A classroom teacher’s view on homework

Homework can be a divisive subject in the education community, and we hope you can appreciate this teachers perspective. We wish to hear your ideas about homework. What is your approach? How do you communicate with families about research?

LE: What is your position on the issue of homework?
When I address this concern, I respond to as an educator and as the parent of school age children. I do see research as having a role in the educational procedure and I do not concur with Alfie Kohn (see article), who appears to believe homework is worthless, or even worse, has an unfavorable impact. While Kohn asserts there is practically no research that shows research to be beneficial, I did not see a convincing quantity of hard data to support eliminating all research.
Yes, the quantity of research need to be based upon the trainees age and grade level. As the majority of Kindergarten-3rd grade instructors are self-contained, it should be relatively basic to offer mathematics research one night, spelling or reading one night, and so on to prevent straining 5 to 8-year-olds. Students should not end up being bored or annoyed if instructors are innovative with tasks and in interacting the function of the project. Those are my objectives as a fourth-grade teacher. I see research to extend learning. Would I appoint 30 math issues to trainees who I understand would struggle with them, or to students who have demonstrated their understanding of the skill? No, in those cases, it is my task as the teacher to modify the projects.
Our textbook explains it can take 24 repeatings of a skill for a trainee to reach 80% proficiency. I think practicing skills is worthwhile. Kohns contrast with tennis does not make good sense to me. There are abilities in tennis you should practice to enhance. There are basic math skills children must practice to develop a solid structure prior to moving on to higher-level math skills. Kohn points out how trainees might progress at keeping in mind, but not thinking. I see this as 2 different things; we require trainees to keep in mind certain facts and then carry on to utilizing those skills as thinkers and issue solvers.
As a parent, it can be challenging to squeeze in homework some nights! My own children have actually brought home tasks I believed unsuitable or too lengthy for one night. We do the very best we can, and if we have problems or issues, I connect to the teacher. Understanding some trainees have little or no assistance in your home need to be acknowledged by educators. Again, great teachers make it an indicate know what some home circumstances might be like and to customize appropriately. When possible, associates can interact, as explained in two extra course articles, by establishing a finding out lab or including “Drop-In” times during the school day
.

When thinking about research, teachers find it advantageous to communicate their policy with the households of their trainees. After just recently completing a Learners Edge course, Jennifer Lindsey, a fourth grade instructor from Pennsylvania, reflected on her homework approach that includes the purposeful roles instructors and households play.

I do see homework as having a role in the academic process and I do not agree with Alfie Kohn (see article), who appears to think research is worthless, or worse, has a negative impact. While Kohn asserts there is nearly no research study that shows research to be advantageous, I did not see a convincing quantity of tough data to support doing away with all research.
Yes, the quantity of homework must be based on the students age and grade level. As most Kindergarten-3rd grade teachers are self-contained, it must be reasonably simple to give math research one night, reading or spelling one night, etc to avoid overloading 5 to 8-year-olds. Homework can be a divisive subject in the education community, and we hope you can value this instructors point of view.

.

You may also like...