04/03/98

How much makeup homework is considered enough when kids miss school?

Q: Do you know what is behind the practice of having kids make up mounds of work when they miss school? My daughter is in the 5th grade and I hate to have her stay home even when she is sick, because I know what she will face in make-up work when she returns. I find it hard to believe that all the papers are equally important to her academic development. She recently missed four days due to a virus and I did not pick up the daily work. She is now doing double time to complete an extra four days of schoolwork in one week. I would appreciate your opinion on this matter.

A: Sending your child to school sick accomplishes nothing. She won't concentrate well, will infect others and may get even sicker. Keep her home for the therapeutic rest she needs until she feels better.

Do pick up all the make-up work and encourage your child to peck away at it when she can (even before she returns to school). Schoolwork is her job and she needs to complete all assignments to avoid knowledge and skill gaps. She will be held accountable for all the material for unit tests, etc. in each subject, whether in class or not, so why double her troubles, in effect, by adding bad grades into the equation?

Children like mastery; they like to understand and complete all their assignments, just like adults do. I have always preferred teachers who hold the highest expectations of my children to those who let things slide and ride.

Even stricter rules should apply if you take your children out of school for family trips or special events. When we took our children to California for a week, while school was in session, they brought all their assignments along. They were not only caught up when they returned; they were ahead in every subject. They were thrilled and no one gave them a hard time for playing parent-sanctioned "hookey."

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.