Hello Educators,
Fellow Social Studies teacher Paul has brought to my attention CBC's story about homework. Though the question of this article is mainly about giving homework, I would like to explore what homework should be. As a Social Studies educator and undergraduate student, I would like to propose an alternative way to look at this question. According to the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL), homework is effective "when assignments are engaging, relevant and meaningful". Harris Cooper, director of the Program of Education at Duke University, divides homework into several different categories, “(a) amount, (b) purpose, (c) skill area, (d) choice for the student, (e) completion deadline, (f) degree of individualization, and (g) social context” (4). I propose that as teachers, we should work with our students to find homework which works for them. Due to the high amount of diversity faced in most classes, I strongly discourage the traditional methods of assigning the same homework to everyone. Though this may be tough at first, over the course of a semester teachers should come to personalize the homework they give out so that every student feels homework is engaging, relevant, and meaningful. What do you think?
Cooper, H. (2007). The battle over homework: Common ground for administrators, teachers, and parents. California: Corwin Press.
In addition, through this story I became aware of the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL):
http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Home?Language=EN
Monday, December 7, 2009
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1 comment:
I listened to the the CBC broadcast on homework that you are mentioned in this blog. I also found it interesting and it made me reflect how, as a teacher, I will deal with the issue. The segment had one particular parent caller that helped me realize the wide range of expectations that a teacher has to meet. It is relevant to mention that he was an immigrant from India; he placed a higher emphasis on education then most Canadian-born parents seem to. He felt that his child didn't get nearly enough homework. He felt that academics are the center of a child's life, while many other parents believed that their children needed time for sports, music, play, friends, and family. This gap in expectations could be difficult to bridge. After reflection, I have come to think that homework could be this bridge. Optional homework, in the form of long term projects, could offer stimulation for students that place a high value on academics.
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