Where has all the homework gone, long time passing?
Where has all the homework gone, long time ago?
I have decided that I am not allowed to freak out about the future. Worrying about the future feels like the aliens have landed and are using their invisible alien brain hoses to fill my head with The Unknowable so I’m distracted and don’t notice that they are trying on my high heels and drawing on the walls. So I am TOTALLY NOT FREAKING OUT about the fact that just a few weeks ago, my children were enrolled in a wonderful Chinese Immersion School in San Francisco, spending at least 45 minutes a night on homework, and now they are coming home from their English-speaking school and jumping in the pool. And obviously I AM COMPLETELY FINE WITH THAT, WHY WOULD YOU THINK OTHERWISE?
Yesterday, I attended a presentation given by Simone’s teacher and learned that Simone will not have homework this year, or at least the kind of homework we are used to. Listen to this load of koala dung: “The aim is to inspire children to want to learn.” Huh? She’s seven years old people. Time to man up. Where’s the testing and the homework? What is this about promoting a desire to learn? We are Americans and that means we work hard and then we get stuff. (insert robot arms gesticulation) I. Do. Not. Understand. School. Without. Homework. What. Is. The. Point.
There’s a list of spelling words for the week that come home every Monday but it is “up to parents” how and when we want to review these with our children “because every child learns in his or her own way.” (robot arms) What. Are. You. Talking. About. Need. More. Direction.
I came home from the presentation feeling elated at first. Finally. Kids can be kids. I mean, look at this school. Swim lessons. Hip hop dance classes. Maker classes. People, there are chickens. Clucking, feathery chickens that the kids have to take care of. Willa and Simone will probably have a blast at this school. Their teachers seem to love teaching and greet the kids with huge smiles and bear hugs.
And then I pulled out my laptop and googled “chinese tutors perth.”
