Just like children, many adults do not like or believe in repetition or "kill and drill" as it is commonly called. Unfortunately, it is a necessary evil in the development of student learning. Children should be exposed to as many things as possible in today's age, but they also must still be required to learn the basics of math tables, sentence structure, phonics and the rest. Technology can be a wonderful help in allowing students to learn both in increased exposure and continued repetition.
Homework is another animal that can be demonized to the point that teachers do not want to provide it or parents will not support the completion of it. It is a truly sad day when this happens. In disagreement with many of my classmates, homework is a requirement that can never be allowed to go away. Without the extended exposure of learning outside the school, students will separate their academic lives from their social and family lives at home. This can be a huge problem. Students must practice and include their parents and family in what they are learning. Without the support of the parents, students are left to develop a feeling of helplessness and even homelessness that will dramatically limit their academic abilities.
In other words, keep the worksheets coming and websites developed with interactive homework. Students must practice outside the school and the only way to insure that is to have homework that means something and will get the parents and family member's attention.
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I completely agree with you on the homework issue. I do not know how to get families involved. Some of my students need much more help than I can give at school. If their parents would help at home, we could have a great partnership, and the child would succeed in ways they can only imagine. What suggestions do you have about this issue? I teach 3rd grade, and parents really hate the homework.
ReplyDeleteSteve-
ReplyDeleteHomework is an important component of any student's education. The primary reason this is a challenge is that many of our peers simply assign homework without rhyme or reason to the homework sent home.
We have to communicate with parents to help them understand the importance of what their child is learning. Where does this skill set fit in the "big picture"? Why is it important? That little bit of extra effort to explain what is being done and why, makes all of the difference.
Homework for the sake of assigning homework is the problem... not homework.
Steve,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you in every aspect of your post. All students need some form of "drill and kill" for specific concepts, such as multiplication facts or the alphabet. In regards to homework, I have had a big problem with my PARENTS complaining about homework this year. I have never had this happen before (and did not increase the homework), but find it frustrating to know that the parents aren't holding their child to higher expectations. I only teach math and usually give a homework assignment (15-20 problems) every Monday through Thursday night. I do not give homework on the weekends so that the students can have a break. I really do not understand what happened to the "come straight home and do your homework, THEN go out to play" routine. Do you see this problem with your students/parents?
Jennifer
Wow! I have never heard of a parent complaining about homework being assigned for their child? I think that homework as practice at home is Okay to a point, but personally I do not assign homework only because the fact is I think students do not apply their homework as a meaningful part of their learning....only as a means of getting a grade or credit for it. There are some subjects like Math that need alot of repetition and practice, so for that I think homework is necessary. However, for some subjects I do not feel it is necessary only because students do not make the information meaningful, therefore, only learn it for a test or quiz, then forget the information. If it is done in a class setting with teacher/student interactions, I feel the content becomes more meaningful for the student.
ReplyDeleteBrianna
I completely agree with your comments. There is a definite public bias against drill and practice, as well as homework. I have yet to find a way for students to be successful in math without some drill and practice work. Much to students disgust it is just not going away. We can disguise it as computer games, review games, challenge boards, or something else, but it still remains drill and practice. I also think it is quite funny how students seem to go into shock mode at the mention of homework.
ReplyDeleteI liked your post. Often, I think about how my students are not learning to improve themselves. They are learning to get the grade they are being told is necessary for success. It is a breath of fresh air when kids come up to me and relate topics to our class lessons. I guess it even took me until I was an adult to enjoy learning. I really hope my students begin to enjoy learning beyond classwork and homework.
ReplyDelete