In many schools in Virginia there are summer assignments. These assignments are for students to continue learning year round. Teachers design these assignments so that students are prepared for the curriculum, it is easier to grade, and structure is applied.

Teachers know what is expected in classes before the students. So if the teacher creates the projects then students will have prepared prior knowledge. Such as a student is going to take a new math class the next year. The teacher expects that student to have formulas memorized but the student does not know that until they are already behind in the class. If they are given projects to find and research this prior knowledge they will be prepared for that math class. If no context is given to a person how will they answer the question? They will answer with more questions.

When a teacher makes an assignment they know exactly what they want. The student may infer close to what the teacher expects. This leaves little room for interpretation on the students part. While if a student is only given a large subject area to create a project over the summer they are left to create anything they feel fits in the subject. The teacher has to make sure the rubric is broad enough to accept most projects but detailed enough to put a real grade to it. The teacher will then have to work harder to grade and understand how the project fits in the subject. They, depending on the size of the classes, could have hundreds of projects to grade and interpret.

Structure is always needed to keep a student on track. A clear rubric allows for a student to know exactly how they will be graded. If a student is left to interpret something they will also have a very broad rubric. The rubric will be written by the teacher who is grading it. This means even if the student creates the project the teacher still put parameters on the student leading it back to being a teacher made project. There would be no reason to create the project if there is no grading system. This would slowly tear down the structure of the school system. This failing of structure would leave students to have to teach themselves and they would become uninterested and not learn anything.

Teacher led assignments give a path to preparation, grading, and structure. Without easier grading methods the teachers will even more over worked. Without prior knowledge to the class students will fail even more. Without structure within assignments schools would become anarchies. In the end, teacher created projects allow for less stress on both parties.