My DD8 is taking The Ancient World camp at CTY right now. She loves the camp, loves the material and is really enjoying it. But she does NOT like the homework. As these things go, it isn't *that* onerous (about 30 minutes of reading and 30 minutes of writing plus a large project) but she is just really not enjoying that part at all. Do all CTY-like camps have homework? She just loves the other kids and is having such a great time otherwise.

Part of our problem is the location is really not that convenient, so it takes a long time to get there and back each day. She goes to before and after care because of my work schedule and was doing some of the homework there, but the teacher told her she shouldn't work on homework in before and after care. I am going to talk to the instructor because I don't see the problem with this.

The amount of work outside of class in these programs seems to vary depending on the specific class. My D took a class with a tremendous amount of homework and studying involved. Her friend had virtually no work after class. Maybe you could make it seem more like "fun" than "work" somehow??

I definitely would speak with the teacher and make him/her aware of the long commute. Your daughter may be too tired after a long day to go home and do more work. I don't blame her.

I don't see a problem with working on homework in before/after care, either. I know that during the school year it is common and almost expected for kids in the aftercare program to do their homework during that time.

My daughter is starting a CTY summer course next week. She chose "Inventions." I made sure she was well aware that there would be homework before we signed her up and she seemed perfectly fine with the idea at the time...but we'll see how it all plays out in reality.

I can see how a history class would have a large reading/writing componant. I think the trick might be to have the child choose a class that they will love enough that the homework doesn't seem like work.

I think talking to the instructor is a great idea. Doing homework during aftercare has some obvious advantages.

CTY overnight camp has zero homework, but I believe that starts at age 12. In the meantime, see if SIG (summer institute for the gifted)has a campus near you. Local Community Colleges and Universities often have summer programing for kids, so call around. Our local version is called 'Kids on Kampus' or similar. I guess it's better than 'Cids on Campus' but that's another story.

Smiles,
Grinity

Our DS7 just finished stores and poems, a lot more homework then he was used to in a subject he is not fond of. Inventions \or Math would have been a better choice. The good part is that he did the work, it was hard for him and he did not like the writing part, but he completed the work. I hope he learned that working hard on something you don't always like or excell in is a part of life, and that effort is important. The class was great, and challenging. Maybe next year he will go again but do something he loves. Distance was also an issue for us, about an 1hr drive each way. That did add to taking away summer time fun for the 3 weeks he was in the course. We did however try to make the homework fun, and worked with him on it. He still likes to be read to so we did read some of the chapters in his books to him at night.

Thanks! I just thought it was odd that the teacher would have a problem with her doing the work in before care. She is overly sensitive, but it really upset her when he said that to her.

She chose the class herself (it is not the one I would have picked!) and ancient history is a great love of hers. She is really enjoying the class itself, just finds the homework to be too much at the end of a very long day.

I am wondering if there is any way to know in the future which classes have homework and which do not. Or maybe it just all depends on that year's instructor. It's good to know that the overnight camps don't have homework! We're not there yet, but we have several locations close-ish to us and I was thinking that she would really enjoy them.

Yippee! I hope that you and your DS7 have a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.
Love and More Love,
Grinity

Just to update. I left a note for the teacher yesterday afternoon, but I saw him this moring as I was dropping her off at before care. I spoke to him because she was finishing up her homework in the before care and she was afraid of what he would say!

I explained the issue and he said something non-commital like "thanks for letting me know". I could tell he wasn't particularly happy about it, but whatever. The camp is almost over now and next year we'll understand better. So we may skip it next summer and do it again the next year when she'll be eligible for the sleep away camps.

MON, she really does LOVE the class. It would be better if we could have done the second session, that way she would have had more of a break from school before the session started. But the second session did not work for us for various reasons and our school system went very late this year because of all the snow days we had from "Snow-mageddon" this winter!

FWIW, today was DD's last day at camp. She loved it and is already perusing the catalog for a camp for next year! So I guess the homework did not distress her too much...