A classroom teacher’s view on homework

When considering homework, teachers find it useful to interact their policy with the households of their trainees. After just recently completing a Learners Edge course, Jennifer Lindsey, a fourth grade teacher from Pennsylvania, reviewed her homework approach which includes the purposeful roles teachers and families play.

Research can be a divisive topic in the education community, and we hope you can value this teachers point of view. We would like to hear your thoughts about homework. What is your viewpoint? How do you interact with households about research?

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LE: What is your position on the issue of research?
I respond to as an educator and as the parent of school age children when I answer this question. I do see homework as having a function in the instructional process and I do not concur with Alfie Kohn (see article), who appears to believe research is useless, or worse, has a negative impact. While Kohn asserts there is almost no research study that proves homework to be useful, I did not see a persuading quantity of tough data to support eliminating all research.
Yes, the quantity of research ought to be based on the students age and grade level. As many Kindergarten-3rd grade teachers are self-contained, it ought to be reasonably easy to give math research one night, checking out or spelling one night, and so on to prevent overwhelming 5 to 8-year-olds. I see homework to extend learning.
Our book explains it can take 24 repetitions of an ability for a trainee to reach 80% competency. I think practicing skills is rewarding. Kohns comparison with tennis does not make sense to me. There are skills in tennis you must practice to improve. There are fundamental math abilities kids should practice to develop a strong foundation prior to carrying on to higher-level mathematics abilities. Kohn points out how trainees may become much better at keeping in mind, but not believing. I see this as two different things; we need trainees to keep in mind specific facts and after that carry on to using those abilities as thinkers and issue solvers.
As a parent, it can be difficult to squeeze in homework some nights! My own children have actually brought house assignments I believed too lengthy or inappropriate for one night. We do the best we can, and if we have concerns or issues, I connect to the instructor. Knowing some students have little or no support in the house should be recognized by teachers. Once again, great instructors make it a point to know what some home scenarios might be like and to customize appropriately. When possible, associates can collaborate, as described in two extra course articles, by establishing a learning laboratory or incorporating “Drop-In” times throughout the school day
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I do see research as having a role in the academic procedure and I do not concur with Alfie Kohn (see article), who appears to believe research is useless, or even worse, has an unfavorable effect. While Kohn asserts there is nearly no research that proves homework to be useful, I did not see a convincing amount of difficult data to support doing away with all homework.
Yes, the amount of research should be based on the students age and grade level. As most Kindergarten-3rd grade teachers are self-contained, it ought to be relatively easy to provide math homework one night, spelling or reading one night, etc 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 teachers point of view.

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