What would YOU have to do to SAH?

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Registered: 04-22-2005
What would YOU have to do to SAH?
2476
Fri, 02-13-2009 - 5:09pm

If you're a WOH/WAH mom, what sort of "downsizing" would you need to do in order to afford to be a SAHM? (SAHM defined here as not earning any money)

For me, I would have to put all our non-essential possessions in storage and move in with my parents.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Wed, 02-25-2009 - 12:07pm
How does the new grading scale work? Are AP and honors classes weighted?
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Avatar for mom34101
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Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 02-25-2009 - 12:17pm

Well, first of all, we're asked to check our kids homework daily, not necessarily to make daily homework a family project. Homework is not graded by the teachers, as I've explained, so the purpose is not for teachers to see what the kids know on their own. The idea is for parents to know what their kids are having trouble with so they can help them at home, *in addition* to what teachers are teaching at school. Homework help is seen as a positive, not a negative thing.

I'm sure some kids can do the homework on their own just fine. That is mostly the case with my own children, who are both academically inclined. However, that doesn't mean they can't benefit from having me work with them at home on an individual basis. I expect to supplement my kids' education at home in various ways.

There are also other kids in our school who really *need* their parents to be more involved in their schoolwork. That's what I was trying to say about the demographics of our school, which are very different from most private schools around here. More than 50% of the kids are low-income, and many of those kids are ELL. They *need* more individual help. We have in the past provided after-school tutoring, but there is not always money for that. And 10 kids in a kindergarten class would be unheard of here--this year, our K class had 30 kids.

As I said, it's a slightly different philosophy, and I suspect, different circumstances.

Avatar for mom34101
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Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 02-25-2009 - 12:33pm
I don't think it excludes them from helping; it just makes it more challenging. I'm sure Laura could still help her son with a science fair project even if the writing part was in Swedish.

The school does what it can to help--the PTA sponsors after-school English classes, and we have a full-time ESL teacher who works with the kids and is available to help translate. We also have a group of bilingual volunteer parents who are available to help, and have offered afterschool tutoring for the kids in previous years (we don't have the money this year). All of the weekly newsletters and other group communications are sent out in Spanish as well as English. I don't think the answer is to say that because some parents don't speak English or face other barriers that may make them less able or willing to help with homework, nobody should help with homework.
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 02-25-2009 - 12:40pm

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 02-25-2009 - 12:45pm

<>


Oh, I'm sorry I must have misunderstood, I thought you said that parents were

PumpkinAngel

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Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 02-25-2009 - 1:01pm

Like I said, it's a slightly different philosophy. I'm sure other schools and other parents do it differently.

Project-type homework, such as the science fair, is considered a family project. As for daily homework, we are asked to check our kids' homework, point out their mistakes, and help them if they don't understand how to fix their mistakes.

I see the purpose of homework as additional practice, an opportunity to develop study skills, and at our school, an opportunity for parents to discover what their kids need help with. If kids don't need help, then the parents have that information. I'm not sure why that is a negative.

I said the ELL and low-income kids need the most help, and it's often harder for their parents to help them. We want these parents to be involved in their kids' schoolwork, and I don't think telling them not to help with homework helps achieve that goal.

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Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 02-25-2009 - 1:10pm

<<I don't think the answer is to say that because some parents don't speak English or face other barriers that may make them less able or willing to help with homework, nobody should help with homework.>>


Well of course that isn't what I'm saying though...what I'm saying that homework should be structured after around 3rd grade that a typical child should be able to complete that homework without the needing daily parental help to complete the work.

PumpkinAngel

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Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 02-25-2009 - 1:20pm

<>


Which of course puts a great deal of kids at a disadvantage as you explained earlier with some students.


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So do the parents then communicate back to the teacher on the areas that their children need help with?

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-07-2009
Wed, 02-25-2009 - 1:28pm
DD2 has a parent who expects here child to get all A's. But when she doesn't it is not the child's fault it is DD2s, and she hears about it. "Why did you give my child a B". "Because she did B work."
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Registered: 07-17-2007
Wed, 02-25-2009 - 1:33pm

I believe (I have not been watching every detail) but I think AP classes will get an extra point and Honors classes will get an extra half point. That is the plan anyway, there is some wrangling now to re-assess some of the Honors courses to see if they are truly Honors courses. They are also moving to a ten point scale. Before an A was a 94 or more and AP was given a half point extra. The argument is that we will now be in line the the majority of HS grading policies.

It is one of two major parent-pushed changes being considered in the county. The other is start times for the Middle and High Schools. There are a number of "Type A" overactive parent type groups that are fueling this. Both seem to have some merit, but I have been put off by some of the people involved who assume everyone is on board with them. However, the new ( cost neutral) plan for later start times means that our Middle School won't start until 9:40am. Currently it is 7:30am. Now I agree that 7:30am is too early, but I wouldn't change it for a 9:40am start time. For my family in particular a 7:30am start tie is nearly perfect - as we generally naturally rise around 6:00am - but I know we are not the norm. I think an 8:30am start time would help many more people- but that would cost more in busing costs.




Edited 2/25/2009 1:39 pm ET by tryingtoquit

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