A classroom teacher’s view on homework

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

I do see research as having a function in the academic process and I do not concur with Alfie Kohn (see short article), who appears to believe research is useless, or even worse, has an unfavorable impact. While Kohn asserts there is almost no research that proves research to be advantageous, I did not see a persuading amount of tough data to support doing away with all research.
Yes, the amount of research must be based on the trainees age and grade level. As many Kindergarten-3rd grade instructors are self-contained, it ought to be fairly easy to provide mathematics homework one night, reading or spelling one night, and so on to avoid overloading 5 to 8-year-olds. Homework can be a divisive topic in the education neighborhood, and we hope you can appreciate this instructors point of view.

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

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LE: What is your position on the problem of research?
When I answer this question, I answer as an educator and as the parent of school age children. I do see research as having a role in the instructional process and I do not agree with Alfie Kohn (see article), who appears to believe research is useless, or worse, has an unfavorable impact. While Kohn asserts there is nearly no research study that shows homework to be useful, I did not see a convincing amount of hard information to support getting rid of all research.
Yes, the amount of research ought to be based on the students age and grade level. As most Kindergarten-3rd grade teachers are self-contained, it should be relatively simple to provide math research one night, reading or spelling one night, etc to prevent straining 5 to 8-year-olds. If teachers are innovative with projects and in interacting the function of the task, trainees must not become bored or disappointed. Those are my objectives as a fourth-grade instructor. I see homework to extend learning. Would I assign 30 math issues to students who I know would deal with them, or to students who have demonstrated their understanding of the skill? No, in those cases, it is my job as the teacher to modify the projects.
Our textbook points out it can take 24 repetitions of a skill for a trainee to reach 80% proficiency. Kohn points out how students may become much better at keeping in mind, however not thinking. I see this as 2 different things; we need trainees to keep in mind certain facts and then move on to utilizing those abilities as thinkers and issue solvers.
As a moms and dad, it can be hard to squeeze in research some nights! My own kids have brought house projects I believed unsuitable or too prolonged for one night. We do the very best we can, and if we have issues or concerns, I connect to the teacher. Knowing some students have little or no assistance in your home should be acknowledged by educators. Once again, excellent instructors make it a point to understand what some house situations might be like and to modify appropriately. When possible, associates can work together, as described in 2 supplemental course articles, by developing a finding out laboratory or incorporating “Drop-In” times during the school day
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