LE: What is your position on the issue of research?
When I answer this question, I address as a teacher and as the parent of school age children. I do see research as having a function in the academic process and I do not agree with Alfie Kohn (see post), who appears to think research is useless, or worse, has an unfavorable impact. While Kohn asserts there is practically no research study that proves research to be helpful, I did not see a convincing amount of hard information to support getting rid of all homework.
Yes, the amount of homework ought to be based upon the trainees age and grade level. As most Kindergarten-3rd grade instructors are self-contained, it needs to be reasonably basic to offer math research one night, reading or spelling one night, etc to prevent straining 5 to 8-year-olds. If teachers are creative with assignments and in communicating the function of the project, students ought to not end up being annoyed or bored. Those are my goals as a fourth-grade instructor. I see research to extend learning. Would I assign 30 math problems to trainees who I understand would battle with them, or to trainees who have shown their understanding of the ability? No, in those cases, it is my task as the teacher to modify the tasks.
Our book mentions it can take 24 repetitions of an ability for a trainee to reach 80% competency. I believe practicing skills is rewarding. Kohns comparison with tennis does not make sense to me. There are skills in tennis you should practice to improve. There are fundamental mathematics skills children should practice to develop a strong foundation prior to proceeding to higher-level mathematics abilities. Kohn explains how trainees may progress at keeping in mind, however not thinking. I see this as 2 various things; we need students to keep in mind particular facts and then move on to utilizing those skills as thinkers and issue solvers.
As a parent, it can be hard to squeeze in research some nights! We do the finest we can, and if we have concerns or problems, I reach out to the teacher. Once again, excellent instructors make it a point to know what some house circumstances may be like and to customize appropriately.

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

When believing about homework, instructors find it helpful to interact their policy with the families of their students. After just recently finishing a Learners Edge course, Jennifer Lindsey, a fourth grade instructor from Pennsylvania, reviewed her homework philosophy that includes the purposeful functions teachers and households play.

I do see research as having a function in the academic procedure and I do not concur with Alfie Kohn (see article), who appears to think homework is worthless, or even worse, has an unfavorable effect. While Kohn asserts there is almost no research study that shows homework to be helpful, I did not see a persuading amount of difficult data to support doing away with all homework.
Yes, the amount of homework should be based on the students age and grade level. As many Kindergarten-3rd grade teachers are self-contained, it needs to be fairly easy to give math homework one night, reading or spelling one night, etc to avoid overwhelming 5 to 8-year-olds. Research can be a dissentious subject in the education community, and we hope you can appreciate this instructors point of view.