This was originally a response to Atlanta Man on the "Things that don't exist but should by now" thread. I've decided that it probably derails the thread, so I've put it here. I'm not a parent, but I'm a teacher and I've always been lucky to work in schools where the teacher is given the right to decide the appropriate amount and nature of homework given to students. My advice relates to pre-teen children.
The aim of homework shouldn't be for the child to learn new material, or even to practise what's being taught at school. The value of homework is to get the parents to take an interest in what their children are learning. Children whose parents have a positive attitude towards their learning will themselves have a more positive attitude towards their own learning.
Homework should never be lists of maths problems. It shouldn't be "read four chapters and answer this list of questions." It shouldn't be "research gay acceptance in classical Greece and write a 1000 word essay." The skills that would supposedly be developed while doing this should instead be developed during school hours.
Homework instead should take the form of enjoyable, quality time spent with parents and family. Remember how your grandfather used to read to you when he visited? Remember how, as your reading ability improved, you began reading the stories with his help? Remember how when you visited your grandfather he always had a novel sitting on the sofa which he would pick up to read after the six o'clock news? There's a lot of research that shows that parents reading with/to their kids is the single biggest factor in developing high functioning literacy skills.
There are three things a parent can do to improve their children's reading. There is no mystery, it's not hard, and it is always enjoyable.
Quote: (06-29-2015 08:27 AM)Atlanta Man Wrote:
All boys schools without homework. Homework is the stupidest thing ever invented, I do not know how it has persisted so long.School should be year round and homework should be eliminated. Boys and girls learn differently and core subjects should be taught separately while bullshit classes and easy stuff should be co ed.
The aim of homework shouldn't be for the child to learn new material, or even to practise what's being taught at school. The value of homework is to get the parents to take an interest in what their children are learning. Children whose parents have a positive attitude towards their learning will themselves have a more positive attitude towards their own learning.
Homework should never be lists of maths problems. It shouldn't be "read four chapters and answer this list of questions." It shouldn't be "research gay acceptance in classical Greece and write a 1000 word essay." The skills that would supposedly be developed while doing this should instead be developed during school hours.
Homework instead should take the form of enjoyable, quality time spent with parents and family. Remember how your grandfather used to read to you when he visited? Remember how, as your reading ability improved, you began reading the stories with his help? Remember how when you visited your grandfather he always had a novel sitting on the sofa which he would pick up to read after the six o'clock news? There's a lot of research that shows that parents reading with/to their kids is the single biggest factor in developing high functioning literacy skills.
There are three things a parent can do to improve their children's reading. There is no mystery, it's not hard, and it is always enjoyable.
- Read to/with your child everyday - 10 minutes is enough, but with time, most children will demand much more. Ask them questions, not just literal questions, but ask them about their own response to what they've read.
- Share you love of literature. Talk about the books you are reading - perhaps even share some passages and discuss it with your child. (I wouldn't recommend "Bang" or "Day Bang" until they are at least 16 years old).
- Be a role model. If your child sees you reading on a regular basis, he/she will wish to emulate you.
- Read with a family member for 10-20 minutes each day. (I send home books appropriate to their reading level, but I also encourage them to use books from the library on topics which interest them, even if it's beyond their reading ability. It's amazing to see a child (usually boys) overcome literacy difficulties when they are reading about a topic that really interests them.
- There will be two or three maths problems related to skills learned during the week. The purpose isn't to practise these skills, but to give the students a sense of accomplishment as they demonstrate their newly acquired skills to their parents.