Project Run Away

Raise your hands if you are a mom who helps their kids on their homework, especially on their art projects.


I know that they are supposed to be the ones to do these things, talking about honesty over grades. But hey, if you are have a son like my Paolo, who can't cut art paper straight, and he is already a senior high, then for your peace of mind, you are better off to do the project than let him have a go at it, only to find out later that you have to re-do everything.

When I was still in school, although I have a little talent in craftmaking (ahem!), I still called my mother for help (and our helpers)--especially when it was already crunch time, and I was still halfway on the rug project, and the deadline would be the next day. Luckily, I was never questioned by my teacher, nor I felt guilty of submitting the projects. Nagpuyat din naman kasi ako. Salamat, Ms. Sanchez et al,  I almost always got good grades in Art.


But Pao's a different case. He wanted to try doing it on his own, but the results would always be disastrous. Always. So I have to try recovering what can be salvaged from his work to make it more presentable to the teacher and to deserve a grade of at least 80 (yun na lang ang aim ko!). I tell him to let me do it the first time, to save on the materials, time, and space in our trash can. Nowadays, he doesn't fight me on this anymore. 


And his latest 'project'? A Christmas lantern. Anu ba, I asked Pao. Do you have to be assigned to make a crappy project like this which can't even teach you a skill to go to a university, much less to improve the economy in the future? Projects are supposed to enhance a skill  or teach the student something relevant. Why do these teachers still ask their 4th year students to make a parol? Can't they assign them with robots or circuits or some high-tech things like those? While other school children of their age are tinkering with making their own computers or programs, my son is forced to make a parol. Seriously?


Anyway, after my verbal diatribe on how their schools sucks, I still started doing his project. Now take a peek at my latest obra. I wonder what grade WE would get?