The other day, a snippet of conversation caught my attention and I’ve had a hard time letting it go.  The conversation was about a former student who has moved on to middle school and is having difficulty.  At the parent-teacher conference, the teacher inquired as to the parent’s involvement in homework and projects.  When the parent said she believes that homework and projects are the child’s responsibility, the teacher asked if the parent understood that at least 80% of students receive some level of parental assistance in completing their 6th grade projects.

80% or more of 6th grade students require parental assistance in order to succeed on projects?  What’s wrong with this picture?