Homework: More or Less; Helpful or Hurtful?

2011

Monday, January 3

5:51:55 PM

Homework: More or Less; Helpful or Hurtful?

Homework.  A dirty word to most students.  A nuisance to many parents, a requirement and expectation for many others.  Many parents feel schools don't give enough, others (myself included) believe schools hand out too much.  Do Kindergarteners really need homework?  It's a little early for them to be concerned about preparing for college (though parents should be preparing for their children's college. Maybe that'll be another blog.)

From a teacher's perspective, homework is a way for students to practice what they have learned in the classroom.  It's a way for students to sit on their own practice using the 'tools' they have acquired in the classroom, to gain confidence, or find out where they need help.  Homework can be a very useful assessment for determining a child's progress, or lack thereof.  

For those parents who think teachers don't provide enough homework - what are your thoughts?  My first thought is - homework is not a form of baby sitting, children need time to develop as people, they need to interact with other children and work out their own issues, not have all of their 'free' time monitored.  I have seen too many children in school with no concept of how to deal with disagreements.  

Of course culture, family priorities, and other aspects of life affect concepts of what is appropriate and required in the upbringing and education of our children and youth.  Extremely divergent views of homework (even the value of school for some) makes pleasing everyone impossible.  Teachers, with training, practice, and access to best practices (on average, of course) need parents' support, if not understanding.  

Some homework assignments are mostly benign, reading for instance.  A lot of parents already read to their children, so having this as a homework assignment changes nothing.  For families who don't have books, or books in the langugae used at home - assuming the parents can read, or have time to read - can be a source of stress, for the most basic of learning needs, and requirements.  A successful education is built upon the ability to read and comprehend text.  

Homework should never be used to teach new skills.  Skills are introduced in the classroom with opportunities to 'test' or use them.  Teachers cannot assume students will have support they may require at home to master any given skillset.  

Teachers have enough going on, they can't put together the differentiated material required for the 'extra' homework desired.  Assigned homework needs to be corrected, or at least scanned by the teacher for it to be useful.  If parents are mainly interested in makework, or additional 'practice', thinking homework is akin to practcing the violin or piano, go buy one of those big workbooks from your local bookstore with workpages and answers in the back or buy some educational software for challenging your child's mind.  Puzzles and board games are good too for developing strategies, dealing with losing (and winning!), as well as memory, and math skills, depending on the game.  Other skills helpful to children are drawing, journaling, athletics, and of course music for developing confidence and creativity.