Reply to Is APS middle school less rigorous?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We went from a homework elementary school to a sometimes homework middle school. But the thing to remember about the middle schools is that they use block scheduling, so the kids are given time during those long block classes to do their work, so most of the time the homework is just what they didn’t get too or fooled around during class and didn’t finish. If you have a 90 minute class, there should be enough time during the school day to do any necessary drilling or longer projects.[/quote]

Wait why are they in 90 minute blocks if the teacher isn’t using that time for instruction, demonstrations or projects?  There shouldn’t be time for homework or horsing around, they are only in school 6 hrs as it is [/quote]

I am also puzzled by this.  My rising 8th grader has had no homework at all since starting middle school.  Claims to do it all in class, but if that much time is given in class to do homework, how do they also fit in all the needed instruction time?  Also received straight As with seemingly minimal effort, include over 100% in some classes (really?!).  Kid is pretty lazy and not like a genius or anything, so I just really question how rigorous the education is these days when I see no/minimal effort for those grades.[/quote]

Do you know anything about how people learn? Sitting, being talked at for 90 minutes doesn't work.  It's a decent pedagogical model to instruct, demonstrate, and then let the children reinforce what they were just shown at their own pace while getting assistance from the teacher. The only thing unique about homework is that you do it at home. [/quote]

But how does this compare to when I was growing up, when we had math five days a week, and each class was instruction, class work, and then homework at night?  If they are not covering twice as much material in one class with the block schedule, are they simply not learning as much over the course of the year as we did back in the day?

I always found homework helpful because the first thing we did in math class was to go over it, so it was a quick review and a chance to see if I correctly remembered how to do problems at home by myself with no help.  Now I feel like my kid does not ever do that, and I'm just wondering why not?  Is it really because some kids can't/won't do homework, so we just lower the bar for everyone?  How does this help them prepare for college?[/quote]

Yes, that's what it is. APS has a real screwed up view of equity. Homework is important to keep parents involved in their kdis education. I like seeing what my kid is learning and talking to them about it. I guess other parents don't or can't and so let's get rid of it! [/quote]

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