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Two questions for parents with children in Elementary School, specifically grades 4, 5, and 6: (1) Do you feel that homework plays an important role in the education of your child? (2) Could you give some reasons to support your view?
I had children in 4th and 6th grades last school year. Neither one of them had very much for homework. The 4th grader in particular had almost nothing - when she did have it, she was usually able to finish within 10 minutes or so. She was also supposed to do a certain amount of independent reading each day, maybe 20-30 minutes. She enjoys reading, though, so it wasn't something we tracked.
The 6th grader was sometimes assigned homework, but was usually able to get it done at school. When she did bring it home, she was able to finish in less than an hour. She also had a few bigger projects that required effort at home, but they were longer term, not daily homework.
I think they actually had more homework in the lower grades!
So, to answer the second part of your question, no, homework is not an important part of their education right now. They're both doing very well in school, and learning what they need to know without a lot of extra work at home.
I am a parent of 2 school kids (4th grade and 1st grade) in a school that gives bunch of homework.
My 4th grader has a daily Math homework which he can finish in 1-2 hours. 2-3x a week homework in Science, Math, Mandarin, Humanities, English.
There is a reason why homework is given to a student. One hour classroom lesson in a subject is not enough for student to absorb the lesson, so practice is needed, hence the homework. You may think, why not teach the lesson today and practice tomorrow? The problem is, the state education department is the one tailoring the curriculum that student need to accomplish in a year.
So to answer the question, this could answer both your questions:
Homework means practice and practice means understanding and exploring more their lesson (the view from parents on the lesson may help the kids understanding it more). Let's admit the fact that the gauge of better education is their test scores. The more A's the kid has, the smarter the kid. You can go out and disprove this to every person you meet in the street and they may agree with you but not the hiring manager from a corporate world.
But here's the thing, give the kid the option to choose if he wants homework or not, hence, homework should be UNGRADED.
Two questions for parents with children in Elementary School, specifically grades 4, 5, and 6: (1) Do you feel that homework plays an important role in the education of your child? (2) Could you give some reasons to support your view?
1. Yes, I do. I currently have a college senior and a college sophomore, but I clearly remember the days when they were in grades 4 thru 6.
2. First let me say that I am coming at this from a middle class, married, two-parent household point of view. Homework at that age teaches them the value of not putting off "work" to engage in video games, sports, and other activities. Leisure activities are a reward after completing the "work". When this lesson is learned early on, it never leaves you and you'll continue with those good habits thru college and on into real life. Also, homework gives an opportunity for parental involvement and for parents to keep up with what the kids are learning, and to show that they care what the kids are doing.
I am a parent of 2 school kids (4th grade and 1st grade) in a school that gives bunch of homework.
My 4th grader has a daily Math homework which he can finish in 1-2 hours. 2-3x a week homework in Science, Math, Mandarin, Humanities, English.
There is a reason why homework is given to a student. One hour classroom lesson in a subject is not enough for student to absorb the lesson, so practice is needed, hence the homework. You may think, why not teach the lesson today and practice tomorrow? The problem is, the state education department is the one tailoring the curriculum that student need to accomplish in a year.
So to answer the question, this could answer both your questions: Homework means practice and practice means understanding and exploring more their lesson (the view from parents on the lesson may help the kids understanding it more).ive the kid the option to choose if he wants homework or not, hence, homework should be UNGRADED.
This. And homework is not only for practice; in the process of doing homework, and getting feedback from the teacher, the student discovers points s/he is weak on, or didn't fully understand. Homework is applied learning. Without testing their knowledge in this way, students may retain only a superficial knowledge of the subject (I'm thinking math, mainly, but it could apply to grammar/writing, foreign language, and science, as well), or a flawed understanding of principles presented in class. Homework also gives the teacher feedback about the teaching methods and how well students are picking up on concepts taught.
IMO, homework is an essential tool, as long as it's not just empty busywork.
I disagree on homework at the early ages. What I observed with my kids and their friends is homework was negative learning. If they didn't understand what they were doing, that hour or so just reinforced bad habits that were hard to break later. I also believe kids that age need to develop mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. An over abundant focus on homework develops none, and hurts the physical and spiritual development they need.
This. And homework is not only for practice; in the process of doing homework, and getting feedback from the teacher, the student discovers points s/he is weak on, or didn't fully understand. Homework is applied learning. Without testing their knowledge in this way, students may retain only a superficial knowledge of the subject (I'm thinking math, mainly, but it could apply to grammar/writing, foreign language, and science, as well), or a flawed understanding of principles presented in class. Homework also gives the teacher feedback about the teaching methods and how well students are picking up on concepts taught.
IMO, homework is an essential tool, as long as it's not just empty busywork.
These should all be accomplished within the school day.
These should all be accomplished within the school day.
But why they (teachers) can't accomplish it?
Finnish government enforced change in their education system recently. They require higher qualification for teachers. They give huge salary for teachers and there is only 10% acceptance rate to teach in primary school. Imagine the competition. Imagine a kindergartners class taught by a teacher with a master's degree. Results: Both effectiveness and efficiency of teaching, hence the high score in PISA.
Asian countries however, dominated the ranking. Singapore, Vietnam, HongKong, China, Taiwan, Macau, South Korea all made it to the top. But unlike the Finnish (because Asian countries cannot afford the Finnish way), it is all attributed to intense homework, extra tutoring outside of school hours or extended hours of study, exposure to standardized test etc...Result: High score in PISA.
US is nowhere near. It is either we re-define our education model or learn from Asians (more effort is needed) or Finnish (more budget is needed).
This. And homework is not only for practice; in the process of doing homework, and getting feedback from the teacher, the student discovers points s/he is weak on, or didn't fully understand. Homework is applied learning. Without testing their knowledge in this way, students may retain only a superficial knowledge of the subject (I'm thinking math, mainly, but it could apply to grammar/writing, foreign language, and science, as well), or a flawed understanding of principles presented in class. Homework also gives the teacher feedback about the teaching methods and how well students are picking up on concepts taught.
IMO, homework is an essential tool, as long as it's not just empty busywork.
When I receive the homeworks from my kids, I ask them how they understood the lesson. There are times that they're NOT SURE about it! IT tells me that they didn't really understand it well. Now it's my turn to teach them.
In school, teacher's give generic concept that may or may not work for some. Since I'm their parent, I know my kids soft spots. I use different example/perspective/concept that is more effective for them to understand. They are all smiling afterwards, a confirmation of "now I knew it daddy!"
Finnish government enforced change in their education system recently. They require higher qualification for teachers. They give huge salary for teachers and there is only 10% acceptance rate to teach in primary school. Imagine the competition. Imagine a kindergartners class taught by a teacher with a master's degree. Results: Both effectiveness and efficiency of teaching, hence the high score in PISA.
Asian countries however, dominated the ranking. Singapore, Vietnam, HongKong, China, Taiwan, Macau, South Korea all made it to the top. But unlike the Finnish (because Asian countries cannot afford the Finnish way), it is all attributed to intense homework, extra tutoring outside of school hours or extended hours of study, exposure to standardized test etc...Result: High score in PISA.
US is nowhere near. It is either we re-define our education model or learn from Asians (more effort is needed) or Finnish (more budget is needed).
I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what you are referencing when you say "it".
Do you mean the providing of feedback to the students? The assessing of student needs and how well they are being met by the teaching methods being used? We accomplish these things during the school day.
Of course as a teacher I won't disagree with you regarding higher salaries and I agree with you about qualification requirements but in my career my administrators have always preferred those who have Master's degrees.
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