Various letters have been written about homework given out by a teacher to be done over the Christmas holidays.

Most did not object to homework as such, but emphasised that the amount should be ‘reasonable’.

At this juncture, one should suggest that the amount of homework given out in this instance was not intended to be handed in the next day but rather, according to Giovanni Demartino, the pupil had 11 plus five days to do it!

Do I take it that this poor student still had excessive homework had she spread it out in 11 installments?

Did anyone consider that this ‘excessive’ amount of homework, sometime or another has to be corrected by the same one teacher?

It is not the amount of holidays which teachers have that should be highlighted but the excessive hours each week they devote to the children s’ education, the lessons preperation time, the parents’ meetings, problem solving and homework correction. I know teachers who spend 70 hours a week in school related activities without any extra pay, I may add, while the children’s’ parents enjoy their 40-hour work week and are paid time and a half for any extra work they are required to do.

I know first hand because my daughter is a teacher.

J Martinelli

London, Ontario

Canada