New Survey: 43 Percent of Parents Have Done Their Kids’ Homework
In a survey conducted by AskKids and released in late August, 43 percent of parents admitted to having done their kids’ homework. According to the Los Angeles Times, here’s what the survey found:
Forty-three percent of parents queried in a survey this month admit to doing their children’s homework at least once to ease the strain. Almost half the dads, 47%, owned up to doing the homework, while 39% of mothers did so.
Kids who hope to persuade (con?) parents into doing homework have a better shot if mom and dad are older. Of parents 18 – 24, 33% say they’ve done their children’s homework for them, compared with 45% of 25– to 44-year-old parents.
The survey of 778 parents, conducted for the homework resource website Ask Kids, showed that 84% of parents help with homework — more with math and English than with other subjects.
The survey was conducted by Kelton Research using an e-mail invitation and an online survey. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
If parents stopped helping their kids with homework (or doing it for them), teachers would have to stop giving it, or, at the very least, cut back on the amount. It’s a rare elementary school child who can manage homework without a lot of parental involvement and help. Just imagine what would happen if parents got together and stopped asking their children whether they had homework, stopped helping them do it, and stopped making sure that the homework made its way back to school. A little homework disobedience anyone?
What would happen if we stopped helping our kids with homework? The kids would get punished at school for their incomplete homework. Then they would become anxious and depressed. (Ask me how I know!) I’m all for homework disobedience, but let’s find a way of going about it that doesn’t hurt our kids.
I think a homework strike would be a great idea, but it has to be well-organized and the parents’ support has to be very clear. It’s not news that kids don’t want to do homework; even people who support homework assume the kids will hate it.
To my dismay, we’re already having problems with homework at the super-expensive Quaker school our daughter is now attending. I’m trying to get an appointment to talk to the teacher and in the meantime I’m trying to calm down and figure out what I need to say. Calm … calm …
September 17th, 2008 at 9:46 am
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FedUpMom writes:
What would happen if we stopped helping our kids with homework? The kids would get punished at school for their incomplete homework.
»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
You are right. And my daughter WAS punished. She was shy and introverted and was having trouble making friends. So the teacher put all the names of the children who hadn’t done their homework in large letters on the blackboard. This was done to shame them so they wouldn’t dare come to school with homework undone again. Because we know that belittling and humiliating children, the most vulnerable in our society is a powerful motivator. Yea, right… Reminds me of that quip — the beatings will continue until morale improves.
I hear you, FedUpMom. And enough with this punishment. What is this, prison?
So she didn’t do her homework, oh, fair teacher. Get over it!
I’m with Sarah. It’s time for a homework strike.
LBJ
September 18th, 2008 at 12:28 am
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A few years ago, I did stop helping my children with homework. It was hard and I know it frustrated them. Prior to this, I would spend hours a night “helping them” look up answers to problems. We would get into heated debates, finally I would say just write this and give them word for word what I believed was a good answer (a lot of times, the teacher would grade “my” answers wrong). It finally hit me. My kids are very shy and they were not asking their teachers for help during class time. It was easier to ask mom for help at night. If they were un-sure of an answer, they could just ask mom (and then argue with mom if her opinion disagreed with theirs). I told my kids that I had faith in their abilities and that if they had questions, they would have to ask their teacher. I found that once I stopped helping, they didn’t bring home quite so much homework! Still WAY TOO MUCH, but not as much as before.
September 19th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
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My child is in second grade and is a turtle at understanding and doing homework. The average 30 minutes takes my child with help 1 hour or more. Studying for her spelling test, reading, math and extra homework stuff. I was so overwhelmed with keeping her organized, I forgot to make sure she did her math homework. It’s becoming to much.
November 6th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
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As a local board of education member, I initiated a revision of our homework policy after reviewing a large body of research which clearly indicates that homework is NOT an important factor in student achievement. Neither does it stimulate independence, responsibility or build character. These supposed effects are virtually zero for elementary and middle school students and minimal for high schoolers. In addition it places a hugh burden on children with limited ability and/or homes with limited resources. Read the research! Ignore the myth!
November 17th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
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hi I am a kid to I know how it feels to be working on homework all night i’ve did it and I get lack of sleep because of it. I think there should be a no school policy rule because kids do worse in school because they didn’t get enough rest at home and did not get enough time to sleep. If you guys really feel that why don’t you guy just write a strng letter to the district your child goes to exposing the outrage of homework.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
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I am a grade ten high school student and I usually make sure to try my best to do my homework and give it a good effort. I still have to say, the amount is RIDICULOUS! I wish my parents were just as supportive as many of you.
Research has proved that repetitive questions, ones that make up quite a large percentage of our daily homework, only make children forget the formula/method etc. they are supposed to be learning.
And wasn’t the ORIGINAL meaning of homework supposed to be “Work assigned in class that the student did not complete”, not “Work assigned purposely just to go home and waste all our free time”?
The school boards keep telling us that gym class is very important, but we still need to get physical activity after school. Then they tell us that we need to spend time with family. THEN they say that we need to care about our hygiene and shower/bathe/get washed daily. How do they expect us to do all that AND still get free time?
It’s just not fair.
January 20th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
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hi
February 11th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
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Hi i am looking for informatiuon on no homework!
February 18th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
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I hate homework
February 26th, 2009 at 10:50 am
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Hi. I’m a sophomore and I actually get less homework now than I did in the sixth grade. I really have no clue why i got so much as an elementary student, but in high school I get math and occasionally science or english homework. They also give me time to work on homework most of the time in class. How is it I get less homework than elementary school?
March 11th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
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Dear Elementary School:
Who says the system has to make sense? :) We transferred my daughter to another pyramid for middle school (we had to move to do so) and she got a little less homework in 7th than 6th. One 6th grade teacher was hell bent on “preparing” the kids so she worked them to death, it was a killer year.
Why do you get less in high school? You are probably not in one of those ‘elite pressure cookers” and aren’t taking an unreasonable load of APs. Your teachers just don’t assign much homework. I guess elementary school was supposed to prepare you for less? Count your blessings.
I do hope, though, that time is being used well in your classes. I am not advocating we slide into mediocrity. Just that schools offer our children a quality education with homework policies based on sound research and not on ideology. And I cannot say this enough. Eliminate the fluff and time wasters and you’d be surprised what seven and a half hours of school buys you.
I don’t think homework is the noble exercise designed to make our children better, more responsible people. They just say that to scare us. It’s a dumping ground for all the stuff that needs to get done but didn’t during the school day. And I do cede that teachers are overworked and there isn’t enough time during the day. That is why I am suggesting teachers and parents be allowed to work together and brainstorm better solutions.
Because sleep deprivation does no one any good. Least of all the stern teachers who equate undone homework with a crime. What is the point of preparing a vibrant lesson when your students are not awake enough to enjoy it?
March 11th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
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I HATE HOMEWORK. KIDA WORK THEIR BUTS OFF DOIN WORK IN SKOOL AND WORRYING ABOUT TESTS AND OTHER THINGS. WHEN THEY GO HOME ITS A TIME 2 CHILL OUT AND TALK 2 THEIR FRIENDS ON MSN. BUT NOOOOOOO. GIVE THEM MORE HOMEWORK 2 DO AT HOME AND WASTE MORE OFF THEIR TIME. I WANT HOMEWORK BANNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 14th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
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my son has 3 asighinments jue tomorow + dayly homework it has to stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 26th, 2009 at 3:35 am
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my son has 3 asighinments jue tomorow + dayly homework it has to stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i forgot 2 mention I H A T E H O M E W O R K ! !
March 26th, 2009 at 3:37 am
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my son has 3 asighinments jue tomorow + dayly homework it has to stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i forgot 2 mention I H A T E H O M E W O R K ! !
IT IS SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AAAAANNNNOOOYYIINNGGGG
March 26th, 2009 at 3:38 am
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homework is terrible
March 26th, 2009 at 9:05 am
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the message is from liban mohamed.
because they should not cessarows of the waman.
she didn’t do her homework only she is play.
she was eta pizza yesturday.
she does not leave any were.
I thing I will not do the jobs because I am student of america.
so tell me one paragragh about your family or your friendes..
who can do that?
April 21st, 2009 at 3:52 pm
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hi macanto waan kusalamayaa.
salaan kadib,kawaran ahelada kuli iyo qaraabada dhamaan
April 21st, 2009 at 3:58 pm
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my name is liibaan mohamed.
I was born in somaliya,10,5,990.
I am 15 years old I live with my family.
I finish high school 2005.
I student with my caloge.
I am work any jobs.
thank you for you reading my paragraph.or my history.
and have good day my freindes.
April 21st, 2009 at 4:09 pm
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That any other choice for our kids to understand about their lesson beside homework.….?
Could we teach them about something with our daily activity.…?
April 24th, 2009 at 7:48 am
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I am a 12 year old, who doesn’t believe in homework. It is unwaged labour, and anyway, why don’t we do our homework in school?
May 1st, 2009 at 5:12 pm
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Why Students Should Not Get Homework
Many people probably think of homework as one of the many evils of school. Does it really help them though? This leads to the whole topic of not wanting homework. Students should not get homework as it would actually lead to better overall learning in the long run. From this opinion, it is possible to branch off to the life of students, the development of habits, and finally, the need to actually have homework. People have not come to hate homework just because it is there. Dislike or/and hatred is probably directed more towards the effects of homework. This essay might sound like it comes from a typical, whiny student, but if it really is contemplated more deeply, the benefits of homework can become questionable.
When teachers assign homework, do they really think about the students? As in really think about them? While I did not believe in it, the idea of teachers being robots and turning themselves off after school was certainly amusing. Do teachers think that students are working machines that keep on going even after school? It certainly can not be healthy for both the brain and the body. Life should have a good balance between work and free time. I’m just wondering why doctors haven’t said anything about the effects of homework on health. Students already spend around 7 – 8 hours in school. They then only have 6 – 7 hours of alone time before going to bed-not counting dinner, snack time, and daily washroom breaks of course. It must be funny to think, but students are more than just students, they are humans as well. Meaning, they have other things to do after school. Trying to keep parents happy, uphold an image, doing chores, staying friends with people, being healthy, dealing with drama and studying are already a hassle enough without adding in homework. It’s like throwing in piranhas during the sinking of the Titanic. Another thing to consider is the teachers. They don’t exactly go around sharing their schedules with other teachers. This leads to a lot of homework for every single subject. Take Friday as an example. I have a French dialogue to memorize, an English essay to write, an instrument to practice, and a long Socials worksheet to complete. My friends are all in the same boat as well. It is a lot to take in. Imagine the mental strain on the brains of students who just came fresh off from vacation. If homework for each subject is viewed separately it seems okay, but as a whole, the hours really add up. Students can only do so much.
Giving out homework actually encourages bad habits in students. By assigning school work as homework, we-the simple-minded monkeys that we are-tend to have a certain thought process: ‘Since we’re given the go ahead to do it at home, we’ll just do it at home.’ Thus, this leads to lack of focus during school. The thought process of actually doing the work at home is another story of course. Also, by practically saying “it’s okay to do work at home” people start to not be able to separate work from home, giving birth to a generation of workaholics. Try to think about those poor, future children that can’t play with their parents because they are working from the moment they come home to the time they go to sleep. It is like one of those subliminal messages. Even though it is not said directly, the mind is led to think that way. Making work that would usually be done at school be finished at home also means more time to do them. With less time constraint, students develop laziness and are unable to develop proper time management skills. During last year’s English finals, the project was only to be done at school and we were given a certain amount of time to do them. With such a heavy time limit and pages of writing to do, I did what I had to do: plan out a whole week of English class down to the last detail. There was no room for mistakes, as this would lead to not being able to finish 1 or 2 pages of the final project. While under pressure, people in class actually either finished in time or earlier. Our minds were totally focused on completing the work and there was no homework to distract us from our goal.
Is there really a need to have homework? One would think that homework is just school work that was not finished at school. Wouldn’t that mean teachers are to blame for homework’s existence? If teachers actually exploit the school time so that work actually gets done at school, then students would not have to go through skipping out on some fun just to get some work done. Parents also seem to think that their children need to have homework. It appears that way since they not only ask, but question as to why we don’t have homework. I know of some parents who would go to teachers asking them to give their kids homework. It must be to get rid of us children so that they can have peace, if only briefly. So basically, its not so that “we can learn some more”. Finally, what does homework accomplish? Learning? Don’t we do that already in school? Homework is just a duplicate of what we learn during class. I think that if the things we need to learn are compressed down to what we actually need for the provincials and for life then all will be happy. Less work, lesser possibility of homework, and more probability of passing provincials since there would be more time to study and less material to actually study.
After all of this, it’s possible to say that homework can cause a threat to a student’s mental and physical health, promote the development of bad habits, and may not actually contribute to higher learning. So before giving homework, try to think of homework’s side effects. If you really think about it, the harm it does to students outweighs the benefits it gives us-at the end I can only think of one: developing better hand muscles.
May 1st, 2009 at 5:18 pm
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i think we as school age children are being pressures and becoming stressed about if wehave or havnt done our home work as we have TO MUCH.…..
May 13th, 2009 at 4:52 am
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I hope people know this and understand what I’m saying but did you know homework is ruining the lives of kids everywhere! It can mess up a child’s health. If you stay up and do homework, you’re staying up later, which means you’re sleeping less. When anyone below 18 doesn’t sleep the required eight to twelve hours, it can stun your growth. If you have a cold, it will just last longer. Just because you don’t get to sleep. Homework Messes Kids up and it should NOT be tolerated. It also encourages obesity. Notice that America has the most obesity in children. Why do think that is? Fast food? Yes that helps, but if kids had more time to go outside, and more time to exercise, than the obesity rate would drop considerably. Most Kids that are obese are smart and do all there homework, therefore, by the time there done, they wouldn’t be able to go outside or even go on a treadmill, it would be bedtime. By assigning homework, you are supporting obesity in children. Has anyone ever told you? That when you’re a kid, it’s the best 17 years of your life. You should cherish your freedom. What freedom? You say, it is the Freedom to do school work out of school? Yes, children should get good work habits, so instead of written work, maybe tell them to go outside and kick a ball or something and have a parent sign a slip. By having to get something signed, it would enforce commitment, Save the homework for when you’re in college, not kids and teenagers. Let them Cherish there childhood, because that’s something they’ll never get back.
May 13th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
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I’m a student and yes homework is hard and very stressing but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have homework, because in the long run it will pay off. You will have a good job, and some parents may help but there are way more people that we could survey its like my mother she does help me but she doesn’t give me answers and writing in all caps only shows you have no ettiqutte.
May 26th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
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besides how do we know if the people they surveyed were only people who are against homework how do we know this isn’t the only site keep researching there are more opinions and facts.
May 26th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
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I agree that plenty of homework can be terribly stressful for both parent and child. My sons are 10 and 11, and last Sunday afternoon spent over 4 hours on homework and still didn’t finish — and not because they didn’t do much during the week before, but because they were already so busy with homework during the week there wasn’t time to start on assignments due the following week.
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:11 am
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I stayed up till 2:30 in the morning doing homework last night and the teacher didn’t even check it.
November 30th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
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i hate homework STOP CUTTING DOWN TREES
December 9th, 2009 at 11:14 am
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I’m 13 years old, and just finished my algebra homework (it’s almost 2am) The reason i’m still awake, lots of caffiene…
I’m completely against homework, so last marking period i simply didn’t do any, and the classes that give homework like everyday i got a D or a C in.….my mom had a psycho spazz attack. It wasn’t very pleasant considering my dad was runk at the time and got pissed at all the yelling and eventually beat me, as usual. So i cut myself.
Obviously homework and school in general has had negative effects on me. My health is in danger, ok scratch that my LIFE is in danger!!!!
Homework is literally ruining my life, and my teachers probably would care if they knew what happens when they call my house.
I’m tired of the beatings!!!
Homework Needs to be killed.
January 11th, 2010 at 2:07 am
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I strongly feel Homework are nightmare i am a student in yr 6 and i have gone through that it is true if do forget homework you are punished
January 21st, 2010 at 5:26 pm
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I think homwork should not be alowed because as you notice other people do it for us and if we need help where is the teacher to help us?
January 25th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
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your all right
January 25th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
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i hate home work i get like 5 hours of homework each night stoppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppphomeworkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!please
February 12th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
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I believe the docus of the article is not on whether or not a student should have homework, or that the volume is unreasonable for students to complete. The article states that 43% of parents simply DO their children’s homework for them. Where’s the learning in that? Is the purpose then, just to get it completed, or to have the child learn? Simply DOING your child’s homework (instead of encouraging a learning process) will not benefit your child in any way.
February 13th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
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Hi there,
I am a 7th grade student attending a school in CA. Although my parents don’t do my homework, it is true that we teenagers stress on too much homework including take-home-essays. The other day, I had to write a history essay at least 3 pages long, with a bibliography and sources of where I have gotten the information. I had only ONE day to turn in the essay. Due to this, I was under great stress. I got home at 3:16 pm, ate some cooking my mom has made for me, and went into my room. I watched t.v. for a hour, and started on my homework. It was 7:00 pm when I was all done with my homework, except the essay. I got on my computer, and started searching on the web for sources for the history essay. By the time I had all my information and sources, it was about 7:50pm. I started my essay and finished it at 10:21pm. It was a harsh assignment. The night I did the essay, I was under great stress. I kept worrying on how long the essay would take while I was doing it.
The next day, when I have gone to 4th period to history, I turned my essay in. During the week, I received an “B-”. I am an advanced student in English and Math, so my parents have really high expectations for me to have every grade to be a “B+” or above. I was nearly punished for the harsh grade I have received, but I have told my parents it was due in ONE day. My parents, disappointed, went to have a conference with my history teacher about the essay. My history teacher stated it was due in ONE day because he was going to be busy further down the week. My parents thought his excuse was ridiculous and unacceptable. Despite there is too much homework, why won’t teachers give us more time?
Too much homework, so little time. Why?
I appreciate your work and progress on this website.
Thank you.
MiddleSchoolStudent
February 16th, 2010 at 11:01 pm
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i hate hw
February 19th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
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I’m 11 and throughout my school years, my parents have never done any of my homework for me. Because of that, I stay up to about 10:30pm central time trying to complete my homework before my “bedtime” of when I’m too tired to think. I’ve told my teachers this problem and now with my all A s report card, they think I need tutoring. I am trying to get an opt out of homework in my school, but the principal thinks that students should get 2 hours of homework starting in 3rd grade. That is more than the 10 minute rule in which I strongly belive in. My classmates and I are now going to protest the 20 page science packet so we can get more sleep this weekend. Good luck to all, but it’s sleep or homework.
February 19th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
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Hi buddy!!!!
March 2nd, 2010 at 1:09 pm
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i am in yr 7 an hwk is not a big deal for me.
its because i have a HORRIBLE tution and i really cant do that work. My parents think its a great tution but its really bad. Please i know all of you hate homework but never ever join Kumon. I cant do it its to difficult and hard. AS IF. i just cant do it so please dont join Kumon. Because if u do homework will suddenly be a joy. Thats how bad Kumon IS.
ps:Homeworks is not that BAD u have to learn to live with it but with Kumon u cant =(
March 8th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
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I’m a 7th grader and I’m doing an essay on having a study period instead of P.E.
My reasons are:
1) Kids are less likely to have incomplete HW
2) Kids have more time for family activities/chores/lessons, and are less busy
3) And kids get more sleep because they go to bed earlier since they don’t have to stay up late doing HW
And I need to research some things on the topic, but I don’t know what to research. Any help?
March 16th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
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IM IN 7th grade im doing an essay on how homework she be banned (thats why Im looking at these websites) and I’ve notices homework is a huge problem for a lot of people. STOP HOMEWORK!!
March 17th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
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