School & Classroom Homework

[Redmt]

You don't know very many teachers, do You.

What's your count on many? Maybe 10-15 past and present. Does that count. The teachers I currently know have not drunk the CoolAid.

 

[FI460]

Here's my daughters take on this discussion. She was home schooled.

"Yeah, it's nothing new though - just discussions about something no one can doing anything to change unfortunately. To your point, teachers aren't actually allowed to "teach" they are to do what they're told, when they're told, and how they're told by the administration. The administration which is forced to do what they're told, when they're told, and how they're told by the government who holds their funding. You won't see this in many private schools - which are funded by families. "

That's just as variable as the individual teacher and the individual student in my experience.

The district my girlfriend teaches for doesn't have set lessons. Teachers develop their curriculum based on the state standards, and beyond that they have the freedom to teach it how they would like.

The next district south is a little more rigid, but it certainly doesn't have a reputation for heavy handed administration.

Nuance.

 

[gouch]

What's your count on many? Maybe 10-15 past and present. Does that count. The teachers I currently know have not drunk the CoolAid.

Your comments on public schools would seems to come directly from the cool aid rightwing talk shows serve out, and that so many seem to enjoy these days. My brother-in-law recently retired from teaching middle school classes in a California public school. He drinks that same cool aid by the Gallon every day but even he would have issue with your assessment of public schools and the fine people who teach in them.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Your comments on public schools would seems to come directly from the cool aid rightwing talk shows serve out, and that so many seem to enjoy these days. My brother-in-law recently retired from teaching middle school classes in a California public school. He drinks that same cool aid by the Gallon every day but even he would have issue with your assessment of public schools and the fine people who teach in them.

As a volunteer grandpa classroom teaching aide, I have enjoyed years helping out in the classroom, thus paying close attention to the controversies about "common core" guidance and the big, bad guvment interfering in the classroom and dictating to educators at the local level. It is false, even irrational cool aid bunk, spewed mostly by those with no experience and little understanding of public education, but wanting to foster their own skewed ideology. Lost is the important fact that the public educational system is one which is truly grass roots and with decisions at the local level, especially with respect to setting curricula. Those who are responsible for the decisions and hold the authority are elected at the district level and are required by law to listen to and heed public input.

With a college level major in math and experience teaching it, I can tell you that homework is critical to reinforcing and expanding mathematical concepts, theorems, and principles of logic. For lower grades, the basic rote memory method is long proven and essential to "knowing your tables". Having expressed that, I also advocate for a moderate and balanced regimen of homework outside the classroom. It requires a school wide awareness of students' requirements. As an example, it may even be counterproductive to assign a lengthy set of math problems the same day a major research project and essay is assigned.

That's my take on it ... so google up public education and fact check me! That's your homework for today.

 

[howl]

It's pretty simple. They're kid wrangling instead of teaching. So they assign homework for them to sink or swim. The ones who do well are taught by their parents at home. Or did you think certain kids were just naturally smarter?

If you ask yourself why bother sending them to school if you have to teach them yourself anyway, you're starting to understand.

 

[Hem]

As a volunteer grandpa classroom teaching aide, I have enjoyed years helping out in the classroom, thus paying close attention to the controversies about "common core" guidance and the big, bad guvment interfering in the classroom and dictating to educators at the local level. It is false, even irrational cool aid bunk, spewed mostly by those with no experience and little understanding of public education, but wanting to foster their own skewed ideology. Lost is the important fact that the public educational system is one which is truly grass roots and with decisions at the local level, especially with respect to setting curricula. Those who are responsible for the decisions and hold the authority are elected at the district level and are required by law to listen to and heed public input.

With a college level major in math and experience teaching it, I can tell you that homework is critical to reinforcing and expanding mathematical concepts, theorems, and principles of logic. For lower grades, the basic rote memory method is long proven and essential to "knowing your tables". Having expressed that, I also advocate for a moderate and balanced regimen of homework outside the classroom. It requires a school wide awareness of students' requirements. As an example, it may even be counterproductive to assign a lengthy set of math problems the same day a major research project and essay is assigned.

That's my take on it ... so google up public education and fact check me! That's your homework for today.

Good take^^^
Thanks.
Otherwise...substantial level of spew on this thread.

 

[Hem]

It's pretty simple. They're kid wrangling instead of teaching. So they assign homework for them to sink or swim. The ones who do well are taught by their parents at home. Or did you think certain kids were just naturally smarter?

If you ask yourself why bother sending them to school if you have to teach them yourself anyway, you're starting to understand.

Must be a full moon.

 

[Straight Arrow]

It's pretty simple. They're kid wrangling instead of teaching. So they assign homework for them to sink or swim. The ones who do well are taught by their parents at home. Or did you think certain kids were just naturally smarter?

If you ask yourself why bother sending them to school if you have to teach them yourself anyway, you're starting to understand.

Case in point; spewed bunk, IMO.

 

[stevejfarms]

Good take^^^
Thanks.
Otherwise...substantial level of spew on this thread.

I have to disagree. In my experience of 13 years on my local school board, the board only has a limited say. Federal and state funds have have very specific standards on where they may be spent, and are tied to curriculum and social standards. Local tax revenue and staffing are under the purview of the board. YMMV I’m in Missouri.

 

[Straight Arrow]

I have to disagree. In my experience of 13 years on my local school board, the board only has a limited say. Federal and state funds have have very specific standards on where they may be spent, and are tied to curriculum and social standards. Local tax revenue and staffing are under the purview of the board. YMMV I’m in Missouri.

After my classroom experience described above, as well as six years on the school board, with four as chair, and my wife subsequently on the board for six years, here's my explanation of disagreement. Although the "standards" to which you refer are passed down by federal and state offices of public education, like many other "standards" passed down to the local level ... they can be rejected at the grass roots / school board level, but with the risk of losing the associated funding and having to argue and prove that your alternative "standards" still fit the criteria for curricula certification by the state. If you as a school board can afford ($) just to go your own way and ignore those "standards" you may do so. It's lawfully a local prerogative.

The other practical reality is that those "standards" are usually ones which faculty, administration, and board would concur with anyway. The typical ideological opposition is by those who are inclined to reject anything the big, bad guvment seems to pass down. That is the reality and why I characterized such opposition as "irrational".