Helping Teen with Summer Work

[AmICrazyorWhat2]

DD (13) was assigned both Maths and English summer work, and she got on with it fairly well. She's submitted the maths already (she goes back tomorrow) and she just needed to finalise the draft of one essay (she wrote the draft a while back).

She asked me to look at it today for a final check and my heart lurched when I read it. It wasn't well-written at all, didn't answer the question properly and she clearly hadn't put a lot of effort into it.

So, I'm trying to help her polish it up, but I'm not sure how much I should really do. OK, point out any spelling mistakes, make suggestions about the structure, if she needs more examples, etc.

Ultimately it's her work, though, and if she's not prepared to write something decent, perhaps she should get a low grade and realise she needs to put more effort in?

Just a bit disappointed right now .

Too late now, but I would have maybe asked 'is this the best you can do?' and seen the response.

For my DDs who struggle with this kind of thing, I would have helped them improve it as it would have been learning for next time. But if you think it just isn't being bothered then I'd encourage improving it, but leave it to them.

What did you do?

Thanks for the response, I thought everyone just thought it was a boring topic (it is)

I did help her reorganise it so it was more coherent and pointed out that she needed more examples to justify her arguments. She admitted that she didn't put enough effort into it, but the end result was better. I think she'll get a passing grade at least.

She mainly needs to learn how to organise her paragraphs and I said that going forward, she needs to show me her drafts well before the due date. She's a bright girl, so there's no excuse for sloppy work.

I was pretty obnoxious at her age and I do understand that the hormones are playing a role - school work just isn't top of her list right now. I'm going to be keeping a closer eye though!

You would have got more responses in the Secondary Education thread.

They would have ranged around:

• why have they set summer homework, that's outrageous
• leave her to it, she has to take responsibility
• why did you let her leave it until the last minute
• yes help her

Those are some fair points!

They have 12-week summer holidays here in the USA so they have to give the pupils something to do, or they'll forget everything.

Why we can't just pay the teachers more and have 6-week holidays, I don't know.

I did wonder if you were not UK, as we don't tend to talk about 'passing grades' for homework.

12 weeks is a massive break. I have often wondered how poorer families with parents working cope. All we see in the UK is the 'summer camps' but they don't look accessible to everyone.

In the UK the break is just 6 weeks. I do small bits of work with mine (also 13) to keep ticking over.

It's a nightmare sorting out childcare and activities - we all start organising in the winter, and it costs a fortune.

I grew up in the UK and think a 6-week summer holiday is much better - I should've got DH to move over there!