Should public school parents be allowed to opt their child out of homework?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If this is why you give homework as a teacher then you can grade your students anyway you wish. In my classroom certain homework and projects can't be done in school. Not enough time. Teachers may assign this for homework and evaluate the work product with a score or grade. The grade is not soley based on in class tests. Yes, students and their parents can decide if children need to do homework or not but they can't decide on my evaluation methods and their child's grade. In class tests are not the sole component of final grades in my classroom. Oral presentations, projects (done in class and home), take home exams and in class exams, written work at home and in class, and graded homework are all components of the grade. My system works superbly in my hands. Some of the most outstanding teachers and teaching award winners (from students and not necessarily their parents) have practised this way.

Of course, students and their parents will continue to shop for schools and teachers that do not assign any homework (nothing new here) and many students will shop for superb teachers regardless of homework policy, customs and practises.

I understand that that is the way you currently operate! There are school districts that are attempting to change this practice. That's what the debate is about.

For one thing, you mention "take home exams". Of course I would hope that all students are honest and would not cheat on these take-home exams, would not get parent or oter help on them, etc. But the reality is that they might. In fact I can imagine a situation with say an althete in high school who must maintain a certain average in order to remain eliginle to play on the team. If only half of his grade comes from performance in class, and the other half comes from doing his homework, taking at-home exams, projects done at home, and written work at home -- these could all be done, corrected, or influenced by hiring a parent or tutor to help the student. The student could be failing at the in class work, but manage to pass the class by completing the outside work. And there would be intense pressure for him to do so, so he could play on the team.

Yet the student would not be able to score well on the final exam. Still the student might pass the course, due to the work "done" at home.

In an effort to make sure that a grade reflects actual mastery of the material, and not just effort or cheating, some schools are looking at a system where only work done in school counts for an achievement grade.

Granted in some high school classes, long term projects such as writing intensive research papers do require work done outside of school. This work does take more time than you have in class, I agree, and term papers should of course receive a grade; however, students should also complete an in-class assessment of their writing and research skills to verify that they actually know how to do what they purported to do in their research papers, and also know facts that they should know having researched their topic..

But a lot of the parents commenting on this thread have been talking about elementary or middle school grades, where long-term projects are not the norm.

[Anonymous]

Evaluation, grading and performance in the real world in not simply based on taking a "test" in class (there are multiple ways to game this system just like take home exams ... old exams from the teacher in the subject area) and therefore elementary and middle school children should get used to the real world. If evaluation were all "test" based there is absolutely no reason for any formal brick and mortar schooling...virtual education, online learning and Stanley Kaplan style education for 1 to 2 hours a day would suffice. Teachers are unnecessary and would be out of a job!

[Anonymous]

Evaluation, grading and performance in the real world in not simply based on taking a "test" in class

No, but in the real world, I also don't have to spend my valuable personal time outside of work practicing things that I already know how to do. Which is what a lot of homework is in the elementary grades.

My DD attends a GT Center FCPS school and they do a lot of projects in class because they were having a real problem with parents doing the homework for their kids. I know for a fact that many parents do or greatly assist with the homework because there is SO much of it. Are these projects and homework all value added? Absolutely not. Many of the assignments I have seen are absolute crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Evaluation, grading and performance in the real world in not simply based on taking a "test" in class

No, but in the real world, I also don't have to spend my valuable personal time outside of work practicing things that I already know how to do. Which is what a lot of homework is in the elementary grades.

My DD attends a GT Center FCPS school and they do a lot of projects in class because they were having a real problem with parents doing the homework for their kids. I know for a fact that many parents do or greatly assist with the homework because there is SO much of it. Are these projects and homework all value added? Absolutely not. Many of the assignments I have seen are absolute crap.

You really have your panties in a bunch over this don't you?
If you charcterize the homework you're seeing as stuff your kid already knows, then why not tell the teacher? I have not seen that in my kid's GT Center class.
Also, it doesn't bother me too much because review/reinforcement from time to time can be a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Actually, this is the first time I have posted in this thread although I have been reading with interest.

I have shared with the teacher that DD has already mastered much of this material and finds it to be review. (She transferred here from a different FCPS school last year). Oddly, nothing has changed.

[Anonymous]

No, but in the real world, I also don't have to spend my valuable personal time outside of work practicing things that I already know how to do. Which is what a lot of homework is in the elementary grades.

My DD attends a GT Center FCPS school and they do a lot of projects in class because they were having a real problem with parents doing the homework for their kids. I know for a fact that many parents do or greatly assist with the homework because there is SO much of it. Are these projects and homework all value added? Absolutely not. Many of the assignments I have seen are absolute crap.

Sounds like the problem is not the homework but the crappy and low ethical standards of parents doing their child's assignments. What a great example for our kids that starts in the cradle. No wonder our country simply churns out grade grubbing, lying, cheating and unethical students in our best school systems. The solution to the problem is to "test the kids in class" out of sight of their cheating parents. I understand these idiots also hover all over the school! And if you can't get into school to strong arm the teachers you can open up your wallet and send your little cheats over to the local "Princeton" review tutoring hole at night and over the weekends where they take multiple practise standardised tests every month.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like the problem is not the homework but the crappy and low ethical standards of parents doing their child's assignments. What a great example for our kids that starts in the cradle. No wonder our country simply churns out grade grubbing, lying, cheating and unethical students in our best school systems. The solution to the problem is to "test the kids in class" out of sight of their cheating parents. I understand these idiots also hover all over the school! And if you can't get into school to strong arm the teachers you can open up your wallet and send your little cheats over to the local "Princeton" review tutoring hole at night and over the weekends where they take multiple practise standardised tests every month.

Agreed. These same hypocritical individuals complaining about homework (or work and exercises at home) don't complain about this when they dole out money for "Stanley Kaplan and Princeton review tutoring holes" year round. The latter is bigtime homework! Perhaps the real problem is they don't want to waste the money they are spending for tutors and school homework requirements may interfere with these plans?

[Anonymous]

Actually, this is the first time I have posted in this thread although I have been reading with interest.

I have shared with the teacher that DD has already mastered much of this material and finds it to be review. (She transferred here from a different FCPS school last year). Oddly, nothing has changed.

Perhaps you need to be more assertive. If you want more and challenging homework I'm sure the teacher and you can work this out for your child. You can't be a passive and complaining bystander. Get in the game. It's a contact sport!

[Anonymous]

Actually, this is the first time I have posted in this thread although I have been reading with interest.

I have shared with the teacher that DD has already mastered much of this material and finds it to be review. (She transferred here from a different FCPS school last year). Oddly, nothing has changed.

....Learning is a process of review and reinforcement (ask any writer, artist, surgeon, pilot, mathematician, scientist or student/child at Stanley Kaplan, Princeton Review, WPSSI/SSAT/PSAT/SAT/ACT/ISEE course) or are you a different creature from another planet?

[Anonymous]

"On the bright side, though, he can look forward to you calling his college professors and arguing about his grades."

Tee hee.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps you need to be more assertive. If you want more and challenging homework I'm sure the teacher and you can work this out for your child. You can't be a passive and complaining bystander. Get in the game. It's a contact sport!

I assume you are being sarcastic, but frankly this is not the hill I want to die in. We are in this school for several more years. And I don't want her to have more homework. I would actually love for her to have no homework in the areas she has already mastered.

Learning is a process of review and reinforcement (ask any writer, artist, surgeon, pilot, mathematician, scientist or student/child at Stanley Kaplan, Princeton Review, WPSSI/SSAT/PSAT/SAT/ACT/ISEE course) or are you a different creature from another planet?

Actually I'm a mathematician and scientist. And I agree that review and reinforcement are necessary. But once something is mastered, how much more review is required? That is the question. If a child is able to demonstrate mastery without having to do the homework, should they have to do it? At the school DD was in last year, they had a pre-test for spelling. Words you already knew came off your list and instead you got challenge words instead. This year, the words are all the same for everyone. She says the words are very easy and I don't make her study. So far she hasn't missed any. What is the value of the weekly spelling assignments for her?

And I was shocked when people told me that they did homework for their kids, typed papers, corrected spelling, made up practice minutes for the strings practice log, fudged reading logs, etc. I have not done that, but I can understand the temptation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Evaluation, grading and performance in the real world in not simply based on taking a "test" in class (there are multiple ways to game this system just like take home exams ... old exams from the teacher in the subject area) and therefore elementary and middle school children should get used to the real world.

Are you kidding me? I don't want my young kids to get used to the "real world" with all of its stress and competition. I want them to be children; I want them to be curious, to love to learn, to think critically, to play, to laugh, to learn who they are.....There is plenty of time for stress and test-taking and competition in the real world. Let them choose this path when they are adults and actually have the freedom to choose it. Not when they are children and have no choice.

I urge you to see the documentary, Race to Nowhere, and reflect on what you're saying.

www.racetonowhere.com

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Evaluation, grading and performance in the real world in not simply based on taking a "test" in class (there are multiple ways to game this system just like take home exams ... old exams from the teacher in the subject area) and therefore elementary and middle school children should get used to the real world.

Actually evaluation in the real world often is based on taking a "test" in which only your performance at the moment of the test is counted -- not how hard you worked, how good n effort you made. You practice and practice and practice as much as you need to, or want to, or are forced to -- but the moment of truth comes in the performance. You either have the skills at the moment of the test, or you don't, and no one cares how hard you tried or how many drills you completed to get there.

- driver's license test
- airplane pilot test
- audition for a play or a competitive choir
- Little League Championship
- gymnastics meet
-Olympic competition
-piano competition
-chess match
- Bar exam
- Civil Service exam
- teacher Praxis II exam
- Pillsbury bake off


In all these tests -- performance COUNTS! Either you have mastered the material/concepts/skills to an acceptable degree... or you haven't. No one cares how much time you put in to geth there. You just need to get there.

If evaluation were all "test" based there is absolutely no reason for any formal brick and mortar schooling...virtual education, online learning and Stanley Kaplan style education for 1 to 2 hours a day would suffice. Teachers are unnecessary and would be out of a job Teachers are unnecessary and would be out of a job.

Wow, you are showing your bias here. I assume you are a teacher? If you true concen just that teacher would be out of a job?

I'm sorry if you think this way of assessment would mean that teachers would lose their jobs. But if that happens, that happens. I don't see why it would.

Teach concepts in school. Assign homework to help kids master the concepts and skills. Assess ONLY what you observe in class. This can be unit test, chapter test, pop quiz, running record, observation, oral report, problem solving activity. Whatever.

Kids need help doing problem solving activities? Assign it for homework. Go over the homework together in class to help kids see what they missed and where they went wrong. Then assess IN CLASS to determine mastery of the concept.

Kids are having trouble giving oral presentations? Assign the presentation to be practiced outside of class. But kids do the presentation in class, for a grade.

[Anonymous]

I wonder what your position is on homeschoolers for whom school is homework in the home. By the way, these kids on average do better than those confined and restricted to your concept of schools and tests in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

By doing better many score higher on average on standardized tests given in your classrooms (e.g., AP exams, SAT, PSAT and ACT)...at much younger ages than traditionally educated pupils in schools.

Indeed, education, testing, testing and evaluation can certainly take place out of the "4 walled classroom" with superior results. There are ample examples in this country and abroad confirming this.