Performance Learning Systems Activities
Homework Wars
I sat in another meeting today when the discussion boiled down to the student’s main problem being identified as low grades due to not turning in Homework. See what good problem solvers we were. Percentage of Homework turned in is something we can collect data on. We will take the percentage of Homework turned in now, put a plan in place to offer more support to the student, and meet again in three weeks to see if the plan has resulted in more Homework being turned in. I feel like we missed the point. No one consulted the student. If they had, they would know that he is angry because of his parents divorce. Homework is one of the few things in life he feels he can control. But we cannot measure his feelings, so… we measure the Homework turn in percentage. Homework has become a battleground with Dad who left, Mom who stayed, and the teachers who are trying to get him to do it so he can be successful. Now is the time for Homework Wars to end. For many years, I have been a witness to the Homework Wars between students and teachers, students and parents, and parents and teachers. There must be another way. Homework Wars lead to a cycle of hard feelings, low self-esteem, and anxiety on the part of students, teachers and parents.
I think in today’s world there is a better use of our time and energy than Homework. Why should students work seven hours a day in school and then go home and work 2 more hours on Homework? Why not do everything that has to be done during school, even if you have to lengthen the school day? What are we trying to teach when we give Homework? Many teachers tell me that they want the students doing Homework to practice skills taught in class. Others say Homework helps students retain information. Some teachers say Homework is relevant to what they are studying in class and it is a way of developing their sense of responsibility so they are successful in life. In this age of Connectivity do they really need to retain information or just know where to find it if they need it? Why do we still make the students do Homework? Is there a better way for them to get learn and retain concepts? What do you think?
References:
Middle School Matters Blog for educators who care.
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I had a colleague tell me that after thirty years of teaching, “Homework is pointless! They aren’t going to do it anyway so why cause yourself stress? Allow them to do everything in the classroom. That way you have some control of the sitution.” As a first year teacher I took time to ponder what she was saying. I understand her thinking that once the students walk out of the classroom, the work they get done is up to them, but isn’t that the point? I am one of those teachers who feel that homework teaches responsibility. Now I don’t think homework is something that HAS to be given everynight, but the students need to be accountable for something. In seventh grade we are always trying to ready our students for life, and I think doing homework is a necessary part of that.
I was a general in the homework army when I taught math (10 years.) After years of strictly giving homework and engaging in the war, I have been converted. For the past three years, I have seen the other side of the homework issue. I have been teaching a class in which there is no homework. The students seem to have a burden lifted when I announce on the first day of class that there will not be homework in my class. Also, I currently have 3 kids in school. They are in 4th, 2nd and K. Even with the elementary grades, we easily put in over an hour a night. When you figure that they get home around 4 and go to bed around 8, that only leaves 4 hours. Take out time for homework and dinner and that only leaves a couple hours to relax and be a kid, after 7 hours of school. I agree with you, Ginny. It is time to move on to life without homework!
I haven’t assigned a traditional homework assignment (take home today, finish for tomorrow) in about 3 years. I just don’t believe that it is worth the battle. When I assign homework, it is always long-term which allows students to decide on their own when they want to get it done. I also don’t think it is fair to send a kid home with a few hours of homework after spending the entire day at school. Many teachers disagree with me, but when they are complaining about kids not doing their homework, I just smile and walk away. There is one main exception to my theory, and that is math class. I think that kids do need SOME daily practice in math, but I think it is often overloaded.
I have heard many teachers in my middle schools say that they are tryiing to ready our students for life. But is homework really part of life? How many occupations do we know of that adults take work home with them. And when they do, isn’t it their choice?
I really believe traditional homework ruins relationships. Long term projects are more reflective of today’s workplace. And so is group work. I think we need to look at what the workplace needs from our students and then match that with how and what we teach.
To me, homework is just one more thing enforced by teachers that creates an overall dislike for the idea of school. I agree with you Ginny….they spend 7 hours at school…why go home and spend another 3? I do believe that longer projects need to be worked on both at home and at school, but to assign homework for practice is, to me, silly.
I barely ever assign homework to my students. Most of the time, I allow them to get into groups to complete the work I would have given them for homework. This, at least, allows them to work on their social skills and problem solving skills. They appreciate this, and it thus reinforces the positive relationship that I feel I have with my students.
Homework, like many other things, such as lecture-style classes, is a thing of the past. There are so many other ways to teach today’s students, and that is what we need to focus on.
According to Marzano, Pickering,and Pollock (2001), there are nine “instructional strategies that have a high probability of enhancing student achievement for all students in all subject areas at all grade levels” In 134 studies of the effect of homework and practice on student achievement, the average percentile gain was found to be 28% (Chapter 1: What we have found).
Analyzing achievement scores of 100,000 students in hundred’s of schools, Wright, Horn, & Sanders (cited in Marzano, et al., 2001) conclude “that the most important factor affecting student learning is the teacher…more can be done to improve education by improving the effectiveness of teachers than by any other single factor” (Wright et al., 1997, p. 63).
It is the skill of the teacher then, that influences the value of homework. Certainly relevant, engaging homework, utilizing technology resources, is far more effective than giving students a worksheet of problems. I admit that I am frequently guilty of the latter practice, particularly when the office calls down to ask me to “give Mirabel her homework assignments for the next three days, because she has been suspended.” When school systems stop dictating to teachers a homework policy that for example, requires 30 minutes to 1 hour of homework every night, that must be 20% of the student’s grade, and that 5 days of homework must be on file in the office, perhaps then can teachers be allowed to be more creative and students be allowed to construct their own learning.
Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
There is no doubt that Homework is a systems issue. I have read a great deal that is credited to Marzano and friends and I have observed thousands of familiies over the years. I am still convinced that most work should be done in school. Long term relevant projects might need some time outside of school, but not more than families can manage once in awhile. I would not give longterm projects as a regular practice.
I am a firm believer in HW. The vast majority of professionals, especially those who earn in the higher salary ranges take work home with them. A student’s job is to learn and their HW is extra work they take home to further them in their career. I do not assign large amounts of HW but do feel that students need the time and opportunity to practice skills on their own and make the choice of furthering their educational careers.
I am amazed at how much HW studnets have in elementary and middle schools compared to the work they are expected to do in HS. There is a mistake here somewhere.
When does a student prepare for a test? Write the paper? Read the book? As a high school English teacher, I struggle with what and how much homework to assign. The amount of curriculum that I am expected to expose my 10th graders to is immense! If we read everything in class, there would be no time for questioning, discussion, analysis, or application. My class would be a reading and writing room, there would be little time for interaction and instruction. So what do I do? This is what I try to do. I try to make the inclass discussion, interaction, analysis so authentic that the students want to be prepared for it so they read outside of class because they want to participate. That is the ideal and I know that I am not always successful but we try!
I remember that in my childhood, I did not have homework. However, I did practice skills at home: I read, measured flour for cookies, wrote letters and stories, figured out how to get my brothers and sister to do what I wanted them to do, and thought! I remember pondering the “nature of the universe” and how (when dinosaurs roamed the earth, little girls wore dresses all the time) to get my dress on frontwards.
Wouldn’t it be cool if our students thought about what they were learning instead of doing the worksheet about it?
I have to say that this is a non-issue with my students. For the most part my students keep up on the homework. Occassionally like any other class they begin to slow down or miss assignments, but you just need to kick them in the butt. I believe this is due to two reason. First, I have the better half of the student body - you don’t elect to take physics if you haven’t been pushing yourself somewhat. Second, the assignments need to be relatively purposeful. If you give them 70 math problems, only about 10% of your students will due all 70 problems. But if they see the purpose of doing 12 problems correctly and how it will help them for their quiz, test, and overall understanding then they do it.
I usually give the batting practice speech - when you drill anything for perfection you get to point where it doesn’t seem important. But if you miss the drilling for a week your at bats start to slide. Also, some people can just walk up to the plate cold and hit a homerun, how many students feel they are in this category?
If they need a kick after the batting practice speech then put 3 or 4 homework problems on a quiz or test. That usually gets them moving. Make sure to point it out after the test as well.
Everyone knows why we do homework, they just don’t like doing it. If you are going to use this course more in your classroom, then you will need your students to do homework.
This issue has become a much discussed one in our middle school this year. They are making a move to “no homework” through grades 6 and evaluating how much if any is needed for the junior high grades. They were finding that students were going home with too much and often the parents ended up doing it anyway. At the high school level, I do support assigning homework as long as it is needed and supportive to the curriculum. My daughter started college 10 years ago and observed how some students coming from 8 block schedules (where all work was completed in class with no homework) absolutely panicked when they went to college. They did not know how to manage their time or set priorities for completing work outside of class. Besides supporting the curriculum, it does help create an independent work ethic.
Comments from Students: Comments (8)
I think that some homework is important to helping us learn concepts. Like in english, our teacher can teach us about infinitives, but the only way we really learn about them and how they work is to do worksheets about them. However, i think that sometimes we are given an excess of homework. We, as students involved in many things like music and sports, could always do with a little less homework.
Sunday, 03/09/2008 9:27 PM by Annie
I agree with Annie. I think homework is important… but, like Annie stated, we are given a lot of homework. Homework should only be given out to help enhance learning concepts… not just a time-filler. But, a little less homework means less stress which overall makes us happier people.
Monday, 03/10/2008 6:44 PM by Kathe
I agree with Annie that we often need extra practice for concepts that we learn in class. However, this homework should be given in moderation. For example, last year I often thought that my math homework was pointless and lengthy and boring. This year, I find it easier to get through my math homework because I am given a little bit less. However, even with this minute decrease in math homework this year, I often find myself staying up later than I would like to in order to finish my homework. Part of this has to do with my time management skills (which I am working on, by the way) and the amount of after school activities that I am enrolled in. However, even if I attempt to manage my time, I may still stay up later than I plan. (I do appreciate time to do homework during class. I find that it helps me with my time management.)
Monday, 03/10/2008 6:48 PM by Hana
I think homework is important to our education. If we had no homework, we would not learn the appropraite amount of material. However, if we were given too much homework, then we would be put into too much stress. Therefore, we should only be given a moderate amount of homework, including reports and projects.
Monday, 03/10/2008 8:15 PM by JEF
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I agree, education should not be an annoyance or a chore but an experience. Homework must be given in an appropriate amount to have a healthy life and to have a social life as well.
Tuesday, 03/11/2008 3:14 PM by NES
Well last night, I spent about an hour or so (away from my HW) arguing/discussing this topic with my mom, trying to get my opinions in order, and editing my comment.
And then Blackboard was down.
Anyway, I can see where you are getting with this. However, some HW is very important. Teachers can teach us the subject in class, but we have to spend some time on our own applying ourselves to the work to fully understand it. Also, for instance, our Social Studies teacher holds discussions in History on the topics from the textbook. We have to read the material outside of class so that we may have time to discuss during class.
HOWEVER, homework is, in my opinion, becoming very excessive. Sometimes we are assigned homework provides little help in solidifying our understanding of the material. I know my brother has 50 problems of math HW some nights, where he could simply have 10-12 and he would understand the concepts. Sometimes HW just feels like a time-filler–giving us homework JUST FOR THE SAKE OF GIVING US HOMEWORK.
Personally, I think some are under the misconception of how much homework we actually have. My schedule recently has been: get home from musical rehearsal, play instruments/sing a little (through lessons or practice), and do HW most of the rest of the evening. I know I AM a perfectionist, but in order to feel confident, I spend a good deal of time on my HW. When we are given this much HW, it conflicts with our extra-curricular activities, which are JUST AS IMPORTANT to us as our grades, and we become very stressed.
I think that some work outside of class for our own benefit is necessary, but I ABSOLUTELY believe that we are receiving TOO MUCH HW as an average.
Tuesday, 03/11/2008 7:55 PM by Karen
i agree with pretty much everyone so far. Homework is important to understand and reinforce subjects and things we learn during the day but it is needed in moderation. for us to have healthy lives we need to be able to do other activites and still act like kids. in math, you only need 10 ish problems per concept to truly understand it. In English, you only need a worksheet per concept to understand it. IT’s the same with all subjects. I personally have grown to hate my homework,and it seems like school and the work associated it more a chore than anything else because of everything involved in it. I know that i’m a perfectionist,a nd i spend more time than i need to on things (i honestly am getting better aobut it…), but i still feel that i spend almost all my time on homework. I also know that my parents have grown to dislike hw too, because it cuts down on the time we get to spend together as a family.
Sunday, 03/16/2008 12:33 PM by JULI
I think that homework does help with learning the concepts that we are learning, but in moderation. For example, last week I was sick all week, but I still read the sections that we were discussing in History and Science, but when I came back all of the homework in science seemed completely different without the discussions that we have in class. So I think we should have homework, but less of it and have more discussions during class instead of reading, taking notes and doing concept reviews. Also, I think that we should work more in class on our homework so that we can ask our English teacherquestions instead of doing it at home and not knowing the answers, and consequently not getting the best grade or learning and retaining as much information as we can.
Tuesday, 03/18/2008 8:13 AM by MICHAEL