Homework in the 21st Century
| October 28, 2008 | Posted by Brenda under ADD, School |
Recently, I wrote about the way that school is taught these days, and how the basic process hasn’t changed in too many years.
The same is true for how classrooms are managed, especially when it comes to assignments and homework.
One of the most common questions that I get comes from parents who are struggling with the homework issue. Either their child is forgetting that there is homework, not bringing the materials home, or failing to turn the homework in the next day.
Here’s the process:
-
The teacher tells the class the next day’s assignment.
Your child has to:
-
hear it
write it down
remember it at the end of the day and bring the proper things home
do it
bring it to school the next day
be able to find it and remember to turn it in at the right time
The only thing that’s changed in this process in a hundred years is that kids have paper and pencils now instead of slates and chalk.
Guess what? Kids today have computers, too, and internet access. Even if the family doesn’t own a computer, there are ones available at the local library.
Here’s a radical idea: why not use the wonder of the internet to solve this problem once and for all? After all, kids had ADD a hundred years ago and struggled with their homework. That part isn’t likely to change, but the process can.
You know, teachers and professors in college give their class a syllabus. It’s an overview of the coming school term, including when assignments are due, what the assignments are, and when to expect tests or special projects.
I’ve mentioned this idea to various teachers over the years and they look at my like I’ve suddenly grown another head. Somehow, that idea is just not possible or practical for them.
Are you telling me they start each school term not knowing what they’re going to teach? Doesn’t the textbook follow a logical order? Are they really so disorganized that they are leaving the possibility of meeting the curriculum goals up to chance? Don’t tell me that something might happen and the schedule would be wrong; that’s what revisions are for.
Here’s what I think the new homework rules should be:
- Start each school term with a detailed syllabus. Hand it out the first day and email one to the parents in the first week. Most school forms these days ask for an email address, or at least they should.
- If revisions are necessary, hand out a new syllabus and email one to the parents.
- Give students the option of emailing their homework to you. They don’t lose it and you don’t lose it (yes, teachers lose things too). Require that they request a receipt when they email it, or set up an automatic reply from your email to let them know you got it.
These few changes can make a huge difference in the lives of ADD kids and their parents. I guarantee you grades will go up once assignments are being turned in regularly.
If you’re a parent, maybe you can share this idea with your child’s teacher, school, or PTA.
If you’re a teacher, I hope you take this to heart. I’ll even make you a deal: if you can’t do this within the framework of your school’s computer system, email me and I’ll tell you how to do it on your own, for free. My advice, and the software for free, with minimal time involved.
Let’s start making a real difference and drag homework into the 21st century.
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