<p>For two classes, my D (rising Jr.) had summer assignments of readings as well as papers totaling more than 60 pages. Sadly, these assignments were not given until the final days of school–she hadn’t anticipated the extent of the requirements. By then, my d had committed herself to 8 very intensive weeks of other activities. She’s currently busy working to complete the remaining papers, but is wishing she had a summer vacation. She believes that this is our school’s way of screening students for the AP classes. So… reading a few books would have been a welcomed alternative.</p>
<p>celloguy, maybe your parents were traumatized by all the crappy books that english teachers shoved down their throats in high school so they decided to stop reaidng all together.</p>
<p>My older son was assigned 5 books and my younger son was assigned 3 books to read over the summer and he was tested the first day back at school. While I don’t mind “summer homework,” I do mind this idea (which I know many schools do.) It is very difficult to read 5 books and then be able to remember enuf details about the first 2 or 3 books in order to pass the test. My older son agonized about which book to start with and when to start. He was afraid to begin reading too soon, because he did that one year and by the time school started again, he had forgotten the details of the first and second book. </p>
<p>This summer, my older son was certain that he’d have to reread the first 3 books right before school started, and then that would cause him to forget the details of the 4th and 5th book. We used to plan our family summer vacation so that we’d get back a week before school started. WE can’t do it that way anymore. Our kids need those last few weeks to review their assigned reading!</p>
<p>I preferred how our school used to handle summer reading. It used to have what they called “data sheets” which asked students some short essay questions, chapter summaries, and required the kids to fill out some basic info about the characters, plot, setting, symbols, themes, etc. A student would fill out each data sheet package after reading each book. This way, a kid could begin his summer homework right away, get it done before a family vacation, and enjoy the rest of his summer vacation. No worries about tests the first day back, etc.</p>
<p>I had summer homework every summer I was in high school. Although I did think it was annoying at the time, it definitely prepared me for college. What I did hate was that I actually had a reading and writing assignment before the start of college because the book I read was so boring.</p>
<p>My kids read at least a book a day (age appropriate or more challenging), just as I did when I was a kid, unless something is piled into their schedule. So all I ask of reading assignments is that they consist of interesting books. I was just at a university library today with my oldest son, looking up books for his self-study and for courses that begin just after Labor Day. </p>
<p>I agree with the point made earlier in the thread that some school assignments turn students off to reading, because the assigned books are so dull. But a curious, intelligent child will read anyhow, required or not, and a lot of the smartest people I know in the two most recent generations read more during the summer than during the school year, the better to keep up with interests outside the school curriculum. </p>
<p>Have any of you adult participants in this thread read any good books lately? My last cover-to-cover read (completed a few days ago) was Mindset by Carol Dweck, which I would recommend to any parent of a current student.</p>
<p>I’m on a fantasy and sci fi tear at the moment. Can’t say I have anything particularly worthy to recommend!</p>
<p>I’m reading Mary Pipher’s “Another Country” just now – found it in a thrift store yesterday, realized I’d been meaning to read it since 1999, when it was published. It’s helping me understand my parents’ generation. There’s no chance I’ll ever understand my children’s.</p>
<p>Wow, I wasn’t assigned any homework, and my schedule next/this year is all AP’s. =/ It really does depend on the school</p>
<p>On the topic of reading, I’m reading “Black Rednecks and White Liberals” right now, by THomas Sowell. It’s interesting, I must say, and it should probably help my with discussions in my “Prejudice and Persecution” elective next year.</p>
<p>My school usually assigns summer homework for the AP/IB English classes. For example this year we had to read The Handmaid’s Tale, Brave New World, and 1984 over the summer…which wasn’t bad at all. I loved all three books. I did not, however, love the lengthy and semi-pointless assignment to go with the books. Every summer I spend a lot of time on the essays thinking that I will be able to give my new English teacher a good feel for my writing and such, and usually the teacher checks it for completion.</p>
<p>My one rant about summer homework:
This year my IB World Area Studies class had to read the Communist Manifesto. This is a pretty confusing and deep topic and the first day of school my teacher walked in, said good morning, and passed out the test. The test was pretty tough (and it DID count for a content grade). I didn’t think this was fair mainly because the teacher should have allowed at least one day for discussion or answering questions before a test on something so complex.</p>
<p>Other than that, I agree with both parents who say that summer homework is unfair (really, who wnats to do that?) and parents who want their kids to do summer reading. Maybe just the summer reading (minus tests/projects) would be best.</p>