if you are pro homework what are your reasons? - Page 2

[mar123]

I work outside the home- as a teacher- and I see a purpose in homework.

I teach in a great public school, but since I don't live in this district, my kids go to Catholic schools; the schools in my home district are beyond awful. My own children spent grammar school having homework in every subject every night- even if it was simply reading over something. I am lucky that none of my kids have major learning issues, so this was not a burden. My oldest has AS, but since he loves rules and structure this was fine for him. It was the same in 1st-7th grade- the same expectations, the same heading, everything- so he felt very comfortable. My oldest two are now in high school and my youngest is in 7th grade. I don't have to fight with any of them to get homework done; they just do it. We talk a lot about what they are doing in class, etc. Now, my oldest two are NOT straight A kids, nor do I expect them to be. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I accept Bs and the occasional C, as long as they are not receiving bad grades on homework. Many a night they are doing homework while I am grading papers, so it is family time. They are not shut up in their rooms alone doing it. My youngest has learned so much from having older siblings. All three of the kids play sports, the youngest is in a drama group, etc. We have plenty of time for homework as well as other activities.

The school I teach in is on the 4x4 schedule. Our students have two core classes and two electives (unless they are in honors) each semester. At most, they will have homework in two classes. And I have trouble getting them to do it. I am talking reading one chapter in a book and doing an activity- not always the question thing; I try and include creative activities or give a TicTacToe where they can choose the activity when appropriate. We have a tutoring lab open for free 3days a week after school 2:30-5:30 with busses to take the kids home (I run the English lab on Tuesdays and part of the day on Wednesday). They can go to TLC and then practice if needed. Yet very few of my students complete homework on a regular basis because the middle school model here is no homework and all self esteem building. They are not used to doing any school work outside of school. It is impossible for me to teach what I need in the time allowed without them doing some work at home. Our classic novel has 31 chapters. We cannot read the whole thing at school, yet some students refuse to do any work at home. It is very frustrating to me. Homework should not be 50 math problems or 10 worksheets on grammar etc, but some homework is a good thing. It should be purposeful. It should assess what the kids can do outside of class. But, IMO, it is needed.

[peaceful_mama]

We are struggling this year in 2nd grade.  See thread to come, because I am looking for feasible solutions.  In first grade, the homework was math story problems and spelling words.  This year, I like that I see more of what he can/can't do, different things.  I don't like the sheer amount of it.  His teacher expects 20 mins, of reading 5 nights a week very specifically. And their homework folder is during the week, it is due Friday, so they do not have the weekend to work on things.  It contains usually 4 short worksheets on various vocab things.  Plus they have a list of spelling words, but nothing documented or required with those other than that there will be a test in school.  Plus work comes home that he does not complete in class.  It seems like a lot for the 2nd grade, especially when the recommendation is 10 mins. per grade level per day.

[MDoc]

I am a teacher - and I think homework is very important. I also think family time and play time are important. When children are little parents should be doing homework with their children to help them. It is foolish to put something as important as your child's education into the hands of one person (the teacher - who is teaching 20+ children). Each child deserves individual attention from their parents and the example of their parents showing them how important and valuable education is.
That being said, homework should not takes hours every night. Young children need time with family and friends and high school students need time for sports, babysitting, jobs, friends, and family. Learning is important but so is life - children can learn alot by spending quality time with their families.

Holidays and weekends should always be free from homework.

As a teacher, I can really tell which children have parents that help them at home. For many children it is their parents who teach them how to read- not school (and that is a beautiful thing ).

As a parent, I know that it is my responsibility to teach my child - not just school's. If you do not work with your child at home you can not expect them to do well in school. Homework helps parents help their children. Homework helps children develop their skills.

[moominmamma]

Originally Posted by mar123 

It should assess what the kids can do outside of class. 

Just curious why what kids can do would be different outside of school vs. in it? And if it were different how commonly would the out-of-school performance be more a more reliable gauge of ability than that within?

Miranda

[CatsCradle]

Originally Posted by moominmamma 

Just curious why what kids can do would be different outside of school vs. in it? And if it were different how commonly would the out-of-school performance be more a more reliable gauge of ability than that within?

Miranda

I guess that the other poster's statement had more to do with practical life experiences, i.e. are the students able to take what they learned in class and apply it outside the class? I think it is one thing to perform for a teacher, it is another thing to actually be able to do such without a teacher's coaxing or oversight.  I can work at my desk all day studying how to do something (I'm a lawyer so I have two lives:  preparation and real court experience).  I can learn all the stuff and read as much of how to do something, but until I can really do it, without mentors and others overlooking my work, then it is just study, not practicality.  

I posted earlier but want to reiterate that I'm not "pro" homework because it the statement implies that I'm "pro" at all costs without any thought put into.  I'm pro-learning, if anything.  If homework helps to reinforce what is learned or taught in the classroom setting, then I think it is effective.  If not, then it is not effective.

[moominmamma]

Originally Posted by CatsCradle 

it is another thing to actually be able to do such without a teacher's coaxing or oversight.  

But aren't kids likely to be getting parental coaxing and oversight? It seems like most of them on this thread are. 

Miranda

[One_Girl]

I am not really pro or anti homework. If the work is skill practice or work dd should have done at school but didn't then I am fine with it. It takes very little time for dd to complete independently and I would rather the teacher makes her take work home than that she gets recess taken or a low grade and falls back into the habit if just not doing her work.

I absolutely detest with all my being the ridiculous spelling packets with laborious busywork and the tic tax toe option drives me batty because it makes it hard to do the quickest activities. My dd's teacher puts options on like drawing a picture for each spelling word, writing the dictionary definition of each, writing each in a sentence, typimg the words 3 times each using a different font or color for each word etc.. and that is a nightmare when there are twenty spelling words. I also am not fond of work that obviously isn't skill practice. I send my dd to school because I don't want to be mother and teacher to her, it is too hard to do well, so the last thing I want to do after a long day at work is spend a long perriod of time trying to make her learn then complete an assignment.

[mamazee]

Originally Posted by MDoc 

I am a teacher - and I think homework is very important. I also think family time and play time are important. When children are little parents should be doing homework with their children to help them. It is foolish to put something as important as your child's education into the hands of one person (the teacher - who is teaching 20+ children). Each child deserves individual attention from their parents and the example of their parents showing them how important and valuable education is.
That being said, homework should not takes hours every night. Young children need time with family and friends and high school students need time for sports, babysitting, jobs, friends, and family. Learning is important but so is life - children can learn alot by spending quality time with their families.
Holidays and weekends should always be free from homework.
As a teacher, I can really tell which children have parents that help them at home. For many children it is their parents who teach them how to read- not school (and that is a beautiful thing ).
As a parent, I know that it is my responsibility to teach my child - not just school's. If you do not work with your child at home you can not expect them to do well in school. Homework helps parents help their children. Homework helps children develop their skills.

Well this is very different from what my daughter's teachers have told me. She has always been expected to do her homework without help, at every age. "If she can't handle it on her own, let us know, but don't help her."

[mtiger]

I really never had a problem with homework. Much of it was done in aftercare (and both of mine knew that I expected them to get a fair chunk of it done in that time). What wasn't, was finished while I made dinner or in the car on the way to/from activities. One of the most valuable skills homework teaches is, IMO, time management. When they're little, they need more help, of course. As they get older, they can and should be learning how to work more independently. Homework helps with that.
 

ETA: And yes, I worked outside of the home, and had no other adult to pick up some of the "burden".

[meemee]

hw in K and first- this is what i discovered from the teachers who were VERY passionate about hw. 

hw was to practise what they learnt in class. a review to go over and remember. dd's class had all sorts of learners. some ahead, some behind, some ok. 

if your child got it, there was no reason for them to do the practise. however for that you had to go talk to the teacher. and that took out the busy work. i am talking here about the writing. reading due to district policy they could not cut down. but they gave only so much hw. those kids struggling got help during the school time - not extra hw. if the parents desired they got help outside. they hired tutors. or like me i signed up for lessons online because the method of teaching wasnt working for dd. 

both the teachers had a goal of what the kids should know. i know that the K teacher was seriously contemplating keeping some kids behind, but in the last minute she didnt. those parents/gparents who kept in close touch with the teacher kind of got a strategy going of how to help their kids. both the teachers had been teaching for many years. they always wanted a close relationship with the parents. from the parents they found out which students to push and which not to. for instance one of the sweetest boys was very behind. his parents said do the best you can, dont give him extra work coz slow learning runs in the family, his dad was slow and so were his other siblings.   

mostly the teacher worried the effects on self esteem by 2nd grade if they were not on grade level. they give some leeway to the idea that some kids learn late. what they dont get in k or first they get in 2nd. those the teachers found were not the norm. which is why they pushed for more practise, practise and more practice.

hw taught dd a v. good life lesson. she learnt about the bitter pill that one just has to swallow. once she figured that there was no more protests. she breezed through her hw. granted did she have to learn that lesson in first grade? i'd say yes for having an intense personality. it had a huge impact on how she saw life. took away a lot of her anxiety. 

there are only a few times i have had to help dd with hw. hw for her is mostly independent work. i would correct her work, and discovered that this is my silly mistakes child. she knows her stuff, but rarely gets a 100% coz she makes mistakes all the time. 

i helped her somewhat with her projects. mostly for time management. if i dont check and keep her on task she will say the night before she has her project due and then we have to rush out get supplies. 4th grade they had some big projects most of which they worked at school with the teacher working with them and sending home specific pieces of the project. 4th grade is when i needed to be more involved with dd's hw.

before that i never was. however i will say i appreciated the spellings so much. dd today is a good speller because fo the review she had to do at home. during sentence time she'd ask me or go to the dictionary. 

being an admirer of alfie kohn and being against hw, i did see the value of hw - as long as it was appropriate for the child. and we were lucky - that all it took was me going and talkign to the teacher and either reducing or changing her hw. 

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Originally Posted by CatsCradle 

I posted earlier but want to reiterate that I'm not "pro" homework because it the statement implies that I'm "pro" at all costs without any thought put into.  

I just wanted to put in my two cents here and say that I didn't read the OP like that. I just kind of figured that if were were on a thoughtful place like MDC that we were talking about quality, age appropriate homework that factor in the individual needs of each child/family. Factoring in ALL the types of HW that have been discussed on this thread, I suppose I'm more anti-HW than I am pro. But I am pro-(quality)homework. 

Originally Posted by moominmamma 

But aren't kids likely to be getting parental coaxing and oversight? It seems like most of them on this thread are. 

Miranda

Sounds like not. That there are a lot of family schedules that require kids to do their homework in after care or on their own. For me, this would totally defeat the purpose of HW for my child's needs as they are right now. She requires an added layer if understanding far more than she needs practice of what she has already learned. 

Originally Posted by mamazee 


Well this is very different from what my daughter's teachers have told me. She has always been expected to do her homework without help, at every age. "If she can't handle it on her own, let us know, but don't help her."

We have the opposite - HW in my DC's school is for kids to do at home with their parents (or alone if they can, I suppose). The teacher hosts a homework club but that is for kids to check work with peers. HW isn't even collected. 

[CatsCradle]

Originally Posted by IdentityCrisisMama 

I just wanted to put in my two cents here and say that I didn't read the OP like that. I just kind of figured that if were were on a thoughtful place like MDC that we were talking about quality, age appropriate homework that factor in the individual needs of each child/family. Factoring in ALL the types of HW that have been discussed on this thread, I suppose I'm more anti-HW than I am pro. But I am pro-(quality)homework. 

I understand what you're saying.    I just feel like I have to qualify things here sometimes because in some instances very stark lines are drawn between the pro people and con people.  I'm with you - I'm pro (quality) homework! 

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Originally Posted by CatsCradle 

I understand what you're saying.    I just feel like I have to qualify things here sometimes because in some instances very stark lines are drawn between the pro people and con people.  I'm with you - I'm pro (quality) homework! 

Yea!  

[meemee]

Originally Posted by IdentityCrisisMama 

I suppose I'm more anti-HW than I am pro. But I am pro-(quality)homework. 

yup that's my call too - but i didnt want to state my views first. i wanted an exploration of this subject without letting my views affect others views. 

That there are a lot of family schedules that require kids to do their homework in after care or on their own. For me, this would totally defeat the purpose of HW for my child's needs as they are right now. She requires an added layer if understanding far more than she needs practice of what she has already learned.

i think the added layer is where schools have problems meeting and hope the kids will get that at home. but how do you gauge that? i have discovered that with dd when i was going over her hw with her. dd has needed help in K - where she could not understand phonics they way they were teaching her in class (i got an online program and boom she got the gist of it before even half the program was over and she never completed it) and now in 5th in science where the textbook sometimes isnt very clear. I think with the majority of the kids (esp. in math and english) they need practise - to see all the odd cases.

For me to figure out if dd is understanding i have to go over the lesson with her from her textbook, or when she cant do a particular problem.  i have never had her come home and say hey mom we were talking about this but i didnt understand this part. 

We have the opposite - HW in my DC's school is for kids to do at home with their parents (or alone if they can, I suppose). The teacher hosts a homework club but that is for kids to check work with peers. HW isn't even collected. 

in the other school dd went, they had a lot of low income kids. they had a hw club and their 4th hour had extra hw help just coz they knew they wouldnt get hw help at home. 

in our present school, while the teacher does not expect the parents to sit with them and go over hw with their kids, they expect them to be aware that their kids have homework and that the children will do them. however if they DO expect the parents to look at something, that specific sheet has to be signed by the parent.