Late Homework Woes

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Third Grade Teachers Chatboard

Late Homework Woes

by Kid@Heart

Sep 21, 2012

What is your homework policy? Do you keep kids in for recess? I think I give a reasonable amount of work, but today only half of my class turned everything in. I am open to any ideas/suggestions.

Thanks!

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Vet Teacher On 9/21/12, Kid@Heart wrote: > What is your homework policy? Do you keep kids in for > recess? I think I give a reasonable amount of work, but > today only half of my class turned everything in. I am open > to any ideas/suggestions. > > Thanks!

If you read these chatboards and any place where teachers gather, you'll find ...See MoreOn 9/21/12, Kid@Heart wrote: > What is your homework policy? Do you keep kids in for > recess? I think I give a reasonable amount of work, but > today only half of my class turned everything in. I am open > to any ideas/suggestions. > > Thanks!

If you read these chatboards and any place where teachers gather, you'll find the same question over and over about homework. The real question is - why don't your kids do their homework? The question is not - how do we make them do it. You first have to figure out why they don't or can't do it.

I've taught for over 25 years and here's what I suggest when teachers ask the 'homework question'. Sit down and do your own homework. You said "I think I give a reasonable amount". How do you know? Sit down and do your own work and see how long it takes you as an adult to do it.

Then add - easily an hour - on to that because you teach 3rd grade. Ask yourself - how much time of the evening do you think 3rd grade children should have to devote to homework? Should it be an hour? Two hours? And remember that particularly now families are under great stress and strain - do your families find the amount of time your homework takes to be reasonable? Have you asked them? (few teachers have the courage to do that)

Some kids come from families and homes that homework just can't be done in and that can be some of the nicest families. I had a student whose father was a cardiac surgeon - very affluent family - but who knew? - he was an alcoholic and the family spent every evening hiding from his drunken rages. You can't do homework in hiding.

And how are your kids' skills? If a doctor handed out the same medication in the same dose to 20+ plus kids, he'd be sued for malpractice yet we do that every day. We give out the same assignments to 20+ different kids and expect them all to have the same response to it. Any of your students have learning differences? Are they all rapid strong readers and solid spellers and writers? Any of them have fine motor issues? Fine motor issues add time onto the time needed to do homework.

There's no quick fix or sure cure and keeping kids in from recess - you'll find you'll be keeping the same kids in over and over again.

You can offer a 'homework club' and offer to families that you'll stay at school an extra 1/2 hour or hour to help kids with homework (that can be an eye-opener). Offering a homework club that you supervise is the only possible sure cure for homework issues.

But that's a big commitment and takes a lot of time - I'd recommend cutting back on your homework even if you 'think' you give a reasonable amount and see if that improves your homework compliance. But usually the core of the problem is kids with weak skills and even weaker home lives.

Sep 26, 2012

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