In the fourth grade, I had one such horrible teacher. Research, though, shows kids learn a lot more with small group activities, kinesthetic learning, and hands-on exploration. Thanks again for your contribution to the discussion. Ginny McLeod from Overland Park on February 07, 2012: I'm not sure I agree that homework should be completely eliminated but I do think that kids today-even more than in my generation-are being made to take on heavier than necessary loads, they've unfortunately cut down on recesses and I do agree that making kids do homework as early as Kindergarten is beyond ridiculous. In the above case, some students may elect to wait until after class to ask the teacher in private--but this is not always possible. A number of studies have found that homework negatively affect the life of school children in many ways. I've seen it in plenty of friends' families as well. Because she had already sat still all day long in class! Of course parents should, offer any help requested about lessons the child has studied in school, and be supportive of learning in general as a lifelong process. Liz Elias (author) from Oakley, CA on March 16, 2012: The child/adult comparison was intended to point out that children are not able to, and should not be expected to be held to adult-level expectations. Robert Erich from California on April 27, 2012: Hi Lizzy, this is a very interesting article and I am sure that kids everywhere are cheering you on! I believe this is not the case, in fact, I resent it. Again, I must point out we are comparing kids against adults, who have willingly chosen their professions along with any extra hours of work those jobs may entail. If the lesson was not understood, then what happens at homework time? From dioramas to book reports, and algebraic word problems to research projects, the type and amount of homework given to students has been debated for over a century. Thanks for your input--however, I maintain my position. A survey of high-performing high schools by the Stanford Graduate School of Education, for … But we must avoid cynicism when educating children and do our "homework" so to speak. Those are adults, and they knew what they signed up for when they entered that profession. Homework never helped me--all it did was cause massive frustration; and ditto with all my grandkids. As we see more and more "mainstreaming" of students with various severe problems, either mental or physical, we come to yet another group for which homework may prove just too exhausting or frustrating. The very fact that continuation schools exist proves the point that many children simply cannot cope with the demands of homework or other aspects of regular school. I ran an experiment during my training where I gave one group homework and the parallel group no homework. What he was given WAS busywork...for him, anyway. Manipulation of numbers is quite a cottage-industry in this crazy world. He had zero patience, and held the opinion that asking questions meant you had not paid attention. As far as majority being right, no, it is not always right, and I admit my majority is but within this venue, and I've undertaken no formal survey...but I could so arrange. Thank you again for stopping by and adding your experiences to the discussion. My parents are against homework too. Individuality and creative thinking are actively discouraged (those darned tests, again). Learn more about why homework is assigned and how long your child should be spending on it so you can be your children's best advocate … Lesson not learned : how to do the math problems! Burnout. If you don't believe me, just watch one of Jay Leno's "Man on the Street" segments some night. Learn to fill out the most basic form used in tracing family history. Also, just because it doesn't work for some students, you can't apply that argument to the whole population. I love the idea of not grading homework when it's assigned. Learning should not be thought of as happening only in the 5 - 6 hours at school, but right through most of the things a child does. My father, who had only an eighth-grade education was far smarter than many college graduates. There was no time left for a loving mother-daughter relationship. They have looked at questions like how homework is bad for students and come up with unrefuted findings. I believe that the issue there is far larger than any argument over homework. (To the point of giving a zero for the whole assignment if one question were incomplete!). I hated homework to the point that it made me hate school. Frustration followed by grumpiness is often seen with homework. Take care, Kelley. Thanks for the response! He has a great anecdote about Americans trying to duplicate the success of an Italian village's wonderful preschool system. When it comes time for schooling, however, the majority send the little moppets off to school. Little hands tire and cramp up easily. If it's studies you want, you might want to check out the books by Alfie Kohn, mentioned by another hubber. Is it abuse? What if I fail at this? Liz Elias (author) from Oakley, CA on September 18, 2010: Thanks for stopping by and offering your insight. There is no allowance for those who learn differently. I even have an accidentally self-inflicted tattoo on my leg (when in a fit of angst over one of those fourth-grade math problems) I flung my freshly sharpened pencil to the floor. By pointing out everything you have said here, you may be able to at least gain some concessions for yourself and others in your situation. Let's take a closer look at these important questions. I appreciate your time in voicing your opinion and adding to the discussion, but, as you stated about my article, your position, too is but opinion, and everyone is entitled to their own. Typically, the child will arrive home, have a snack, possibly a short play break, and then be sat down to do their homework. Well I bought and sold loads of different stuff, and worked out the answers before viewing the leftover amount. I'm not talking about end-of-chapter (or module, as you refer) tests, given in class and graded by the teacher. It's no wonder tempers flare. Besides, they've already "done their time" in school, paid their dues. Honestly, I believe that the best learning can get done at home, away from the distractions of friends. Children are not given any such option. Liz Elias (author) from Oakley, CA on April 19, 2011: I agree with you 100%! it was amazing with so many arguments.I am doing a persuasive piece at school and this really helped me find a good argument i could work on. If you don't have the time for the homework, you could hurt your grades even if you ace the tests and understand the subject. Homework teaches you. I think all homework should be material that has been covered well in class so students are successful. Also, my husband IS a credentialed teacher, with multiple degrees including a Master's in Social Science, and he agrees with my position. Just because someone has a piece of paper stating that they have completed some prescribed course of study does not necessarily qualify them as an 'expert.' Perhaps, to eliminate homework, one more hour might need to be added to the school day. We see too many students these days struggling under heavy backpacks full of books. Liz Elias (author) from Oakley, CA on January 31, 2012: Thank you so much for your input. What? Do you know that many schools require teachers to assign homework, and that parents have been known to become angry at LACK of homework? Ever. He was one of those who understood in class, and did not see the point of wasting his "off time" with more of the same. Homework that is pointless busywork can lead to a negative impression of a subject (not to mention a teacher). I like your idea. Not learned! Also, from the opposite spectrum from those with mental and learning disabilities, did you also know that we're losing many of our intellectually gifted children due to the fact that there are not enough outlets and programs to challenge them? He asks "general knowledge" questions of random (usually young) people. Your article reminds me of how frustrating homework could be as a kid, especially as I got older and my schedule became tighter. Here are some reasons why. I think that's more than enough to get them to do some reading and to have them do some homework. As far as your inference that "someone" (you obviously meant me), did not do their homework--I most certainly did do mine--as a child, I was "terrified" of getting into trouble. Multiple studies have found that most students are getting too many extra assignments, leading to sleep deprivation, unhealthy levels of stress, and other related health problems. He learned things in college that were 180 degrees from what he'd been taught up through high school. Liz Elias (author) from Oakley, CA on July 12, 2012: Thank you very much for your input and for your understanding of the article for what it is. This sounds like "old school" homework. I'll take it a step further, and say, Learning Is Fun! The teaching profession is one of the exceptions, but they can reduce or eliminate their own "homework" load by not assigning homework to their students ! I feel THAT is one of the biggest problems with our school system: teaching to a test. Testing proves nothing but the ability to temporarily memorize facts long enough to get by the test. Too much homework causes stress for the student and family. While all students may groan at the mention of homework, it may be more than just a nuisance for poor and disadvantaged children, instead becoming another burden to carry and contend … You sound like a very serious, intelligent student who is very well-spoken. You suggest "giving them an answer key." Classwork, attitude, attention and participation in addition to those aforementioned test scores should be more than sufficient to assess progress. I appreciate your common sense in realizing that this is, indeed, my opinion, (albeit a very strongly held opinion), and no one is forced to agree. Most of us had no clue what in the world this was about--it was a totally foreign concept of how to teach. A child with a physical disability, who may have motor control issues, is going to find homework more challenging than it should be. ;-), @ Greg Horlacher--Hello again. Each thing must be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. There are A LOT of those in this nation. That being said, education professionals from classroom aides to district superintendent must rely on data to make pedagogical decisions that are "best practices" for a child's education. Yes, what an old-fashioned idea! They struggle to sit still for extended periods. The issue of homework has always been one that’s been hotly contested between students and teachers. I thank you for your well-put points and contribution to the discussion. In this scenario, more emphasis is placed on competition between schools and getting the best test scores--but are the students truly learning useful life skills and information they will need? I saw even more evidence of broken families when my own kids were in school. Sometimes homework hurts more than it helps. Additionally, many parents have no idea of today's teaching methods. Have you ever read Alfie Kohn's "The Homework Myth?" Back when I was in school, newspapers were said to have been written for a 10th grade reading level.
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