Overview Homework is a quintessential part of a student’s expectation of school. Homework can vary in length, task, and difficulty level. A student’s motivation to complete homework can be purely self driven, but parents and teachers can also contribute t a student’s desire to complete their assignment. (Van Voorhis, 2011, p. 220). Project based homework, such as The Curiosity Project, can help students stay motivated with homework completion by having clearly defined roles for students, parents, and teachers. This can help create a strong home school connection and avoid the typical stress that comes with homework.
Purpose of the study
The purpose of this study is to increase participation in weekly science homework by implementing
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One grandmother recalled, “That one homework where we went out and observed the night sky, that was the best homework because it not only taught my granddaughter something, it also created memories for us,” (Belk, personal communication, October 14, 2016). With an interest in projects and working as a family to complete homework assignments, shifting homework from a nightly extension to what was taught in the classroom to project based learning would potentially increase the completion of science homework.
Research Questions
In order to promote participation in weekly homework, it is beneficial to reevaluate the current homework implementation. Transitioning homework into a more project based experience that is a collaborative experience for both student and their families will make homework more enjoyable and motivating. Questions considered will include:
1. Does a decrease in nightly homework increase weekly homework completion?
2. Will in class discussions and explanations of homework allow for more students completing tasks?
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There are seventy-one students in first grade. Twelve identified as African American and fifty-nine students refrained from providing race and ethnicity information. These students are divided into three inclusive classroom. Starting in first grade, the school is departmentalized. Students have different teachers for reading, math, science, and writing. Students see anywhere from four to six teachers a day.
This project focused on one first grade classroom. It was selected because the science teacher also acts as the homeroom teacher. As the homeroom teacher, the teacher spends an additional thirty minutes with this first grade class. Students see the science teacher during breakfast and morning meeting. The class then was able to have more time to discuss and review homework expectations. This homeroom has three Latin American students, one of which is an English Language Learner, and twenty African American students.
Students receive a weekly homework packet at the end of every Monday. This packet consists of a reading log that must be signed nightly and worksheets for writing, math, and science. Every subject is required to include a worksheet for every day of the week. Homework is checked daily during breakfast and morning meeting. Students are not briefed on the contents of the packet, but worksheets reflect the weekly learning objectives of each content
Everytime a kid does his homework, correctly, they are possibly advancing their knowledge and understanding of the subject at hand. Although, Alfie Kohn, author of the book “The Homework Myth” states, “Such policies sacrifice thoughtful instruction in order to achieve predictability, and they manage to do a disservice not only to students but, when imposed from above, to teachers as well” (Suhay). Not all homework will be beneficial. It can harm
“The typical student, even in high school does not spend more than an hour per day on homework” (Loveless NP). However, there is an ongoing dispute between critics on whether a lot of homework has more negative effects than positive effects, and vice versa. Homework is the greatest tool for student success, whether they realize it or not, homework is the key to success, it may not be to fun, but it has many positive effects. Homework improves academic success, it develops non-school skills, and it helps involve parents.
The article “Students and Homework,” written by Josephine Campbell, describes a very important topic in education. Homework has always been an essential part of the American education system. Although not required in a vast amount of school districts, many educators recur to this resource for various purposes such as a remedial strategy or method of advancement. Throughout history, the concept has been taken from different approaches in regards of the time period and overall purpose of assigning. However, it was during the time period that involved the space race with the Soviets that homework was specifically encouraged to improve the United States’ educational system. As of today, homework is still revolutionizing the concept of education
After studying the issue of homework, and the teacher’s influence upon it, I’ve come to realize homework may be overused in today’s educational system. I feel teachers are depending too much on outside education and not enough on in-class learning. Also, I believe the United States Government needs to develop a "homework standard". Educators in general need to come together and encourage students to learn in the classroom, and spend less time out of school doing countless hours of busy work. Teachers must look at the best interests of the students and base learning on communication in the classroom.
One of the reasons homework should be banned is because of the unnecessary stress and strain it creates for students. Many students are left pulling their hair out at homework time. Students struggle with homework for different reasons. Some of which are because they do not understand the assigned homework, or they are not being challenged, and quite possibly because they have hit their daily threshold for learning and have no more to give. Furthermore, students who struggle academically will likely require extra assistance to do their homework. Students are therefore tasked with finding a qualified person to assist them with homework. Students are not only under the stress of homework, but now they are under additional stress to find a qualified person that can assist them. Unfortunately, some students may not be able to obtain the help they need with their homework. Consequently and to no fault of their own their grades may be affected inaccurat...
Dr. Michael Nagel, an associate professor at the University of the Sunshine Coast, says homework has no scientific benefit and that it could even be bad for a student’s brain. “The adult brain does not fully mature until the third decade of life (a person’s thirty’s) and too much stimulation could cause unnecessary stress on a student.” An analysis conducted by Pearson showed that the number of hours spent on homework was between ten and sixty-five hours a week, with females scoring higher on the hours of homework, stres...
These activities, not homework will ensure that our children are happy and competitive in a highly competitive world.” (Bennett and Kalish). Homework may cause more harm to students and children at such an early age rather than having a positive effect. Others claim that homework regulation is a serious matter that should have parents more aware of this issue. If teachers would either regulate the amount of homework they assign, then students would actually be able to enjoy their school years before entering the working
Cooper, Robinson and Patall 2006; Corno and Xu 2004; Johnson and Pontius 1989; Warton 2001. (February 5, 2007) “What research says about the value of homework: At a glance “Center for public. Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Instruction/What-research-says-about-the-value-of-homework-At-a-glance
Although homework may seem like drudgery, the hard work that is put into homework may pay off in the long run. In the article, “Does homework really work for students?” Jacqueline Carey, the mother of seventh grade student Micah Carey, stated that “homework gives [students] a good foundation for when they move on further in school” (Johnson). Not only that but according to Donyall Dickey, principle at Murray Hill Middle School, “if students do not acquire things in class, they will acquire them through homework” (Johnson). As we can see homework helps and prepares us for higher grade levels while in primary school that can possibly prepare us for college. It also helps us to remember the materials that were taught in class. Another reason homework can be beneficial is the fact that it can prepare us for tests and the dreadful pop-quiz that a teacher may randomly give us. This fact was proven, according to a 2006 study by Harris Cooper, director of Duke University’s Program in education, in the article “Homework or Not? That is the (Research) Question”. The studies instituted that “students who had homework performed better on class tests compared to those who did not” (DeNisco). Another compelling thing about homework, are the qualities a skills th...
Another benefit of homework is that engaging in homework encourages creativity. According to “ Do students have too much homework”, the skills that you get from doing homework such as creativity, inventiveness, and seeing a bigger picture are the most important. Many students do not realize that homework can enable the student to be wiser and develop skills that are useful. Creativity is an essential part in homework such as projects because it allows the student to take information and use their r creativity to create a visual presentation based on the facts. Inventiveness is also important because our nation needs s...
Some people don't know exactly what homework is. Homework is defined as an out of class activity assigned to students as an extension or elaboration of classroom work(KidSource). There are three types of homework teachers generally give out. The first is Practice assignments, they are assignments that reinforce newly acquired skills or knowledge(KidSource). An example of these assignments is writing definitions down for new words learned in school. The second form of homework is preparation Assignments (KidSource). This is basically finding information and preparing it for a class demonstration or discussion. The third would be extension assignments, these assignments encourage individualized and creative learning(KidSource). These assignments are basically essays, reports, and p...
We all know the downfall of homework: the frustration and exhaustion, family conflict, time loss, and decreasing interest in learning. No study has ever demonstrated any academic achievement linked to assigning homework. There is also no support to the fact that homework provides nonacademic benefits at any age. Here are a few examples: building character, promoting self-discipline, or teaching good work habits. All teachers who assign homework want to believe that the gain outweighs the pain. Although, there is no evidence of that and they must rely on faith (“Homework: No Proven Benefits”, pg. 1). Michellea, a mother of a middle school student, says that some work can reinforce certain skills, but hours of homework are unhealthy and unproductive. Mominseattle agrees. She contemplates that such a heavy load can result in potential drawbacks to the students. Hours of homework a night plus a full day of school can be just as much work as an adult at a full-time job. She believes students should enjoy their childhood, as short as it already is. MagnetMom complains about how her daughter’s homework takes away her beneficial sleep. With busy families, like hers, they have many after school activities, so when they get home, they do not have time for too much homework. She says ...
Homework helps students learn essential life skills such as self-discipline, independence, and perseverance; however, according to Alfie Kohn, “no study has ever confirmed the widely accepted assumption”. In modern schooling, all grade levels are given substantial amounts of homework, which causes a multitude of problems regarding physical and emotional health, along with, potential family issues and no leisure time. Therefor, there should be less classes or class time should be extended in order to give students an adequate amount of time to finish assignments in school, rather than at home. After all, what is the point of having a teacher if the student has to learn at home rather than being taught at school? This does nothing but compound
In Science, teachers serve as the facilitator of learning, guiding them through the inquiry process. Teachers must ask open-ended questions, allow time for the students to answer, avoid telling students what to do, avoid discouraging students’ ideas or behaviors, encourage to find solutions on their own, encourage collaboration, maintain high standards and order, develop inquiry-based assessments to monitor students’ progress, and know that inquiry may be challenging for some students so be prepared to provide more guidance. There are three types of Science inquiry: structured, guided, and open. Structured is the most teacher-centered form of inquiry. This type of inquiry is mainly seen in laboratory exercises where the teacher needs to provide structure, however the students are the ones who conduct the experiment and find conclusions. Guided inquiry is where the students are given tools to develop a process and find the results. As an example, the teacher would instruct the students to build a rocket, but not tell them how to design it. This leaves creativity and uniqueness for the students to be able to apply their knowledge and skills. Open inquiry is when students determine the problem, i...
I attended a second grade class at Smallville Elementary on February 22, 2014; the class began promptly at 0855. There are 26 children in this second grade class. There are 15 male students and 11 female students. The student diversity is 2 Hispanics, 1 African-American, 1 East Indian, and 1 New Zealander (White but with an extreme accent). Three children were left-handed.