September 17, 2006
Homework
I just read an interesting article on the Time website called "The Myth About Homework: Think hours of slogging are helping your child make the grade? Think again."
I agree so much with the article's premise, that more homework does NOT always add up to improved student success. One of the things I love about Montessori is that there is very little emphasis on homework, even in the upper grades. They don't expect kids to go home and sit in front of the TV, but they do expect them to engage in activities they enjoy--reading, hobbies, organizations, or family time.
I know that as a teacher in a school where homework in each subject is almost required, I gave a lot of assignments that were pretty much busywork just to give them. I DID. It's true. Shoot me. Most of the time I was on the ball and was able to give out long-term assignments that students could space out however they wanted. But sometimes I would assign a reading and the dreaded questions at the end just because I felt like it's what I should do. When a student would say, "Wow, we haven't had homework in this class for a long time," I would feel almost guilty.
Another thing this article made me think of is the lack of cohesiveness there is in the high school curriculum. In my mind, the ideal high school setting would have students studying topics, such as the Revolutionary War or Industrialization, and then work in each discipline (science, math, English, history) to learn about the topic. Right now, every class is just doing his or her own thing, emphasizing even more how weird it is to break up learning into 50-minute chunks of time.
If you've never read Bill Gates speech entitled "National Education Summit on High Schools," give it a try. It's enlightening.
Posted by Amy at September 17, 2006 11:07 PM
It's so funny that what you wrote is almost opposite of what I experience as a 4th grade teacher.
We don't give much homework and we get a lot of grief about it from some parents. Our policy says that we can't give more than 50 minutes, and we come in under that since kids are so busy these days (scouts, dance lessons, music lessons, sports, etc.). It's hard to believe that people want their 9-10 year olds just as stressed out as some adults. I wish people would understand that their child's fourth grade experience does not necessarily determine the fate of that child's academic future. Kids still need to be kids sometimes.
The bottom line is, you can't please most people. You either give too much or not enough, or you aren't differentiating enough between the needs of the individual students, or it isn't meaningful enough.
I agree with what you said about there not being a continuum between the subjects...curriculum is choppy. *Sigh* I could go on...
I agree that there is probably lots of homework that serves little purpose. The other trouble I had as a first grade teacher was parents doing the kids' homework for them! So what's the point?! I fought, at both my schools, to assign only 15 min. of daily choice reading. Sadly half the parents wanted more, the other half could never find time to read with their kids (or listen to them read) for fifteen minutes. It's tricky. Kids need time just to be kids! What about this phenomenon of going to places like Kumon for EXTRA reading and math work when the parents feel like school isn't giving them enough? Crazy, in my opinion!
I just read a similar article in Newsweek. It was called (I think) "The New First Grade" and was all about schools pushing kids too hard, too fast and how some of them wind up burnt out by 3rd grade thanks to the amount of class work & homework. Very interesting - and disturbing. The amount of stress put on kids to learn more at younger age just seems to keep growing.
Seems like if the way we're teaching kids isn't really working, maybe it's time to explore other methods of teaching like you mentioned.
As for the amount of homework assigned, my sister (mom to a 12 yr old & 4 yr old) says she can almost always tell which teachers have kids of their own and which ones don't (or are new to teaching). Usually the ones with kids or who are more experienced teachers tend to assign a manageable amount of homework each night.
Im an 11th grader at Oakridge High School, Muskegon MI, Im in a goverment class that we are assigned a project to fight for a cause me and my 2 friend are fighting to get the time lowered on homework. we each just about ever night have a total of 2 to 3 hours of homework. now if you can't tell this ruions a kids social life it leaves them no time to do anything that is why we need support so if you read this e-Mail me anythoughts or ideas on how to fight this. WizGKid@aol.com
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