Not doing homework
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| Tue, 04-03-2007 - 2:03pm |
So things have been going okay with the new tutor. My only issue's thus far it the tutor does not look at Everett's homework assignment pad and Everett like to lie about the amount of homework he has so the tutor doesn't know that Everett has more homework. The other issue is because of the holiday there is no tutoring this week but I would not have known if I had not called the tutor to confirm. My kids have school this week except for Thursday and Friday. I guess I was suppose to read his mind.
Everett goes to the tutor two days a week for 2 1/2 hours each session. So on the other days he was going to boys club of ny where he is suppose to get his homework done plus they have a lot of other great activities for the boys. At the beginning of this year a new director took over for Everett's age group and I personally don't think he is as good. He never knows where Everett is when I call and doesn't know what Everett doesn't know what activities Everett is participating in. Granted there are a lot of boys but I spoke with him about Everett having to get his homework done there and assured me he would talk with Everett about. We even discussed Everett being able to do his homework in the directors office where there would be no distractions (this was done with the old director) because the boys are not quiet when they are suppose to have quiet homework time. I gave Everett several warnings that if he didn't start doing his homework at boys club he would have to go to after school with his sister (age 8, second grade). Last week he still did not get his homework done at boys club and was up till 9pm getting it done meanwhile Anita and I have to tip-toe around him, stay perfectly quiet so he can get it done. So yesterday he started after-school with Anita. I know they do their homework there and get homework help when needed. Everett really did not like it but his homework was done. After school is at school so there are no pulling tricks about what his assignments are since there are other kids in his class that also go to afterschool.
Everett has always tried pulling to wool over my eyes about his homework and now that he is 13 he is coming up with new and inventive ways. Homework has always been a sticking point with him, he really does not like doing it. At least with him being at the school's afterschool where the director of afterschool it strict I know he will get the work done. I feel bad about having to pull him from the other activities at boys club but I do not feel there is enough homework supervision.
Can any offer advice as to anything else I can do?

Hi there! I'm not quite sure that my idea isn't something that you have tried, or will work, but it is an idea.
When I was around the same age I had a very similar homework issue. My parents (and teachers) implemented a notebook in which each teacher would list my homework assignments and initial them. That way my parents knew exactly what I was supposed to get done for the evening. After I completed the work, my parents would then initial next to the assignment to show that I had, in fact, completed the assignment (I also tended to "lose" my homework quite frequently).
As for the need for a quiet area...can you speak to the new director of the boys club to see if similar arrangements can be made for a quiet space? Maybe if you try the assignment notebook so that everyone knows what he is supposed to be doing you can then implement some type of reward system.
HTH,
Heather
Those are all great ideas and beleive me I have tried to get his teacher to be more cooperative but she is stuck in the mud to put it nicely. His teacher won't confirm with me whether or not all of the homework has been done and what assignments need to made up. I think the teacher is nuts and I am not the only one. Other parents and I plan to get together to make sure this teacher is not their teacher for next school year (it is a small catholic school). She refuses to follow parts of his IEP that she just doesn't like, but the principal is willing to go along with.
He has a homework assignment pad that the school gave every student at the beginning of the school year and for the most part he does write his homework down just not all of it. He likes to pick and choose what assignments should be written down. The teacher down right refuses to check his assignment pad saying that he has to learn to be more responsible. I agree about the responsibility thing but I did the same exact thing when I was his age and having to get the teacher and my parents initial everything got me turned around real quick.
As for boys club I spoke with the new director and he did agree to the quiet area but didn't follow through and didn't make sure Everett was doing his homework. He basically just let Everett do whatever he wanted despite my many phone calls most of which I left a message and he never returned. Now that I put my foot down and pulled him out the only person who has been concerned is the director of one of Everett's favorite activities, the Media Center where they create music, poster, movies, etc. on a Mac. She called yesterday and left a message on my home phone I hope to speak with her today. Everett has a lot of hidden talent in the computer arts area and she sees this; she doesn't want Everett to be missing out on what he can learn there. Unfortunately, homework comes first.
We tried the reward system and the take away system. Right now he has not been aloud to watch TV, play on the computer (except for homework), or play on his gameboy for a couple of months. He does get rewarded with a movie for every book report he writes, which he has to get done once every two weeks by school policy (that came from the principal). He is aloud to earn the TV, computer, and/or gameboy back earlier if he gets all of his homework done for one straight school week. For each week that he gets all of his homework done that is one week earlier that he can get them back. If gets caught lying or not doing his homework then another week taken away. This system didn't get him straightened out, so I felt at my wits end and he left me no other choice.
Everett has said that he has been enjoying not having to do homework in the evening and having free time, granted though it has only been two days and they have a half day today. So he will be spending from 12:30 to about 5:30 at afterschool. I can see him getting completely bored, it addition to the fact that it will be raining this afternoon so they cannot go outside.