A classroom teacher’s view on homework

Homework can be a divisive subject in the education neighborhood, and we hope you can appreciate this instructors point of view. How do you communicate with families about homework?

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LE: What is your position on the concern of research?
When I answer this question, I respond to as a teacher and as the parent of school age children. I do see research as having a role in the educational process and I do not concur with Alfie Kohn (see post), who appears to believe homework is worthless, or even worse, has a negative impact. While Kohn asserts there is almost no research study that proves homework to be helpful, I did not see a persuading quantity of hard information to support getting rid of all homework.
Yes, the quantity of research need to be based upon the students age and grade level. As many Kindergarten-3rd grade instructors are self-contained, it ought to be relatively simple to provide math research one night, spelling or checking out one night, etc to prevent overloading 5 to 8-year-olds. Trainees should not become frustrated or bored if instructors are imaginative with assignments and in interacting the purpose of the assignment. Those are my objectives as a fourth-grade instructor. I see research to extend learning. Would I appoint 30 mathematics issues to students who I know would have problem with them, or to students who have demonstrated their understanding of the ability? No, in those cases, it is my job as the teacher to modify the tasks.
Our book points out it can take 24 repetitions of a skill for a trainee to reach 80% proficiency. Kohn points out how students may end up being better at remembering, but not thinking. I see this as 2 different things; we require trainees to remember specific facts and then move on to utilizing those skills as thinkers and issue solvers.
As a parent, it can be difficult to squeeze in homework some nights! My own children have brought house projects I believed inappropriate or too prolonged for one night. We do the very best we can, and if we have problems or concerns, I connect to the instructor. Knowing some trainees have little or no assistance in your home must be recognized by teachers. Again, great instructors make it an indicate understand what some house scenarios might be like and to customize appropriately. When possible, associates can work together, as explained in two extra course short articles, by developing a discovering lab or including “Drop-In” times throughout the school day
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I do see research as having a role in the educational procedure and I do not agree 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 advantageous, I did not see a convincing amount of difficult data to support doing away with all research.
Yes, the quantity of research should be based on the students age and grade level. As a lot of Kindergarten-3rd grade instructors are self-contained, it must be fairly easy to provide math homework one night, reading or spelling one night, and so on to prevent straining 5 to 8-year-olds. Homework can be a divisive topic in the education community, and we hope you can value this teachers point of view.

When thinking of homework, instructors find it useful to communicate their policy with the families of their trainees. After recently finishing a Learners Edge course, Jennifer Lindsey, a 4th grade teacher from Pennsylvania, reviewed her homework approach which includes the purposeful functions teachers and households play.

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