As a middle school teacher I often hear from parents that they can not help their child do homework because they don't know how to do it. The purpose of homework should be to reinforce skills learned in class. It should be something the student should be able to do independently.
The parents' role should be one of supervision. They should provide a place to study and oversee the process to assure completion. Parents sometimes sign homework policy guidelines so they are aware of requirements. Parents should check in with their child to see what they are
studying and ask questions in order for the learner to demonstrate their knowledge.
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4 comments:
I completely agree with your assertion that homework should be a reinforcement of skills learned in class. Students should be able to do it independently.
That is the reason that I am not a big fan of the weekly packet that is very popular in many math classes in my school. Every Monday students take home a weeks worth of math homework that is due on Friday. This way they can plan out their week and do it on less busy nights. While this may be more convenient for many families, and is definitely easier on the teacher - those are not the reasons to give homework.
I give homework to help reinforce skills that we just learned. Many times I change my planned math homework assignment five minutes before the end of class. The homework is based on the classwork. I know I can't give a weeks worth of homework without knowing how things are going to go in the classroom.
I agree with both of you. As a parent of a middle schooler and a high school student(both girls), I have learned to back off. It's not because I don't want to be supportive or because I don't understand the concept. Simply put, I want to survive their teen years, and I want them to be independent thinkers. My youngest daughter does require a little more assistance in regards to planning. Her "homework time" begins with an explanation of exactly what she is going to be doing and a check of her assignment notebook. We receive a team e-mail newsletter once a week, but this is truly the time that I find out what she is working on each subject area. There are days when it would be so much easier to "just do it myself" or "step in and teach it my way", however I go for a walk or my classroom and leave her alone. It is a huge disservice to her (and I was only meant to teach other people's children.) We would end up in a fight otherwise and then homework becomes a negative experience for her.
Thank you, Steve, for saying something about the packets. One year, this same daughter came home with a folder filled with a quarter's worth of unfinished homework packets. When I asked her why they weren't finished she told me "the teacher never asked for them and didn't grade them anyway". When I asked the teacher about the work and whetehr or not my daughter's grade would be effected the teacher gave me the same answer verbatum. Then she added that my daughter had earned an A. UGH!!!!!!! My daughter is bright. She figured out that the homework did not have purpose.
As teachers we have to ask ourselves some questions before assigning homework: 1. Is it beneficial to the student? 2. What is our purpose (our ultimate goal) (ex:to help the child use real life examples and take the lesson to a different level when they can really think about it or examining the process the child is going through independetly to solve the problem, etc.) 3. When are we going to go over the homework with them?
PS: When I said before that my daughter's homework time began with an explanation, I meant that she explains the assignment (not the concept) to me. Example: "Tonight I have to work on five word problems and show all of my work through writing, drawing or labeling."
I usually try to model this type of conversation for parents on parent night.
Parents are an important part of out learning team. I write and ask parents to support their child with their "Extended Learning" by providing a quiet place and set time to do their work. Parents can be there for support if a student is unclear or has literacy needs for reading the directions, or text, but I ask that they let the student take responsibility for doing the thinking and responding. Students who do the extra work add to their over-all learning for the year.
Communication with parents that a positive and supportive attitude for learning can create good work ethic and persistence for reaching our goals for academic achievement and being a life long learner.
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