#edchat Archive
#Edchat is a hashtag, a movement—it is a weekly organized Twitter discussion of educators and people interested in education that meet virtually from all over the world. #Edchat serves as a conversation thread on Twitter and is also used for organized weekly discussions.
Tuesday September 13, 2016
Happy birthday Roald Dahl—thank you for 100 yrs of inspirational stories, memorable characters & awe-inspiring worlds.
Welcome Why do so many teachers hold on to outdated ideas about the positive impact of homework while the negatives are the reality?
Topic: Why do so many teachers hold on to outdated ideas about the positive impact of homework while the negatives are the reality?
“Leadership is not just about giving energy ... it's unleashing other people's energy.” – Paul Polman. RT if you agree!
As a future teacher, what is a good online resource for kids to help with math when not in school?
I truly do believe this; relationships are the foundation of all the things we do in education.
GREAT QUESTION. The responses I've gotten leans more towards how the t's learned when they were s's.
Join Now! Why do so many tchrs hold on to outdated ideas about the positive impact of homework while the negatives are the reality?
New users, join us for a live Q&A session w/ one of our Implementation Specialists today at 3PM PDT: https://t.co/LCYWCEzdTF
Many teachers are so stuck in the idea that homework reiterates the content. But in reality it almost does nothing
Now Why do so many teachers hold on to outdated ideas about the positive impact of homework while the negatives are the reality?
tomwhitby: Join Now! Why do so many tchrs hold on to outdated ideas about the positive impact of homework while the negatives are t…
tomwhitby: Topic: Why do so many teachers hold on to outdated ideas about the positive impact of homework while the negatives are t…
Many teachers have been programmed from their earliest age to believe homework is the mark of a good educator
Join Why do so many teachers hold on to outdated ideas about the positive impact of homework while the negatives are the reality?
To springboard off that, many mistake amount of HW for rigor.
Here we go! https://t.co/WKt8S5i9yx
Join Why do so many teachers hold on to outdated ideas about the positive impact of homework while the negatives are the reality?
As a future educator would you suggest giving out homework in some circumstances?
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Accountability/testing/smart goals make teachers fearful of taking risks or standing out. Dropping HW would involve risk.
It's often hard to break away from how we were taught as students with the traditional lecture - homework structure.
More homework is not rigor Thanks for that,
elebrate ! Tell us your favourite character and why and you could win books for your school!
Teacher prep programs dont ask future teachers to read research or debate the topic
hard to debunk myths that have an intuitve right feel:
1. more time on subject
2. practice makes perfect
3. limited time in class
Does homework have a place as a means of practicing skills?
tomwhitby: Many teachers have been programmed from their earliest age to believe homework is the mark of a good educator
tomwhitby: More homework is not rigor Thanks for that, P_Tolbert
THINK holistically about homework. The affects of HOMEWORK go beyond students... family, community, teachers.
How does the flipped classroom model impact the content and purpose of homework?
Celebrate ! Tell us your favourite character and why and you could win books for your school! https://t.co/rqEbC1nOgX
Welcome Ike... to So, what do you think about homework?
HW is school culture. Like dress codes, desks, and calling teachers "Mr." or "Mrs." Research is hard pressed to overcome culture.
Every year about now, as school, starts, there's a big hubBub about homework. What prevents field of ed from settling this issue?
homework needs to be purposeful and low risk--practice and collecting formative assessment data are fine
Yes... we see what we know...if homework is bad, then what to do?
So Joseph... is that typically the case?
parental pressure, pressure of achievement over learning, pressure to cover curriculum to name a few. https://t.co/QpARdsf6Al
Join Why do so many teachers hold on to outdated ideas about the positive impact of homework while the negatives are the reality?
I'm torn. As an English teacher, my class HW was usually to read something.
Students didn't want me to leave today. A good problem to have?!
If there is a time/place in education for HOMEWORK, then when is it?
Keen insight Jenn... what's your exp been re homework?
I like for homework to facilitate discussion w/ families re: topics of study in class
I think that the time would be when a collective amount of students are struggling on a topic in class
Unfortunately not and presents a leadership challenge to have staff rethink HW
There are many schools with homework policies requiring that homework be given.
If students don't learn/master what being taught in classroom, not much chance they will learn/master it outside the classroom?
The problem with homework is more than the problem of homework... indicative of deeper issues within present day education system,
Have to redefine what HW is; still valuable if it's a rich task& not a worksheet of the same repetitive Qs. https://t.co/QpARdsf6Al
Join Why do so many teachers hold on to outdated ideas about the positive impact of homework while the negatives are the reality?
Maybe not. I never graded homework for accuracy - antithetical to using it as practice.
Why can't field of education settle the 'homework issue"? Not knowing is not knowing, correct?
tomwhitby: There are many schools with homework policies requiring that homework be given.
As a teacher I have assigned homework, as a newly minted 3rd grade parent finding the workload leads to unnecessary emotional strain
Do TEACHERS HAVE DISCRETION over assigning homework? Should they?
but what are they learning and how are they learning it? https://t.co/xeZZPmZcbv
If students don't learn/master what being taught in classroom, not much chance they will learn/master it outside the classroom?
The best time/place for homework is when it is self assigned by the S
Okay... makes sense. How to determine 'struggling'? Them what to do to alleviate the struggle?
Re , need the voices of students with unique learning challenges & their families. HW can be a huge emotional albatross.
I continue to go back to 1) fear of being different. 2) we teach how we were taught
Exactly! So many Ts grade for accuracy w/out being sure Ss understood concept or skill to begin with!
A negative of homework: Arguments about homework are often a leading contributor to family stress.
Thanks Shelly... so why is homework such a persistent source of conflict?
Perhaps we should ask ourselves -> what does 'homework' say about a school? Teacher?
Nightly rdg (even modeling) in the lower grades is a must...we can call that homework or family time
"PhotoMath" is a great reason the typical version of math homework is not worth much
If theyre struggling in class how can we expect them to do better independently?
Tech Transformation post: Deep conversations: becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable https://t.co/HSxkWWjaVN …
Tech Transformation post: Deep conversations: becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable https://t.co/7c3a02JKrm …
Cool insight... how's that working for you? What do parents say? Does it work?
i can argue that effective out-of-class work can improve understanding. The amount and balance is haphazard though
Do we mistake amount of homework equating to importance of class?
tomwhitby: A negative of homework: Arguments about homework are often a leading contributor to family stress.
What it should say: Ts value Ss interests and choices. Not sure this is always true, though.
Think it's more Ps than Ts; and belief that learning only happens one way, when we know this isn't true. https://t.co/DmIbI7ius8
Thanks Shelly... so why is homework such a persistent source of conflict?
That notion doesn't excite me--we need to ask what HW says about learning and the learning
i tend to agree... so do Ps need more i of?
Hey, do y'all each other?
could be... perhaps better use of class time would result in less homework...
Agreed! We've done a lot of work w/ Ps trying to contextualize HW and shatter traditional notions discussed here
survey of teachers a few yrs ago: avg. appropriate amnt. of HW for HS: 2-3 hrs/night.
Avg. Assigned by teacher :45-1hr. = 4.5-6hrs
Some very interesting convos reported by Ss about info from history class. Doesn't always work but love when it does
If no homework assigned, who will complain?
spot on... so what's your answer?
thanks, yes, can be a very powerful moment... How to make more common place?
Whose problem is HOMEWORK? Not just a problem for students...
Great question...depends on how s performs on the almighty test...thus = fear of being different
. I think some parents will complain if no homework given. Some equate HW to rigor.
In a sense, does HW say learning can happen anytime, anywhere?
sp true ... years and years of bad press and political fights have eroded confidence in public educ...
That's where I struggle. I encourage Ss to talk re: class topics but doesn't always happen. When it does...MAGIC
...if it's well-designed, that is.
And some parents will say thank you a million times.
no one can decide what's best, Ts want 1 thing, parents expect another SLT want something else
I agree that HW needs to be redefined, I talk about it as steps on the road to success
perhaps... for some students. My sense is the students who benefit from homework often don't need it...
When a students asks, "Why must I do this homework?" What's your answer?
Love this idea. How can HW help Ss build essential habits - reflection, metacognition, etc? https://t.co/10nAYyunsM
I agree that HW needs to be redefined, I talk about it as steps on the road to success
Could schools get parents in with students for learning evenings to look at what HW should be?
participating in about homework, got me thinking how having a S edchat about the same topic would be great in a class
"Maybe you don't. How else could you practice what we've been learning / show me what you know?"
I recall as a principal, Ps on both ends of spectrum: some wanted Ss to have HW each night and others felt Ss should never have HW.
My Homework Debate page https://t.co/aAKQSqgaME I feel the best homework is when a child extends learning on their own.
Ensure that they understand the importance of what they are doing
To accumulate study habits for future success.
I struggle with it bc I feel it reinforces the uneven playing field for kids w/o support at home
YES!! only way to change hearts & minds about HW-We have lots of convos events info nights parent u
Just talk about it in terms of improving their progression and potential achievements
If a tchr bases a day's lesson on the previous night's hmwk assignment & only half the class did it, how effective is that lesson?
. If they benefit from it, then the HW did them good.
Great point, . Need to help Ps understand what's coming home and be flexible w/ Ss who lack sppt.
Getting students in good habits is really important
I think it does send message that learning is not just something that happens between bells.
Agreed. It's not just about teaching content. Its also about developing soft skills.
And can/should we expect all Ss to complete the same HW assignmt? Where's differentiation?
so, perhaps Alfred... need to give time to educating parens about instruction, homework, etc.
Just submitted another A science one about Digestion. I'll be running it 4 times, with 3 boxes each time on Thurs!
Thanks for joining Thoughts on homework?
We hurt kids' love of learning when we put rigor (stiffness) before vigor (liveliness) in our schools. https://t.co/ZhqUE0pyrJ
Maybe, just maybe home work has a positive affect on families... bringing them closer together around learning. Is that possible?
... let's hope so. The message, as now expressed, is highly nuanced.
Thanks for joining Thoughts on the topic being discussed -> homework?
Or perhaps trying to understand their reasons and MAYBE considering whether they are right.
Sure, but a 50 item worksheet or writing meaningless sentences w/vocab words isn't learning
Why not allow time in class for practice, hw. Peer sppt.
Otherwise, the education you deliver is just dogma.
I am interested to hear people's thoughts on h/w. I've always been so torn
If hwk is not given immediate substantive feedback the stdnts will see it as worthless busy work The tchr needs to see that as well.
And, pray tell... what might those habits be? And are value of those habits consistently valued? By whom?
Thats just it--need to have convos w/Ps & Ss at the beginning of the year to frame the purpose
So those are the only kinds of HW that can be assigned?
. Parents don't know the research. Many teachers don't either. Need to educate on grade appropriate work in general
makes sense... can we back up that assertion?
How willing are you to consider the P's argument if they want HW for their kids?
Dinner with a Side of Data: Even in the earliest days of communication people saw pictorials as... https://t.co/MEzJjrjrxn
HW helps build independence + responsibility. Needed sometimes to prep for next lesson. Not just busy-work.
Thanks Mark, of course. Happy to join in on .
Study habits, a form of self-discipline, is one and the most pertinent here.
... yes, frame purpose, expectation and explain engagement process between stakeholders...
Not at all...just examples of HW of dubious value
I would also add time management, but that's a subset of study habits in this context.
Thanks... quite likely signs of much deeper issues
Then lets reduce those and elevate HW that is of higher quality. Win-win.
We deal with that a lot in my district--love the idea of optional HW for that reason
Students Report: Classroom Use of Tech Getting Lamer: More students earned better grades in their fac... https://t.co/mBzB1x6rMM
I agree that these are key skills. Do you feel it is equally beneficial for students with little to no support at home
Well... is homework the real issue, or is it a symptom of a deeper issue?
I witnessed my first playground today! It was fun!
Agreed and have been working with faculty and community to do exactly that. Change is slow...
Optional HW has huge drawback: Those Ss who need to build study habits most dont do it
Optional HW just widens the gap between high SES and low SES.
those habits make sense... how much effort to establish and maintain habits?
When the t & ss are on the same page, focused, & interested, HW isn't always necessary. The kids continue learning on their own.
Depends highly on the HW task. Mindless worksheets won't do it.
The deeper issue is carelessness surrounding creation of HW assignments. So assign better HW
yes does widen gap Lack of preparation for HW does too. Many Ss who can do homework, don't need it.
assigning better HW is linked to better classroom instruction... and so on.
Cant always be optional & should be differentiated based on readiness-meet kids where they are
I've set up short daily tasks for my exam groups to get them in the habit
No harm in making them do it anyway. Not gonna kill em.
Both.. am asking about optimal effort / time on hW for establishing/maintaining those habits?
Here's a look at the relevant NF articles my students & I have read, discussed and written about this year. …
We diffrentiate class lessons & activities all the time. Why do we then give 1 HW assignment for all?
I'm not sure what making HW optional does for a teacher. Whats purpose in that?
If we can't educate tchrs abt failings of hmwk based on research, how much hope is there for bigger paradigm shifts for the system?
I think you need to structure it for them as many struggle to do it for themselves
Does this take place in the classroom during regular school hours?
I try and give them 20mins a night as it gets them into the habit and they don't notice they're doing it
. For Ss, there are guidelines. PTA recommends 10 min/grade level.
20 mins a night works out as around 90 hours extra revision a year
Role, time and place for homework... making something optional... why? Be purposeful...
... similar amount assigned school wide?
“I wondered whether I wanted to be in a field, academia, where you have to whitewash yourself” https://t.co/aRC8RTbXLx
Why ask Ss to do at home what they demonstrated in class? Its abt learning not the teacher
curious, David how to know it takes 20 mins?
What do u mean by "revision"?
For HW, students have tasks, I've put up success boards with instructions & examples
Repetition and reinforcement. And to build study habits.
It took a bit of time explaining it at the start of the year but it almost runs itself now
But they do this HW at home, right?
Thanks for participating in Learning lots from our exchanges.
Thanks for participating in Learning lots from our exchanges.
I think in the UK its around 1-2 hours per subject for exam groups, so 20 mins a day works out ok
In the closing minutes of I'd like to thank for moderating and all who shared in their participation discussing HMWK.
Any resources on helping students work in groups at the primary level? Anyone?
Thanks Tess for joining in
15-18 year olds, I'm not sure how that works out in grades?
My school from Iceland, will be in Toronto this oct. Is there any schools using iPads in their classroom open for visit?
I don't think so I'm making the most of it. It's got good SLT & parent support
Doesn't matter. These are only rough guidelilnes anyway.
I've done examples of all the tasks and each take me around 10 mins
tomwhitby: In the closing minutes of I'd like to thank ShiftParadigm for moderating and all who shared in their participation discu…
preparation for terminal exams
ye, or at break, lunch or registration
Government underfunding of free school meals means headteachers of small schools are worried about jobs https://t.co/qjrg0lEDvh
I'm going to be blogging properly about HW and the road to success latter this week
Roald Dahl didn't shield kids from reality, but showed how it could also be a place of hope, and laughter. https://t.co/rfVE7Swz9J
"...Transform schools from places of 'doing to' students to places of 'working with' students..." https://t.co/nMKf3EM2kJ
Fantastic questions. https://t.co/nGwdIp7RK5
Jean McNiff challenges us: is there any difference between teacher and academic research or being an academic and a researcher?
Deep learning comes from activities that connect young people to the things that matter most to them https://t.co/StsRj55TPa
Deep learning comes from activities that connect young people to the things that matter most to them https://t.co/aDVGl0M8pD
Calling all CA teachers! We're looking for great teachers from across CA for our new State Policy Fellowship https://t.co/PgYMeoTKN3
What business do we have as educators if we cannot create agency in the places that we work? Poonam Batra
I taught HS history. HW was chance for in depth exploration of topic & to prep for in class discussion
