Homework. How many students look foward to homework? Most students (with the exception of a few) dread homework. I myself hated the sit-at-the-table and do your homework time. I remember prolonging it anyway possible. Mom I'm hungry. Mom can I just play for five more minutes? But Dad, the dog wants to go out. I have to let him out! I'm guilty of using these excuses to try and aviod homework for a few extra minutes. However, homework is necessary.
Homework can be a way of assessing students. Personally, I feel that homework can be used to assess students but kept to a minimal. Homework is done at home and how do you know a student is doing the actual work and not the parent? If it's not the student doing the work then who are you really assessing--the parent or maybe even a sibling.
Another issue I have witnessed is students rush through it. Last year I tutored at an after school program. The students were broken up into groups and rotated stations. One station they had to sit at tables and do their homework. I was helping a thrid grade boy with his math homework and this boy just was not concentrating! He was wondering what the girl at the table behind him was doing, what other groups were doing and when it would be his turn to go to the art station. I get the point that the program was trying to help the parents and make sure homework was getting done but how is homework going to benefit the child when it's getting done by a student whose attention is everywhere but on the homework. I believe students need homework but also need an enviornment where they can concentrate to do homework otherwise it is almost pointless.
Lastly, what homework is necessary? We've all had those annoying assignments we just can't figure out why we've been assigned them. (and I'm not just talking homework here, but also classwork) Was it necessary to assign it to the students? Maybe but then again maybe not.
When we are assigning homework as teachers, I believe we have to truly look at the assignment and think, "how is this going to benefit my students? Or am I just assigning it to have homework?" If it's the later of the two, then maybe we should be reconsidering the homework.
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Erica,
ReplyDeleteGreat points!
You claimed, "When we are assigning homework as teachers, I believe we have to truly look at the assignment and think, "how is this going to benefit my students? Or am I just assigning it to have homework?"...
What an interesting question. And in terms of this class, we need to think-- are we meeting the educational learning targets (goals and objectives) that we want using homework?
Thanks so much for posting!
I agree! Some homework assignments were just pointless in elementary school (and High School). I used to try and get it over with or be just as distracted or not pay attention to it at all bc I'd be watching tv or eating while rushing through it!
ReplyDeleteErica,
ReplyDelete"homework can be used to assess students but kept to a minimal" I agree with you. Homework is a way to assess students but who really does it? You were completely right we don't know who really does the homework.
Erica,
ReplyDeleteI agree with the point you made about parents completing the homework. It is important to make sure the students actually understand the lesson since a parent may be doing the assignments at home. Nice post!
I agree with what you said about using homework as an assessment tool. Using homework to assess students should be kept to a minimum because when your student leaves your classroom, you don't know whether or not your student or one of your studnet's parents are doing the homework for them.
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