Many parents are complaining about the increasingly tough homework their kids bring home each day, as they always end up doing the work after a long work day…………. [@more@]Primary students, and parents, overwhelmed by homework[The China Post 2004.11.22]

Many parents are complaining about the increasingly tough homework their kids bring home each day, as they always end up doing the work after a long work day, the United Evening News reported yesterday.

They said the homework has become increasingly creative and is beyond what primary school students can handle, according to the report.

Some students, for example, are asked to list 100 kinds of plants they find in their neighborhood, to make kites or even mini power generators, according to the paper.

But most of the time, it`s always the parents who end up completing the projects.

Many of them complain that they now have to sacrifice their two-day weekend to help their kids with homework.

Cheng Chen-lung, a lawmaker, said he once received phone calls from parents complaining that a teacher at a primary school in Taipei County had asked students to name 100 kinds of plants they can find in their neighborhood.

The parents had to spend the entire weekend to search around for the plants, but could only find 80 kinds.

Wang, who has a kid studying at an elementary school, said she and her husband once had to help their child prepare materials to make a car in the middle of the night.

Chen is another victim. Chen bought a kind of insect for his child, who was asked by his teacher to observe the life of an insect.

But the insect gave birth to four generations of offspring, and he had to take care of them even after the homework was already over.

Liu Cheng-wu, director of the Taipei City primary schools` parents association, encouraged teachers to avoid giving students assignments that are beyond their ability to complete themselves.

Liu also asked parents not to do homework for their kids, especially on projects that are unreasonably difficult.

Liu said parents, instead of doing the homework, should seek to communicate with teachers to solve the problem.

2004/11/22
The China Post staff