Monday, July 11, 2011

Stop the Homework Complaints!

Parents and students need to stop complaining about homework!  Some parents claim that too much homework takes away from family time, play time, sports and other extracurricular activities.  There's also that parent perspective that suggests homework is too much like "work" and kids need time to "play" and ample "downtime" after their "job" aka school.  I think that homework is essential for kids and imperative in furthering their learning and education.  Sports require a lot of work with training, practice, competition which is just as taxing on the child as homework.  Just as kids and parents find fulfillment in practicing for their extracurricular activity, they can find the same in homework.  What is going to happen when these kids get to college where there is constant homework?  There are parents, school board members, administrators, and students that are advocating for homework cutbacks, but is that in the best interest for the learner?
Students who have not developed the right attitude towards homework as a means of learning, self-development, and/or intellectual tools will be lost in college.  Too many times students are able to coast through high school on their raw ability without ever developing strong study skills ultimately not reaching their full potential through homework and other outside assignments.  Shock is the best description for these kids when they find themselves overwhelmed by heaps of work in college that they should have been prepared for during their K-12 education.  "The most direct positive effect of homework is that it can improve retention and understanding. More indirectly, homework can improve students' study skills and attitudes toward school, and teach students that learning can take place anywhere, not just in school buildings. The nonacademic benefits of homework include fostering independence and responsibility. Finally, homework can involve parents in the school process, enhancing their appreciation of education, and allowing them to express positive attitudes toward the value of school success." (stateuniversity.com)
Reasonable homework assignments in the lower grades is the beginning of appropriate preparation for the more rigorous and time-consuming assignments that lie ahead in high school and eventually college. Homework needs to have a purpose and fit in the larger scheme of learning.  But, does homework need to remain traditional, or can it be combined with more 21st century (web 2.0 ) assignments such as reflecting in blog posts or contributing on wikis?
Many government leaders are concerned with the quality of education in the US and how achievement in education will affect and maintain a quality workforce.  Good work habits can be built from intelligent and creative homework assignments.  Being able to have ownership of their work will build a child's self confidence in their academic abilities which will translate into success in college and the workforce.  In conclusion, I feel that the as long as the homework is "meaningful" and time appropriate it is a crucial component in everyday life long learning.


Resources:
http://benefitof.net/benefits-of-homework/
http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2051/Homework.html

13 comments:

  1. I feel your pain. I had a principal who told the teaching staff numerous times that “Students cannot fail due to homework!” While I understand that homework should not be the only assessment method, I do feel it is an important way for students to review and refine their learning. Students who attempt all the homework and still fail need additional help and given the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their grade. If a student cannot even bother to try, then let them fail. Sorry – ranting a bit. School is more than just teaching science, math… it is also about teaching skills they need in the future. I do not know many jobs that do not require some outside effort and a good work ethic to do a good job.

    In my opinion, and maybe I am wrong, but I think parents want to be their child’s friend more than their parent. If a child complains enough, the parent will start to complain to be the good guy. I understand that some homework can be boring, but teachers give it for a reason. Not all homework needs to be paper pencil but until all homes have computer access we have to depend on this style of homework.

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  2. As a parent I abhor homework, but as a teacher I understand its importance. I think the type of homework is an important factor. When my 2nd grader comes home with a math sheet that instructs them to color in answers in certain shades I wonder whats the need for coloring? When my 7th grader brings home 15 pounds of textbooks in her bag because she has homework in all her classes, I get annoyed. And projects are even worse. So giving homework is important to a certain degree but the quality and quantity of it needs to be addressed.

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  3. But what about the students who take $ AP classes, a couple of honors courses, and play a different sport every season? There definitely needs to be a balance between work and play. Rigor is good, as long as it does not bring too much stress that leads to depression. We need to let them be kids as well as students.
    Cindy

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  4. Sorry - that was supposed to say 4 AP classes, little typo here from the chemo ward with my mom!
    Cindy

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  5. I think you make some good points here, and I have mixed reactions. While I agree that high school students should be completing homework in order to practice independent learning, I do not think that it should be given in elementary school. The only basis I have is that kids lack play time as youngsters and I am concerned that the stress and need for homework is encroaching on that even further. I don't know enough to say where it should begin--- but I do agree that completing homework assignments is absolutely essential for students to learn, and is a valid expectation for teachers. I think much will be revealed when I am a parent myself, but of course, as a teacher, I will continue to value continual learning and practice. This is a topic that imparts many more questions for me than answers....

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  6. I agree that students need to do homework. However, I feel that it needs to have a real purpose. It should not just be a worksheet for the sake of giving homework. In my building, we are encouraged to reflect on the homework and decide what the students are going to get out of it. If it is really not valuable we are encouraged to not give it.

    We need to remember that the majority of our students are going home to empty homes or daycare, and if they don't have the intrinsic motivation to get started they aren't going to do it. Unfortunately, I find this disappointing, because in Junior High and High School I went home to an empty house and was able to get my homework done all by myself. My parents valued and respected education, and deep down I knew there would be real consequences for not completing it. This is not always the case, I have parents that send notes in all the time saying my child didn't know how to do it. It is ironic when at recess they finish it in 10 minutes and it is all correct.

    We need to really think about the purpose, and if it is for students to extend and reinforce learning, then give them the homework.

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  7. I agree with all the posts about ensuring homework is meaningful which is what most teachers attempt to do. Also think Erica makes a good point about using the Read/Write web for some homework assignments. We live in a connected world where we are all "on call" 24/7 so we might as well get kids used to creating/publishing some homework online. They should also check teacher websites for missed work when absent. Bottom Line: watch the quantity and quality of assigned homework.

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  8. I agree that homework is important to the learning process. I am a second grade teacher and I give homework to my students Monday thru Thursday. It follows a certain pattern so that parents know what days the students will have certain homework. Example: Every Monday the students have to study their Spelling words. Every Wednesday they have to read their story in their hard back reader, etc. I do not give homework on a Friday. Usually, I do not receive homework back from a weekend and if I do, some of it is only half completed. I think that students should enjoy their families on the weekend and learn more throughout the week. Plus...most of my tests are on a Friday and the kids get burned out quickly after they have taken a few tests on Friday. I figure they will give me more quality work on a Monday thru Thursday, if they know they can have two days off from homework. I have had good results, except for the occassionaly missing assignments. Also, I will not give homework over long holidays. It is just a waste and it does not come back because of various excuses. I want to enjoy my family and I am sure my student's parents want to enjoy time with them making memories. I used to hate doing long, annoying projects over break while my family had a great time without me. I guess it is all in what you want to achieve in your classroom. I go for quality over quantity. :-)

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  9. Homework is an extension of the classroom. If we agree that adding online components to traditional classrooms to extend the classroom beyond the physical building is a good thing, than shouldn't homework be an expectation. Blurring the boundaries between the physical school schedule requires that students take more charge of their own education. These are skills that are needed for our high school students hoping to attend a post-graduate education. There should be limitations to all outside classwork and schools and teachers should do a better job of coordinating homework in order to create a more unified structure.

    Personally, a great deal of homework for young elementary students is unnecessary if they are meeting school benchmarks. Let's let kids be kids. But as school work becomes more advanced and students develop more responsibility for their education, then the homework should increase.

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  10. I do think homework is essential, even for little ones. Math and reading need to be practiced and reinforced at home in order to improve. It sets a good routine and shows parents and students that learning takes place outside of school. On the other hand, homework should not be busy work, as many of you have said. Homework should be thought about just like any other part of the lesson. Good planning and communication is important for homework success. I often asked parents and students how long homework took at home. If it seemed too long, I would work with the family to find solutions. I think it's great how you brought up Web 2.0 tools, Erica. That may be a way to make homework come alive and make it more interactive than the traditional worksheets. I'm traditional in my beliefs about daily homework, but I am definitely progressive about the method of delivery!

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  11. I agree that homework is important - meaningful homework. Web 2.0 tools will surely become a more prominent component in homework completion in the near future. I agree that homework is a conduit for fostering the home/school partnership. Problems arise when kids don't have parents who work with them at home, ask about their day, and value education. At a professional development session I attended a number of years ago, the presenter said, "It is the school's job to teach kids how to learn. It is the parents' job to teach kids how to work". In an ideal world, homework gives parents the opportunity to teach their kids how to work.

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  12. As a parent, I appreciate the insight that homework gives me into what my children are studying and how they are learning. Often it is hard to get my son to tell me about what he is covering in school, but if I need to quiz him on vocabulary or terms, I see what he is doing and how well he has mastered the concepts and skills. I note that my children are motivated to complete their homework when it does involve Web 2.0 tools, or when the product is going to be shared or published in some way, making "meaningful" as others have commented. As a teacher/parent, I must confess to "stealing" project and assignment ideas for my students from the work that my own children have brought home. So, from a professional development standpoint, I also appreciate the homework my son and daughter get! :) As a teacher, I recognize that some skills just get better with practice, and with repetition, become second nature. For example, I posted extra work for sentence diagramming and have been pleasantly surprised at how many students access it, and how their Grammar quizzes have improved. Homework certainly helps!

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  13. Homework is an emotional subject. It should be relevant and not just busy work. It should consume a limited amount of time not hours on end. I needs to be done to reinforce independent learning, study skills and a good work ethic. I believe everyone agrees to these points. But think on this point. Parents complain that students are given too much homework and they struggle to complete it or have problems with the understanding. I teach chemistry. How many of you could help your child with their chemistry assignment? This is sometimes the major problem. Parents don't understand the subject and lash out in frustration when they can't help a struggling child. I try to alleviate this by giving plenty of practice time in class. If the students work diligently, they should only have 1 or 2 problems at night. Now comes web 2.0, a struggling students can access a tutorial on the problems and not frustrate their parent.

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