When I initially picked my topic for research, I have to
admit that a part of me in the front of my mind believed I would easily find an
answer to why homework should be banned in the United States education system.
Instead, what I have found is that the answer is anywhere from simple, or a
solution that will come any time soon. I have started my research with
interviews with teachers both new and retired, searches into articles and studies
that have been done, as well as what is happening in other countries with their
education. I have used both Google and EBSCO for article searching and study
searching.
For my first resource, I interviewed a teacher that taught
for over 35 years before retiring to a part-time teacher and substitute, then
finally completely retiring about two years ago. Linda Wolff, who has taught
all levels of grade school in many different topics, and has three Masters
Degrees that were an outcome of her required continuing education over the
years to remain a teacher, also is my mother. This was an extremely interesting
interview to me. As a grandparent, Ms. Wolff feels that the homework and school
life that my son and niece (who are only four months apart but go to two
different school districts) is almost unbearable for her. The lack of interaction
with the teacher and students, the amount of homework and the level of homework
being sent home with kindergarteners… she completely disagrees with the current
approach of Colorado’s public education. Let me re-emphasize, this is on a
personal level.
When interviewed for the necessity of homework in our system
as a teacher, her attitude completely changed. Ms. Wolff states, “As parents,
it is important to help direct the child towards finding ways to succeed, for
either intrinsic or extrinsic reasons. Helping develop an appreciation for the
rewards does indeed mean that a parent really should sit down with the child
and help do homework, where necessary, or at the very least, make homework an
important priority that is done before anything else when home.” As the
interview went on, Ms. Wolff took the stance of in our current education system;
homework is the only way to get parents to be the support they need to be to
help children take their education seriously. Without the homework, the
children would fail. Yet, Ms. Wolff also believes that the rise in Homeschooled
children and enrollment in Charter Schools and Magnet schools is a direct
result of parents that do engage in
their children’s education. She believes those parents are the ones that have
the time and energy to devote to their children. The majority of children in
America, in her experience, does not lend itself to that model any longer. Now,
society needs curriculum introduced in the classroom, but practiced and studied
and actually learned outside the
classroom. Ms. Wolff stressed that teachers in public education do not have
other options than the way our strict and limited structure allows.
My second source is an infographic blog, “There Is No
Homework In Finland”, by Marina Bilijak, that shows some differences in
countries with homework, and without. It had comparisons of Finland versus
other large countries. I found this infographic very interesting. It is a short
and simple way to lay out the real issues in this topic. This really leads the
mind immediately to a complete education overhaul in our country. At just a
glance, this infographic makes me believe there is no way that in our public
system our country will ever be able to eliminate homework. There are too many
differences in our system that would not allow homework banning. For example,
Bilijak shows that teachers are required to have a much higher starting
education to be allowed to teach. An education that is completely paid for by
the State. Bilijak also shows a much higher amount of time spent by children in
Finland being children, by playing and having free time. Not being stuck in
long hours of classroom and work after the school day. This could potentially
be a force of higher focus in the classroom. With higher focus in class, there
will be more productivity and accomplishment in the classroom.
These two sources, both showing several points of views and several
extremely challenging issues that need to be addressed, is only showing me I
have a lot more research to do to find out if banning homework is really
something plausible any time in the future of America.
Works Cited
Biljak, Marina. "OnlineClasses.org." There
Is No Homework In Finland! 4 March 2013.
<http://neomam.com/infographics/there-is-no-homework-in-finland/>.
Wolff, Linda. Personal Interview Rebecca
Wolff. 30 October 2013.
HI Rebecca!
ReplyDeleteI think by starting your search by interviewing a teacher is a great start. I understand your research. But I was wondering why would we ban homework? and why does Finland have more focus outdoors than with education? I think homework should be a priority for all families. Education is a start for any childs future. Homework helps the child focus on the importance of education. I think homework is given out to see if the student really knows what the teacher is teaching in class. I think parents should take the time to actually help their child with homework. In my house homework needs to get done before my kids do anything else. I think parents should explain to their children why education is so important. For me growing up my mother never helped with homework and I think that is why I am so passionate about education because I learned on my own. Homework isn't always fun but it does help build knowledge. I think you have a great topic. I can't wait to read more about it.
Ness
These are good starts for your research. I agree with Ness, homework is good for helping a students education but it should be in moderation. I think the problem with kids in the US, we really do have too much homework and it's taking the time away from kids being kids. There isn't much room for play anymore, which leads to obesity and ADHD in kids. It's pretty sad. The US seems to be so focused on improving their scholarly ways, but it's also a disadvantage. It was good you got information first hand from you mom. It seems she had years of experience being in the teaching field and even she thinks now kids have too much homework. Do you think there are other teacher that feel that, but they are being pressured to teach up to certain standards? Have you found anything like that yet? Will be interesting to see what you find out.
ReplyDeleteHeather
You have some great research here so far! As I was taking a second look at your blog, I saw your image showing that the student to teacher ratio in Finland is 1 to 12, and in New York City, 1 to 24. Thinking about this fact alongside your mother's comments on the importance of parents being involved in helping their children be successful in school and elsewhere I presume, through homework, it made me come to see parents as a second teacher. Teachers in the US don't have enough time to devote much individual attention on their students. So, parents must fill in this gap. So, banning homework would require a complete overhaul of the system. And primarily, it would require school districts to have a lot more funding to hire enough teachers for smaller classrooms, possibly. You're right. This is a complicated issue!
ReplyDeleteAs I do not currently have children in school, I cannot accurately say whether or not children get too much homework; I can however offer my opinion of the teacher/student ratio. I have a very good friend that is a fifth grade teacher at a school in Thornton. In my opinion, she is an amazing teacher that both allows her students to be creative and challenges them at the same time. Her class has 25 students, one of which is deaf and has never been in a classroom setting before, no teacher’s aide and teaches all of the subjects. To say that she is stretched a little thin is the understatement of the century. Now knowing all of this about her side of things, I think from a student stand point, they must constantly be thinking their teacher doesn’t have enough time for them. This is true, she doesn’t. Although she tries her best, how can this be helping the students and teacher to do their part. As much as she hates to do it, she is forced to assign a lot of homework, simply because there is not enough time in the day. I would be very interested to see some research from you on the teacher/student ratio in other schools (i.e. charter schools) and the amount of homework given. If at all possible maybe even some test scores correlating between these different types of schools. I thought the article about Finland schools was very interesting, but would like to perhaps see something similar within different types of United States schools. It may help you to find an answer for what we are dealing with here specifically. Good luck on your topic; I suggest if you find an answer you send it to our government, I’m sure they could use the tips.
ReplyDeleteI think you have a great start to a great essay! I love the interview with Ms. Wolff. I think she made some very great points. I am a mother to three boys! Now we all know that boys are always finding a way to do something they shouldn’t be doing (at least mine do) but anyways, I feel that the homework they do receive from school really helps occupy their time in the afternoon. I believe that in the time they have been in school and receiving homework they personally have learned that if they are doing homework, they are doing something that will not get them in trouble. My oldest actually likes me to make up homework for him to do or photo copy his brothers so that he has more. I think in today’s society with all the drugs, and violence that is out there homework is something that will help them stay out of trouble. If they didn’t have homework in the afternoon what would they do?? If students never received homework we as parents, teachers, would be setting them up for failure when they got to college, unless you are saying college shouldn’t have homework either. I do think you have a great paper and I can’t wait to read the rest of your paper.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a really great beginning, as you already have an interview from a teacher which is very good.Comparing the U.S. and Finland is fascinating, and your point about us needing major changes if we wanted that to even be plausible is very true. What do you think we would have to do to bring about changes like this? Or is it even possible? Also i think it would be awesome to hear from a student who has lots of homework, and then maybe try to find an interview or something of a student who does not. Its great to have all these points of view, and I'm amazed that some systems for teaching are so much different, and possibly much more effective than ours.
ReplyDeleteThis is great keep up the good job!
-Jackson