Projects for school

About 2 1/2 weeks ago, PJ came home with a paper saying that he had a project due on Oct 3. I knew it was coming, Eric had the same one due back when he was in the 3rd grade, so I expected this one.

He comes home with the paper with the grading system on it. Name on paper, turned in on time and of course, work done mostly myself. This really meant a lot to me, because I make the boys do most of the projects themselves.

So this project wasn't any different. PJ and I bounced ideas off each other and he finally came up with Pizza Hut. That was fine and it wouldn't be all that hard on him to do.



I helped him open the lids on the copier paper boxes. And I told him that he needed to glue the paper on the boxes. The harder things I helped him with, but in the long run, he did the work and the paragraph on his own.

I got to school early today, before the field trip, and I looked at all the wonderful projects. They were all very nice. Some nicer than others, some very creatively done, some not so good.
This one was cute:

Can't you tell they didn't have any help?
And then there were these too:





And who really did these projects?

I heard the mothers talking in the hallway today. One said, "Well, I told my husband that I got an A on the seed project, so now what kind of grade are you gonna get on this one?" And the other said, "I did most of the work on this one, she should, or I should get the A." I didn't say anything, I just went on my way and took pictures.
It doesn't help the child if we do the work for them. I don't help them all that much, and it doesn't mean that I don't want to help them. But how are they learning if I do it.

I don't think the grades that these children are getting is earned either. Eric did a project on his own the other day. He told me that he got a 100 on it. He turned it in on time, he had his name on it, it was neatly done, it was done correctly. I gave him a few ideas, he had me print things for him, I got out my scrapbooking stuff, and he did it on his own. He told me that it looked cheesy, but he did a great job, and it showed that he can do it on his own and get a good grade on it.

Oh well, PJ will get a grade on it. He earned it honestly and that is all there is to it. His little Pizza Hut, I helped cut, but he did what he needed to do. I am proud of both of the boys, they WANT to do their projects on their own.