Tuesday, March 1, 2011

What have we become???

As I was picking Link up from school yesterday, I hear his teacher say, "Oh, I forgot to give you Lincoln's homework on Friday." Every Friday, we get this STACK of papers that he has worked on for the week. Usually there is a paper with his name on it that is stamped homework. I honestly thought it was something we could choose to do or not. I guess it still is....we pay for this place, but we NEVER do it. He's THREE!!!! So, I look at her and say, "Are you expecting these things back????" She tells me yes....every Monday. HOLY SMOKES....these are THREE year olds!!!!
So, I tell Nate this and he sits down with him at the table last night and I sit with Ethan to read. Nate and Link are doing well. He's just tracing his name. Then, they get to the line where he is expected to write his name independently.....No tracing!!! Then, I hear, "Ok...look what you are doing. Loop it around. NO, look. Pay attention. Start again. Watch me. No. Link. Link. Pick your head up."
Maybe it's because I work with preschoolers everyday and I know typical development. I don't know, but this is NOT age appropriate. I finally told Nate to stop. This is ridiculous. This is equivalent to a paper that Ethan got the first few months of Kindergarten. We are NOT doing this with our three year old. I told him to just do hand-over-hand with him and call it a night!
Tonight, he was smiley and happy. We will continue to this paper with all the support he needs for now. But, if this smiley face stops.....the homework stops!!!

1 comment:

Joanna Maloney said...

That's crazy! Way to follow what you know is right!