Welcome! Here is your place to share your reflections on your reading over The Five Beliefs and Forces Behind Homework. Do you disagree or agree? What are some concerns, suggestions, or experiences you would like to share?
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Teachers will argue all day long about homework. As a lower elementary teacher I feel homework should be given only if is given to help master a skill being taught or if the student is wanting to learn more about a topic being taught. SOme sudents may need more time to master skills and therefore time outside the classroom is necessary. It is important that teachers instill in students the value and joy of learning and how much there is to learn. If homework is used to instill the value and joy of learning it should be used. Please do not use it as busy work. As for the comment about "homework is not necessary if the teacher does a good job of teaching"---well we are only human not miracle workers.
Early Bird
Homework is a part of our culture, not just relating to school. Let's think about our job as teachers. Who of us leaves school and never does any "homework"? I think it would be safe to say none. I think it is important to instill a responsibility that will be with the students in all aspects of their lives, but agree that it does not need to be in arduous amounts. At another school I taught at we gave homework every night except friday that included reading for 15-30 minutes and alternated between R/LA and math. I felt it worked well and was sufficient for practice, routine, responsibility, commitment in doing and turning in, but also allowed for the children to have a social life. A social and active life is just as important as an academic one.
I agree with both of the comments made on the importance of homework. Homework should be used to reinforce lessons taught during the day, not as busy work or punishment. I think all kids benefit from extra practice at night on the skills they were introduced to during the day. Plus it gives the parents a way to see what the children are learning at school. We give homework only Monday through Thursday here, so the students still have their weekends free.
Families have changed. We've tried to make homework more family-friendly by having a weekly assignment. Parents of GT students want more; parents of challenged students want less--or don't support it at all. Re: homework as more of an exercise in responsibility--there's plenty of time in third grade and beyond to develop this kind of responsibility. Ideally, reading at home is the perfect homework. One good thing about homework is that it provides an opportunity for busy parents (jobs, video games, cell phones) to talk to their kids. But does homework really maintain skills? I think not. Has anyone ever done the proper research?
I believe that homework should be a reinforcement of what the students learn in the classroom. It should be developmentally appropriate and should only take 10-20 minutes a day. I don't believe that sending lots of worksheets helps, it is like doing a lot of memorization and drills in the classroom. Plus homework should be something that the child can do independently; we cannot assume that the student gets help at home.
I agree with the belief that we, as educators should expose children to the love of learning. I don't think that is accomplished through homework. Homework does not teach responsibility or a love of learning. It seems more like a punishment to students. I did agree with the statement that 10 minutes of homework instead of 60 is more reasonable, if one decides to assign it. I believe it is best to encourage reading or watching an educational television show for homework rather than a written assignment. Homework is from a time gone by. Education needs to stop doing the same old thing over and over and then wonder why things don't get better. We need to change with the times and forget homework.
As a teacher and a single mother I stand on both sides of the argument. I understand the importance of some homework but when you have to work late and get get home late problems may arise. My kids have to eat dinner, bath, and get ready for school the next day; the decision then becomes whether or not to make them stay up late to do homework or let them get a good nights rest so they can be ready to learn in school the next day; this decision is a hard one at times. I was told by one teacher that homework should not take more than 30 minutes a night. Well they are supposed to read for 20 twenty minutes as well. What happens if it takes them a lot longer? As a parent of children that are ADHD it becomes extremely frustrating for my children and for me having to sit up late hours trying to get a sleepy child to focus and complete several worksheets. If the assignment given is beneficial for my child's learning then by all means yes give homework, but if it just to give them something to do after school for busywork please just don't.
When I think back on the most vivid learning experiences of my life, they were directly related to my emotions and feelings. They sparked my interest, stirred my excitement and/or pulled at my heart. It was the history in the stories told by my parents and grand parents, working with my family on our ranch, summer vacations to historical sites, ever-changing landscapes or simply playing and exploring with other kids in the neighborhood. At the time, I thought it was just play, but I realize now that it was creating, inquiring, experimenting and discovering. It was making connections with what I learned in school to what I learned outside of school. Isn't that what learning is all about?
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the teachers that taught me mathematical facts, sentence structure and grammar, to name a few. They also taught me how to practice through repetition to become better skilled at something. The really good teachers encouraged me to use this knowledge to create and discover.
I agree that homework should reinforce what's learned in the classroom and be age appropriate. Students should be able to do the work without the help of an adult. Let's face it, many parents are not able to help or choose not to help with homework. The time should be very limited, the assignments should encourage creativity and discovery and it does not need to be assigned everyday. Children need time each day for exercise, play and social interactions with others outside of the classroom. Homework should not take the place of these valuable learning activities.
More is not always best for homework. I believe students should have homework, but it should be short and meaningful. If a student can show that they understand a concept by solving 5 problems then why do they need to do 25? We should be focusing on quality, not quanity.
Homework should be meaningful! It should reinforce concepts taught in the classroom on a given day or week. Homework should meet individual needs. Some students need more practice than others. I realize giving students different amounts and kinds of homework may cause issues, but if you are individualizing instruction on a daily basis in the classroom it should be more easily accepted for homework.
I think homework should be given as a means of reviewing what has been learned in the classroom. It should be developmentally appropriate and not take more than 15 minutes. Homework is another way of keeping structure for what life has to bring down the road.
Let's just get to the point. I'm a hater of homework with the exeception of reading aloud with an adult for 15 minutes a day. Clear out all the philosophical arguments of being life-long learners and let's be realistic. As a teaching tool, it is pretty weak. No one knows if Mom,Dad, Grandma, babysitter or the actual student gets the A. My heart goes out to the kid who actually has to do the work all alone. Here's a kid whose parents are either absent or "absent". You can, however, notice when a student practices reading at night with an adult. I think you get the most bang for your buck with the reading practice. Everything else can wait. We do our best during the day to reach all students. I think, especially for K-2, it should be kept at school.
Homework does have some value depending on what has been assigned and its purpose. If assigned it should be for practice, it should be limited and evenly assigned. There are times my children have had various homework assignments placed upon them all due at the same time. There are only so many hours in the day and we all know that. Just the word homework takes the fun out of learning.
One thing is to criticize excessive and/or fruitless homework; a different thing is to claim that homework is worthless. If we agree that the school day is not long enough to teach the curriculum then some of the learning and reinforcement needs to take place at home. A moderate amount of homework can achieve a number of goals to which we pay lip-service. We want the parents involved in their children's education? Have students read with and to their parents. We want students to be prepared for college? Most of the work in college is homework, not classwork. It'll be a shock for any student not used to this reality to suddenly be asked to do work outside the lecture hall. We say that a student needs to hear, use and practice a bit of learning thirty-something times before they can own it? Have one third of these times happen at home.
Private schools vs public schools probably have a ratio of 3:1 in the amount of homework they give. Usually, the better a private school is, the more homework it gives (ask any parent or student of St. John's School). Ceteris paribus, if a school has the support to give a good amount of homework and the students have the motivation and/or parental demand to do it, will the students not perform better? If you are a parent paying that amount of tuition, you make sure your child gets the work done; unless you are so wealthy you can afford to throw your money in Junior's "eddication."
Finally, did you learn from doing homework? I would not be writing in a language that is not my first language had it not been for the homework I had to do in English grammar, spelling and vocabulary.
I believe there is plenty of time in life to learn responsibility and at the early elementary age that is about getting to school and being ready to learn at school. I didn't have homework until 4th grade and I think of myself as a responsible adult. Also, with all the homework assigned student don't have time to do chores at home and consider themselves above that and parents are becoming maids because homework comes first. Students go home and do not have to think about what they have to do, just do as told and when it is told, no learning of time management.
In regard to homework being an extension, this is difficult for young students to do independently and the only homework that should ever be assigned should be something students can do independently. Often times teachers think parents should be involved and this would be wonderful if all parents were available to work with their student/s. Most are not. Dinner, being sure students exercise, groom, get enough sleep and/or earning a living at night make the possibility for equity impossible.
Brain development is not just gained through intellectual activity but other activities as well including PLAY- Research based.
There is room for assigning practice of what has already been mastered at school. Some students need more practice than others.
Many private schools with a rigorous reputation give a lot of homework. 1. These parents have the means to pay someone to help their student do homework 2. If the student doesn't do, they may get kicked out of the school and the parent will do whatever it takes for their student to do the work, even if the year before, they did not do their homework in public school and 3. if they got into the school with all this homework, they are likely to be able to comeplete with limited parent involvement.
Some students can make independent connections to what they learn in school and the "real world". Homework for those students can look different. Those students may or may not need to drill and practice and then they are wasting their time with the drill and kill.
As another blogger put it, I remember learning and I do not ever remember it being when I was doing homework. That is not even how I learned responsibility. I think that many educators would like to try and control what happens at home and use homework as a way to do this.
Homework should reinforce learning in the classroom, however it should not be a lengthy assignment. Reading is the most important homework we can give.
I agree with both of the comments made on the importance of homework. Homework should be used to reinforce lessons taught during the day, not as busy work or punishment. I think all kids benefit from extra practice at night on the skills they were introduced to during the day. One good thing about homework is that it provides an opportunity for busy parents (jobs, video games, cell phones) to talk to their kids. But does homework really maintain skills? I think not.
Homework is necessary not only for students to practice and master a certain objective, but to also teach them to prioritize as well as to teach them to be responsible. I don't believe in giving students homework for homework sake. There's has to be a defined and specific purpose for the task.
I don't believe that lots of homework is a sign of a "rigorous" curriculum. To me, homework should be individualized. I do believe that homework "promotes responsibility." I disagree that responsibility equals obedience. I don't want my students to complete homework because it shows dominance on my part. I want my students to complete homework to strengthen their skills. Homework should be short and to the point, and it should be directed toward individual needs.
Homework for the students in my Science Class has become a part of our culture. The HAPG requires that a lot of information be covered in a certain about of time. It is my experience that adding required work for homework is one way that I am able to cover the curriculum. The expectation for home being assigned is already in place when the students get to fourth grade.
I feel giving homework that reinforces a skill learned that week is important. I do not give it as a punishment, for enjoyment, or as busy work. The homework I give has a purpose. It helps the parents see where his or her child might be struggling as well. I tell the parents it is not the end of the world if they miss a day or do not complete it.
I agree with everyone who said that homework should be used as reinforcement. It's not a punishment, and should be fun and meaningful for the student. I also think it helps to give responsibility and some sort of structure beyond tv and video games.
Homework can be valuable if used in the correct way - not busy work, punishment or to just give homework for the sake of having a homework assignment. It should reinforce an objective that is being taught at school. My parents and students appreciate their homework. I actually have students thank me when I give them a homework assignment as my assignments are short and hopefully meaningful. It allows them to make academic connections between home and school. Teachers need to be on top of students that are spending more than 30 minutes on homework and along with the parent address the individual student's problem and make adjustments.
I might give a student an activitiy to do at home; usually I do more activities in class the next day. I learn and understand more by watching the student do activities in class. Independent reading of self-selected material is what I expect every student to do every day in school and away from school. I do not grade homework.
I agree with early bird. A student's homework should reflect the skill or skills being taught in the classroom. I don't agree with giving homework as busy work; it should have a purpose. As a lower elementary grade teacher homework has been a form of communication with most of my parents. It has allowed my parents to see what their child is doing in class and how well they are mastering or not mastering the skills of the week. My kids enjoy doing homework, most of them ask for more. One of my students even asked if I could send home an extra homework packet with her so she could teach her brother at home because she pretends to be me and play school.
I agree that homework should be given in a limited amount. Homework for my third graders should not take more than 30 minutes! The statement that perhaps we should help students find what they are passionate about is very important to my as a teacher. There is nothing better than a student coming to share with you their excitement over something new they discovered or something that they are very good at. Every year I always have a student with a unique intest. Last year it was the Civil War and this year it is airplanes.
As a Pre-K teacher I believe that homework should be linked to real life activities (i.e. sorting vegetables while helping mom in the kitchen, counting spoons while setting the table, helping mom with shopping list, etc.). Students need to find purpose in their learning and real life activities provide the best environment to achieve so.
This article says a lot about our entire educational system--not just homework. Remember when you were in high school and you questioned "the relevance" of what you were learning? Think back to how you felt and this is how most students feel about the busywork called homework. If the skills have been mastered, let them be, and design a plan that will inspire students to pursue projects that elevate their intellect. If the skills need some tweaking, think about a fun way to reinforce them. Infuse your own special subject with ideas from other disciplines. If you teach science, let music teach your students about sound and make their own instruments or at a more advanced level, research what other instrument makers have done. If you teach art, let the culture of the artist teach the class for you and suggest a field trip. There are so many ways to learn the same information. Homework is usually repetition and such repetition can be the death of curiosity.
Busy homework is not rigor. However, a student that mastered a concept can take things to another level by going up the Bloom's Taxonomy chain. Sometimes homework is given because it is needed for extra practice other times it is given because it is protocol.
The article made me realize that I have given just busy homekork a lot of times. I take my time to check it, and students check it in small groups, which I think is valuable; however, I seldom differentiate. Differentiating homework assignments would really motivate some of my students who don't do it becuase they are not challenged or inspired by the assignment.
I agree with all parts of this article. It's really hard to be the teacher who does not assign. Some of the kids say they love it, the principal says to send it, other teachers think you're a slacker! Reading this made me think of other kinds of homework assignments that would let me learn about my students: Have them fill out a chart telling what they did at different time periods at home. Have them fill it out through the afternoon and night. I'm sure it would be very revealing. also, have them list things they notice in their surrounds to have them focus on observing what's around them. I'm going to keep thinking along this path and try some new homework assignments.
I agree with the posts that state homework should be a reinforcement of what is learned in the classroom and should not just busy work. While at the same time, I am also, as one blogger stated, a "hater of homework". Weekday evenings in a household is extremely busy these days and the school day is also packed and often stressful.
However, the routine and discipline that homework may provide can be beneficial to learning if it supports the learning that is happening in the classroom and is not overwhelming time consuming.
As a reading teacher, I would like to encourage my students to read at home and hopefull this can become a relaxing and enjoyable activity (not a component of perpetual stress). I will continue to ponder ways to let this be my homework assignment while inspiring and supporting their "at home reading" from school. Hopefully this will develop students who become lifelong readers and and adults with active imaginations!
I think homework is a valuable educational tool when it is used appropriately. Giving students worksheets that have no value or connection to in-class learning are not valid homework assigments. Assignments that are fun, interesting, and challenging to students that connect school learning to home practice are worth-while assignments that will help students retain what they have learned in school and connect it to other learning situations. This also means that not every student needs the same homework. Differentiating homework to meet students' needs will facilitate student learning.
When I first started teaching, I thought homework should be used to help students acquire skills that they hadn't mastered already: things that I taught but haven't been completely mastered. I thought parents should help, just like my parents did. But within a few weeks I realized that most of my students' parents didn't speak English, so they couldn't help with their children's homework, whether they wanted to or not. So then I realized that, at least for my students, homework had to be work that the students could do independently. Now I know that is what homework should be.
I use homework as a reinforcemnet of the curriculum. I teach 1st grade so reading fluency is a high priority, as comprehension of independent reading will soon follow. I find that even with supportive home environments, some children still have a great reluctance to practice reading at home for reinforcement. I use a reward/recognition system to keep them on their toes using weekly fluency checks. I also keep the parents informed when they've shown regression so they can reinforce them at home. I give ample time for completion of their other reading packets so they can self pace.
I agree with the article that it isn't fair to cast a judgement on a child as disciplined or undisciplined, lazy or not lazy, based on whether they successfully do homework. It is really easy and tempting to do that, but I try to get to know my families and their situations. Then I give reasonable support and suggestions on how to motivate their children to be more involved in keeping up and doing their best.
HOMEWORK!!!!
I think:
-Homework should be differentiated if time permits.
-Students must receive feedback about their homework.
-Cheer students up who tried completing their homework because not all students will complete it well, but at least they are trying.
-Homework must not be busywork.
-Homework can be used to reinforce concepts before the concepts are tested formally for the student's report card.
I teach 1st or 2nd grade and assign homework every day. I used to have no-homework on Fridays but that just created confusion and parents were asking if I assigned homework on other days of the week. If for whatever reason I do not hand out homework any day, students and parents know their default homework is to read 20 minutes at home and write about what they read. Some students need extra practice on computation problems or can learn better to count money or read time if they work at home with a parent or older sibling. I do not grade homework and there is no punishment or reward associated with homework except for the fact that doing or missing on homework is in itself the reward or consequence.
As a teacher and as a mom, I would rather have children read at home just for fun or creating a math problem if that is the case of the subject than having them do a worksheet of homework. I do not object projects only if they do not require a student to spend hours on research or preparing a display. I am a huge fan of sports and I'd rather have a student in the classroom who is refreshed and a little sore from exercising the day before than one who is falling asleep because he had to do homework till 9 pm the previous night.
Homework should reinforce objectives, be meaningful, and not time consuming for parents and students. Many home activities or chores can be used to reinforce objectives and apply meaning to real life situations. Various core subjects can be integrated from one activity to enhance comprehension.
I personally think that homework is a method used to reinforce objectives. I think it is important to extend the learning beyond the school walls and expand the learning to the home. I understand the importance of differentiation when it comes to homework. I think it is tangential to differentiation in the classroom. I also think that it is important that homework is taken home so that parents are (hopefully) involved and understanding of what is going on in the classroom. I liked the idea posted earlier about how everyone has homework in the "real world". Who really gets to come home without any homework? Especially with email. The homework debate is a topic that I find very interesting, although I do think it is a necessity.
I believe homework to be useful to extend learning and practice concepts that were just taught in class. It should not be used as punishment or busywork. Reinforcement of skills is important, but also homework should include some open ended questionsto provoke and spark new ideas.
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