Monday, August 25, 2008
My Take on Homework
Thanks for all of the feedback on the homework question. I agree with all of you personally and professionally that most teachers give way too much homework. In my most recent 7 years in the fourth grade classroom, I went with a short packet (about 4 pages), a book log, which they were supposed to read 20 minutes at least 4 of 7 days (could be with a family member, to a family member, getting read to, by themselves, etc.) and a "family activity", which was usually some sort of learning game or learning craft that they could do together at any point during the week. They had Monday-Thursday to do those things. I thought that was edging on too much, but Shayne has more than that already in first grade. I know my nephew had more than that in Kindergarten, which of course is ridiculous. The nice part about Shayne's packet is that they send it home on Friday, so we try to knock out most of it on the weekend when he isn't so tired. It isn't that it takes too long, just that it is such a chore getting him to do it. I think there is some value in having a quick review-type thing or an interactive assignment that you do together as a family, but generally speaking, I think as far as homework goes, less is more.
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4 comments:
Hear, Hear. I totally agree.
We put Dayle in public school for the first time this year and the first two days of school she hasn't brought home any homework. That is a new thing to us. She would have already brought home a lot of homework at her private school. Maybe there is something to letting kids be kids while they can.
When I was in the classroom (public school), we usually didn't send homework the first week. It seemed like enough for them to get acclimated to being back in school full time that first week!
My kids brought home notes saying that their homework is bringing in all the papers that need to be signed...(it took two hours on monday for me to sign them all!) and more come each day...but in the notes it says what time the teachers excpect the kids to spend on homework...greg was 20 minutes, david was 20 minutes, Melissa was 45 minutes and alex was an hour (although his will probably be changed because of his IEP) and shawn is about 2 hours...but he does a lot of his at school...to me, no one should spend more than 45 minutes on homework...but I cannot complain about the great education that the kids are getting...
I wish my kids could have you as their teacher!
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