A classroom teacher’s view on homework

Research can be a dissentious topic in the education neighborhood, and we hope you can appreciate this teachers perspective. We would like to hear your ideas about research. What is your viewpoint? How do you communicate with families about homework?

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When believing about research, instructors find it helpful to communicate their policy with the households of their students. After recently completing a Learners Edge course, Jennifer Lindsey, a fourth grade teacher from Pennsylvania, reviewed her homework approach that includes the purposeful roles instructors and households play.

I do see homework as having a role in the instructional process and I do not concur with Alfie Kohn (see short article), who appears to believe homework is useless, or worse, has a negative impact. While Kohn asserts there is nearly no research that proves homework to be helpful, I did not see a persuading quantity of difficult data to support doing away with all homework.
Yes, the amount of homework need to be based on the trainees age and grade level. As the majority of Kindergarten-3rd grade instructors are self-contained, it must be fairly basic to give mathematics research one night, spelling or reading one night, etc to prevent overwhelming 5 to 8-year-olds. Research can be a divisive topic in the education community, and we hope you can appreciate this teachers point of view.

LE: What is your position on the issue of homework?
I answer as a teacher and as the parent of school age children when I answer this concern. I do see research as having a function in the instructional procedure and I do not agree with Alfie Kohn (see article), who appears to think research is useless, or worse, has an unfavorable effect. While Kohn asserts there is practically no research study that proves research to be useful, I did not see a persuading amount of difficult information to support getting rid of all homework.
Yes, the quantity of research ought to be based on the trainees age and grade level. As most Kindergarten-3rd grade instructors are self-contained, it needs to be fairly basic to offer math research one night, checking out or spelling one night, etc to avoid overloading 5 to 8-year-olds. Students must not become bored or disappointed if instructors are creative with projects and in communicating the purpose of the assignment. Those are my objectives as a fourth-grade instructor. I see research to extend knowing. Would I designate 30 math problems to trainees who I understand would fight with them, or to students who have shown their understanding of the skill? No, in those cases, it is my job as the teacher to modify the projects.
Our textbook explains it can take 24 repeatings of an ability for a student to reach 80% competency. I think practicing skills is worthwhile. Kohns comparison with tennis does not make sense to me. There are abilities in tennis you need to practice to enhance. There are standard mathematics skills children need to practice to construct a solid structure prior to carrying on to higher-level math skills. Kohn points out how trainees may end up being better at remembering, but not believing. I see this as 2 different things; we require trainees to keep in mind specific facts and then move on to using those skills as thinkers and issue solvers.
As a parent, it can be challenging to squeeze in homework some nights! My own kids have actually brought house projects I believed inappropriate or too prolonged for one night. We do the very best we can, and if we have issues or issues, I reach out to the instructor. Understanding some trainees have little or no support at home must be recognized by teachers. Once again, great instructors make it an indicate understand what some house circumstances may be like and to customize accordingly. When possible, colleagues can interact, as explained in 2 additional course posts, by establishing a finding out lab or incorporating “Drop-In” times during the school day
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