School work complaint

[petesgirl]

I'm trying really hard not to complain about school this year because I know the teachers are really doing their best, but this latest development is just ridiculous.

DS has been going in person from 8:35-2:45 every day but when the first term ended last week the school board decided to end school at 2:15 every day to give the teachers extra prep time, which I completely agree they need.

But, I just got this email from the teacher stating that with the school day being cut by 30 mins the students will have to do their online programs at home. She lists 6 online programs that she wants the students to work on at home for 30 mins each, each night. SO....that's 3 hrs of work!! That math isn't adding up...cut 30 mins of school time, give 3 extra hrs of homework??
Sorry, teacher, not gonna happen.

[jgenie]

We wouldn’t be doing that much screen time work in our house either. Sorry the teachers are piling on.

[mom2binsd]

I would ask for clarification on that, doesn't make sense.

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[PZMommy]

That doesn't make sense! Maybe she means pick one (or she will assign a specific one) each night and work on it for 30 minutes?? I would definitely ask for clarification!

[petesgirl]

That doesn't make sense! Maybe she means pick one (or she will assign a specific one) each night and work on it for 30 minutes?? I would definitely ask for clarification!

Nope, her email is very clear-- each program, each night. Honestly, only 2 of the programs seem worthwhile to me so those are the ones we are doing.

[bisous]

Whoa. That's...crazy! He's been at school all day! Care to share the programs? Maybe we could get something out of it since we have a 4 hour day online only, lol.

You're smart to parse what is really helpful.

[petesgirl]

The prorgrams are (in order of importance to me):
*Reflex (math fact fluency--probably the #1 thing my kid struggles with)
*Lexia (ELA program, beneficial for spelling and reading comp.)
*Typing Agent (this is important, but we don't get to it everyday because he does a lot of typing for other assignments, I kind of count that if we don't have time).
*IXL (another math review program, DS likes it because he can earn prizes but he can also waste a lot of time on it, looking through his prizes. Not a priority because we do Reflex plus a math lesson with worksheets every day.)
*Zearn (yet another math program...this one has potential to be good because it was built to be used alongside his in class curriculum, but they do a lot of review and it gets too basic IMO. Like, one day we were back to counting by ones. Seriously, my 4th grader knows what number comes after 25. This one also glitches a lot and I just don't have patience for that right now.)
Don't ask me why they need an in person math lesson, a minute math quiz, plus 3 online math programs every day. Maybe this is why my DS hates math.

[SnuggleBuggles]

My ds2 hates IXL for math so glad to hear yours still likes it.
I think a lot of teachers assign things without really considering how they’ll add up. Most have been receptive when we’ve said it was too much.
Heck, during parents weekend for college the parents brought up the overwhelming, disorganized systems the professors were using- each class required 4+ websites. The head of the department was surprised to hear that and planned to change it in the 2nd semester. Sometimes you just have to speak up and be that squeaky wheel. Good luck!


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[bisous]

My ds2 hates IXL for math so glad to hear yours still likes it.
I think a lot of teachers assign things without really considering how they’ll add up. Most have been receptive when we’ve said it was too much.
Heck, during parents weekend for college the parents brought up the overwhelming, disorganized systems the professors were using- each class required 4+ websites. The head of the department was surprised to hear that and planned to change it in the 2nd semester. Sometimes you just have to speak up and be that squeaky wheel. Good luck!


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My kids are mixed on IXL. But for some of mine it does cause anxiety--due to the fact that the score can go DOWN. DD loves it. She loves the prizes.

Thanks for sharing your links. I think that DS3 would actually benefit from some math support so I'd like to check out some of those apps!

[petesgirl]

My kids are mixed on IXL. But for some of mine it does cause anxiety--due to the fact that the score can go DOWN. DD loves it. She loves the prizes.

Thanks for sharing your links. I think that DS3 would actually benefit from some math support so I'd like to check out some of those apps!

So Reflex is one that my son actually hates, although we have found a way to do it together and he prefers that. But, it is ALL fact fluency and it works on speed too.

[Melaine]

Ugh, I'm so sorry. Reading your post actually made my stomach clinch up into a knot. The kids are really getting the short end of all the sticks this year. :-(