‘I have been a teacher for 22 years and I avoid giving homework

“There are no problem children, only problem parents.”

During Sandra’s childhood, she overheard her mother – who has spent her entire career working as a teacher – repeat this phase countless times after tough days in class.

Sandra never thought about it much – until she became a teacher herself and began to see exactly what her mother was complaining about.

“Parents are my biggest problem… especially when they demand that I upload homework,” said the mother of one South African child. Kidspot.

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Sandra teaches kindergarten and doesn’t force her students to do their homework. Source: provided to Kidspot

“I have been a teacher for 22 years and I love it”

Before finishing school – Sandra had actually wanted to be a doctor – but ultimately decided to continue in the family tradition of becoming a teacher.

“I come from a long line of teachers: my mother, my grandmother, my aunt and my uncle are all teachers,” she explains.

“Fortunately for me, teaching is in my blood – so it comes naturally.”

She has now been teaching for 22 years and currently has a kindergarten class in Egypt where she moved with her family after graduating from high school.

“My job is to create a love of learning. If I can instill the love of coming to school, then my job here is done! What’s not to like about it.

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Sandra has been teaching for 22 years in total. Source: provided to Kidspot

“I hate having to give my students homework”

But there’s one thing Sandra doesn’t like about being a teacher: having to give homework.

She explains that she hates homework since her own school days – and doesn’t give it to her own students if she can avoid it.

Sandra remembers how her controversial approach to teaching has been questioned by parents over the years, who sometimes require her to upload homework for their children after school.

“At the beginning, I was just like, ‘I feel like this is enough in my class, with the right pronunciation and writing skills needed at this stage.’

“Now, if they push it, I put in some coloring sheets, some reading exercises, and some gross motor activities… and even that doesn’t have to be. “

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“Homework is unnecessary stress”

Sandra adds that the reason she doesn’t like homework is the “unnecessary stress” it places on students – who may feel pressured to do extra chores after spending hours at school.

“I think the school days are long enough, we need our kids to be kids – not robots,” she says.

“Either way, there’s more to life than sitting at a desk, doing homework that should have been covered in class.

“Children need time to relax / let go – and just be kids. “

Sandra also thinks homework is stressful for parents – who may find themselves tasked with helping their children with work they don’t understand.

“Parents don’t need to panic and feel inferior just because they don’t know about the new teaching methods, which have changed three times since we’ve been in school,” she says.

“I know what it’s like to work 12 hours and then struggle with math that I haven’t done in 25 years.”

Sandra doesn’t even make her own son do his homework. Source: provided to Kidspot

“I don’t care if my son does his homework either”

On that note, Sandra also reveals that she doesn’t care that her own 13-year-old son finishes his homework.

She says she “never” checks to see if he’s done the job – and just forwards any tasks she gets on the parents’ WhatsApp group to him.

“Some days he trains in football and doesn’t have time, sometimes he’s too tired because we leave home at 6.30 am and come home at 4 pm,” she explains.

“So it’s a very long day for him. As long as he understands what’s going on in class, then I’m fine.

“I don’t care if he does his homework or not. “