tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post6089805113241446525..comments2023-10-23T09:23:22.051-04:00Comments on Your Schools: Summer reading assignments: Boon or burden?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-31383852746310295652013-03-15T09:31:39.980-04:002013-03-15T09:31:39.980-04:00I believe that kids have enough work to do over th...I believe that kids have enough work to do over the school year than at home. Kids who do work 24/7 usualy are tired and worn down. Summer is supposed to be fun! A time to relax and no homework. Kids can get active if they don't have reading lists. I'm not saying it bad to read, I just think kids shouldn't be forced to do it. Reading lists help kids achieve more by reading but people need to understand that kids are smart! We'll find time to read! But books like MOBY DICK and other big huge novels wauste quality family time. Kids should have freedom to choose thier own summer time activities. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-16299277541376107352012-08-27T17:43:45.172-04:002012-08-27T17:43:45.172-04:00It's funny how so many people are fine with gi...It's funny how so many people are fine with giving kids mandatory work to do during the summer. Maybe you forget what it's like to be a kid. "School's out for summer." It's vacation time, time to play, do things with the family...<br />If you give the kids work during the summer, then...who needs teachers? Just give them assignments for the year.concernedforkidshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09888869191993174306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-65948277341284434612012-07-25T14:22:50.975-04:002012-07-25T14:22:50.975-04:00I'm a kid. A 9 year old kid faced with the bur...I'm a kid. A 9 year old kid faced with the burden of summer reading projects. Isn't that a little too young to have to write a full essay on a five-hundred page book? Of course, Going into 4th grade I read on a six grade reading level and read for fun all the time, but it's not the reading part that bothers me. It's the actually the project part. We, as kids, deserve more time to relax instead of devoting all of our time to school. I mean, going to forth grade! I went to the beach for 3 weeks and as soon as I got back I had to type a 6 page essay on a book I read the first week of summer. That is too much project, not enough reading!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-24865927441338502832012-07-06T16:17:22.970-04:002012-07-06T16:17:22.970-04:00This summer I have 7 books to read. A college appl...This summer I have 7 books to read. A college application to write, a play to review, journals on all of my books, and a test on these books the first day of school in two different classes. I understand that teachers enjoy expanding children's minds even while on break, but it is called a break. I love learning and reading, however; I hate being forced. I enjoy just being able to listen to the news and think about issues in the world and how to solve them, or just picking up a book of my choice and reading it. It can be a classic novel or a cotton candy teenage girl book, as long as I am expanding my mind in some way. I think it is also funny how when you get into more advance classes, they require you to do a lot more during the summer. I understand that is the whole point, but don't you think that if the student is willing to challenge themselves for most of their school career they deserve some time to relax?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-85249803765713592942012-03-05T21:09:03.706-05:002012-03-05T21:09:03.706-05:00I read all the time, even at red lights. I took b...I read all the time, even at red lights. I took books to the hospital and read to my children from the day they were born. Two of my children are, or were, voracious readers. Their summer reading, from 6-12th grade, consists of choosing one book from each of three categories (fiction, non-fiction, and drama) and then filling our a 4 page graphic organizer for each. If they don't hand it in on the first day of school they get a zero as a test grade for each book they didn't do. Then they have to write an essay about I don't remember how many of them. Now, the older of my sons never, and I mean never, reads. The younger, who I sent to camp a couple of years ago with a few books totaling over 600 pages wrote me after a week asking me to send more. Now he's losing his enjoyment of reading as well. <br /> The boys go to an advanced studies school and work incredibly hard during the school year. I strongly feel they need a complete break during the summer. That's not to say that they wouldn't read for enjoyment, had they not found their summer reading so unpalatable (my 13 year old's words). I really look forward to the summer because we can all use the break but a small part of me approaches it with dread because of all the complaining and battles summer reading engenders.Conniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289030711365417674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-10770636058043267212012-03-05T21:07:01.126-05:002012-03-05T21:07:01.126-05:00I read all the time, even at red lights. I took b...I read all the time, even at red lights. I took books to the hospital and read to my children from the day they were born. Two of my children are, or were, voracious readers. Their summer reading, from 6-12th grade, consists of choosing one book from each of three categories (fiction, non-fiction, and drama) and then filling our a 4 page graphic organizer for each. If they don't hand it in on the first day of school they get a zero as a test grade for each book they didn't do. Then they have to write an essay about I don't remember how many of them. Now, the older of my sons never, and I mean never, reads. The younger, who I sent to camp a couple of years ago with a few books totaling over 600 pages wrote me after a week asking me to send more. Now he's losing his enjoyment of reading as well. <br /> The boys go to an advanced studies school and work incredibly hard during the school year. I strongly feel they need a complete break during the summer. That's not to say that they wouldn't read for enjoyment, had they not found their summer reading so unpalatable (my 13 year old's words). I really look forward to the summer because we can all use the break but a small part of me approaches it with dread because of all the complaining and battles summer reading engenders.Conniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289030711365417674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-52575983713012912052012-02-29T09:08:33.258-05:002012-02-29T09:08:33.258-05:00My kids did not do their summer reading so when th...My kids did not do their summer reading so when they went to school the teacher calle them bad students and said they are not going to be anyone in life.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-70595117126361251672012-02-29T09:07:32.774-05:002012-02-29T09:07:32.774-05:00I am a mother and i dont like that my kids have to...I am a mother and i dont like that my kids have to do summer reading.They tell me they dont like it and that they rather be outside playing and injoying the summer. :) I felt bad for my kids :(Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-14380444179573829062012-02-29T09:05:58.398-05:002012-02-29T09:05:58.398-05:00Yeah. No more summer reading!Yeah. No more summer reading!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-62672316012897593702012-02-29T09:04:51.544-05:002012-02-29T09:04:51.544-05:00I am a student and i dont like to do summer readin...I am a student and i dont like to do summer reading. Summer is a time to have fun and injoy nature. it is called summer vacation, not summer reading vacation !!! Do you think kids want to read a book during the summer? I dont think so. Summer vacation is a vacation from school. NO MORE SUMMER READING !!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-47527425896844659062012-02-02T11:44:59.874-05:002012-02-02T11:44:59.874-05:00Ms Ramsey is 100% correct. Teachers and Schools d...Ms Ramsey is 100% correct. Teachers and Schools do NOT have the authority to assign summer work. Any teacher/administrator that thinks otherwise needs to do their jobs and stop trying to tell parents how to do theirs. And by the way, my wife and I do encourage our daughters to read and did read to them while they were young. That is not the point. Ms Ramsey, please don't cower to these over-reaching administrators.Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-62122889608226073602011-10-16T17:14:33.787-04:002011-10-16T17:14:33.787-04:00I completely agree that summer reading assignments...I completely agree that summer reading assignments should be eliminated. My son, who enjoyed reading, did not mind the assingments and it was not an issue. However, for my daughter who does NOT enjoy reading, having summer reading assignments does NOT improve her skills, nor does it force her to actually enjoy it. All it does is frustrate her. She doesn't get a mental "break" that she desperately needs over the summer.Jorrylinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16841680794094280652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-9844973526807008562011-08-31T09:04:29.419-04:002011-08-31T09:04:29.419-04:00The DoE's reach into our private lives is gett...The DoE's reach into our private lives is getting out of hand, as are most federal agencies. For that reason, I also detest the summer reading assignments. You're not even in their grasp yet and they're telling what to read. The book selections may be ok for now, but down the road, will they be assigning "Mein Kampf", and "Dreams from my Father"? The National Education Assoc is already recommending that children read "Rules for Radicals"!!!<br />My advice: HOMESCHOOL, HOMESCHOOL, HOMESCHOOL!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-52648985736271170812011-08-23T21:43:49.870-04:002011-08-23T21:43:49.870-04:00"Think about how you are enabling them to be ..."Think about how you are enabling them to be "whinners" and only do what they want to do. It's a shame!"<br /><br /> Give me a break with these ridiculous claims. I'm a senior in high school this year, who's planning to go to college for software engineering, and I've been doing summer reading assignments for quite a while now. I agree entirely with Ms. Ramsey. Now before I get bashing comments saying I'm like any teenager who just wants to be lazy and do whatever I want, I want to say save it, because that's hardly the case. I take pride in my efforts in school, I'm a 4.1 average student, I'm in National Honors Society, I've never been in trouble in school, and I get along very well with my teachers and other faculty members. Also, my parents love to read and they encourage that I do so on my own time, but they too agree with Ms. Ramsey and myself.<br /> I can honestly say that I have never found reading enjoyable and certainly don't like being forced to do it during a time that was established to be a break from school. You can say it's just a few books and it's not going to kill you to do it, but that's not the point. The point is that I've never found summer reading to be even the least bit beneficial and it's doing the exact opposite of making me want to read. Moreover, I can guarantee you this isn't just my view on the subject considering all I hear from most students is, "Sparknotes!" I personally, have always read the books despite how I feel about it, but why don't we just keep the school work for during the "school year".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-83357504491460507202011-07-17T11:11:54.692-04:002011-07-17T11:11:54.692-04:00Ms. Ramsey is absolutely correct to be upset. The ...Ms. Ramsey is absolutely correct to be upset. The school year is August to June. If the teachers can't teach what they need to in that length of time, then they have a problem. Summer is summer. It is for family time and free time. During the school year, you can't have "family time" because you spend every night and every weekend doing school work. If you want to have summer homework, then there should only be year round schooling, otherwise, give the summer to the families. It's no wonder the world is becoming the way it is because there's no time left to teach family values once you finish with all the homework. If you choose to read in the summer, that's your decision. By no means should a summer assignment be graded and weighed so much. For those of you talking about the kids whose parents don't have them read in the summer...they aren't doing the assignment anyway because those are the same kids whose parents don't give a crap all school year too. Duh! All anyone wants is for their kids to learn and be smart and I think 9 months in school is plenty. Let the parents worry about what their children learn in the summer. A teacher is off in the summer, so let the kids have the same. And for those of you saying teachers are never off, they picked that career, knew what is involved with it, and are getting paid to do that. You have to work your whole life after school, let the kids have a kids life for 3 months a year. Believe me, reading a book in the summer isn't getting you into a better college, so get a grip!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-57967590402222553482011-07-04T00:17:24.802-04:002011-07-04T00:17:24.802-04:00I hate to tell you as well but the teachers did no...I hate to tell you as well but the teachers did not see the summative so it is very hard to "teach to the test." Summer reading is something that CMS has implemented since I was in school and I graduated high school in CMS in 2000. I remember reading a book every summer and that is where I encountered some of the best books ever! Guess what, colleges also require it so you may as well have your child start it now instead of complain because I PROMISE THE COLLEGE WON'T LISTEN TO IT! I'M NOT SURE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS CARE EITHER. The Elementary ones are trying to be helpful so you don't chew us out daily. I am now teaching in CMS as well. Can you please, for once cut the teachers some slack and trust us. There are so many parents upset with what we are doing but what are you doing as a parent. Are you making excuses for your child to not complete assignments and thinking your child is too good for everything that happens in the classroom? Teachers are asking your child to read 1-2 books over 2 months. It's not an impossible task and if you take an interested instead of getting upset, it will show your child that they should enjoy the book, not get all mad and act the way you are. We need to think about our actions and whats it teaching our kids. Think about how you are enabling them to be "whinners" and only do what they want to do. It's a shame!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-69759267636030386702011-06-27T01:33:31.213-04:002011-06-27T01:33:31.213-04:00Writing ability is crucial to anybody success and ...Writing ability is crucial to anybody success and your future success.Many students are not capable to put their thoughts on papers so, they have to utilize their time in summer. <br /><br /> <a href="http://www.essayservice.co.uk/Assignment.aspx/" rel="nofollow">Assignment Help</a>ghanisthahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08023577717900819578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-35700381501956913122011-06-22T18:17:54.818-04:002011-06-22T18:17:54.818-04:00I am a teacher and a parent!! I HATE SUMMER PROJE...I am a teacher and a parent!! I HATE SUMMER PROJECTS which are completely and totally different than "summer reading." My son will read many books this summer but to make him do 2 huge projects (projects that he's already done in previous grades btw) is utterly ridiculous. I am an avid reader and will read tons of books this summer, whether it's raining or not, but I do object to it being called "required" and the inclusion of "receive credit" for the projects. Summer is summer!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-42485114631243253522011-06-19T14:29:11.047-04:002011-06-19T14:29:11.047-04:00As a Sharon parent I would like to inform everyone...As a Sharon parent I would like to inform everyone that Mrs. Ramsey does not have a child that will be affected by this assignment for this summer. This is the second year the assignment has been given, before this pay-for-performance testing occurred. Chill the *&^% out lady!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-3335478934379009072011-06-18T15:07:53.507-04:002011-06-18T15:07:53.507-04:00Ms. Ramsey,
I attended all my schooling in CMS an...Ms. Ramsey,<br /> I attended all my schooling in CMS and graduated in the class of 2010. You seem to be under the notion that summer reading assignments are a new development to go along with the new CMS testing policies. I can assure you this is not the case. I began having summer reading assignments the summer of 2004, when I was transitioning from fifth to sixth grade. From then on, like clockwork, in the mail came my final report card and my summer reading assignments. <br />A few words of advice, from someone who has "been there, done that": Have your kids do the assignment and quit the complaining. It is coming every year whether you like it or not and when they get back to school in August I can guarantee there will be a due date provided within the first week of school for the assignment. <br />Also, this could be used as a learning lesson for your kids. Whining and complaining isn't getting the assignment done, so do it and be done and mark it off your to-do list.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-33862780432080823372011-06-16T19:04:33.469-04:002011-06-16T19:04:33.469-04:00There seems to definitely be more going on with Mr...There seems to definitely be more going on with Mrs. Ramsey. She has been on the school leadership team, and other school committees and recognized by Sharon staff for contributions. I find it very odd and strange she would direct such harsh critique towards the principal now about reading 2 books. <br /><br />Many of us do not support the 52 summative tests, but that should be directed to the central office staff and not at the principal! Some of us need our principal's time now for important things, so pls Mrs Ramsey state your real issue and not hide behind the summer reading program at Sharon. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-20533605197975503042011-06-15T18:16:19.757-04:002011-06-15T18:16:19.757-04:00I am mixed. I see that continuing education is nee...I am mixed. I see that continuing education is needed, but it is their free time. If I was a teacher, I would make it as an extra-credit assignment that could be used at some point in the year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-86469005636200757112011-06-14T13:50:30.226-04:002011-06-14T13:50:30.226-04:0012:44
I'm part of the advocacy group that does...12:44<br />I'm part of the advocacy group that does not support 52 additional pay-for-performance standardized tests in every subject area.<br /><br />However, I have a hard time connecting the dots between summer reading assignments and teaching to the test. Therefore, I think we can agree on the absurdity of trying to link the two topics. I do not agree with Ms. Ramsey's assessment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-34386886798397408012011-06-14T12:44:30.592-04:002011-06-14T12:44:30.592-04:00Agree with poster 12:18. While there is no teache...Agree with poster 12:18. While there is no teacher's union here. there is an advocacy group that does not want the testing issue to die down before the school board elections. They've had great success engaging the press for the past couple of months, but with Dr. Gorman's resignation the press now has another fish to fry. So--gotta somehow link as many complaints as possible to the testing issue and keep everyone stirred up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-69760614703120250652011-06-14T12:43:34.117-04:002011-06-14T12:43:34.117-04:00(to continue..)
4. I think kids are over tested ...(to continue..) <br /><br />4. I think kids are over tested also to the point my opinion on the subject made the news. However, I certainly don't have a problem with students being assigned summer reading material as it relates to various subject matters taught during the school year.<br /><br />Now, go do the right thing and find an open library, explore a bookstore or purchase a Kindle/Nookie for Snookie type reading device you can still take to the pool.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com