Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Sean Pettit's Posts (2017)

Teaching Communication Through Oral Presentations

If a student is asked about their English class, the first things that pops into their heads are reading and writing.  However, English has proven to be much more than this.  Communication plays a big role in the course.  When being interviewed for a job, employers are looking for communication skills.  These skills are extremely important for not only getting a job, but for succeeding in life in general as well.  This fact begs the question: if communication is so important in the real world, why isn’t it being stressed upon in schools?  School is supposed to be the time where young adults are being prepared for the real world.  Even though communication is considered one of the most important skills needed to succeed in life, it is often lost to other important subjects like reading or writing.

It is very difficult to practice these skills effectively.  Oral presentations are a very common method to train students in this skill.  However, presentations only have an impact if executed correctly. “Making a good oral presentation is an art that involves attention to the needs of your audience, careful planning, and attention to delivery.” (www4.caes.hku.hk) Just recently in my English class, I was given the assignment of creating an oral presentation in the form of a rap or a motivational speech.  We were to write these presentations on our own with a loose set of guidelines to go upon.  Although I didn’t know it at the time, this project would prove to be a perfect example of a great oral presentation assignment.  At first, this task seemed very daunting.  When I attempted to write my own rap, I was completely out of my comfort zone.  I had never written anything like it.  To make matters worse, we were to perform our creations in front of the entire class.  Although my class is only made up of only twenty-six students, in my mind it felt like a hundred. 

This problem plagues today’s classroom.  In fact, this is the main reason students despise oral presentations: they are horrified by them.  Most fear the fact that they will have to stand in front of their peers and deliver a short speech.  Social pressures play a big role here.  Embarrassment for not creating a good presentation or looking like a fool is one of the main reasons why presentations have become such a pain in the lives of student’s.  Most of my early presentations had me terrified for these reasons.  My fears only grew exponentially once I started to speak.  I could feel the bored, blank expressions digging into my chest like daggers.

However, this presentation for my English class felt different from the start.  The concept of rapping for our classmates was so unique, it almost didn’t feel like a presentation.  My definition of an oral presentation was to create a ten-slide PowerPoint and then click through it for the class to see.  Most of these presentations came with a strict rubric that had to be followed in order to receive a good grade. This rap was so different because I could literally do whatever I wanted with it.  It was a nice change because I was able to let my ideas flow without worry of receiving a poor grade.  All presentations should be like the rap.  They should tailor to the creative ideas of the student piecing it together.

Before we presented our products to the entire class, we were given the opportunity to practice in front of other students in our class.  We would deliver our creations to a partner, who then gave feedback required to improve.  After exchanging ideas, we rotated partners. The method of practice was ingenious because it eliminated many problems with presentations.  Once I realized that everyone was nervous, my own nervousness melted away.  “To deliver your presentation you will have to overcome your nervousness and deal with room conditions.  Good preparation should allay most of your nervousness; realizing that everyone feels nervous before a presentation should also help.” (go.owu.edu) Working with classmates eliminated the fear of presenting something unknown. Once I went around and pitched my rap to every single member of my class, the social pressure of the situation melted away.  It was almost like I had already given the presentation already because everyone in my class had heard it.  Practicing with my peers also helped make my rap better.  They gave their honest advice and helped boost my presentation to greatness.

When I presented my rap, I felt like I had used my knowledge and communication skills to deliver a great presentation.  Oral presentations are a great way to practice communication skills if executed properly.  However, these skills can only be increased when presentations are accomplished the right way.  Presentations are only bolstered when students can work with each other and their teacher in order to improve.  This extensive preparation made my presentation feel like second nature.  “Preparation is the key to giving an effective presentation and to controlling your nervousness.  Know your topic well.  You will be the expert on the topic in the classroom.” (go.owu.edu) The rap that I wrote utilized all of these methods.  After I completed my presentation, I felt that my communication skills had improved tremendously.  When the problems that plague oral presentations fade away, communication skills are truly improved.

Works Cited:

ITIP Team, The English Centre, HKU. "Oral Presentation." Oral Presentation. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2017.

Peoples, Deborah Carter. "Guidelines for Oral Presentations." Guidelines for Oral Presentations. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2017.


SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017

Managing Student Stress

Stress is present in almost every student in today’s classroom.  Constant pressure from various sources make school and extra-curricular activities the most strenous of enterprises.  This never-ending pressure can come from anything that expects something from a student.  Students today are obsessed with being perfect in every way imaginable.  This expectation of perfection is a breeding ground for stress that weighs down students on a daily basis.  Normally, feeling a little bit of stress is good for developing young adults.  This can teach them healthy work habits and how to manage time wisely.  However, too much stress can become a problem.  “If you start feeling stressed out on a regular basis, this could lead to greater health problems, and could negatively interfere with your relationships and everyday life.” (studenthealth.georgetown.edu)  It is almost impossible for students to perform to their full ability in the classroom when under this level of stress.

Teachers themselves can play a role in decreasing the amount of stress students experience.  Even though they are not the ones experiencing the pressure that surrounds their students, there are many ways that educators can ensure that their classroom is as stress-free as possible.  

Have students see the big picture: If a student is feeling very stressed out about a certain assignment, it is a good thing to remind them that their one assignment is very small in the grand scheme of things.  Keeping students lighthearted is essential for every classroom.

Have music play during class: Relaxing music is a great way to calm nerves.  Playing music during classwork, exams, or silent reading is a great option.

Give constant feedback: Students should never be surprised about their grades.  Keeping them informed makes sure that they are always ready for the next opportunity to improve or maintain their grades.

Allow communication: Communication is the most important thing a teacher can provide for their students.  Teachers should always make sure that their students know that they can come to them for support and advice.

Teach time management: Keeping students organized with their time can help prevent future stress.  When students possess these skills, it allows for them to keep themselves organized and ready for future challenges.

Educators should always know how their students feel.  They should know how their behaviors and expectations affect the stress levels of students. Educators should know how to counteract stress caused by their own policies and teaching methods.  However, great teachers are professionals in helping students manage outside stress that they don’t cause.  This stress plays a big role in harming a student's focus while learning.  "A tiny amount of pressure - even the simple anticipation of such pressure - initiates a whole cascade of constricting physical and mental reactions." (centerforembodiedwisdom.com) Once the stress level of the student has been reduced through various methods like the ones listed above, real learning can begin.

Works Cited:
"Overcome with Stress?" Student Health Services | Georgetown University. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2017.

"The Impact of Stress in the Classroom." The Centre for Embodied Wisdom. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2017. 

SUNDAY, APRIL 2, 2017

The Integration of Technology into the Classroom

Technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in today’s society. Students everywhere now rely on their own technology to get work done.  Since students already use technology in their daily lives, many teachers are attempting to harness this interest and implement it in their classroom.  Many teachers are now assigning work that can only be accomplished through the use of computers.  Even social media can play a role in some assignments.  This technology integration is a great thing to happen to the classroom.  It not only makes students more engaged, it also allows them to control their own learning more than ever.  However, including technology in the classroom is not as hard as it sounds.  Achieving a smooth transition to technology based learning can be done.  “However varied access and readiness may be, tech integration can successfully occur in any classroom.”  (edutopia.org)

Technology can provide countless benefits to any classroom, in elementary school and through high school.  It can help make learning much more fun for students.  Students believe that technology makes the learning process more entertaining and fun. “Subjects that students deem challenging or boring can become more interesting with virtual lessons, through a video, or when using a tablet.”  (teachhub.com) Technology also connects with students.  It is essential in the daily lives in students.  Out of school, tech plays a role in almost everything that students do.  When teachers harness this, they provide students with skills that they will carry into the real world and today’s society.  Finally, technology also allows students to learn at their own pace.  Students can tend to their own needs while working through technology-based assignments.  It can also give teachers the ability to help a particular student who might be struggling.

When introducing technology to the class, it is important that teachers understand how to use it themselves.  They should make sure that they understand how to train students on the technology and how technology benefits the course.  Teachers also must learn that once he or she brings technology into the classroom, they will not be the center of attention.  However, this does not mean that the teacher isn’t needed in the learning process.  Students must be guided on how to use technology for learning rather than entertainment or social media.  “While students may be surrounded by technology at home, it is dangerous to assume that they know how to use it for learning…” (edutopia.org) All of these factors will lead to a change in teaching strategy used by the educator.  When the course is centered around technology and not the teacher, both students and teachers must adapt.

After all of this has been accomplished, forming lessons based on technology can be difficult.  Using webquests are a good way to ease students into the complex world of the internet.  A webquest has students comb the internet for specific information.  For example, if students were learning about Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, they would create a Venn Diagram comparing the two based on various articles.  Having students deliver multimedia presentations are a good way to teach information.  Students should research the topic themselves and then deliver their findings to the class.  They can present their information to the class via PowerPoint or other ways that include technology.  This can give students the opportunity to experiment with the tech themselves and learn how to give presentations at the same time. 

Technology in the classroom is becoming more and more dominant. Almost every teacher wishes to include tech into their lessons, but it is difficult when teachers are busy preparing students for upcoming exams.  However, if teachers and students are both dedicated enough, the transition to a technology-based classroom can be completed.  Both groups will find that technology will enhance the learning experience to levels that were previously unimaginable.  “By embracing and integrating technology in the classroom, we are setting our students up for a successful life outside of school.” (teacherhub.org)

Citations:

"Benefits of Technology in the Classroom." TeachHUB. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.


"How to Integrate Technology." Edutopia. N.p., 05 Nov. 2007. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.

Education Around the World

I have always found researching the education system of other countries fascinating.  It is hard to imagine a different way to learn and go to school.  However, every country has a different opinion when it comes to education.  Seeing how culture and religion affects the education system of certain countries is very interesting. Although I have discovered many great things about the learning process, I have also discovered that America is falling behind when it comes to education.  Understanding why is a crucial part of fixing the model used in today’s classroom.

South Korea and Finland both possess very different education systems.  Both are very different from the system used in America. South Korea has achieved an incredible thing: the country is 100% literate.  However, this accomplishment came with an incredible amount of grueling work every day.  Students in South Korea are under an immense amount of pressure from society to perform.  The culture puts hard work and dedication before anything.  Although this model doesn’t sound the most appealing to students, it does teach that success only comes after hard work.  “If you study hard enough, you will be smart enough.” (ideas.ted.com) The education structure in South Korea teaches this better than anything else. 

Finland uses both rigor and flexibility to teach.  It relies on extracurricular choice and underlying motivation in its educational system. “Instead of control, competition, stress, standardized testing, screen-based schools and loosened teacher qualifications, try warmth, collaboration, and highly professional, teacher-led encouragement and assessment.” (hechingerreport.org) Finland has a relatively short school day rich with extracurricular and school-sponsored activities.  This leads to students in Finland enjoy going to school, rather than dislike it.  It is a low stress culture that offers a broad range of learning experiences.  Although the education model in South Korea and Finland are very different, they both have one thing in common: they work.  These two countries consistently place at the top when it comes to education.  The methods they use helped propel them to becoming leading figures in the education world.

When viewing these education systems, it leads to a very important question: What is America doing wrong? Standardized testing chokes the learning process and is ruining the experience for almost everyone, students and teachers alike.  It promotes teaching to the test rather than actual learning.  A tense relationship between teachers and students for reasons outside of the teacher’s control makes it difficult for learning to happen.  America also spends an immense amount of money on education, but it has little to no effect on the typical classroom.  The model used today is old, out of style, and has simply stopped working.  However, Americans can fix the broken system by working together.  The broken model can only be rebuilt by changing the culture when it comes to education.  Learning from other countries like South Korea and Finland can be very useful. They have figured out ways to adapt to today’s society and implement new ideas into their classrooms.  Even though these ideas are very different from one another, they all succeed in changing education for the better.

Culture isn’t permeant.  It changes more easily than most people think.  This change is essential if the education system in America will ever change.  Studying the changes made by other countries like South Korea and Finland can help in this difficult process.  In order to fix America’s education system, it first must be ripped apart.  This can only happen if all of America can unite and work together for the greater good. 

Citations:

"How Finland broke every rule - and created a top school system." The Hechinger Report. N.p., 06 Dec. 2016. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.


"What the best education systems are doing right." Ideas.ted.com. N.p., 22 Dec. 2015. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.

SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 2017

Creating a Classroom Environment

Throughout my learning experiences, I have learned that the environment inside of a classroom is a crucial part of the learning process.  “The classroom is the primary component in all learning by virtue of the fact that it is where students go each day.” (The English Teacher’s Companion, 2008) It affects the morale of a student more than anything.  When students are subjected to a negative climate almost every day, the motivation and work ethic of the student will suffer.  A student should always walk into a setting that is warm and welcoming to all.  This setting should encourage thinking differently and collaboration with peers. The responsibility of providing this environment falls into the teacher’s hands.  At the end of the day, they are the ones who decide what students find in their room, whether it be joy or despair.  Crafting this climate is difficult to master for most educators. There are two major factors when creating classroom environment. These are the physical and mental aspect of the class. Although not all teachers have their own classroom, they can determine the intellectual and emotional climate of the room.

The physical aspect of the classroom is extremely important. Students should not be expected to be motivated and inspired when the classroom is dull and bland.  A positive experience when learning relies on appearance just as much as anything.  The physical layout of the classroom reflects the teaching style.  For example, if students are to work in small groups, they should be organized in small tables or clusters of desks.  For frequent class-wide discussions, a circle or a U-shape form is best.  The simple choice of allowing students to decide where they sit has a long-term effect on respect between the teacher and the student.  To assume that most students are not responsible enough to choose their own seats is insulting.  If students show that they, in fact, cannot handle this level or responsibility, they should be quickly seated elsewhere.  “No student has the right to insult or otherwise interfere with the work of anyone else in the class.” (The English Teacher’s Companion, 2008)

Emotional environment depends on creating a classroom where students know they can speak without the fear of rejection or embarrassment.  This type of climate is especially hard to produce due to challenge of creating a safe environment without relinquishing the role as a teacher.  To accomplish this, there must be a balance of building relationships with students and maintaining boundaries and hierarchies that keeps everyone secure.  Students should know that the teacher is in charge of the classroom while also knowing that the teacher is a kind, caring individual who is in their corner.  An entire day’s success can be undermined by a student who feels like he or she isn’t part of the “team” and that they aren’t safe in the classroom. This can be solved by free and open interaction between the adults and the students.  Teachers should also clearly establish at the beginning of the year that students have permission to think differently and anyone who criticizes another’s idea is undermining the class community.

Every student should come into a class knowing that they will be required to use their critical thinking skills to learn something new. Having this state of mind in the classroom represents great intellectual environment.  Students should always be held to a high expectation.  It is much easier to have little to know expectations from students, but this only hurts them.  There is no challenge involved and nothing to work towards.  When teachers hold their students to high expectations, they learn to rise to the occasion and perform. Helping students reach their potential is what makes a teacher great. “It’s about potential realized or squandered, dignity enhanced or denied.” (The One World Schoolhouse, 2012) Once they finally achieve their goals, there is much more satisfaction and reward from both ends. Another way to improve the mental environment in class is to promote student leadership.  To develop their confidence as learners, students should be provided with many opportunities to share their ideas, opinions, and make decisions.  Responsibility should also be gradually released to students.  These methods will make the student feel as though their opinion matters and that they are making things happen.  All of this will help the intellectual environment in the classroom improve dramatically.

The classroom is the place in which students go each day with the expectation to learn something new.  What they find there is up to the teacher.  Teachers are in charge of creating an environment in which every student is welcome regardless of their beliefs or differences. The mental and physical aspect of the classroom has just as much of an impact on student learning than the material being taught.  Every piece of the atmosphere should be packed with evidence of such learning and thinking.  It is essential that every teacher is familiar with the concept of classroom environment so that they can tailor to the needs and wants of every individual student.  Once a sense of community has been developed, the amount of trust and respect will increase dramatically.  “In fundamental ways, the intellectual and physical environment of the classroom itself sets the standards for what is important…” (The English Teacher’s Companion, 2008)

Works Cited:

Burke, Jim. The English teacher's companion: a complete guide to classroom, curriculum, and the profession. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2008. Print.

Khan, Salman. The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2012. Print.

Educators Through the Eyes of Students

There is a negative connotation on student-teacher relationships. Occasionally, teachers and administrators are viewed poorly by student due to many factors.  Some of these include overbearing amounts of homework, difficult assignments or tests, and strict punishments.  Recently, I had an opportunity to shadow an administrator for the entire school day.  This experience was very thought-provoking because it completely changed my view of everyone who works at my school.  Throughout the day, I started to view every teacher as an individual with distinct personalities. Although there might be a tense relationship now, students do rely on teachers to provide them with extremely valuable knowledge for the future.  “…call on (teachers) to prepare students to meet the demands of the workplace, the community, and school…” (The English Teacher’s Companion, 2008) When both student and educator help and understand each other, anything can happen.

The first task of the day with the administrator was to make sure all students were entering the school and heading to their first period class.  We stood at specific “choke points” in the hallway where the administrator could view as much ground as possible.  I was very surprised on how much supervision there throughout the school day. Students don’t really notice how much they are being watched to ensure their safety and behavior.  The administrator also made sure to stay for a few minutes after the late bell in order to monitor any stragglers.  Afterwards, the administrator and I made rounds throughout first period.  The administrator told me that it is extremely important that admins are present during classes.  This activity builds healthy relationships between teachers and administrators because it provides an opportunity for communication for both groups.  When admin walk around during class time, it also disproves the stereotype that administrators sit in their office all day.  In fact, the opposite is true.  They are constantly walking around to ensure everything is running smoothly within the school.  This step is necessary because if there needs to be a discussion about a certain teachers’ classroom, the teacher cannot say that administrators know nothing.  When admins are present in classrooms, they can see the relationship between students and teachers alike.  Making themselves present throughout the day improves the atmosphere within the school tremendously.

There was an incident around lunch time.  Unfortunately, the administrator was gone for a good amount of time dealing with this problem.  Although he was away, I spent time with people around the main office and other administrators.  I learned that every administrator at my school has different methods of appealing to students and teachers alike.  However, they all have one thing in common.  They never enjoy punishing students for misbehaving. Although it is their job, administrators want to see every student succeed.  It is very hard on them when they see that certain students dislike them due to something that they cannot control.  I also observed how often their schedule changes throughout the day. Admin can come into the day thinking they were going to just return some emails and attend a few meetings, but they have to deal with several issues throughout the day that eat up all of their time.  Their schedule changes faster than most can blink.  Administrators work nonstop in order for students to have a strong learning environment in which they feel safe.  “Students need a firm foundation before anything of consequence can be accomplished.”  (The One World Schoolhouse, 2012)

Near the end of the day, we headed back to the main office.  A different administrator offered to show me the curriculum for ninth grade English.  What he showed me was shocking.  There were almost two hundred and thirty pages of curriculum that was required to be taught.  As soon as I saw this, my opinion of many teachers changed.  I wasn’t aware of how difficult the job of teaching was. When students don't connect with teachers, it is normally because of the teaching strategy used.  A countless supply of notes and homework often annoy the student to the point of hate directed towards the educator.  I now understand that most teachers are overburdened by the amount of curriculum required to be taught by the end of the school year.  “(Students) move in lockstep through rigid, balkanized curricula aimed lass at deep learning than at the fulfillment of government mandates and creditable performances on standardized tests.”  (The One World Schoolhouse, 2012) Most teachers would much rather give out meaningful work that requires real thinking, but they aren’t given the opportunity.  They have no choice but to blow through lessons in order to get everything done.

From the eyes of a student, teachers and administrators are occasionaly viewed as an annoyance due to strict punishments or an overbearing amount of homework assigned.  This relationship can make the setting in the classroom very tense and uptight rather than loose and enjoyable.  It can also make it hard to get any work done throughout the course of the day.  The goal of any educator is to help students come to a firm understanding of the material being taught. This is hard to accomplish if the student and the teacher don’t respect each other.  The role of an administrator isn’t to slam students with harsh punishments.  They work to ensure future incidents never happen even if such a thing isn’t possible.  It is hard for students to realize that the educators at their school want to help them.  However, once students start viewing themselves and everything around them through the teacher’s perspective, they will start to understand where teachers are coming from.  The same is equally important for teachers and administrators.  Educators have to recognize students has young adults with their own opinions and thoughts about the world around them.  “This attention to student’ thinking and their past experiences is essential in today’s culturally diverse classrooms.” (The English Teacher’s Companion,2008) Once this has been accomplished, a mutual respect will form between the two groups. Respect is key for unlocking the potential of every student.

Work Cited:

Burke, Jim. The English teacher's companion: a complete guide to classroom, curriculum, and the profession. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2008. Print.

Khan, Salman. The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2012. Print.



SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2017

Making Homework Meaningful

Near the end of my final year in middle school, I was very worried about the time commitment high school required.  I was concerned that when I came home, I would be slammed with an immense amount of homework that ate up all of my free time.  In middle school, most of my homework was repetitive and basic.  “…homework is sometimes seen by the students-and the parents-as a tedious waste of time.”  (The One World Schoolhouse, 2012) We believed the homework in high school was just going to get worse and take up even more time.  However, I have two teachers this year that completely changed my view on homework.  Instead of making homework a bland review of material we covered in class, these teachers made homework much more meaningful.  Their assignments required students to use their critical thinking skills to learn new things and shake off bad habits they possessed.
My math teacher has a unique concept that I really like.  He never checks our homework assignments to make sure they are completed.  When everyone in my class heard he wasn’t going to check our homework, they were very excited.  They thought that they wouldn’t have to do as much work as they thought to succeed.  A few weeks later, their grades plummeted.  My teacher knew that most students in my class were not doing their homework and he believed that was the reason their grades were suffering.  He explained that if students don’t do their homework, they are just hurting themselves. This more relaxed view on homework is a very interesting one because it is so different than students normally experience.  When not forced to do their homework, students tend to not do it.  However, when teachers show them the consequences of not completing their assignments, it shines a light on how important homework really is. This approach really empowered our class because we felt we were being treated with respect and trust.
Another concept my math teacher uses is time for questions about the homework.  At the beginning of every class, he provides us the opportunity to ask questions about last night’s homework assignment.  This is my favorite part of class because it eliminates any confusion someone might have.  The discussions we have about the homework last as long as people have questions.  Once our class is finished with questions, we start the next lesson.  A brief review of material covered in the last class helps tremendously with the next lesson because it provides us with a starting point to build off of throughout the lesson.  My teacher prefers giving out shorter homework because he feels there is no need to give an extreme amount of unnecessary work.  However, the problems we complete are more difficult.  Many students appreciate this because they feel they actually accomplish something when working on homework. “We should be getting harder work, not more work!” (The One World Schoolhouse, 2012)
Last summer, my English teacher as well as the English teacher across the hall co-developed a new method of delivering homework. In fact, calling what we do in English class “homework” would take away from our experience.  We operate in office-like groups which each have their own tasks to complete by the end of the week.  Every group has their own website where most of our work happens.  Some groups run weekly online discussion boards while others design and present lessons to the class.  Another is required to send a weekly newsletter home to the parents about what we were doing in class and what Virginia standards we had covered in doing so.  Almost all of this work is completed at home with the members of each group working together via text messages and phone calls.  The projects we work on completely redefine the definition of homework.  They promote real thinking and encourage creativity unlike standard assignments.  The grading of this work is much different than anything I’ve seen before.  “I grew tired of slapping ‘8/10’ on homework assignments.” (The English Teacher’s Companion, 2008) We are ranked in positions first through fourth based on our performance.  This gives us immediate feedback on our work and shows us how we can improve.
Our work in English also promotes real life application.  For example, we are taught how to work and collaborate with others throughout the course.  Even if we don’t particularly like the people we are working with, we have to put aside our differences to get the job done.  Only failure awaits if we cannot work together effectively.  It is great that we are learning these skills through homework now because it teaches students that you will have to work with people you do not like from time to time.
Although both of my teachers have very different teaching strategies, there are similarities between them.  For example, they both show a clear end goal when assigning homework.  My math teacher shows us that in order to achieve a passing grade in his class, students must do their homework.  If they don’t, they will only set themselves back.  Many other students will move on to higher level courses while they are left behind.  My English teacher provides examples on how the group projects we do in his class will affect our future.  Imagine going to apply to a college with having experience in developing and publishing websites for the world to see.  Both of my teachers also make sure their homework isn’t repetitive or bland. They make sure each portion of the assignment is recognized as an individual, unique problem to be solved.  They also make sure to stress that homework represents a specific portion of the student’s grade.  “…what gets graded is what gets done.”  (The English Teacher’s Companion, 2008) This mindset when assigning homework should be widely used by teachers.  If this can be accomplished, homework can become more thought provoking and beneficial to the students. 
While homework isn’t the best way for students to review and reinforce material, it is a good tool.  It is a great way for students to recall information and prepare for assessments.  There are many ways for teachers to assign homework like standard textbook problems in my math class or the idea of group projects in my English class.  Both rely on teachers and students collaborating more than normal.  Assigning standard homework like worksheets or readings can also be brilliant if executed properly.  My math teacher did this spectacularly and all students in his class are motivated to do their homework.  Most students disagree with their teachers on the type of homework given out.  “…students themselves tend to disagree as virulently as their parents and teachers about the proper amounts and uses of homework.”  (The One World Schoolhouse, 2012) There has to be a compromise between both groups of people.   Once this has been achieved, a mutual respect will start to form between the students and the teachers.

Work Cited:


Burke, Jim. The English teacher's companion: a complete guide to classroom, curriculum, and the profession. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2008. Print.

Khan, Salman. The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2012. Print.

No comments:

Post a Comment