Can someone give me some advice?

[winning_mom]

Hello. My daughter is 7 years old. About 2 1/2 weeks ago she had viral spinal meningitis.She was hospitalized. She got out of the hospital, was feeling better for a few days besides the headaches and then she got hit with pnemonia.She was then hospitilized for that.She has missed almost 3 weeks of school.She had went back for 2 days in between the pnemonia and the meningitis.Now my question, Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get her caught up on her work without overwhelming her?She has it all at home and is now back in school so she has her regular homework everynight also.I am trying to slowly add the work with her regular work but she is getting so wore down sitting at the table doing work all the time.Any advice will be appreciated.Thank you.

[AnnW]

What did her teachers suggest? Perhaps you can work a schedule with them on getting caught up, like after school each day the "old" homework and then on Saturday the new work, but at 7 how much has she really missed?

[MaryL]

I agree with Ann. Is she in 2nd grade? She should be able to catch up relatively quickly just by doing the current work, not worrying about making up all of the past assignments. Ask the teacher to look over what she's missed again, and pick out the most important pieces (skills) for you to review with her at home. During the 1st quarter of the school year there is alot of review going on.

[winning_mom]

Hello again. She has approx 40-50 pages. This is entirely too much! I spoke with the teacher and she says it all must be made up because it goes in to average her grade. This is enirely too much work. This includes everything they have done in class plus homework.

[AnnW]

My 6th grader didn't even have that much to make up last year when he was out ill for a while.
Talk to the principal.

[KarlaB]

Originally posted by AnnW
Talk to the principal.

Ditto Ann!!

Sounds like the make up work for a 2nd grader is pretty extreme and overwhelming.

[vea29]

HI....I just have to say coming from a teachers point of view all that work is totally not neccessary. (although I only teach preschool)

I would say to talk to the principal....I think as long as she's doing enough so she understand what she is do then that is enough. She will not fall that far behind at that age.

I hope she is feeling better let us know what happens!!!!!

[imamama]

I agree with all the above comments. Sounds like the teacher is either being unforgiving for the absence, or doesn't realize that your dd is overwhelmed (and rightly so). Definitely talk to the principal and see what he/she suggests.
Good luck!

[RCT]

I too have a second grader, and the homework is astonishing...too much in my opinion...as for your childs absenses and needing to catch up, go over the teachers head....talk with the principal, maybe there is a easier solution...if the principal seems unwilling to bend...go to the superintendent!

[Leigh]

I too think that is too much work. Some of the classroom assignments that she is making up was probably done by the class together with the teacher's help.The rest of the classwork was probably used for the teacher to make sure that the children have the idea or concept being taught. Homework is usually given so the children can reinforce the idea, and the teacher can make sure the child definitely understands. As long as your dd is understanding the material, then I don't see why so much work is needed. If the teacher is saying that it must be done because the other children did the work, and it would not be fair to them, then I would explain that your dd was in the hospital and the other children weren't so that is not fair to her. Good Luck and please let us know what happens.

[kat]

In many instances alot of that work is just filler or skills practice. Talk with the teacher about what is really essential and see that that gets done. Stay caught up with any reading in all subjects. She is accountable for the content. I know that when I have a child gone for an extended period I want reading and math skills up to speed, but all the other stuff is unimportant. Our rule of thumb here is to allow 2 days for each day missed to do make-up work.

Most of my parents will contact me if a child is going to be gone more than a couple of days and ask me to get work together ahead of time so that their child doesn't fall behind. Then they can do what they feel like doing and won't have so much to do when they come back. In most instances they have none to do when they come back.

I would work this out with the teacher before running "over her head" to the principal. This ought to be something the two of you can work through. I know here the principal won't even listen to you if you haven't first tried to work something out with the teacher.