Thursday, February 7, 2008

pressure

Samantha graduated from D.A.R.E. on Friday. It is such a fantastic program, dealing with assertiveness, staying healthy and drug free, and not giving into peer pressure. I am so grateful that she had the opportunity to participate in this program.

It got me thinking though, (I know --- uh-oh---- this means another six paragraph ranting blog post, but I'll keep it short & sweet)....... I was thinking about the pressure part of it.

As a kindergartner, Libby has to read & document twice a week (with us obviously) , then once a month there is a home-school connection project that we work on together, and this week there is a teeth brushing chart where she checks off when she brushes & notates what healthy snack she ate. She has a book box, where she is to practice reading those books to us, and a 3-ring song binder that she brings home to practice on weekends.

As a fifth grader, Samantha FINALLY does not have a reading chart, her teacher (Bless her Soul) wants the children to read for the love of it & feels that if they are forced to read they will lose that ..... Unfortunately every teacher before this one required 20 mintues of reading each night....... Now add that to the 20 minutes of flute practice a night, and add that to the 45 minutes - an hour of homework, and the book report with project & presentation once a month. And trust me those projects are pretty in depth...... The teachers like to see that they took a few days to put together.... The presentations have to be long enough, loud enough, informative enough, and have eye contact throughout. (since 3rd grade) . Poor Samantha ended up with her only C+ due to one of those presentations............ too quiet aparently.

Sometimes when I go to the school I just want to scream " THIS IS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL" should there be this much work? Should there be this much PRESSURE?

I guess with 5th grade I can understand, preparing for middle school & everything, but 45 minutes - hour of homework !!!!!!!!!!!!! And I know Libby will be starting with "official" homework next year. Yup, first grade. I know this because she will have the same teacher Sam had.

I don't ever remember having homework in elementary school........ Maybe a book report, but it was just that, a report, on paper that you handed in. Is my memory faulty? (on this subject, no commenting on other subjects) Help me out here everyone........... Are we asking way too much of these kids?

Should band, drama, dance, religious ed, & newspaper club be eliminated to make sure that there is enough down time? These are choices, not requirements, but they are my kids choices. Well okay, not religious ed, that's my choice..............

Is it peer pressure that turns kids to drugs or is it just pressure? Are they so stressed out that they need a little escape?

Let me know what you think? Leave a comment. Is it me? Is there a method to this maddness?

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