I am starting this blogging experiment with CAISL Faculty to gather information on our concerns, our thoughts, our questions, and what we each think the way forward might be.
Over the past few weeks, we have engaged in dialogue about Learning, how people learn best, and what we as educators are doing and should be doing to focus the attitudes of our community on Learning.
One of the issues which comes up is the "Role of Homework in Learning." For us to get the best thinking of all of us, I ask that you post your thoughts, comments, questions on this page.
Just some summary thoughts:
Some reasons usually given for assigning "homework" (and I use that word in the traditional sense, work the teacher assigns which follows from work done in class.)
1. That's the way it has always been.
2. The curriculum is too dense to get through everything during class so students have to do some of the work at home.
3. As they get older, they will have lots of work to do at home so they "better get used to it."
4. It teaches responsibility and time management.
5. Students must practice skills taught in class to get good at them and there is not enough class time to do this.
Here is an alternative view from Alfie Kohn:
I look forward to reading your comments.
Alfie Kohn has much to say that should make most teachers take a good long think about the purpose of homework. I'd recommend looking at more of the links that come up, after watching the first one.
ReplyDeleteTeachers are responsible for most kids hating homework. From the beginning we have thought about it as something mandatory, either with a specific goal or not. Also, the obsession of grading it doesn't help. Only if we access what students learn through other assessment activities and not the HW itself, can students release themselves from the pressure of the grade and understand that it's part of the learning process. For this to happen, the format of what we send home needs to be much more varied in terms of the content.
ReplyDeleteI believe school should be done at school and life done outside of school. There must be boundaries for students (and teachers) in order for them to stay healthy, motivated, and curious. I also have the philosophy of "I can´t make you learn." In realtion to homework, I give it, but do not collect it. The student is able to choose when to do it, how to do it, and how much they need to do. The intrinsic motivation to learn is not crushed by a mountain of due work, it is easier to accurately judge a students true learning, and the student cultivates a greater self responsibility.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Brent about the boundries and motivating students to stay healthy, motivated and curious.
ReplyDeleteAt a primary level, homework should not be used for the usual reasons listed above. However, I do think there is value in giving assigments that provide an opportunity for young children to share their school life with their family. Some homework - not in the traditional sense - gives families a point of focus to celebrate learning.
ReplyDeleteI believe that with homework, as with most things in life, there is no 'one size fits all' answer. I think what is important is that teachers apply the same approach to homework assignments as they would to any other area of their profession, and consider the purpose and value of the tasks they are setting for students, the best delivery method, as well as if and how those tasks will be evaluated.
ReplyDeleteI agree with a lot of the above points. I especially like the idea of homework being a 'sharing' experience at home - in the form of a discussion of an issue brought up in a class or reading a favorite part of a book (all of course, depends on grade level). Evaluation and assessment of homework should be understood by the student, teacher and parents.
ReplyDeleteI am not a big believer in "homework" in the traditional sense. I think if children are engaged in directed academic work seven hours of the day they need time to pursue their own interests at their own pace. That said, I do assign reading homework -- first, because I think for many students it is a habit that needs encouraging, and second, so that students come to class ready to hit the ground running.
ReplyDeleteWhat caught my attention with Alfie Kohn was his remark about motivation and how it actually decreases motivation. I would like to say to students "if this isn't going to help you - don't do it." Unfortunately, I still think that students believe that if an assignment is optional then the teacher doesn't consider it important. As Blannie observed, we're telling students "know this - it will be on the test." What about the other ideas we give them - are they not important as well?
ReplyDeleteAs a language teacher, I have to agree with Jaime that reading at home is imperative, for both of the reasons she gave. I do agree with the idea of devoting class time to read, as a way to reinforce the importance of reading, but it is impossible to read an entire text with class time, and still have time to do anything with it. I also agree with a lot of the ideas behind the concept of "flip teaching," particularly when it comes to formal writing, as student frequently need a lot of help with the writing process that they can not have when they are home working by themselves. Lastly, I think the point expressed above that too much work can crush motivation and the enjoyment that can be found in learning. If students decide that they hate school, that is? would be? our most significant problem.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of the points made. Children already spend a good part of their day at school and should have the time to participate in sports or other extra curricular activities after school. Having hours of homework to complete seems counter productive to me.
ReplyDeleteI too agree with many of the points made. Although I would love to be able to tell my students to only complete the homework if it would benefit them, at a 3rd grade level, the students alone are not best placed to decide this.
ReplyDeleteHomework activities do need to be as varied as possible to stimulate and maintain interest and to avoid being seen by students as simply something to be done as quickly as possible to get onto something they like doing. It is also vital that students do not become overwhelmed with the amount of homework.
I think that traditional homework is not the best teaching tool, however I believe that some assignments give young children a chance to demonstrate skills that they have worked hard to master in school.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mark when he says that we need to make homework activities as varied as possible to stimulate and maintain interest. Homework doesn't have to be tedious, it can be an oportunity for self-expression and self-realization. If the parameters of the assignment are set up in a way that students can go about completing in a way that best fits their style of learning/strengths then homework then becomes a chance to grow and show off what they can do.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciate the remarks made about homework being something that can help students connect with their parents. I encourage my parents to talk with/help/ask questions about their child's homework.
One thing I would add is that, with big projects, I've found that giving students plenty of time can help to create less stress. My students who are writing pen pal letters know that their letter is due a week after I give them their pen pal's letter. I've already heard them saying that they will do extra work tomorrow because today they have horseback riding lessons and the like. They don't feel as much pressure because they know that they have time and they are already learning how to manage that time.
I also agree with most of the statements above. Alfie Kohn makes a very important point explaining that homework can decrease student motivation to learn. I strongly agree that the enormous amount of homework assigned by some teachers is absolutely unnecessary and that homework should not be assigned by every subject and every day.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do believe that a small, varied and specific amount of homework will provide students the opportunity to practice what they have learned in class and will help them become aware of their difficulties. This would also be an opportunity for teachers to understand some of the difficulties their students might be experiencing.