A classroom teacher’s view on homework

.

LE: What is your position on the problem of homework?
When I answer this question, I answer as a teacher and as the moms and dad of school age kids. I do see homework as having a function in the academic process and I do not agree with Alfie Kohn (see post), who appears to believe homework is useless, or even worse, has a negative effect. While Kohn asserts there is almost no research study that shows homework to be advantageous, I did not see a convincing quantity of difficult information to support doing away with all homework.
Yes, the quantity of research should be based upon the trainees age and grade level. As a lot of Kindergarten-3rd grade instructors are self-contained, it needs to be fairly simple to provide math homework one night, reading or spelling one night, and so on to prevent straining 5 to 8-year-olds. If instructors are creative with assignments and in communicating the function of the project, trainees ought to not end up being disappointed or bored. Those are my objectives as a fourth-grade teacher. I see homework to extend knowing. Would I assign 30 mathematics issues to students who I understand would have problem with them, or to trainees who have demonstrated their understanding of the ability? No, in those cases, it is my job as the teacher to customize the assignments.
Our textbook explains it can take 24 repeatings of an ability for a trainee to reach 80% competency. I think practicing skills is rewarding. Kohns comparison with tennis does not make good sense to me. There are skills in tennis you must practice to improve. There are fundamental mathematics abilities kids need to practice to develop a strong structure prior to proceeding to higher-level mathematics abilities. Kohn explains how students 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 move on to utilizing those skills as thinkers and problem solvers.
As a parent, it can be difficult to squeeze in research some nights! We do the best we can, and if we have issues or concerns, I reach out to the teacher. Again, excellent teachers make it a point to know what some house circumstances may be like and to modify appropriately.

When thinking of homework, teachers find it beneficial to interact their policy with the families of their trainees. After just recently finishing a Learners Edge course, Jennifer Lindsey, a fourth grade teacher from Pennsylvania, reviewed her research philosophy that includes the purposeful roles instructors and households play.

I do see homework as having a role in the academic procedure and I do not agree with Alfie Kohn (see short article), who appears to believe research is worthless, or even worse, has a negative effect. While Kohn asserts there is practically no research study that proves homework to be beneficial, I did not see a convincing amount of difficult information to support doing away with all homework.
Yes, the quantity of homework ought to be based on the students age and grade level. As a lot of Kindergarten-3rd grade instructors are self-contained, it needs to be reasonably simple to give mathematics homework one night, checking out or spelling one night, and so on to avoid straining 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.

Research can be a divisive subject in the education neighborhood, and we hope you can appreciate this instructors point of view. We want to hear your thoughts about research. What is your philosophy? How do you interact with households about research?

You may also like...