A classroom teacher’s view on homework

LE: What is your position on the concern of research?
I address as an educator and as the parent of school age children when I answer this question. I do see research as having a role in the instructional process and I do not concur with Alfie Kohn (see post), who appears to think homework is useless, or worse, has an unfavorable impact. While Kohn asserts there is nearly no research study that proves research to be advantageous, I did not see a persuading quantity of tough information to support eliminating all homework.
Yes, the quantity of research must be based on the students age and grade level. As the majority of Kindergarten-3rd grade instructors are self-contained, it ought to be relatively easy to give math research one night, spelling or checking out one night, etc to prevent overwhelming 5 to 8-year-olds. If teachers are innovative with tasks and in communicating the function of the task, students ought to not become frustrated or bored. Those are my goals as a fourth-grade teacher. I see homework to extend learning. Would I designate 30 mathematics problems to trainees who I know would battle 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 repeatings of a skill for a trainee to reach 80% competency. Kohn points out how students may become better at remembering, but not thinking. I see this as 2 various things; we need students to remember specific realities and then move on to using those skills as thinkers and problem solvers.
As a parent, it can be difficult to squeeze in homework some nights! My own children have brought house tasks I thought too lengthy or improper for one night. We do the best we can, and if we have issues or issues, I reach out to the instructor. Knowing some trainees have little or no assistance at home must be recognized by educators. Once again, excellent teachers make it a point to understand what some house situations may resemble and to modify appropriately. When possible, colleagues can interact, as explained in 2 extra course short articles, by establishing 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 instructional process and I do not agree with Alfie Kohn (see post), who appears to believe homework is worthless, or worse, has an unfavorable impact. While Kohn asserts there is almost no research study that shows research to be helpful, I did not see a convincing quantity of hard data to support doing away with all research.
Yes, the amount of homework must be based on the students age and grade level. As a lot of Kindergarten-3rd grade teachers are self-contained, it ought to be fairly basic to give math homework one night, reading or spelling one night, and so on to prevent overwhelming 5 to 8-year-olds. Homework can be a dissentious subject in the education community, and we hope you can value this instructors point of view.

When thinking about homework, teachers discover it useful to communicate their policy with the households of their students. After just recently completing a Learners Edge course, Jennifer Lindsey, a fourth grade instructor from Pennsylvania, showed on her homework approach that includes the purposeful functions instructors and families play.

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Research can be a dissentious topic in the education neighborhood, and we hope you can appreciate this instructors point of view. How do you communicate with households about research?

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