Homework.

Homework has always been something I have enjoyed. I think I might have been the only kid in the world that actually got pleasure out of bringing school, home. As a young student (and even today), I would love sitting down and making checklists of everything I needed to complete and in what order. I loved picking out the perfect pencil and writing on a clean sheet of paper or worksheet. I guess teaching is a great profession for me! Most of all, I loved being able to show my family what I had learned that day in school.

I feel that homework should not only be practice for students, but a way for parents to see their child’s progress at school. Keeping parents informed of what is happening with their child’s grades on a daily basis is an important factor in keeping students up to pace. For example, if a parent sees a child struggling with their homework, they will be able to send a note to the teacher asking for extra help for their child.

Although homework seems like a great way for students to get extra practice at home, it can also have a negative effect. Since the homework is being completed away from the teacher’s eyes, there is no proof that the students are actually the ones completing the assignments. Often enough, a whiny child will get their guardian to complete the assignment just to avoid aggravation. This is helping anyone! A teacher that sees wonderful homework grades that are actually being completed by adults may make a test harder for students that are not ready.

Checking homework in class and continuing to review is a great way to avoid this. This way the students are aware of what is required of them and the teacher knows whether they really know the material or not.