I need to preface this post by admitting that these articles angered me to the point in which I started yelling about it to my roommates. All students pre-kindergarten through 12th grade should receive homework every night.
As a pre-kindergarten teacher, I used to have children who would come into class and forget how to hold a writing utensil. That's when I first began homework in my class. Regardless of the fact that homework "encourages good study habits and acclimates students to self-directed work" (p. 123), in pre-kindergarten homework is good for the simple reminder of how to hold a pencil and how to write your name. To be honest, I'm not even against busy work for students. As teachers, our goal is to get students to succeed in higher education institutions or careers. I had my fair share of busy work in college. People have busy work in their careers. Welcome to America- busy work is a staple of the American life.
Perhaps my favorite argument in the article was by Jeana Considine, "The same parents who are complaining that they don't have enough family time would be really upset if their child didn't score well" (p. 125). Realistically, as much as I wish my kids were spending time with their families when they come home from school, I know that they're not. Unfortunately, my students (who are 3, 4 and 5) are playing video games and watching tv. I know this, because they tell me. I know this, because their parents tell me. By giving my students homework, I'm pressuring their families to turn off the tv and pick up the pencil. My students who do their homework, practice their flashcards, and count with their parents are my highest achieving. Just as the article says, "homework is still one area where parents can directly improve their child's chances" (p.125).
Finally, the idea of homework causing emotional stress makes me cringe. The idea of homework is completely mental- and doesn't need to be anxiety driven or cause stress in the least bit. In my class we work hard to get smart, so we can learn and grow up and up and up, and go to college so we can be whatever we want to be. My students know that "scientists say you have to practice something 100 times before you learn it". They know that's why I give them homework. My students ask me for more homework, so they can get more practice and learn even more things. When my students don't do their homework the night before, they come in apologetic- but know that it means they will be completing that assignment during recess time. They know that they need the practice so they can learn.
There is no debate on this issue in low income communities, or schools that are not currently meeting common core standards. Homework needs to be assigned and completed. There are simply not enough hours in the school day and our kids are too far behind.
Okay, now for some updates on my class:
Reading Big Goal:
Learning uppercase: 6 friends
Know uppercase, learning lowercase: 4 friends
Know uppercase and lowercase, learning 10 sight words: 1 friend
Know uppercase, lowercase, 10 sight words, learning 20: 6 friends
Know uppercase, lowercase, 20 sight words, learning 30: 1 friend
Know uppercase, lowercase, 30 sight words, learning 40: 0 friends
Know uppercase, lowercase, 30 sight words, learning 50: 1 friend
KNOW UPPERCASE, LOWERCASE, 50 SIGHT WORDS: 0 friends
Math Big Goal (part one):
Rote Count 0-10: 2 friends (9, 10)
Rote Count 0-20: 9 friends (14, 15, 19, 22, 24, 29, 29, 29, 29)
Rote Count 0-30: 4 friends (39, 39, 39, 34)
Rote Count 0-40: 1 friend (49)
Rote Count 0-50: 2 friends(50, 59)
Rote Count 0-60: 0 friends
Rote Count 0-70: 0 friends
Rote Count 0-80: 0 friends
Rote Count 0-90: 0 friends
ROTE COUNT 0-100: 0 friends
Some Great Stories:
Y: "Miss Glass, D is never coming back to school right?"
Me: "Well, Y, D moved back to Mexico so he lives there with his family"
Y: "Yeah but don't they lock Mexico? So now he can't come back here? Because it's locked?"
Oh how I wanted to get into a political debate about this until I realized that no matter how much I think Y and I are bros who hang out and talk about Komodo Dragons, he is still 5 years old.
L: "Miss Glass my tummy hurts".
Me: "Oh I'm sorry Lindsi, I bet it's because you haven't learned in so long- just wait until we start learning and then tell me how it's feeling. I bet you'll feel better".
Lunchtime- an hour later
L: "Miss Glass my tummy doesn't hurt anymore!"
Me: "See I told you it would feel better once we started learning!"
L: "You know, it started feeling better when we were counting, so I think you're right."
Goodbye Teachers and Friends,
Miss Glass
