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Then I feel very sorry for your children. What you learn in school isn't always about what is in the books. A lot of what you learn in school are plain old "skills". Heck, even learning to raise your hand is something kids "learn" in school but it isn't curriculum related. Walking in a line in kindergarten is something needed to be learned, again, not curriculum related. Learning to sit near a child you don't really care for is also something that is learned in school (and translates easily to the co-worker in the next cube you don't really like) but isn't curriculum related. Would you REALLY get your undies in a bunch over a simple thing like expecting children to read and follow directions on a worksheet
1. No need to feel sorry for my children. I think that comment is a little off base.
2. The rule about extra credit being curriculum related was a school rule implemented by the principal. It was not my classroom rule that I made up on my own. I once worked in a middle school where kids got extra credit for bringing in classroom supplies. IMO that is unethical and creates an inaccurate academic record.
3. We are not talking about everything kids learn in school. We are talking about an extra credit homework assignment. Extra credit homework assignments are EXTRA. Extra credit assignments should be used to give to allow students another chance to demonstrate that they learned material. Since an extra credit assignment affects a student's grade it is important to make sure that it is curriculum related.
4. Nobody's panties are in a bunch. Just because I am discussing this that doesn't mean I am angry or upset by it.
Once again, you are missing the point. I would venture a guess that the teacher was having issues with kids reading the directions completely, thus the reason for the extra points. It could also just be that the teacher was having some fun with the kids-maybe they talked about the game in class or something and added this to the assignment. Not everything has to be so regimented
Reading complete directions IS a valuable tool. What if your boss gave you an assignment to create a report and email it to the company president but you only saw "create this report" and never emailed it to the president--how long would you have your job??
Once again, you're missing my point. I don't necessarily have a problem with extra points, but why not make them content-related? Obviously you have no problem with it, but I can assure you that in many cases there will be parents and kids out there who look at that, roll their eyes, and think less of the teacher as a result. Reading directions is important, but that doesn't mean it needs to be taught through silly gimmicks.
Because...
If teachers do not send homework, then schools have to deal with the other faction of parents who believe that homework is the answer to all the world's ills.
I am the type of teacher who does not load my students with homework. Every year, I am questioned by at least one irate, militant parent wanting to know why I do not give as much homework as other teachers. My answer to them is that I assign homework based on the amount of work I assigned that day. Much classwork equals less homework. It's not so much the schools mandating hours of rote memorization and endless projects, but other parents who are equally as concerned about their children as you are.
Aren't learning skills educational by their very definition? I give homework that is not in my particular subject per se but are skills necessary to be productive in my subject area. For example learning to graph using excel or where to find tide information online.
Aren't learning skills educational by their very definition? I give homework that is not in my particular subject per se but are skills necessary to be productive in my subject area. For example learning to graph using excel or where to find tide information online.
To see if they read the assignment. To get the kids to pay attention to detail.
Quote:
Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist
It's not the time that matters, though; it's the very concept of the thing. It's not a "fun little thing," it's a waste of time that seems to demonstrate that the teacher has no faith in his or her students, and who seems to be tacitly admitting that the homework in question is drudgery. If it wasn't, wouldn't the kids be paying attention? Or couldn't the little add-on be subject-related?
See above. I don't see it as "lack of faith".
Quote:
I have a tough time believing that the kids who pay so little attention that they don't see the question will somehow be inspired to do their homework for five extra points. If they wanted the points, wouldn't they just do their homework?
Apparently it works. Lots of teachers do it. We've had two examples just on this thread. Some kids will do anything for extra points, some won't do anything they don't have to do. Everyone is different!
I must admit that I am in the extra-credit-should-be-content-related camp. I further think that extra credit should be limited to assignments that require students to demonstrate elevated understanding of the material being studied.
My middle-schooler has a social studies teacher who hands out sweets and gives extra points to students who post inane comments to the class website. It doesn't impress me.
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