<p>I'm an international student studying the IB in Romania. My parents were both students of Malaysian secondary schools and the same Malaysian public university. (Where they met and fell in love. Awwww....)</p>
<p>I sometimes talk with my fellow international friends at my school about whether or not our parents help. The conensus was "No". Reasons ranged from "national curriculum vs. international curriculum" to "forgot all their math/science/etc" to "language barrier".</p>
<p>For myself, I take Bio, Chem, A1 English (literature based), History (emphasis on Europe), Spanish Ab Initio (beginners) and Math Methods. Besides learning in a different from myself, my parents never took Bio and Chem past high school level, never learned any language besides Malay or English, never took English Literature, but as a Second language and don't remember Math or much History.</p>
<p>I was wondering if American parents in America are able to help their children more than my parents can. Perhaps this is a little naive thinking, but I'm thinking since there isn't a language barrier or a great difference in curriculum (such as country curriculum), American parents would be able to help students, if they didn't forget math or science since the high school years?</p>
<p>Or have the children moved "beyond" the parents, regardless? Have the push for tougher academics and IB and AP courses made the difference between your high school experience and your childrens' greater?</p>
<p>At my school, we have few American/British/Canadian/Australian students. From the few I've been able to ask, some of their parents are able to help with foreign languages or English or history (but I asked a daughter of an American Embassy employees who works with documents). But beyond that, science and math help is usually low.</p>
<p>I have two daughters in IB: one a senior, the other a freshman. I don't think we've helped my older daughter with homework or studying since elementary school. My wife does spend a lot of time helping my younger daughter and I've helped her at times also. Today at dinner, older D was quizzing younger D in Spanish.</p>
<p>We joke about this all the time. I went to college at 16 and graduated from law school at 22. I have an IQ over 150. Yet, as of this year, with my youngest in eighth grade, I am officially out as a homework helper. Her older brother can help her with Geometry, Science and Latin, but mom is no help whatsoever. Yesterday my son asked me to quiz him for a Calc test. I said some letters and numbers that meant nothing to me and he gave me the answers that according to the piece of paper I was reading from were right. I had no clue! Either school has gotten a lot harder in the last thirty years, or I have early onset Alzheimer's.</p>
<p>I see you're from Romania. Here's all the Romanian I know: Doresc a vorbi cu... It's been a long time, but I think that was "I want to speak with."</p>
<p>I think once in hs, parental help is limited for a few reasons. Maybe kid moved beyond parent knowledge in math, science, foreign language. Kid has developed study skills, so doesn't need help in history etc. (as well as the above subjects). I do think the development of good study skills can come partially from the way parents helped, set up routines, etc. in earlier years.</p>
<p>That said, we have helped all the way through hs in a couple of ways. (1) S liked to have me be a second opinion on his essays/papers. So I would read and comment/ask questions/clarify/point out awkward phrasing needing rewrite. I personally believe all serious writers seek this kind of review and believe it appropriate (some parents don't think it's appropriate).
(2) On v rare occasion, when stuck on a calculus problem, S would brainstorm with DH about it. DH might not "know" the answer any more than S, but they would think together how to tackle it. Similarly, when doing a physics project, such as "build a bridge weighing no more than 22 grams (or whatever) which can hold weight of 14 lbs (or whatever)," S would again run his ideas by DH and they would enjoy brainstorming about it together.</p>
<p>I think most parents forget a lot of what they learn during HS.. which is a pity. And most of them just insist on asking the teacher questions. A teacher has so many students, he/she probably doesn't have the time. Schools have changed from back then - its a lot more difficult now.</p>
<p>BurnThis: Actually, I'm from Malaysia, but living in Romania. I don't know the Romanian phrase you just wrote, but I will say "Multumesc" for answering this post! ("Thank you" in Romanian)</p>
<p>I don't think it is very routine for parents to help their children with homework in the United States--certainly not in the same way that most parents make sure that the homework gets done in Taiwan. </p>
<p>We are homeschooling parents, and thus very involved in our children's education, but my oldest son has done a lot of distance learning classes very independently since almost four years ago. He is now advanced enough in his favorite subjects that he could teach me, but I hardly teach him even the subjects that I still know more about. Mostly, he learns on his own by independent reading or through classes he takes on his own, either in classrooms locally or by online learning.</p>
<p>I'm like Burn This. I can't help in any meaningful fashion, nor am I asked. </p>
<p>OT: Interestingly enough Burn This , I also graduated Law School at age 22. Truly goofy decision on my part (for me). Haven't let my D skip anything as a direct result. Seems to have worked out O.K. for her. So far, anyway.</p>
<p>OT/Cur--
Also haven't let my kids skip, since I think it was a terrible mistake for me. My son's a junior and he's doing fine -- he's taking an accelerated track, especially in Latin, which definitely helps. To get back on topic, I've actually learned more from him over the past few years by his telling me what he's been learning in school. I don't help him study per se, but I let him study by teaching me.</p>
<p>We almost never help with homework - not since early middle school. I would LIKE to edit papers, but am almost never allowed to even read them! As for math, science and foreign language -- forget it. I have offered to hire tutors for my kids in specific subjects if they seemed to be struggling, but they've never taken me up on it. We did hire an SAT tutor for a couple of sessions. Was less expensive than a prep class.</p>
<p>I think the last time I helped my S with his homework was building a volcano in grade school. I helped mold the clay :) Oh, I also think I helped with the model of the California Mission project. I'm an artist so I couldn't help myself! My help probably wasn't wanted or needed though.</p>
<p>i'm sure my parents would be glad to help me with my homework if i ever asked them, but i've never allowed them to. it has nothing to do with skills or knowledge, though. i guess i'm just a very private person.</p>
<p>My dad used to (well, up till last year) help with math, chem, bio, physics if i needed...papers and such not so much, less because my parents couldn't (both are excellent writers) and more because I'd finish writing well after they had gone to bed :).</p>
<p>Besides asking if they have homework, I'm pretty clueless about what my kids have to do for school. I usually find out if there's a big project around 9:00 at night when there are problems with the printer or a book or something is needed. I remember a teacher saying in early elementary school that homework was the teachers way of finding out what the students needed to undersatnd and that made a lot of sense to me. Besides, I did enough homework as a child, no way am I going to go through that again!</p>
<p>Burn this and Cur, I'm with ya'll. My junior S insists on talking over his calc tests with me even though my eyes glaze as he describes what he got points taken off for. I don't have a clue! I have to drop back around 7th grade math and science. I don't think we had to learn what they are learning now (or maybe my brain is just turning to mush).</p>
<p>A funny story about helping with projects: When my oldest was in 3rd grade he had to do a 3-D mapping project. So on foam board, my DH and he built a scale model of our neighborhood, complete with trees and houses. They were working diligently out in the garage when my H came into the kitchen all flustered and said, "You've got to get out there, he is ruining my project!" I gently reminded him that it was our S's project and that he was just the helper. Men (some) with their toys!</p>
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OT/Cur--
Also haven't let my kids skip, since I think it was a terrible mistake for me
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<p>Not to thread hijack, but I also skipped. It worked out well for me, no regrets. We decided to start my older daughter early in our school district (by doing private kindergarten & first) and it was definitely a wise move. She's very mature and would have been stifled both academically and socially if she went into the grade dictated by the birthday cut-off. We did not do that for D2, since she was not as mature. We are convinced it was the right decision for each kid. As always, I think it depends on the child.</p>
<p>For me it depends on the kid. For the oldest and youngest not at all. They don't ask and don't need my help.
The middle child we go in phases. Right now he does 2 classes all on his own, works on a 3rd with a tutor and the 4th one with me. It isn't a subject that I have strength in but I use the textbook. He does the everyday homework and for exams he gets a studysheet that we go over together. I help write the flashcards ( he has a writing disability) he copies to the studyguide and I quiz him. I also for this class help him outline and put together sample essays for the exam. These are things that we had at one time had a learning disabilities tutor help him with. I wish I didn't have to help him. But the grade outcome is so much greater if I do.</p>