A classroom teacher’s view on homework

When thinking about research, teachers find it advantageous to communicate their policy with the families of their students. After recently finishing a Learners Edge course, Jennifer Lindsey, a 4th grade instructor from Pennsylvania, reviewed her homework viewpoint which consists of the purposeful functions teachers and households play.

Homework can be a divisive subject in the education neighborhood, and we hope you can value this teachers point of view. How do you interact with households about homework?

LE: What is your position on the problem of homework?
When I answer this question, I respond to as an educator and as the parent of school age children. I do see homework as having a function in the academic process and I do not concur with Alfie Kohn (see post), who appears to believe homework is useless, or even worse, has a negative effect. While Kohn asserts there is practically no research study that shows research to be useful, I did not see a convincing amount of difficult information to support getting rid of all research.
Yes, the amount of research need to be based on the students age and grade level. As many Kindergarten-3rd grade teachers are self-contained, it needs to be reasonably easy to give math research one night, checking out or spelling one night, etc to avoid straining 5 to 8-year-olds. Students should not end up being bored or annoyed if teachers are innovative with tasks and in communicating the function of the project. Those are my goals as a fourth-grade instructor. I see homework to extend learning. Would I designate 30 mathematics issues to students who I understand would struggle with them, or to students who have shown their understanding of the ability? No, in those cases, it is my task as the instructor to modify the assignments.
Our book points out it can take 24 repetitions of an ability for a student to reach 80% proficiency. Kohn points out how students may become better at remembering, however not believing. I see this as 2 different things; we need trainees to keep in mind certain facts and then move on to using those abilities 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 believed inappropriate or too lengthy for one night. We do the finest we can, and if we have concerns or issues, I reach out to the instructor. Understanding some students have little or no support at house need to be recognized by teachers. Once again, good instructors make it an indicate understand what some house situations may be like and to modify appropriately. When possible, associates can interact, as described in 2 extra course short articles, by developing a learning laboratory or incorporating “Drop-In” times during the school day
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I do see homework as having a role in the instructional process and I do not concur with Alfie Kohn (see article), who appears to think research is useless, or even worse, has a negative impact. While Kohn asserts there is practically no research that shows research to be useful, I did not see a persuading quantity of tough information to support doing away with all homework.
Yes, the quantity of homework ought to be based on the trainees age and grade level. As the majority of Kindergarten-3rd grade instructors are self-contained, it needs to be relatively simple to give math research one night, reading or spelling one night, etc to prevent overwhelming 5 to 8-year-olds. Homework can be a dissentious topic in the education neighborhood, and we hope you can value this instructors point of view.

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