Homework over the Holiday? WTH

Work does not stop in school or real life just because of a holiday break. I think it is good for kids especially in high school because they will receive work over break in college.

Reading is one thing, but essays? yuck! I guess my recommendation would be to make good use of the traveling time - a great time to read!

Welcome to my world. We traveled every holiday with books. I don't think it's getting better. Some teachers can teach without all the homework so I know it can be done.

The only situation I see is the one YOU are making. I had homework when I was in HS back in the 80's during the holidays! I don't see it as a lack of respect to your family I really think you need to understand that this is school. My kids ALWAYS had projects or reports due over the holidays. Especially Christmas.

To asnwer your question, yes you are being unreasonable. Your comment about respecting family time is really over the top. You need to take a deep breath.

The real question is when this stuff was assigned... just because it is due the Monday she gets back doesn't mean it was assigned to be done over the holiday weekend... I'd bet at least some of it was assigned or "publicized" earlier in the week, or possibly even the week before. I'd be surprised if she found out about all that stuff on the last day before going on break. Although it sounds like that may have been the case with the samurai movie... on the other hand that sounds a little fishy as well, how can she be held accountable to write an essay on a movie she was unable to finish viewing in class due to school-related absence? I hate to tell you but the counselor in me isn't really buying your daughters story here.

If you have a procrastinator you will always have a bunch of last minute assignments, projects, and reading over the breaks...

I remember back in the dark ages (aka late 70's and very early 80's) when I was in high school...and yes we had homework over vacations/holidays...and we survived

It is reality here. My daughter is a senior this year and I don't recall her ever not having homework or some sort of project to be working on during breaks. My daughter is NOT a procrastinator and she manages her time wisely.

The work needs to be done... read in the car, rent the movie, watch it and write the essay.

The students are learning time management, organization and working with groups.... all of which they will do in college but at a more difficult level.

As they go up in grade levels and especially if they are in AP classes, the work is harder (much more skin to a college student) because the teachers are perparing these students for college and the rigor they will need while in college.

My daughter gets out today at 5pm after the cheerleading social with the Smiles group (special ed girls who get to cheer with the team and be a part of the group on designated occasions). She left at 7 this morning in order to prep the gym for practice (she is captain, it is her job) and be ready for class at 9. We are in football playoffs (WHOO HOO) so we'll be back to school on Friday afternoon all pumped up and ready to cheer on the team and not be home until about 11pm Friday night. Sometime during the weekend, (who knows when) she is meeting with her English AP class team to finish the filming and editing of an English project due next week. She is also meeting with her APES team (AP Enviromental Science) to work on a project due before the end of the semester.

It is a way of life here... If you are on a field trip, away at a game (last year she missed 2 days due to travel with the volleyball team) you are still responsible for the missed work.... even if you are Cheer Captain or on one of the athletic teams. They learn how to manage time very well which will benefit them in college. We know our daughter will be well prepared for college!

Hang in there.... she'll probably have more work as so goes up grade levels. Support her and help her manage the time instead of being angry at the teachers and staff which in turns means you are spreading your anger to her regarding the teachers and staff. She needs a positive outlook.

The earth does not stand still just because it is the holidays... work and school go on. Students learn from it (as do parents).

I saw your SWH after I wrote my post. Sorry she gets car sick. I do too.

It's according to the college and the professor regarding work assigned during a holiday. Many of them don't care about whether there's a holiday or not. A lot of them give a listing of what's due at the beginning of the semester and expect that the student will keep up. If they don't want to do work during the holiday, they expect the student to work on it earlier. Not all students are that proactive.

I'm not saying what your daughter's teacher has assigned is good, or anything like that. I'm just saying that your daughter is a step away from the big leagues and it will be helpful if you can see it that way.

I will say that if your daughter doesn't do this during the break, she's going to have a boatload of work to do after she comes back. How will she get it all done?

About the movie, there's no way to do the assignment without seeing the movie. Sounds like the kids who missed the movie need an alternative assignment. Maybe that's one reason why you haven't gotten an answer, at least from that teacher.

Good luck,
Dawn

I've never understood why kids need to be in school for 6-8 hours a day and get homework on top of that!

That's why we homeschool :)

Doesn't answer your question, but I agree with you if that helps! Holidays are for family!

Um, I recall coming back from holiday breaks to mid-terms...so I had massive studying to do over my "breaks".
So no, that doens't seem weird or dis-respectful to me.

I always had homework during school breaks. We never spent 100% of the time with family during those breaks and we don't now. If my middle schooler came home with more homework than her assigned reading, I wouldn't have any issues with it. She enjoys reading in the morning and at bed time. There would also be additional times of day that she could do other work, even if we were traveling as much as you will be.

I would NOT have made a big fuss about it with the teachers, let alone including the principal in on it. I probably would have simply politely reminded the Spanish teacher that she would be unable to complete that assignment until s/he is able to ensure that your daughter is able to view the movie at school. As for the rest of it, I'd have sucked it up and had her do it.

EDIT: As a subsequent responder suggested, no, I don't take my work home with me. HOWEVER I always, always took my studies seriously and I expect the same from my children.

I definitely remember homework over breaks/holidays when I was in high school; especially my AP classes. Hey, consider it training for the future. My husband "works" a little bit during every vacation we go on, as well as holiday breaks and this Thanksgiving weekend will be no different. I think you're going to regret sending those emails ... yikes. :)

Not odd at all. Homework has been given over holidays breaks since the beginning of time.

I don't see that as unusual at all. I can remember being in high school in the late 80's and early 90's and always had homework that had to be done over a school break. Usually it was things like a research paper for English and my school science project. Sadly, this is the way it is...and sometimes it is like that with work as well.

I can remember being in college and getting a research paper assigned to me on a Thursday or Friday before a long holiday weekend. The damn paper was due the day we came back from that long weekend so no choice but to do it over the holiday.

This is not a problem that will get better..your daughter needs to learn how to get efficient in doing stuff like this.

I think that is ridiculous and I am a teacher!! So many of our teenagers are disengaged with their families. I think assigning work during a holiday intended for spending time with family doesn't help. Besides teens need down time, too. JMHO

You have a lot of replies on here that work doesn't stop because of holidays. How sad that so many live this way. I'm guessing these are parents who bring home their office work and keep on working right through holidays. This is no way to live. I've yet to hear regrets from someone elderly that wishes they had spent more time on office work. But I have heard plenty of regrets for not spending enough time with family. There are many adults who do know how to take a break and focus on their family. I think you should teach your daughter this lesson. Even if you can't do anything about the homework you should tell her it's a shame that teacher's are so pushed to assign all this. It has to do with a warped philosophy that it will push our kids ahead. In fact, most countries that do better than ours do not assign near the amount of work our's schedules in school. In fact in some of these countries that outperform ours by leaps and bounds, homework is unheard of. And they do better. Much better. It's all about balance and not about burnout. Unfortunately we Americans have it backwards. :(

I'm wondering how much time a typical student would need to complete this? 2 essays maybe 2 hrs each and readings maybe another 4 hrs. I don't understand about the spanish movie about japanese samuri but if you are talking less than 8 hrs of homework over a 5 day vacation, i dont' think that is too terrible.

Sorry you feel this way, I hope your kid doesn't feel the same, but it's the way it is. Long time ago, (lol) I used to have homework, reading and writing assignments over holidays as well (still have lots of things to do!...). It may be a good opportunity for you to teach your daughter how to do all her assignments in an effective way, and how to deal with organization and fun time at once. Please, do not feel yourself so upset or overwhelmed because she will be watching you, imitate and learn the same attitude, and believe me, she already needs to know how to deal with this before she attends college/university. I am teaching my kids precisely this kind of things.... Life is work, nothing comes easily.
Take it easy, plan accordingly and have fun!

PS Have you checked the movie about the Samurai Warriors in the Library? I have seen a couple, check it out there.

Some adults choose careers that put them at work over the holidays. Careers like doctors, nurses, police officers, pilots, soldiers, etc. They know full well they might be expected to work on the holidays. However, they still get scheduled vacation days when they are NOT on call and do NOT have to work. This is a kid in school. Writing a couple of essays over Thanksgiving is not going to make or break her education. She should be given these vacation days for family time. Jen is right in that the school systems do create burnout in learning, which is why we tend to hover in the lower middle of countries worldwide in international tests. Look at homeschoolers. The high school homeschoolers do 4-6 hours of work a day on average - and I don't know any homeschoolers that work on the holidays - and yet somehow they still outperform their public schooled peers (by A LOT) on standardized tests. Yet these traditionally schooled high school kids are in school 7-8 hours a day and getting 2-3 hours of homework a night - and apparently work assigned over breaks, as well. Shouldn't that tell you something? Something needs to change. It just isn't working. And we're killing their love of learning and skewing their sense of priorities, as well.

Well thank god Carrie dropped by to clearly illustrate why education is so important. :p

I spend a lot of time explaining to my children ignorance is not bliss.

Anyway, most kids don't have anything to do on holiday breaks so they assign homework. I am sure if you explained your schedule they will make accommodations.

I am not a teacher, but how about a little perspective here, if you can see it through the anger?

Teachers are required to get through certain items on the curriculum by certain points in the school year. The teachers are judged based on how well they do this and how well their kids do on standardized tests. If you don't like the homework over the holidays, take on your school system's testing and curriculum requirements imposed on teachers as conditions of their employment -- don't take on the teachers, who are probably doing their best to do (and keep) their jobs.

That said -- Your child is in 10th grade. If you are this angry over this amount of homework over a holiday, how angry will you be when she's a senior in high school and has much more assigned, AND is working on college admission applications and essays over Thanksgiving and Christmas? Will you still complain to the teachers? Contact the colleges and ask them to delay their deadlines for applications because your child deserves work-free holidays?

Frankly -- it's normal these days. It's not a "total lack of respect on the teacher's part" aimed at your child and family. What's sad is that you don't realize that the teacher pays for these assignments much more than your child does. The teacher has to grade all that homework in the evenings and all weekend -- not just your own child's homework but that amount times 30, probably. Believe me, teachers are putting in plenty of holiday and weekend time not seeing their own families because they have so many essays to read and so much grading to do. They don't assign this stuff just to deny your child family time; they do it knowing that they, the teachers, will have to give up their own family time to grade them.

I talked to my child's teacher at 7:30 this past Sunday night. She was busy grading papers and arranging a major extracurricular academic enrichment program -- on her own weekend time.

I teach AP English, and I understand both sides of the issue. As teachers we do have an incredible amount of material to cover, and pressure from administration and parents, not to mention the pressure we put on ourselves, to be sure our students are prepared for the AP test (in my case), the states' standardized tests, the SAT/ACT, and for college and life. Many teachers in the high school where I teach did assign homework/reading/projects over the Thanksgiving break.

The other AP English Language teacher and I decided several years ago, though, that we feel holidays are sacred. We don't want to spend our holidays grading, and we don't expect students to spend holidays stressing about school work. We take extra time planning carefully so that we can avoid assigning work over the long breaks.

Right now we are working on the Junior Theme. It is the longest, most extensive research paper of the students' high school journey, even longer than the Senior Theme. It's a long, arduous process. I have spent much time teaching the process, and helping students learn how to research, parenthetically document sources, and create a works cited page. Today we worked on thesis statements and began the rough draft. As long as students have kept up with everything, they don't even need to look at the Junior Theme over the break, but if they are behind, they may need to do more research over Thanksgiving break. That's their own fault, though. I gave them plenty of time to get the research done before this point. The rough draft won't be due until the Thursday after Thanksgiving, so there will be time for me to help them with it, and answer questions about it after Thanksgiving, as well. I also told them I will check my messages once a day in case they need me during the break. A few over-achievers will write the rough draft during the break, but hopefully most students will relax with family and friends. :)

Since our daughter was always in the advanced and the AP classes..this was just a part of it.. The kids in extra curricular activities sometimes missed so much school because of performances and competitions..they really learned to just expect the school work to go along..when in the advanced classes. If they or their families did not think they could handle this, they were welcome to take the regular classes.

It was good training for college, she always had papers, research, reading etc..on her breaks from college. Even during the Christmas break in college, she would still be working on papers...or projects..thy she would be emailing to her professors.

I'm surprised that so many don't see anything wrong with this! I saw that a teacher didn't agree with homework over the break, I'd give that reply a lot of weight! My daughter is in 7th grade and they didn't get assigned homework. They also have iPads that they use for school and the school made them leave the iPads at school, telling the kids they want them to have a break and spend family time. So ours, and I'm sure plenty of others, agree with you that they need a break. And you're right- many people travel, so when do they expect work to get done?

I will say, my daughter's school has a high volume of homework normall, and this bothers me. I have spoken to the principal about it, just to understand why he feels it's necessary. But I try to keep the griping to a minimum in front of my daughter, hard as that is. I want her to understand that sometimes things just stink, but you have to figure out a way to live with them, that's part of life. Such hard lessons, though!

Hope your daughter manages all of this- along with the rest of you! Happy Thanksgiving.

It's been fairly common that in high school HW is assigned over the Thanksgiving break. A lot can depend on the level of class and the type of homework being assigned. What you describe does not seem unreasonable considering it was assigned on Monday and she would have Monday evening and Tuesday evening to work on it. Of course, a chapter could be 10 pages or it could be 50, and an essay could be an opinion based 2 pages or 5 pages requiring some research. So I guess it depends on the amount of time and what is required that is in question.

My daughter is required to be at school at 9:00 am on Thanksgiving to prepare for a marching band performance later that day. The way I see it that's over 5 hours of holiday homework.

added: ok in addition to the football game, (grade 11) she has to write a paper for AP English it requires some research, write a short essay for Socialogy, and begin the first part of a large project for Human Developement.

I went to high school in the 70's and I clearly remember having reading assignments, long ones, over the Thanksgiving break. Our family time was classically Thanksgiving day. The entire day was spent cooking, eating and cleaning. Then there was the morning after breakfast of pumpkin pie. The rest of the weekend is open for a combination of family activities balanced with required reading.

I would recommend you all plan your days and activities to include some protected time for reading. It's a simple adjustment.

I just want to add, having come from a medical family and also being married to medicine still, we always have family members who are on call or working shifts over the holiday's. Having a truly protected holiday reserved just for family is rather uncommon for us. So I don't classify reading a few chapters as all that 'out there.'

Could someone please explain Carrie's answer? I readily admit to be baffled by her reply. I see where she was going with the history of Thanksgiving...but....I'm just not making the leap.

Pretty sure I had homework over vacations in school... So doesnt seem that odd to me. It's partly why working is sometimes easier than school or it used to be before blackberries and 24/7 email. I know when I graduated and started working, the one thing I was happy about was no "homework" on weekends or vacations. That was always hanging over my head while in school so I'm pretty sure this is normal for HS. 3rd grade maybe not but HS yes.

It's a tough call .. On the one hand, sure family time is important. On the other, so often people have complained that schools here in the United States aren't up to standard .. Therefore, maybe the school is trying to remain competitive and help its students whom IF they decide to go on to college will know that homework (even over the holidays) is part of life... and it's best to get used to it now... Think of all those teachers who spend part of their time correcting papers during their holiday/Summer breaks... Therefore, as parents, I think we need to do at least what is asked of us.. I wouldn't personalize this but rather look at it as your school actually happens to care about its students and is preparing them for the future..

Most teen age kids are not engaged in stimulating conversation with their parents during travel time (two days travel time)? They would be playing video games, listening to music and/or texting their friends. So, my question is how many hours of homework has the child been assigned? You are not the teachers and do not plan the work assignments for the term. Given that the educators assigned homework, if I were the principal, I would back the teachers and expect assignments to be turned in on time.

High school can be like that sometimes.
Wait till she hits college - she'll always be working on something.
Our son is in 8th grade and will be working on 1000 word paper for his next black belt test and on an essay and 3 portfolio items for an application to the Governor's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Marketing) Academy during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
It's not work he HAS to do - but he wants to get ahead in life and competition is fierce.

I think that your daughter won't flunk if she doesn't do this homework. Tell the teachers that as the parent you chose to say no and be done with it. The teachers were wrong to do this.

I am a teacher and I have to please myself and parents who are on both sides of this holiday/homework issue.

What I did was assign a really flimsy homework like--write a full page essay (when I taught English, years past) on your Winter Holiday Expectations. Now that I teach Dance, I am free of that worry!

I think homework over the holidays is hogwash and if a parent wants it--he/she can always hire a tutor for those two weeks.

Ours gave homework too. I guess they figure that there WILL be time in the car for reading, time for hiding away from relatives for writing.

Curiculums have changed and teachers have to keep up somehow, this is how....HW over the breaks. I guess they figure there is technology you can take everywhere, so you can accomplish HW anytime during trips or otherwise. I doubt the teachers and principle will be able to help you.

I agree with you.

We respect school time and do not pull our kids out of school for vacation or family times and it would be nice if the schools/teachers respected our family vacation time and didn't assign work!

~My oldest nephew is in football and wrestling and he has wrestling practice the day of Thanksgiving and an *optional* practice on Christmas Day...are you flipping kidding me with that??

I'm with you. I HATE when teachers do that. Last year my DD in 7th grade had to meet with a group several times over spring break to complete a joint project. Thankfully, it didn't happen to be a year we traveled, but many years we are gone that entire week on vacation. Same DD got about a dozen math worksheets over Christmas break in 3rd grade. I respect the school year calendar and don't pull my kids out for vacations during that time, and I feel designated breaks should be homework free for family time and possible travel. If teachers are going to assign work over breaks, at least the student should have enough of a window of warning to be able to work on it in advance. I think I would just suck it up, though and not contact the teachers. Try to be positive and help her manage her time to still get the most enjoyment out of her break.

If you are traveling to family, can't your kids read during the car ride? Seems reasonable to me.

The movie...can they view it online or rent the movie over the break? I ask because in my experience, a kid is responsible for work missed when on a field trip.

I think it's pretty common to get homework over holidays. My kids are in K and 2nd grade and I was actually surprised they didn't have anything this time. They usually do for Christmas and Easter break. It's usually just a journal that they have to write about what they did each day during the break (age appropraite) and some reading.
Yes, holidays should be more about family, but she's in high school now and it's a lot more work than being in elementary school. She will get a lot more homework in college

Is there any chance the teachers did give advance notice of the work that needed to be completed over the break and your daughter just didn't get around to it (thinking maybe they'd get an extension b/c of the break). My past HS experience with writing an essay on a movie is that we were told what movie it was ahead of time (especially if part of the class was gone for some reason) and that we were going to write an essay on it. That way, those who missed the showing in class (which, is usually done b/c learning new topics doesn't always get done in school before a holiday or if there is a large planned trip), are able to view it before/afterward.

I don't think it's really any different than assigning homework over the weekend. Thursday and Friday are the "holidays"...weekends are still "fair game" for normal weekend type assignments.

As others have mentioned, see if she can get some reading done during travel....although reading in a car always made me motion sick. If she can't read in the car, maybe she can just put in an hour or two in the evening. As a 10th grader, I can't imagine that she'll be going to bed super early....

Pretty common that the teachers assign work. Your daughter should be able to do the work in between family functions. My sks always had some project or other over breaks, sometimes including summer homework packets, especially if they took AP. I would encourage her to do her reading in the car and to make notes for her essays so that when you are home again, it won't be hard to type up. Please also bear in mind that most teachers won't have a workless holiday, either. Many of my friends are teachers that grade papers over weekends and holidays as well. Try to make the best of it vs getting upset.

If the essay is on a movie that she was not there to view, then your DD can ask the teacher what provision there is for the students who were legitimately absent to view the film and write their essay. The teacher may end up giving the class an extension. If not, see about renting or borrowing (the library may have a copy) and bring a portable DVD player or laptop.

ETA: However, Annette, I would be upset if my child was supposed to meet with others over a holiday break. I'd be asking the teacher about that one, because many people travel and even the ones that are home may not be able to work on the project when no one else is available.

And how true about college. We have taken in an "orphan for the holiday" and he's busily working on his project in his down time.

I'd have her write the essays in the car, as well as read. An essay is usually 3-5 paragraphs long. About a page and a half.

I always had some kind of work to do in High School over breaks. At least it isn't a Research paper or three page report!

What Movie? Obviously if she isn't there to watch the movie, she can't write about it..I'd email the teacher about that one.

My kids have homework. They have reading and an essay, though the essay is not actually due until the end of next week so they can start it now. Whenever they have had essays to complete over a holiday, they usually had it due the 2nd, 3rd or 4th day AFTER they returned to school.
My husbands niece is in 10th or 11th and she has a lot of homework to complete, most of it is reading. I know she will hold it off until Sunday night and then scamble.