When Jamal opened the door, his mother could tell something was wrong. He looked like he was going to cry.
"Jamal, what is the matter?" his mother asked.
"HOMEWORK!" he shouted. "Homework ! Yuck! I will not do any more homework."
Now, Jamal’s mother was quite concerned. She had never heard Jamal talk like that and she had no idea that he didn’t like doing his homework.
In fact, each time she asked Jamal if he had done his homework, he would always answer "yes".
"My teacher wants to meet with you," Jamal said.
"That’s fine," his mother said. "But I would like to talk to you before we meet with your teacher. I think now is the perfect time,"
Jamal and his mother talked for a long time and all the while his mother was writing things down. Jamal chuckled to himself as she wrote. It was as if she was doing homework, and do you know what? She was.
Then his mother said, "Jamal, now that we are done, I want you to do the best you can on your homework tonight. Tomorrow morning we will go to school together." Jamal agreed and his mother continued with her homework.
The next day Jamal, his mother, and his teacher met before school started. Jamal was frightened. He didn’t know what to expect and it was all his fault for not doing his homework. "Homework! Yuck!" he mumbled to himself. "I heard that," his teacher said.
Then his mother spoke, "Jamal and I discussed the situation last night and I assure you he will be doing his homework in the future. I also think you need to listen to his reasons. They are reasons, and not excuses. Please let Jamal explain to you as he did to me."
Well, Jamal was really frightened now. He had to talk to the teacher and tell her why he didn’t do his homework. Jamal thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and began talking.
"I need time to have some fun. I spend all day in school and then my teachers want me to spend the rest of the day doing homework."
"I like to spend time with my mother, brother, and sister. I also have to do my chores and help my mom since my dad doesn’t live with us."
"When I really try to do my homework, it takes too long and I can’t help my mom. I know this makes her sad and sometimes angry."
"Sometimes I get so much homework I have to copy some of it from my friends. I know that is cheating, but I want to turn something in."
"When I have done my homework it takes so long to get it back that I can’t learn from it. Meanwhile, you are teaching something else. I just get lost."
Jamal’s teacher thought for a moment and then said: "I never realized you were so smart. You have made some very good points and I need to consider them. In fact, all the teachers need to hear them. I will consider your comments before I assign homework in the future. I would like you to talk to all the teachers. Will you do that?"
Jamal agreed and he spoke to all the teachers, parents, and students at the school’s next Open House. He was frightened but he made excellent points. In fact, the school changed the way they assigned homework. It was easier on the students and they were able to complete it and learn. They also had some time to play and spend time with their families.
Now, Jamal does his homework and actually looks forward to doing it. Now his mother doesn’t have to ask if it is done.
