Is giving homework the
right thing to do?
“Let us not be content to work and see what will happen, but give us the
determination to make the right thing happened”
-----Haraco Mann----
Introduction
Consider yourself as a scholar, or a student, you are given
an opportunity to argue about giving homework to learners, what would you say?
You are going to read few extracts about some other people views on homework at
school. Maybe you did experience the problem of learners giving some funny
excuses of not doing homework. Some other educators have decided to let the
learners do homework at school because they do not do it at home. Is it still
homework? Is it still serving the purpose? You are going to discuss about this
topic giving its pros and cons. Post your work on discussion board. How to post? You are required to change
the subject line to your full name. Compose, save and replies in a word
processing program. Do copy and paste.
Content
Homework is the work that is carried by students from school
to finish it at home during their free time. Actually it is the extension of
work they did at school. Many schools, colleges, FETs, and Universities do give
homework to their students. Forms of homework vary from completion of work
done, to assignments, and even projects. The primary aim of homework is to give
a parent a picture of what is happening at school and to involve the parent in
the education of his/her child. It is confusing though when you find a student
given homework of the new work that is not yet done at school. You may ask
yourself, who is going to introduce or teach this work to student? Is it a
parent? Those are one of the things that made student and parents feel that
homework is a burden and a nuisance.
Giving homework is good. Some people have a positive ideas
debating about homework. One said homework enhances the student’s capacity to
understand the subject better, (Debate.org n.d.). Another principal cause for
giving homework is making students to be much more aware of their learning,
(Debate.org). Some people have a negative opinion about giving homework. One student
said “One of the biggest thing that cause stress (as a student) is homework.
Taking many advanced classes, I get more than a reasonable amount of homework”,
(Debate.org n.d.). Read more about people’s debate on giving homework at www.debate.org . Actually homework is not a stress.
What stresses students is timing on giving homework and a lot amount of it.
Teachers just flood students with homework and student found them stuck in the
poll of homework instead of enjoying their free time. We sometime give homework
even during beaks (holidays). “Students need to enjoy their breaks and think
for other things of their interest” (Thoughts of teaching, 2006). Teacher
should work collaboratively when giving students homework and draw school or
grade homework time table. Do we ever think of illiterate parents when giving
students homework, worse with unclear instruction? I am teaching grade four in
an urban school. This is what I usually received, the excuses of not doing
homework. “There was no one to help me at home”. “I was afraid to travel a
kilometer to my neighbor, it was already at dawn”. Sometimes homework put student’s life at
risk. Oral work or mind shaker. Just
think of the situation when you were given the homework to do and you were
unable to do it. What was the course? How did you teacher act toward you on
that.
References
Debate.org (n. d.). Should schools give homework? Retrieved
from www.debate,org/opinions/should-schools-give-homework
Thought of Teaching, (2006). Homework during breaks?
Retrieved from www.toddseal.com/rodin/2006/01/o8/homework-during-break/
Objectives
Candidate will: Gain exposure on various opinions
about giving homework at schools. The advantages and disadvantages of homework.
Provide additional insight about the value of giving homework
and how they should make it work to students.
Required studies
The candidates should read the following websites; Most of
the information from these websites will help the student to do the task
required. Read these websites in conjunction with the instructor’s epilogue.
Read a short story about; book title: The lazy Lunga, by G.M.N.
Sibiya (Grade 5) (2001).
Ten Reasons to Get Rid
of Homework, (and
Five Alternatives), John, 2011. http://www.spencerideas.org/2011/09/ten-reasons-to-get-rid-of-homework-and.html
The Right Way to do
Math Homework
(Always learn: 2013). http://blogs.psychcentral.com/always.learn/2013/the-right-way-to-do-math-homework
Homework harmful or helpful. (eduflow: 2013). https://eduflow.wordpress.com/2013/10/03/homework-hamful-or-helpful/
Assessment
The candidate will be credited for his/her active interaction
in the course. A minimum post of two will be required after reading all the
post and select the (two) post that interest you the most. Pease observe and
keep the due dates as there will be no late assignment accepted. The closing
time will be 11h: 59 midnight, S.A. standard time. Marking of the late
assignment will be the instructor’s discretion. For any problem or confusion, the instructor
will be an email away, feel free to contact her. Grading of work will be
against rubric given, please read it clearly. Marks will be awarded or credited
against rubric and submission policy.
Instructions to
candidate Post to
discussion board.
Due Tuesday 29 May 2015
Read the short story:
The lazy Lunga
Read the short story of
the boy who was so lazy that he always wake up late and arrive late at school.
He did not do his homework.
He always has nutsy excuses
of not doing his homework. He submitted non-of his project. Even on speech day
during assemble when he manage to cover the assembly time, he came unprepared. His
friends call him “L” which stands for “Libala” which means ought to be lazy. Find
out what happened about him at the end of the year. Also read other required
sources and answer the following questions.
1. What is homework?
2. Relating to Libala’s behavior, discuss about your personal
experience about doing or not doing homework. How did you escape from
punishment if you did? Is Libala your twin behavior? How/why?
Use proper APA cites to consolidate your discussion. Proof
read your work, written on word and post to discussion board.
Due Wednesday 30 May
2015 Peer assessment
Post to discussion
board.
Read your classmates’ responses. Reflect and substantively
comment on two or more of their posts. Support your statement with evidence
from the required studies, other research, and experiences.
Due Thursday 31 May
2015
Read the website provided and relevant articles about
homework. Then write an argumentative essay about the following topic “Is giving homework the right thing to do?”
you may add your past personal
experience or another’s experience to support your points. Give the correct APA
citing as evidence from required sources.
The following questions will guide your discussion.
1. Is giving homework still of value? Discuss
about advantages and disadvantages of giving homework.
2. If you still believe in homework,
what can be done to make it work?
3. If homework shifts, according to your
opinion, what can be done instead?
Write your work on Word
Document, copy and paste to submit into discussion board.
