Jeannie in NJ Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 when I went to ds's (5th grade) Back to School Night, his desk was crammed with textbooks but he is not allowed to bring them home. He brings worksheets home to do for homework. Also, I was talking to the son of a friend that is in 11th grade and he said that the only textbook that he is allowed to freely bring home is his American Lit book, all other books he would have to sign out to bring home. My dd may be going to this same high school next year, I had already been thinking about buying extra copies of her textbooks off of half.com just so she would not have to lug books home every night but now it looks like bringing books home may not be an option most of the time. Has anyone else heard of not being allowed to bring texts home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threetreasurs Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 I have heard of this practice in large, city districts. In fact the nearby larger city is getting publicity by promising textbooks for all the kids to take home (as a reform). I was rather shocked when I realized that the kids had not been given books. Our school district gives access code for online textbooks in addition to the print copies. I wonder if this is available through the school? If not, I think those versions are less expensive than print copies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 My high school student has books for each class, but when I use to work at the middle school, we only had one set of books per classroom plus over crowding. A lot of times there wasn't even enough books for each child to look at. We had 1 set of books for four classes to share. The school did not have the funds to purchase enough books for each child. Books were not brought home in elementary school. They did bring home worksheets. I don't think most teachers liked the books they were to use in the elementary school. Most of the teacher in the middle school wrote their own curriculum and didn't even use the books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deidre in GA Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 my 9th grade son's school allows him to take books home. he writes in his math texts as they are consumable. (actually, the math books should be burned the program is so bad but that's for another thread!) he was actually told to take his science textbook home and leave it there for the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 When I taught science (at a lower mid school, 6-7, and at a jr high, 8-9) the kids could not bring their books home (which was a frustration for me as the teacher)! The reason was that there weren't enough copies of the books for everyone. There was a classroom set of books, and a few loaners (which had to be signed out to go home) and that was it. Our schools were bursting at the seams - 36 kids in each class, 7 periods a days. There simply weren't enough books (or funds) for everyone to do it. I'm not sure why in 5th grade they can't take books home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanyan Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 My high school freshman has to leave his geography text in the classroom, unless they have homework involving use of the text. In his Algebra class, they have assigned texts that they can bring home; however, they have too many kids taking Algebra this year and not enough texts, so he volunteered to have units copied on the copy machine for him. So - no studying ahead. Ah well. He's doing well so far anyway. He's taking his English class online, and so has the text that the online class follows at home with him. I like the idea of buying the geography text, and the algebra text on half.com. I hadn't thought about that, so thanks! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 My kids (6th and 9th) each have textbooks of their own, but they do not bring them home. I'm a bit perplexed about this policy, but I understand that it was instituted because, as Cadam said, so many kids don't bring the books back or lose them (which amounts to the same thing). The odd thing is that a 5th grade friend had ALL of her textbooks with her one Friday and explained that she wasn't allowed to leave anything in her cubby over the weekend. I'm still not convinced that she didn't misunderstand, but she is a very bright girl and seemed quite clear about the instruction which had been given her. Things sure have changed, haven't they? :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Things sure have changed, haven't they? :confused: Boy, they sure have. I can't even wrap my mind around this one. How are the kids supposed to do their homework if they don't have the books? I understand the lower grades can send home worksheets, but how does a high school student do homework without the book? And kids that age aren't responsible enough to bring the books back to school? :confused: There's not enough money in the education budget for each kid to have their own book? That's scary. Would not buying the latest editions help with this at all? They *are* horribly expensive! Back when we were walking ten miles to school, uphill both ways, in five foot snow drifts, at least we had our own books. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 The school district that we belong to do not allow any textbooks to be bought home. So several parents call me and ask me if I use the schools books. I do use the math so they come over for me to help their kids. :001_huh: I am ok with it but it does frustrate me that the schools think they are doing the kids a great service by not allowing books to be taken home. Alot of the parents told me they can't help their child(ren) with their homework unless they see the book and see what they are taught that day for their homework. Very puzzling and frustrating!! Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 I've heard of that in the public schools here. Sometimes, there are not even enough books to go around and students from different class periods are sharing them. They don't want the books lost, and want to control damage, so they don't let them leave the building. How depressing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cawn009 Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 My cousin in elementary they are required to leave the books at school except when theirs a homework to do, but some books are gone missing others destroyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ria Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Our district has a similar policy...some books can come home, but others must remain at school. The ones that must stay at school are books for which the textbook is available online, so the kids can access the book from home via the internet. In some cases I have also bought the books (used, on ebay or amazon) just because I like books better than a screen, lol. Ria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 The ones that must stay at school are books for which the textbook is available online, so the kids can access the book from home via the internet. In some cases I have also bought the books (used, on ebay or amazon) just because I like books better than a screen, lol. Ria I can't "get into" this "book available online" thing. I like to make notes, highlight, sit in my easy chair, etc., etc. Even though I do spend a lot of time in front of the screen, I certainly wouldn't want that to be my only option. I wouldn't want to try to study from an online book. It was mentioned in another thread in the past few weeks that a library was reducing their "real book" collection in favor of digital resources. I just think this is so wrong on so many levels. While I'm afraid this might be the wave of the future, I hope we're not drowning in it in my life time. But then, I still own a lot of LPs, too. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 I emailed my DD's Spanish teacher today and asked her why DD had not brought a textbook home to study. I still don't know why the kids are not issued Spanish books, but DD came home with one today, by golly. I am awaiting the principal's telephone call to me on Monday, during which he will explain to me why DD does not have a science book, and why she has a math book in her locker but it is not used during class. She will have textbooks to bring home by Monday afternoon, or I will do something more than I have done about it. RC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsdash Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 I emailed my DD's Spanish teacher today and asked her why DD had not brought a textbook home to study. I still don't know why the kids are not issued Spanish books, but DD came home with one today, by golly. I am awaiting the principal's telephone call to me on Monday, during which he will explain to me why DD does not have a science book, and why she has a math book in her locker but it is not used during class. She will have textbooks to bring home by Monday afternoon, or I will do something more than I have done about it. RC I can not get over how much you sound like me when I had kids in school, it's almost funny!! I feel for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePurpleLady Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I just recently found out how our local district operates regarding textbooks and thought it sounded crazy, but now that I see how it's becoming more the norm, I realize our district doesn't sound so bad. About three weeks before the start of school our district has an orientation camp where all students are able to tour, ask questions, and pick up all their textbooks. This set of textbooks received at orientation stays at home. Each teacher has a full class set of whatever book from which they teach in the classroom, and these never leave the classroom. I heard the decision was implemented a few years ago because of kids having to lug around several heavy backpacks and to reduce/eliminate the number of kids coming to class unprepared and without their books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I thought this was standard practice. Our district does not allow texts to go home unless they're checked out. The students have no lockers in middle school or high school, so they have a copy of each book at home (signed out, of course!LOL) and a copy in the classroom. This creates problems for study hall, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kate in seattle Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 same thing in this corner of WA. My oldest two took a Chemsitry class at the local high school. Couldn't bring the book home. How can you do a science thoroughly without having the book at home to read and do homework? The answer - you can'! Teacher had lots of worksheets, had to develop labs that didin't go along with the book. It was a resource, but not the spine. I certainly don't feel as if they got as much grounding from their high school chemistry class as i did in mine. And to think I sent them to school for that subject because I didn't want to remember my high school chemistry. They are both taking lab sciences again in community college. kate in seattle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 The charter school I taught at last year left it up to the teachers. But many of the teachers did not allow the books to be taken home. The books will rarely return, and not in the same condition if they do. And they cost thousands of dollars!! In my Spanish class, I didn't want the dc to take the books home, because they were huge and very heavy. Students had no lockers so would have had to carry it around all day. Also, I hated the textbook and rarely taught from it, so they didn't need it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbiec Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 No, I'm not kidding. The neighboring large county has a classroom set of textbooks, and they have a password for the kids to go home and use the "on-line" textbook. Better hope you have a computer at home! Our school does allow the kids to bring home the textbooks and we are in a large urban school district. However, due to homework and the amount of textbooks coming home, they won't fit into my sons backpack :) So, we did buy a few of the more used textbooks on line for around $10.00 each. They are kind of ratty, but ? It was well worth it for him. I plan on selling them to upcoming students next year :) One school in our district (a middle school) ~ the PTO/PTA BOUGHT sets of extra textbooks for the entire school. You pay a small fee (and a deposit), and keep the "at-home" set for the year, and then turn them back in. I don't know what to think about that one ~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christi/NC Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Both of my high schoolers are taken a physical science class at their charter school. Neither has a take-home textbook for that class. They were required to purchase a flashdrive. Each night, the teacher uploads the parts of the book that they need for their homework or any worksheets that they need to complete. I'm pretty sure it's a money issue---not enough money to purchase books for all students and not enough money to replace all of the books that kids destroy during the year. The flash drive was $10. Christi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 The main reason that I voted against our district's recent levy is because they don't purchase enough textbooks for the kids to bring home. They have computer labs and football teams and a brand-new administration building, but the kids have no books. :thumbdown: Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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