Homework

By beliefs on assigning homework is very simple. Homework should not be busy work. Homework should be assigned sparingly. Homework should be meaningful to the subject being taught.

When I think of homework I think of teachers assigning 40+ short answer or math problems. In classes we would read articles and then be assigned questions. Sometimes we would go over the questions other times we would hand them in and get a grade with no real feedback. The topic of the articles would rarely relate to the topic of the next class. I also found myself overwhelmed by homework assignments. With 8 different classes and several extra curriculars I had very little time to actually do homework. There was little time for free time out side of extracurriculars and school.

In my classroom I will use the experiences I had in high school to shape how I assign homework. When I do assign homework it will either be necessary for the next lesson or will reinforce the lesson we just had. Whenever my students are given homework I will also use the homework as a chance to receive feedback on their work. Its also important for the homework to relate to the class and be more than just a reiteration of the class.
I also believe that the homework assigned should not take more than 20 minutes of a students time. Studies show that students learn through play. Although these are mostly studies on younger students it still applies to high school. Students need time without school work to be able to have hobbies and free time. This time is more beneficial than any homework I could assign.


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