Kanye As I was saying:
Susan James, what do you think is the actual point of creative assignments in school? I mean, regardless of the subject—do you feel like they actually serve a purpose at all?
Do you think a top-tier student—someone who’s already crushed some STEM competitions here in the States—should follow their heart and enroll in an arts academy or a private fine arts high school? They clearly have the talent and, more importantly, they really want this. Or should we push them toward a traditional prep school or a standard public high school instead? My concern is that the arts academy might not be challenging enough academically, especially since they have the grades and the drive to handle a rigorous academic curriculum. I also wonder about the teachers at those larger preparatory schools. Do you think high school professors there actually have enough creative spark left in them to truly inspire a kid who is a painter at heart?
I’m going to go ahead and restate my question along with the facts, as I’d really love to get your take on this:
Susan James said:Quentin Tarantino
So, I was thinking about what the whole point of school reading assignments actually is. We’ve all been there—sitting in a classroom, staring at a thick novel, wondering why we’re being forced to trek through hundreds of pages of text just because it's on a syllabus. Is it just about checking a box to pass a class? Or is there something deeper to it? Personally, I’ve always felt that those assigned books serve as a way to introduce us to perspectives we might never stumble upon on our own. It's like a guided tour through someone else's brain. Even if I wasn't exactly thrilled about the book at the time, looking back, I can usually find one specific idea or character that really stuck with me. I remember back in high school, I had to read this massive classic that I thought was going to be a total snooze fest. But halfway through, I found myself genuinely rooting for the protagonist. It changed how I thought about empathy, and honestly, that stayed with me much longer than any test grade did. What do you guys think? Is assigned reading a necessary tool for building a well-rounded mind, or is it just an outdated way to test our endurance?
A mom reached out to me recently with a bit of a dilemma. She’s struggling with how to help her kid tackle their required reading assignments, especially since the student is having a really hard time staying motivated. We're talking about trying to get through a book that's around 100 pages long, and the lack of interest is making it tough for them to actually grasp what's happening in the story. It’s one of those situations I see quite often—where the sheer task of sitting down and focusing feels overwhelming for a kid.
Quentin Tarantino
Maybe I totally misread the situation—that hundred-page reading assignment wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but oh well!
I’ve been wondering lately—specifically regarding elementary school kids—do you think these kinds of creative activities actually encourage them to read more? I'm curious if giving them more hands-on, creative assignments helps them grasp the books they're reading on a deeper level.
What’s the actual point of reading assigned books for school? I was thinking about this the other day while sipping my coffee, wondering if we ever really stop to ask why we're being handed these specific novels. Is it just about checking a box, or is there something more to it?
I've been wondering about that myself lately—why is it actually there in the school at all? It feels like one of those things we just accept without really questioning the logic behind it.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how much parents tend to hover over their kids' homework lately, and honestly, I think getting too involved can actually do more harm than good on several different levels. I remember back when I was in middle school, my mom used to sit right next to me while I tackled my math problems. She had this habit of pointing out every little mistake before I could even finish the equation. At the time, I thought she was just being helpful, but looking back, it really killed my confidence. Instead of learning how to work through a tough problem, I just learned how to wait for her to give me the answer. When parents step in too heavily, they often accidentally strip away a child's chance to build independence and critical thinking skills. It’s all about finding that sweet spot—being there for support when things get genuinely overwhelming, but letting them struggle just enough to learn how to solve it themselves. Overstepping might get a better grade on a Tuesday night, but it doesn't prepare them for the real world.
You know I’m generally pretty against this kind of thing. Honestly, I feel like it might even be working against my kid right now, but I really believe there will be some long-term benefits down the road.
I don't really see the harm in a mom just sketching out a circle and cutting it out perfectly if her kid has already done everything else. Honestly, sometimes things just happen—maybe the kid or the parent didn't realize how much precision was actually required for this specific project, or maybe they were just racing against the clock and running out of time. It’s not the end of the world!
If a mother has to spend her own time reading the required book, summarizing it for her child, and then sitting there explaining all the parts the kid didn't quite grasp, that points to a massive failure in the education system. For a teacher to actually realize a student is struggling with reading comprehension or just lacks motivation for the assignment, the child needs to show up to class having actually done the work—not just showing up with a half-baked version because Mom had to do the heavy lifting.
I’m honestly not much of a fan when it comes to those DIY creative projects, especially when it involves things like remote nursing work.
Honestly, I think schools should just let kids do whatever they want. If they want to draw all day, dance around, act out plays, or even try their hand at writing novels inspired by picture books—go for it! As long as they’re doing it within the school setting, it's all good. This is especially true for those after-school programs; that’s the perfect time to let their creativity run wild.
During those first two grades, I think it's a great idea to let kids read their required books during after-school care. It would be such a relief if they could finish up their reading there, so when they finally walk through the front door, they don't have to worry about schoolwork for the remaining 15 hours of the day. That way, they can just focus on playing freely until it's time for bed.
I’m not a school teacher, so I don't have to follow a strict curriculum, but in my line of work, creative techniques are absolute lifesavers for hitting my goals. When I decide to use them, I make sure they actually fit the topic at hand and, more importantly, the person I'm working with. I try to tailor everything to their age, their skill set, and what they’re actually interested in. I also think there's a lot of value in giving people a choice. If someone says, "Actually, I'm not really feeling this approach," I just pivot and we find something else that works. In a traditional classroom setting, you don't really get that luxury—everything is mandatory. You’re basically told you *have* to be creative, whether you feel like it or not! 🤔)
From what I can gather from this discussion, the main takeaway is that fostering creativity in school is absolutely vital. We really need to give kids plenty of opportunities to express themselves creatively because those are the exact skills they’ll need to navigate life later on. Plus, let's be honest—kids just love it. Of course, they naturally love to play, and learning through play definitely leads to better results, but I don't think that's quite the core issue we're tackling here.
My wife was asking me about how they handle book reports over at the local high school, and she actually described two different approaches that I found pretty interesting.
She also went into detail about how much her little one struggles with staying motivated, especially when it comes to reading and actually wrapping their head around what they’ve just read.
The main issue here is that the assignment is one-size-fits-all. It’s being handed out to the entire class exactly the same way, without any adjustments for different learning styles or individual student needs.
And there's another one, much larger than the first. It’s funny—why isn't this handled in the classroom? Instead, it’s assigned as homework, which basically means there's always that risk of a parent stepping in and just doing the whole thing for them. I remember back in middle school, my mom used to help me with my science projects quite a bit, and looking back, I realize how much of the actual work was probably her doing rather than mine!
Looking back at my kid—who was already devouring books before they even hit five—I think I’d probably need to pick up a copy of the book if we didn't have it on our shelf or if the local library branch was out of stock. She’d likely breeze through the required reading in a day or two and then dive headfirst into all that creative stuff: making the pizza, drawing the illustrations, you name it. She’d be totally in the zone. Honestly, I’d probably just stay out of her way entirely, because let’s face it, I’d likely just end up being a distraction!
If you look at this from the perspective of a kid who just isn't into art—maybe someone who doesn't feel particularly talented at drawing or expressing themselves visually—this assignment feels like a total drag. Even if that kid is an amazing reader and genuinely loves getting lost in a good book, being forced to turn that passion into a creative project can feel like nothing but extra frustration. Honestly, looking back, that was exactly how I felt when I was in school. 😬)
From the perspective of a kid who struggles with reading—whether it’s due to dyslexia or just finding it hard to focus—simply getting them motivated enough to pick up a book is already a massive uphill battle. If they know there’s a "creative assignment" waiting for them afterward to prove how much they actually understood, I think that can feel like even more pressure. In the best-case scenario, the process usually goes one of two ways:
-They won't do a thing (unless a parent steps in to satisfy the teacher's assignment)... usually involving tears, lectures, and threats. Even more importantly, they just won't practice reading.
-They’ll tackle the creative part—since they’re good at art—but when it comes to the book and comprehension, they'll just have someone summarize the plot for them (doesn't necessarily have to be a parent) or they'll just watch the movie if there is one. Again, zero actual reading practice. They won't bother practicing writing either (like what we used to do)
In my opinion, assigned reading has lost its fundamental purpose in all these scenarios (though maybe that's just me), and it would be really interesting to actually study whether this way of handling literature increases an interest in reading or actually kills it...
(If nothing else, mathematically speaking, it reduces the amount of time that can be spent actually reading. But hey, if teachers are truly worried about kids spending too much time on TikTok and they hand out assignments like this, then fine—if people want them to just doodle and draw, go ahead, who's stopping them?)
Reading, especially reading comprehension, is the bedrock of education. It's the foundation for everything that follows (especially textbooks)
I think that amidst all these creative imperatives, the core mission has been lost 🤷
If we're talking about the current trends, which is where this discussion started.
But even looking further ahead, I feel bad that in the rush to "lighten the workload," we're actually burdening kids by making them avoid books and reading altogether.
Or perhaps the focus shifted to preschool age, because you see advertisements everywhere screaming about teaching kids to read from their earliest days... Well, if the goal is for them to learn how to read, to actually read, and to actually *love* reading, then that responsibility falls on the parents 🤔
