Homework can be a divisive subject in the education neighborhood, and we hope you can value this teachers viewpoint. We want to hear your ideas about homework. What is your philosophy? How do you interact with households about research?

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When considering homework, instructors discover it advantageous to interact their policy with the households of their trainees. After recently finishing a Learners Edge course, Jennifer Lindsey, a fourth grade teacher from Pennsylvania, reflected on her homework approach that includes the purposeful functions teachers and families play.

I do see homework as having a role in the academic process and I do not agree with Alfie Kohn (see post), who appears to think homework is worthless, or even worse, has a negative effect. While Kohn asserts there is nearly no research that proves homework to be beneficial, I did not see a persuading quantity of difficult information to support doing away with all homework.
Yes, the quantity of research should be based on the students age and grade level. As most Kindergarten-3rd grade teachers are self-contained, it must be fairly basic to give math research one night, checking out or spelling one night, etc to avoid overloading 5 to 8-year-olds. Homework can be a dissentious subject in the education community, and we hope you can appreciate this instructors point of view.

LE: What is your position on the problem of homework?
When I address this concern, I respond to as an educator and as the moms and dad 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 post), who appears to believe homework is worthless, or even worse, has a negative effect. While Kohn asserts there is practically no research that proves homework to be helpful, I did not see a convincing amount of hard information to support doing away with all research.
Yes, the quantity of homework must be based on the students age and grade level. As the majority of Kindergarten-3rd grade teachers are self-contained, it needs to be reasonably easy to offer mathematics research one night, reading or spelling one night, and so on to prevent overloading 5 to 8-year-olds. Students must not end up being bored or annoyed if teachers are innovative with projects and in communicating the function of the assignment. Those are my goals as a fourth-grade teacher. I see research to extend knowing. Would I designate 30 math issues to students who I understand would have a hard time with them, or to students who have shown their understanding of the ability? No, in those cases, it is my job as the teacher to modify the assignments.
Our book points out it can take 24 repetitions of a skill for a student to reach 80% competency. Kohn points out how trainees may become much better at remembering, but not thinking. I see this as two different things; we need students to remember particular realities and then move on to using those skills as thinkers and problem solvers.
As a moms and dad, it can be tough to squeeze in homework some nights! We do the finest we can, and if we have concerns or issues, I reach out to the instructor. Again, great instructors make it a point to know what some house situations may be like and to modify appropriately.