This is Monday morning and I’m sitting in front of my laptop after dropping my kids at the school. I’m in the condition where I’m forced to think that if a bundle of worksheets and written homework on the weekends are like a child labour in the schools.
Don’t mind if you are doing this as a teacher or parent of a home-schooled I’m explaining here why I’m thinking in this way. He returned from school with 9 worksheets and one notebook to be written on weekend.
After Friday prayer they reached home and after some snacks, it was evening(about 1.5 hr left to be night) and asked them to go outside for some week relaxation and friends gathering. As I also feel a little freedom of no work like all working days. So all the homework was pending for the next two off days.
At morning after breakfast, all the friends of them were waiting outside so they went and Done many healthy activities and enjoyed much. Noon was the time to study and in the evening they left for the mosque. And Sunday morning again Was the time to play outside as Baba was also at home, they played more than Saturday.
When at the study time they sit to do homework younger one who is in the grade one told me, ‘mom I have many worksheets to be done today’.
As already prepared children and sharp kids in writing and reading with other activities, my two kids do all of their homework themselves. I just sit for a little time for check and balance. I was shocked with that a lot of worksheets.
When Baba told them that they are going to the Fun park, for him it was a time to write more faster. But for so young child of grade one, it was impossible to write all those in one sitting with having an excitement of going outside. So some were done and later after taking bath and eating food they were out And returned much tired. They went to sleep and Sunday ended up. He could not complete all the work.
And in this weekend routine, I didn’t mention another thing like reading of Quran, and religious oral activities I used to teach them at home.
So it was Monday morning he woke up at 6, wrote all three worksheets and one notebook in about 35 minutes and then ready for school. Got a big thumbs up from Baba and mama for achieving the goal.
It was a good experience for him and me as well.
But I’m in the feel of a little guilt.
As a mother, a teacher and as a writer, I feel it is another kind of child labour.
I think children should have no work to write for weekends. As they are writing for whole 5 working days at school and in the home as well. Weekend means weekend. It should be just for fun, doing oral and practical activities, to spend more time with family and friends, watching some educational and children fun videos, and outdoor games. My boy was ambitious, keen and prepared but what about the other kids who just started to grip a pencil and just started writing.
I want to hear from all of you,
- Do you agree with me that a lot of writing work and worksheets are like child labour?
- Do you also think weekends should be weekends for other activities not for writing and boring study schedule?
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Do you think children learn more with playing, group activities, the family gets to gathers and fun activities?
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Do you also think writing and reading is the best way to teach kids?
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Are you agree with me, reading and writing could prepare kids just for sitting in front of desks, instead of giving life skills.
Truth has been told here. I agree with you.
Great written… I'm fully agreee with you… My kids are also very brilliant and fast learner. But they cant do a lot of written work at one sitting.
You are right. If kids are pushing to write just to write it is child labor and if you teach them moter skills, life skills, and preapre for life this will be real education.
It's true school has become really demanding and children are over worked. They loose all creativity and are under so much pressure nowadays
9 worksheets and one notebook is way too much for such small kiddos… We get about 2/3 pages at max over the weekend and nothing during the week at that age
You've addressed an important issue here. It's become so common for kids to have mounds of paperwork to go through in the name of homework, which is really just drudgery in the name of education.
I agree and disagree at the same time. As an elementary school teacher I can appreciate how worksheets can help with learning. Having concrete hand written work can help a child to learn. This is especially true when it comes to writing and math skills. Like if you have a few things you need to buy from the grocery store, writing down a list helps.
Now on the other hand, many topics are better learned with hands-on activities and experiences.
Everything must be used to the appropriate extent.
I'm in between my decision. I can see how it can help in a school setting and how it doesn't. Very imformative post. There's many teaching and learning techniques, knowing about them can help because not every child is the same. (Www.beautywithzainy.com and http://www.spicyfusionkitchen.com)
I don't have a problem with worksheets…I think they are good and help..but it sounds like your little one had quite a bit for the weekend..that does seem a lot
Problem is not with worksheets, But i said writing is not only a method to teach kids.
Yes i'm agree. Other method should also be applied and for weekends a lot of worksheets are nothing but a burden for kids.
Thanks for complements.
Yes creativity and practical work is more important. And kids always learns with experiments.
As more schools are coming up with the concept of 'no homework'…i can see change in system….but to what extent…I don't know….till now my lil one is having minimal work on weekends….But I totally agree with you on burdening the kids with work on weekends…
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Yes and there should be a limit to it. You cannot expect an elementary level student to fill out 7-8 papers (I am being modest here) every single day. Moderation of giving homework should be taken into consideration too. We are not banning the idea but putting a limit to it. The classwork is supposed to be done more than the homework. And, I don't know how much classwork is given too. Is my child doing less, equal or more classwork than homework on daily basis? This is extreme of the extreme for elementary children.
Yes and there should be a limit to it. You cannot expect an elementary level student to fill out 7-8 papers (I am being modest here) every single day. Moderation of giving homework should be taken into consideration too. We are not banning the idea but putting a limit to it. The classwork is supposed to be done more than the homework. And, I don't know how much classwork is given too. Is my child doing less, equal or more classwork than homework on daily basis? This is extreme of the extreme for elementary children.
Agreed. It is kids right to have time to learn naturaly. I think spare time would provide more opportunities to ponder on things.Thank for commenting.