Maybe It's Me

I just got back from our annual pilgrimage to back to school night at the elementary school. Mrs. Dirpus said she cringes every year when the topic of homework comes up, because she knows I'm going to attack the teacher about my personal windmill. I say I'm not attacking. I'm trying to make a point and continue to hold out hope that, some year, somebody will get it. It seems like an obvious point to me. But teachers never seem to get it. Oh, and the Mrs. says she doesn't disagree with my point, it's just that it's not going to change. Maybe I'm an optimist. Or maybe it's the nature of my job to try to improve the process.

Here it is. What do you think? Am I way off base with this.

If a student doesn't do their homework, they get a note sent home and must do the homework the following night. However, they will not get any credit for that homework. Every year, my question is "What is the child's motivation to make up the homework?" There's no carrot at the end of the teacher's stick. They are already getting zero for not doing the homework. They can make it up and still get zero. I know I wouldn't be doing it. Heck, give them 10%. At least there is SOME incentive.

I continue to hope that some teacher will realize the idiocy of what they are saying. These are kids after all. They're selfish. They aren't going to do anything without getting something in return. I remember choosing a spanking over eating boiled spinach when I was a kid. I still think it was the smart choice. It's not like I still had to eat the spinach. It's the same thing to me.

Opinions?