Strange homework assignment...?

hellaine

Just a lurker normally, but writing in needing some advice. 

I have a daughter in third grade--She pulls awesome grades, is well behaved, does her work and gives her best effort in classes.

Today she came home with a homework assignment that the gym teacher had given her and her entire gym class because, whule learning about football, some kids in the class were acting up and as a result, apparantly, none of the kids were able to come up with good football plays.  The homework assignment was that every kid in the class needed to go home, watch Monday Night Football and then come in with a note from their parents proving that they had watched it.

Okay.  We don't even have network television anyway--Just televisions with Netflix--but besides that... Doesn't this assignment seem a little ridiculous?  Am I out of bounds in thinking so?  Other parents have said 'oh, just lie and write the note and say she did it', but I don't want to set a precedent of lying to a teacher in front of my child AND having my child lie for me/herself, also.

Should I talk to the teacher?  Principal? 

And if so, here is another story my daughter told me (trying to translate from 8 year old gossip here) about that--I guess her friends' father has called the principal last week to complain because his daughter told him that the gym teacher was being harshly mean to her.  The principal apparantly told the gym teacher about the call, and the gym teacher pull the girl aside to talk to her during class.  My daughter doesn't know what was said except that her friend left the talk crying.  So...  I don't know.  I know the parent that talked to the principal, but I won't see him for a few days yet to ask what's behind that story.

Any advice is appreciated.

ali-1411

Did you DD tell you about this assignment or did she have something in writing from the teacher?

PinkPiano

Kind of weird.  If you don't get network tv, I'd just write a short note explaining and leave it at that.  Leave your phone number and tell him to call you if it needs further discussion. 

I had gym teachers that were bullies, so I would watch out for this guy because of what you've heard.  I don't think the Monday night football assignment is worth talking to the principal about though. 

As a sidenote, I hate it when the good kids get punished becuase of the bad ones. 

 

 

DandelionMom

I'd be annoyed with that assignment.  Isn't it on awfully late for a kid?  And a lot of the commercials on Monday night football are not kid appropriate. 

hellaine

Hey.

DD told me about the assignment, but it's been common in her arts classes (PE, Music, Art, etc.) that they have asignments that are only verbally given to them.  We do themand turn them in and they get 'homework points' in these classes.  We won't be turning in this one on principal because I think it's goofy and while I'm bummed I guess that she'll lose homework points for not turning it in, I mean...  It's third grade physical education, so I don't feel TOO bummed if she gets a B insterad of an A because she didn't stay up watching a game of football on network television.

DandelionMom, yeah, I looked it up, the games all start at 8:30pm at night which is way too late for her to even begin watching it, let alone finish one up.  I guess I'm more concerned not so much with this one assignment, but what else a teacher giving an assignment like this might also think is adequate physical education training.

MrsBalletStar05

I'd probably call or contact the teacher and give a general, "Hey my kid told me this...is this correct?"  If so, I'd go on to state that you're sorry, but you don't have the station, it's too late, commercials are not appropriate, ect. Probably a guy who didn't even think of anything like that....

kelle017

-auntie-:

WTF?

My advice would be to do the following-

Send the teacher an email, on which the pricipal is copied, and state that you wish to be  cooperative with and supportive of the teacher but that Monday Night Football is a no go in your home for the reasons you mentioned and ask for an alternate assignment. If you are well connected in the school community, have a few other parents do the same.

I would do this too.

Tonya_G

-auntie-:

Another place to look out for this nonsense is among long term or building subs. Last year DS, who is at the high school, had 2 teachers out on maternity. English was covered by the girls lacrosse coach and the science by the Girls X-Country. 

Hey now, don't knock the long term and building subs... I was both, for about 3 years before getting hired on by my district. Those positions can often be (and in a competitive job market like my area, often are) filled by properly certified educators who are trying to get a full time contract in a district.

Katefor4

Maybe also ask the teacher if your child could research plays and football online to be prepared for the upcoming class.  Very stupid assignment in my opinion.  We are a no tv house during the evening.  

Tonya_G

-auntie-:

Tonya_G:

-auntie-:

Another place to look out for this nonsense is among long term or building subs. Last year DS, who is at the high school, had 2 teachers out on maternity. English was covered by the girls lacrosse coach and the science by the Girls X-Country. 

Hey now, don't knock the long term and building subs... I was both, for about 3 years before getting hired on by my district. Those positions can often be (and in a competitive job market like my area, often are) filled by properly certified educators who are trying to get a full time contract in a district.

Hey, now, some building subs are awesome. I live in a district that has the highest top salary in the entire state, so yeah, it's competitive. The ones who are there as an audition for a real job can be terrific when teaching in a subject in which they are certified. But it's rare that they are at the secondary level. Last year the X-C coach had a Sped cert and was teaching academic classes; LAX had a degree in health/PE. DS's old scoutmaster is a LT sub attempting to break into the district as a second career. He left engineering for math education; he coaches swimming and is usually placed in math or science when he's long term.

FWIW, I was at the secondary level when I building subbed. And I didn't coach a thing. And I was in school for my Sped licensure at the time (with a sped caseload when I was long term subbing), having already had an elementary license from my undergrad. I must say, I found that high school kids, really weren't so far off from elementary kids... just taller. Middle schoolers much more closely resemble the preschoolers I worked with in the summers in college.

stephsteph77

-auntie-:

WTF?

My advice would be to do the following-

Send the teacher an email, on which the pricipal is copied, and state that you wish to be  cooperative with and supportive of the teacher but that Monday Night Football is a no go in your home for the reasons you mentioned and ask for an alternate assignment. If you are well connected in the school community, have a few other parents do the same.

One problem with gym, especially at the elementary level, is that many of those who teach there don't want to. Often school district hire newer gym teachers primarily as coaches for their varsity sports program and give them jobs elsewhere in the district. Since a high school has a limited need for such instructors and these teachers typically have K-12 certs, they can be sent anywhere.

Another place to look out for this nonsense is among long term or building subs. Last year DS, who is at the high school, had 2 teachers out on maternity. English was covered by the girls lacrosse coach and the science by the Girls X-Country. 

FWIW, I have to totally disagree with your elementary gym teacher comment. In my ten years of teaching I have never once met a gym teacher who didn't want to be there. There is no turnover in those positions. The gym teachers LOVE their jobs and never give them up! I mean really, it's a cake job. You get to teach fun stuff, you are the majority of kids favorite subject, you have no papers to grade, no conferences, etc. Elementary gym teachers, in my experience, are the happiest teachers with their jobs. And they are all fully certified physical education teachers. They may coach on the side for fun or a stipend, but that has nothing to do with their job.

Turkey Lurkey

Oy. This post just makes me laugh.

Send in a note stating you don't have cable. Watch part of a HS football game on youtube with your kid and explain that in the note too. It's not that big of a deal.