Kids asking for homework help...?

Question

To the adults who actually studied their way through high school and maybe some kids still in, does it bother you that people on here use Yahoo Answers as a way to get their homework done for them? I mean, I busted my butt through high school to get good grades and these kids are just asking to have it handed to them... WHAT BS!
I'm very frustrated because when a great piece of literature is just tossed aside as "homework" instead of read I think it's a waste of a teacher's time and efforts.
By the way, studying to be an English teacher so excuse me for being upset...
Please give opinions.

I'm not talking about a bit of help on one question, I'm talking about the students who put up a whole worksheet and just ask for the outright answers when it is very clear that they have not tried themselves.
Also, if I was uncertain while in school I would ask my teacher to explain it further not ask that someone else do the work for me.

To the High School Kids slamming me because they don't want to read old literature (which if you took the time to read you might enjoy), I have a question... Do you like to read at all? Anything besides magazines or stuff like that (which don't get me wrong I love a good issue of Cosmo or Vogue)? It seems too common these days that kids just toss books aside in general no matter what they are. I in fact have several friends my own age (22-23) who don't read at all, but I love to.. It just saddens me as someone with a passion for books and for writing herself (been published for poetry several times) that you are missing out on some great stories..

If you do read, I would love to hear what your favorite book is.. Don't get me wrong I like the classics as I've mentioned before but my favorite books are written by some of today's lesser knowns.

Answer 1

Im a teacher!

And don't worry they dont get away with it most of the time! You get too know the students well and how they write in class so i know straight away when they have ! I ask them something about the writing they wouldnt know and you can almost see them trembling!

And if you are suspicious i ask them for a answer when they dont have it that always works too!

But I agree with you completley! It's so unfair on the others who worked hard on their work!

Also parents go often we don't give enough infomation. I would never set a homework without them having the resources they need so they have no excuse and were always here if they need help!

Also if you want any advise on the teaching just ask :)

Answer 2

As a current high school senior, I am not really bothered by it. It is not really any fundamentally different than the cheating that goes on inside the school. Some of the people asking for answers are simply using it to supplement their knowledge/understanding (as I have done with some calculus problems/concepts); those who are using it simply for a free homework may be having an easy time now, but not too long from now they will realize how stupid an idea it was not to do their own work.

On a side note, I cannot say that I am particularly bothered if students toss aside this "great" literature as just homework. No offense to you or your future profession, but I cannot for the life of me understand why it is that literature is a mandatory subject in high school and/or college. As far as I can tell, it is nothing but reading books that someone a long time ago decided were good, and being forcefed symbolism that someone decided the author intended to be present; and these tasks are all-in-all worthless as far as real world application except to those relatively few people that write and/or teach literary works.

I appologize for the rant. As I said, that is just my opinion.

(Don't get me wrong, literature is great, but not when it is being forced on you along with a lot of questionable symbolism.)

Answer 3

It does not bother me at all, since in the long run they will reap what they sow.
They can either do the work now, or later.
The system lets them skate through since grades, and diplomas are solely based on test, and GPA, instead of being competency based.

If graduations, and diplomas were based on competency this would not be an issue; you would either be able to do it or not.

Addition:
Do we love to read, that is an understatement.
Our home looks like a library, and we do try many new books as well beyond the classics, however we have often found that many are not worth the paper they are written on; I am referring to the content as well as the dumbed down, and limited vocabulary used in writing the stories.
To give you our favorites would take a few days, and make this post very long.
Some great authors are JJR Tolkien, CS Lewis Sir Walter Scott, Arthur Conan Doyle, Mark Twain, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ann Rinaldi, Louisa May Alcott, Elizabeth George Speare, CM Boston ( The Green Knowe books), Lois Lowry, Madeleine L'Engle, Jean Fritz, Jean Graighead George, EB White, Lloyd Alexander, Howard Pyle, Hilda van Stockum, Scott O'Dell and many more.
Here are two sites for book recommendations to keep students occupied for year, in the case of literature we should; at least in my opinion; all be life long professional students.

http://nancykeane.com/rl/
http://www.classical-homeschooling.org/celoop/1000.html

Answer 4

You know, I have given a lot of answers on here, but I will not do someone's homework for them. I was an English major and am a published poet, so trust me, I get where you're coming from on the literary end. But, I do help some of the kids that ask questions like, "How do I analyze a poem?" It was because of my senior year AP teacher that I know how to do this. I will not do the work, but I will help direct kids to the appropriate information, and offer explanations if necesary.

What it comes down to is that our schools are underfunded, our teachers are overworked and to simply maintain funding, most schools do little more than feed children rote facts so that they can pass the manditory placement tests.

I have spent the last several years of my life as a community organizer, the primary goal being educating people on the issues that effect them on a daily basis. The primary goal of education is to supply another person with a perspective that they might not otherwise see, offer them a means to better comprehend the world and their place in it. Knowledge is the greatest treasure you can bestow, and if my help gets even one child to critically examine a topic that he/she might not otherwise consider, then I am more than happy to assist.

Answer 5

I have asked for answers on Yahoo Answers before and I don't see a problem with it. I am currently in college but I remember the high school and middle school days like yesterday..... not every teacher wants to help you. Because of the internet, when students come to them for help on their homework they simply tell them to look it up online. Not many teachers still have that passion to teach anymore, therefore the students don't have a passion to learn. They are trying to hurry up and get it done so they can go have fun. I don't blame them. Even now when I'm in college, a lot of my older teachers are just sitting back, talking about a specific subject as if someone has put a gun to their head and said"DO IT!" I learn more from my younger teachers because they make it so the answer isn't as easy as looking it up online. The point is I give back what they give me. If you are just going to throw some book in front of me and tell me to read and answer these three stupid questions, then I'm going to save myself some time and look it up that way I don't have to read. But if you are going to go beyond just telling me to read and asking questions, such as asking more for my opinion or point of view, then I will read.

Answer 6

I agree completlly, yet i will still respond to their queries if, as you said, it is not an entire worksheet.

And if i do reply i usually don't supply them with the whole answer, just inform and advise them. Maybe give some useful websites.

There is no problem with putting up a question or two, or asking someone about something that you find hard to grasp. But yes i do agree with your thoughts on kids just being lazy, however there is no way of stopping it :[ jus like people BUY essays off of the internet.

Answer 7

I have answered some chemistry/physics questions for students. (I am a chemist)
I have since decided to stop doing that because of the same reasons you mention above.
I wouldn't mind trying to explain a concept or to let a student know if they are on the right track (if they post the question and their own answer.) but, I am no longer handing out answers to homework questions.

I think that the students could do their own research to find answers to homework assignments. If they do not find that their text book or notes are helpful then, they could always access on line texts, articles and the like.
I do think that there is a great disservice done to students if they are not required to think or develop better study skills because the work is done for them by others.
I agree with you 100%.

Answer 8

Yes, I don't really like it when people do that either or when they ask to copy my homework (I'm in high school.) I'm not very good at school and I am extremely shy. So I come on here and ask questions about how to solve a math problem or to ask if someone will check to make sure my answers are right. I cannot stand getting bad grades, but I'm just not good at school.

Answer 9

no, being a kid who has used yahoo answers for homework, i think that sometimes teachers don't give enough information on the subject. like my chem teacher always gives us reallly hard homework. i'm sure in high school you occasionally asked a parent, sibling, or friend for help on homework. just because we ask online doesn't mean we're not working hard. i'm still busting my butt!


ps sometimes homework questions cannot be solved by trying and trying again or "looking in the book". for example, drawing a lewis structure when i've been sick for 2 weeks and have no idea what that is. how on earth would i guess that one right

Answer 10

Yes. I feel the same way, which is why whenever I can, I answer with look for the answer in the book, or an example to a math problem because they are not going to pass school by getting other people to do the work.