I just read a blog about homework "Homework. Should it Stay or Should it Go" which is a continuously debated issue in any school and home. As it is my first year handing out and having to mark this homework it made me stop and reflect about what I had learnt so far. Here was my comment on that blog.What an issue, I agree some kids love it and want more (especially parents) while others want less. I have found in my first year of teaching that giving homework every week is another load of work and time for me too, yet I have started to see benefits as a teacher. Until now I have been giving a random mixture of different spelling, reading, grammar and maths homework while trying to link it to the weeks learning. What I noticed were some large gaps in my students knowledge, things that I had assumed they knew. I am now using homework to develop these areas and do my own informal diagnostic assessments to look for these needed teaching points.
So my final word is that it should stay, but keep it short, sweet and purposeful.
Is the homework you give purposeful?
Image by squarepants2004j/auntyh uia
This is how we do our homework and I think it works quite well. The nerdy swats can do as much as they like and the rest do what they have to but at least there is an element of choice.
ReplyDeletehttp://moturoa.blogspot.com/2009/03/homework.html
Over time we build up a wide selection of choices and some great learning has come from it.
http://allanah.podOmatic.com/entry/2007-06-06T22_38_39-07_00
I even made them do homework when I was off work sick!
Allanah K
Hi Shaun, I agree homework can be 'a good thing' as long as it isn't just an afterthought (though can admit to having given quite a lot of afterthought homework in my time!). I wrote an article about why students don't do their homework and how we can get them to do it (often by making it more relevant). It was on One Stop English and published in English Teaching Professional (called "The Dog Ate my Homework") but you can also see a longer version of it here on my website: http://www.elgweb.net/hwk_article.html
ReplyDeleteI also came across this blog posting the other day about homework http://kalinago.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-dislike-word-homework.html in which Karenne argues against using the word 'homework'.
Kia ora Shaun
ReplyDeleteIn the secondary sector home study is almost a necessity for many learners. As learners progress to certificate levels it's crazy for them not to do home study.
BUT the distinction between home study and homework is important. Many learners will not do home study unless given homework. There is a solid layer of learners who will do their own home study even if they aren't set homework to do.
Home study is a learning accelerator button for many learners. By pushing it, some learners can take real control over what they can achieve. Not giving homework lets some learners slip through the net, and many of those simply do not know how to do their on home study.
I'm a pragmatist when it comes to learner achievement. I believe it's a two way process where time spent is concerned.
If the learner is prepared to put in the time with homework, I'm prepared to give them it. If a learner is not prepared to put in the time, I'm not going to take time to follow it up, for the willing learners need my time.
Catchya later
from Middle-earth