularly outside of class for a whole semester to work on a group project - since everyone is 18 and has nothing but education to work on those years of college). Yeah, you'll be a bad parent. Join the club! I took dd to Paris for ten days when she was a sophomore in high school. Part of that 10 was a school break but she ended up missing about five days of school. She had assignments from her classes (French class was easy to finish, lol) and managed to survive and graduate and become a productive member of society. Well, she's still in college so I suppose she's not considered a "productive member of society" just yet.  -- But, I know a lot of Peas will agree with me when I say that every once in awhile it doesn't matter, especially at the lower grades, and especially if your child is on grade level and you are basically a responsible parent... i.e., you're not late every day, you do your best to have your kid do homework, you read with them, the teacher knows you, etc. Missing a Thursday and Friday of school so that your family can travel to see relatives (or heck, even to go to Disney World in the off season) will not set back your 3rd grader. Whatever they did in class those days will either be repeated again and again, or you'll just have to get it done at home. So I'd also be a bad parent with any group project assigned over a vacation. As I mentioned above, I'd be asking the teacher for an alternative assignment. Not "is there something else..?" but "what other assignment can my kid do since we won't be able to complete this stupid group assignment since we're all traveling???" well okay, I'd leave out the "stupid" part. But I'd be thinking it!  |
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Post by destined2bmom on Nov 23, 2016 16:08:34 GMT
I am really sorry for those of you who have kids who have homework over the holiday. It is awful. Especially the group projects.
I remember when I was in high school I was busy the entire holiday season. Writing term papers or studying for upcoming tests. And I mean, every holiday season. In the summers, I was expected to read several books and yes, we were tested on them. It really put a damper on the mental break that you should get over vacations. Luckily during the school year, my parents never traveled; so studying was easier then with kids who had to travel.
Then in college I either had papers or studying that needed to be done. Yeah fun times. NOT...
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Post by craftsbycarolyn on Nov 23, 2016 16:18:00 GMT
I can see some projects over the holiday but one where the kids have to get together???How is that ever going to work out? Some kids might be out of town.
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Post by prapea on Nov 23, 2016 18:37:58 GMT
I might be the odd one out. Personally, I don't care if my kid has a project due during holidays(individual or group project). You have stuff to get done, then you have to get it done. Staring at a young age for these things is not a big deal to me. There will be days/holidays where kids have to work/study and there will be days where they will be off. I probably am a bad parent then. Because I think, they get spring break/fall break/summer break. I am sure they can suck it up for couple of days if they have some work to get done.
I am probably looking at it from my own work perspective. At my job, we go live with our clients on 1/1. So most of my team is on a conference call at midnight of new year's eve to check in and make sure our project was successful (I will spare you guys the technical details). Some times we will be done in an hour and some times, we will be on all night. I guess that is a "group" project. We don't get to pick and choose and say - it's new year's eve, so I am not going to work at midnight. That's part of the "deal" with my job. I actually look forward to it and I get such an adrenaline rush at that time to see our hard work pay off.
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Post by anniefb on Nov 23, 2016 18:53:59 GMT
A group project over break is  . ^^that |
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Post by Basket1lady on Nov 23, 2016 19:03:41 GMT
I hate group projects with a passion, but I do think they are necessary. DS is a sophomore in college. At our parent orientation 2 years ago, they said that the number one problem that employers had was that this generation were not team players. So they said they do encourage group projects, but this today's students and technology in mind. In the time of Skype, FaceTime, Google Docs, etc, it's easier to plan around busy schedules. And yes, there is always that slacker in the group. Let's face it, group projects are horrible assignments on so many levels. But a smart teacher will have a peer evaluation included with the group project to get an accurate assessment of what each student contributed.
As for the OP, it's hard to give my opinion because I don't know how old your DD is. But I will agree that the group project is poor timing. Hopefully it's something that gets the kids thinking about alternative ways to communicate rather than just a traditional group project. As for assigning homework, I would not be doing a paper over Thanksgiving for an elementary or middle schooler unless it was a big project that the kids had multiple weeks to work on and it's just due next week. That may give families time to work over the holiday vs during the crazy work week. As for a high schooler, I find that this is more common, especially for kids that take dual enrollment or AP classes. I know DD (HS senior) has homework this week. She has some days to goof off and probably one day of work if she buckles down. DS is in college and finals are 2 weeks after they come back from Thanksgiving. I know he has homework or at least studying that he will be doing. And I know many of us adults, me included, will get getting work done over the holiday. It's not assigned, but it will make my life a lot easier next week.
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Deleted
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Apr 29, 2024 13:44:39 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2016 19:19:55 GMT
I might be the odd one out. Personally, I don't care if my kid has a project due during holidays(individual or group project). You have stuff to get done, then you have to get it done. Staring at a young age for these things is not a big deal to me. There will be days/holidays where kids have to work/study and there will be days where they will be off. I probably am a bad parent then. Because I think, they get spring break/fall break/summer break. I am sure they can suck it up for couple of days if they have some work to get done. I am probably looking at it from my own work perspective. At my job, we go live with our clients on 1/1. So most of my team is on a conference call at midnight of new year's eve to check in and make sure our project was successful (I will spare you guys the technical details). Some times we will be done in an hour and some times, we will be on all night. I guess that is a "group" project. We don't get to pick and choose and say - it's new year's eve, so I am not going to work at midnight. That's part of the "deal" with my job. I actually look forward to it and I get such an adrenaline rush at that time to see our hard work pay off. I'll sit on the bad parent bench with you. |
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scrapaddie
Drama Llama
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Post by scrapaddie on Nov 23, 2016 19:35:45 GMT
As a retired teacher, even I think that's crazy!! Kids are being set up to do poorly, or even fail. I imagine a lot of kids will be gone the entire time and will be unable to get together with any group. I used to resent the fact that I had to work on schoolwork over thanksgiving. For that reason, I never gave my students assignments over the break.
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First year coach, 20 years old so no meal to cook and he's really taking ds under his wing because he sees potential. Depending on time we can probably make it work but I had to laugh a little when he told me.
-- But, I know a lot of Peas will agree with me when I say that every once in awhile it doesn't matter, especially at the lower grades, and especially if your child is on grade level and you are basically a responsible parent... i.e., you're not late every day, you do your best to have your kid do homework, you read with them, the teacher knows you, etc. Missing a Thursday and Friday of school so that your family can travel to see relatives (or heck, even to go to Disney World in the off season) will not set back your 3rd grader. Whatever they did in class those days will either be repeated again and again, or you'll just have to get it done at home. 
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