Some schools are cutting back on homework says the L.A. Times…
“As adults, if every book we ever read, we had to write a report on — would that encourage our reading or discourage it?” asked Eileen Horowitz, head of school at Temple Israel of Hollywood Day School. “We realized we needed to rethink that.”
I’ve learned that there are two things you never discuss amongst teachers, religion or homework. Teachers are particularly passionate about homework.
While it’s true that the students who complete their homework tend to be the ones who do well in school, I’m not sure that doing homework is what helps a student do well. Students who complete homework tend to have the parents who help them with their homework. As a teacher I found that homework completion only showed me who had help at home and who didn’t. In thinking about about my own educational career, I do remember learning in class but my only memories of homework are of frustration.
I don’t think we should abolish homework completely but we might want to take a look at its effectiveness and not simply assign homework just for the sake of it.
I agree. I hated homework as a student and don’t give much as a teacher. I try only to encourage reading. Sometimes I give what I call “home” work in which they have an assignment that can only be completed at home with a family member–collecting family stories, recipes, interviewing someone or finding a new way to do something or help out around the house. Unlike other assignments they don’t take away from family time, but add to it. Parents usually appreciate this time of homework as well!
I wonder about homework too. But then I also think, am I just feeding intp the idea that you probably aren’t going to complete it, so why bother giving you the chance? I wish I were at a school that offered some sort of extened school day so that those who don’t have help at home could find it in an after school program.
But here’s what I really want, the idea that learning takes place outside of school just as much as inside. TO me homework helps with that. There are no simple solutions here. What I look for are more of “thinking” questions, rather than worksheets of problems.
I do think more thinking questions and family interview type assignments are much more meaningful, much more likely to be completed, and much more beneficial to students.
I think the thing is we need to look at the purpose of the homework. Is it just practice? Maybe it would be better to find other ways to practice that would really solidify the knowledge by making sure it had as many links to other knowledge as possible. You can’t do that very effectively with a worksheet. Is the homework for learning? Then you’re putting your disadvantaged students at a greater disadvantage because they probably don’t have an adult at home who can or will help with that learning.
I have Alfie Kohn’s The Homework Myth in my library checkout queue. It was recommended to me by several teachers (who give homework, but not much). I’ve been waiting to read it for awhile and I’m hoping it gives me some things I hadn’t considered.
I do know that my own son “hates” school solely because of the 5-10 minutes of homework he has each night.
I’m so with you on assigning homework just for the purpose of assigning it. I feel the same way about summer assignments. Many of the teachers at my school assign them and barely use them when students return. I know the idea is to keep student’s minds working; but don’t we rest over the summer, too.
Back to the original topic, I have almost eliminated homework. I’ve been criticized for it. The following situations result in homework in my class: (1)You can not finish the assignment we work working on in class (2) current event essay that happens 1-3 times per term for the purpose of practicing writing skills and knowing whats going on in the world (3) 1 project per term for in dept study of a particular topic.
Personally, I think too many teachers say homework is practice and do crazy stuff with it. . . assigning 5 problems to practice a skill and then 50 the next night. And I ask, in most professions, how often do you REALLY take the work home (outside of education)? Rarely.
Ooops. . .I shouldn’t say “rarely”. . what I should’ve said “definitely not as often as we give homework.”
T?n? koe Mathew
I make the distinction between home-study and homework.
My belief is that most secondary school learners really need to do home-study. Some will not do any if homework is not given – some will do home-study even if homework is not given. But the real need for it, as I see it, is not just to get through the next test, assignment or exam. I see it as preparation and practice for further study.
Does anyone get through a work qualification, a training qual, polytech, university, life, without study? It’s very hard for some adults who find they need to study later in life, and who have never done any before. They don’t really know how to go about it or where to begin.
Catchya later
I have lamented the amount of useless, mindless homework my boys have had to do for the past 4 years (3rd and K). I just found out that the teachers are not allowed to grade it for credit … even the teachers realize most parents do the homework for their kids. We’ll still do it because the boys need to learn that sometimes you have to follow the rules. We will, however, put more emphasis on the things I think matter: bird-watching, cloud-watching, star-watching and reading and writing and history (all things they don’t learn in school.
I don’t think we should assign ANY task just for the sake of it, including homework. The question is always: does this further learning? Would it be better done in class or at home? I rarely assign homework in my college English classes aside from reading, major assignments (such as term papers or preparation for presentations) and the occasionally practice or followup assignment. These tasks are best done alone at home, but most others, I find, are best accomplished together in the classroom.
If I am reading Ken right, I agree. Homework is a discipline to be learned. Probably the kids who complain the most are those who have figured out that the system doesn’t care if or when it gets done. This gets worse as they progress in grade and makes the job more difficult to get ANY effort out of these students in particular.
Kia ora Gaucho!
You have described the tragedy of the able but lazy student and there are indeed so many. BUT it appears not all who are able are necessarily hindered by the hiccups they have at school, and this, for some, is a saviour.
For whatever the need – qualification requirement, business, recreational, life – there seems to be a sector of our society who, even in later adulthood, recognise the need for learning and they will study of their own accord. They find is hard, but their maturity carries them through this difficult time. Many I have known have openly admitted, “I could never do this when I was at school”.
Catchya
I have been tracking this homework-no homework battle for quite some time. Do you feel that if a teacher does not assign homework, or even very light homework for that matter, that they are doing them a disservice for future grades?
I teach third grade, and assign fairly simple homework, along with a problem of the week. I know that in future grades, the homework load will get heavier and heavier. I am scared that if I do not assign homework, they will not gain the time-management or organizational skills that comes with doing homework that they will need in the future grades.
What do you think?
Robyn
Robyn,
This is a great question.
I think it’s most important to teach higher level thinking which can be done with meaningful activities in class and at home. I think I do teach time management and organization with tasks in class (such as independent work time). However, students who don’t do much homework might be in for a shock in a different classroom where there’s a lot of homework but I’m not sure that’s a reason to assign meaningless work just so a student gets used to it.
Incidentally, I tend to assign the same homework that my grade-level colleagues assign to ensure consistency. We’re not in the light homework camp or the lots of homework camp. We give about 30 minutes a night.