Homework again? D'oh!

When it comes to homework, parents and teachers are not on the same page, according to this national study released this week by the National Education Association and Sylvan Learning.

Two in three parents think teachers assign homework to cover material they don't have time to teach in class, but only 17 percent of teachers say that's right. Meanwhile, one in three parents wishes they didn't have to be so involved with homework, compared to 62 percent of teachers who say parents need to be more involved.

What would an education study be without a gender gap: 67 percent of fathers say they help with their kids' homework, but moms say pops is only helping out 36 percent of the time.

Ron Matus, state education reporter

(Times file photo, 2006)

Comments

Homework is assigned for that extra practice needed to master a concept, such as what is needed in math. I do think that some homework assignments are quite odd and there is not need for them such as giving a 3rd grader 25 spelling words per week and require them to write each 5 times, use them in a sentence, and write each definition. This on top of math and reading assignments. This does take a lot of time for one child not to mention the stress placed on a parent with more than one child. Homework needs to be reevaluated and teachers need to be realistic. Oh yea.....why is homework given a grade? If you don't complete it, you earn a zero but full credit is given when it is completed even if someone else at home did it for you.

Yeah, that makes sense.

[Angela Norton Tyler]

Homework takes up valuable, precious and limited class time, family time and free time. Many teachers assign homework out of habit, or they think other teachers are doing it, or they think that they are "supposed to." Asking teachers to really step back and think about homework- what kind they are assigning, why they are assigning it, etc. will help not only students and families, but teachers as well!

All of this homework does not make our children any smarter; it does not prepare them any better for standardized tests; and, in many cases, homework is not graded, so it doesn't even help with grades and getting into a good school!
http://www.family-homework-answers.com/teachers.html

[BBMOM]

At Thurgood we are on a 4x4 schedule. That means the kids only have 4 classes a day and they are approx. 80 minuets long. The teachers have time to actually teach and the kids have time to learn. What a great concept!!!! The only time my kids ask for help with their homework is on special projects.
All schools should be on block schedule so the teachers have time to teach.

[in jest]

How dare those teachers expect parents to actually teach their kids something? What is the world coming to? Before long, those pesky teachers will be asking me to enforce a bedtime for my kid and feed them breakfast. I just can't meet all of these demands. Please teachers, I didn't become a parent to actually spend my time caring for my kid. Can't I just ignore them and let you do everything?

[justathougt]

Pardon my typing -- that would be "Homework is" not "in".

[justathougt]

Homework in generally for practice and application of the day's lessons. However, it often ends up being assigned because students don't focus on the lesson and therefore don't finish the in-class assignment.

[Mc NOT A TEACHER]

it was my belief that the reason for homework was for your child to be able to review what they learned during that day at school.
However it seems to me that homework really is used to teach your child what their teacher was unable to cover during that day!

but! it is not always the teachers fault!because most classrooms are overcrowded with students and most teachers are overloaded with the amount of material that they half to cover every day to keep on track with their school districts requirements.
so they sent it home to me to teach my kids but it is probably quite obvious that I am not a teacher!