Is homework for students in grade school necessary for in
their education?
Currently, I would disagree that homework is an important
aspect of education. I personally did not need or learn much from homework. I
often did not even do my homework, and if I did it was at the very last minute
and the bare minimum of what I had to do. I certainly do not remember doing
anything at home that helped further my education. My memories of learning are
always from a classroom. Whether it was a lecture by a teacher, or a group
activity in class, those are the times I remember learning. I do not remember
one homework assignment I ever did. I also believe that creating homework
assignments for students is very time consuming for a teacher. In addition, the
same homework for each student does not meet each student’s needs. Having a
complete ban on homework in grade schools may possibly free up time for
teachers, giving them more time to do the one on one teaching we so desperately
need in our classrooms.
I see several angles to this issue. My mother was a teacher
for over 35 years. She would have loved to not have all the papers to grade,
the homework to think of, and the motivation to push for homework to be done.
She would have loved to be able to spend more time working face to face with
the children in their learning. Moreover, she would have loved not to spend her
time off work grading papers and sacrificing her family time. I also know that
my child needs to work on his education at home. The limited hours at school
that are now available to our children do not leave enough time in the classroom
for all learning to take place in the classroom. I also see how a parent’s lack
of concern or lack of time to be the surrogate teacher to their children can damage
the current standard of education with homework.
I hope during my research to find answers to studies that
have been conducted about the effectiveness of homework. I already know that
Charter Schools have started to ban homework. Yet they have a different working
educational system than a public school system. Would their system be more
beneficial if it was adapted as the standard? Would our children benefit more
by keeping the learning and teaching with the professionals at school? On the
other hand, do they benefit by having the alternate eye and support of parent
teaching and homework?
I have long wondered about the value of homework especially for younger children. My children were homeschooled. They never had homework because we were fortunate to get it all done during the school day. We also did not have 20-30 other kids in their class demanding the teacher's attention. I saw my grandchildren bring home what seemed to be worthless homework everyday. TJ got it done on the bus. I don't have a problem with children working on spelling lists, math facts, and reading for twenty minutes a day. I don't thing they need more. In the older grades I think it is fine to prepare for a test or finish or do a project or research paper. And again reading is okay for me. This idea that they need to have some type of homework everyday is the traditional idea. Some think that it teaches them other values. I think that they can learn these in other ways.
ReplyDeleteRebecca,
ReplyDeleteThis has really made me take a second to think. I do not remember much about homework either, and quite honestly when I had homework it almost made me despise school because I felt like that was all I ever did.
School, home, homework, dinner, bed. Repeat.
I will be interested in what sort of research has been done on this. Education standards and methods are always changing. The outcome is the same, but the method of how to get there is changing. For instance, I work in School-Age child care, and I had a student who asked me to help with homework. It was addition of two large numbers. I asked them to start, so I could see their thought process and only assist when they get stuck, but he started drawing boxes and I was lost! I learned to put one large number over the other and add from the right column to the left. Apparently he learned using some box method that had me confused. So, this made me think "how am I supposed to keep a child from getting confused if I do not know the method they are using?" I couldn't help the child because he didn't learn my method, and I did not understand his. It created a barrier that left me and the child feeling discouraged.
I look forward to the progression of your blog.