Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Signing off on homework in HS?!?

@aeh, shouldn't juniors in high school, particularly ones who are in an IB program, be responsible for their own homework? I haven't had any other teachers at the school ask for something like this.

I guess that I'm still stewing over this one

Oh and, IME, teachers rarely demand this kind of parental monitoring over the long term. It's typically a first month of school-type of thing, to get kids back into the rhythm of school. Actually, most teachers strongly dislike maintaining parent communication logs of any kind during high school, even for those children who need them.

Absolutely. Typical expectations at this grade level should include managing their own study habits.

But it doesn't strike me as something worth going to the wall over, nor do I think it can definitively be interpreted as insulting. Most teachers have good intentions, and this teacher likely had no way of knowing what her students' study habits were entering the class. She may very well have estimated them based on last year's class (perhaps they needed constant close monitoring).

My point was more that one expends emotional energy to little productive effect on objecting to being told to do something that one is already doing. Sometimes it's most conducive to achieving one's long-term objectives to simply say, "okay," and carry on.

And I doubt that it will last, as, unless she's not planning to monitor the signature (in which case there are no consequences to you and your DD ignoring the homework log), she's just created a boatload of paperwork for herself.

Not worth worrying about. Just sign it regardless of how long she spent on the homework. Middle kid took Spanish and French through AP level and I almost never saw her doing Spanish or French homework. I asked and she told me it was easy and she typically did the homework during a bit of free time during the school day. As long as your daughter is doing well in the class, I wouldn't monitor homework - just sign.

As for 45 minutes of homework, that was the standard at my school. Five core subjects, had four of the five each school day, so 45 minutes times 4 subjects each night - three hours a night. Sometimes it wasn't quite that much, sometimes a bit more, but you manage. And then when the college freshmen are complaining that they have so much more work than in HS, you are relieved that you have less work in college.

In this case I would just sign if off everyday even though I consider it somewhat insulting and shouldn't be necessary for most H.S. kids. My teen does his homework in his room. I'd honestly have no idea. Just have a talk with your daughter, that this is your solution to an overly bureaucratic teacher.

The only cases I've seen of a parent needing to sign that homework is done is when grades are either failing or on the verge of failing and the school steps in. (We have had that happen but it was done on a weekly basis.) Thus this type of requirement seems "insulting."

As for 45 minutes a night per class. That sounds very very normal in this household. DS has classes that have more than a hour per night. Although he only takes each class 4 times a week.

Is this a new teacher? I guess I'd probably contact the teacher to ask why. But letting your daughter try to talk with her first might be a good idea.

The teacher is new to the school but not new to teaching. She is from out-of-state. DD asked me not to say anything for a couple weeks so that the teacher can get to know her. I've been scribbling my meaningless signature as requested.

Yesterday, DD came home complaining that now this woman wants them to grade themselves on their participation on a daily basis. DD said that she has never had had such a bureaucratic, micro-manager for a teacher. I guess it's an opportunity to talk to DD about picking her battles and how to appease people like this. It might be a long year in Spanish.

But for heavens sake give yourself an A.

I'll have to convince her of that one. She has higher standards than most teachers.

I knew that would be the case. Been there done that kicked myself after the fact. Convince her!

Yup. Even as an adult i have graded myself at a lower lwvel because i felt i didn't know ALL the technical details wheras a workmate who knew NONE of tbe technical details gave herself a higher grade on the basis that uderstanding what you were doing was uneccessary provided you did it how you were shown.