Homework May NOT be a Valuable Educational Tool

Basic strategies for assigning homework~Suggestions for establishing homework assignments and policies.

BY KATHLEEN CASSON

Research on homework shows that it is not the valuable educational tool that many believe. Kralovec and Buell (2001) found that “homework often disrupts family life, interferes with what parents want to teach their children, and punishes students in poverty for being poor.” In addition, homework has serious limitations for teaching and learning.

For elementary students, homework does not improve academic achievement (Cooper, 1994). Supporters of homework claim that homework in the elementary grades can develop character traits like self-discipline and time management skills. However, this view lacks solid evidence.

Based on this information, the following suggestions should be kept in mind when considering homework assignments and policies:

• Be mindful of the amount of homework assigned. Homework types and amounts must be modified consistent with individual student needs, even within regular education. Remember that what is ten minutes work for one student can easily be an hour’s work for another.
• Homework should never be counted as a part of the content grade unless the teacher is certain that all the students in the class come from a similar level of environmental enrichment and parental support.
• Provide a system for checking children’s materials and copying of assignments at the end of the school day, particularly for students who have difficulty in homework organization.
• Assignments should have a clear purpose that is understood by students. If they have this understanding, students are more likely to complete assignments.
• Except in rare cases, students should not be removed or restricted from extra-curricular activities, including recess, for failure to complete homework assignments.

References

Cooper, H. (1994). The battle over homework: An administrator’s guide to setting sound and effective policies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Kralovec, E. & Buell, J. (2001). "End homework now." Educational Leadership, 58 (7).

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What Are 21st-Century Skills? ATC21S Explains...

Learning to collaborate with others and connect through technology are essential skills in a knowledge-based economy.

ATC21S started with a group of more than 250 researchers across 60 institutions worldwide who categorized 21st-century skills internationally into four broad categories:

• Ways of thinking. Creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making and learning
• Ways of working. Communication and collaboration
• Tools for working. Information and communications technology (ICT) and information literacy
• Skills for living in the world. Citizenship, life and career, and personal and social responsibility

For more information, click on this link ATC21S~ 21st Century Skills

Kids Get Health Benefit From Yoga

University of Michigan pediatrician Dolores Mendelow says yoga, if done properly, is a suitable alternative to tumbling and team sports for getting stressed-out, sedentary children socializing, exercising and building discipline.

"It requires practice, patience and accepting of self-limitations," she said.


A preliminary study of pediatric health benefits of yoga, published in 2008, finds motor skills and concentration improvements, on top of better posture and breathing.


Yoga stretching and body alignment can create a better athlete, said Michigan State Universitystrength coach Mike Vorkapich. Players use back and arm movements to improve strokes and pitches, he said.

Listening improves too, said Jennifer Hayes, an MSU yoga teacher. She sometimes teaches without demonstrating postures. She hears this all the time: "Wow, this is harder than I thought."


Find the whole article at Kids Get Health Benefit From Yoga

Launch of the New Gateway to 21st Century Skills

The Gateway gets a complete new look and several new features!

JES & Co. announced today the launch of a robust build of the Gateway to 21st Century Skills (Gateway). The homepage (www.thegateway.org) has been simplified with easy to use icons. A daily contribution from Today in Literature provides a daily calendar of engaging stories about literary history. A resource recommendation engine will allow user searches to return a more-like-this list of similar resources. The new Gateway will also feature one click access to current and past weekly educational topics covered by Gateway columnists, Joann and Peggy.