So as I prepare for our next 21st Century meeting I have been trying to get my thoughts together about homework. What the purpose is, what types of assignments I value and what types of assignment I truly think will enhance student learning in my classroom. I think it is clear through research and data that the majority of fill in the blank homework is pointless (unless you are measuring compliance). I have also been reading a great deal about "Unschooling" and what that is/the theory behind it. Some common things that I have found are (these are from a recent Times article, but I have found the same information in various sources).

• The onslaught of homework comes despite the fact that an exhaustive review by the nation's top homework scholar, Duke University's Harris Cooper, concluded that homework does not measurably improve academic achievement for kids in grade school. That's right: all the sweat and tears do not make Johnny a better reader or mathematician.

• Teachers in many of the nations that outperform the U.S. on student achievement tests--such as Japan, Denmark and the Czech Republic--tend to assign less homework than American teachers, but instructors in low-scoring countries like Greece, Thailand and Iran tend to pile it on.

This obviously leads me to believe that the amount of learning is not directly correlated to the amount (hours) of homework done a night. Also many parents have reported the concern of their kids completing homework to get done, not concentrating on the learning or the objective of the given assignment (shocker huh?!)

So questions then start floating in my head about my thoughts of homework and what the goal of it is. Ultimately (in my perfect world) a child would be required to take a concept being taught in school and apply it in a way that is interesting, fun, exciting to them. For example for me, it might be using mathmatics for gymnastics or knitting (my hobbies). For someone else, it could be applying mathmatics to skiing/snowboarding and configuring the best slopes in Colorado.

But how do we make this type of homework happen? How do we take the concepts that are our essential learnings and have kids really apply them to something they love and can use?

Just some of my thinking going on before Thursday :)

Are you kidding me???

I recently have been catching up on my reading on all of the eduacional articles. This article was about a study on technology not increasing test scores. Here is the link if you want to read it. http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1264136.0.0.php
Do they really think that you can test techology literacy, logic, analyzation of content and synthesizing of content in a standardized test like the CSAP? And what exactly does "attainment in formal qualifications" mean? And if there is such concern over internet plagiarism then shouldn't we make that part of our curriculum so the kids are required to learn about it and be held accountable for knowing what exactly internet plagiarism entails? Ther were parts of the article that I agreed with like:

Where schools were using computers well, it helped pupils build effective problem solving skills, encouraged independent learning as well as communication and teamworking and improved the opportunities for teachers to collaborate.

If this is true how can anyone argue against the technology. I agree that it must be implemented correctly and staff needs to be trained; however if we are increase problem solving skills, independent learning, communication and cross-curricular collaboration and "standard test scors" are staying the same, maybe we need to revisit those tests.
I just thought it was interesting to read and it was just written March 16, 2007 (today) :)

Are we really teaching responsibility with a zero or with a deduction of points?
I am often unpopular with my views on the whole responsibility issue. I allow students to retake, resubmit, or hand assignments in late. If an assignment is not turned in at all, obviously that student receives a grade of a zero. However, when that assignment is handed in I replace the grade with no deduction for tardiness of the assignment. Many argue and have argued that I am actually teaching irresponsibility. Am I?

Lets say that you assign something that is fill in the blank, one work answer, cross word, etc and you give a completion grade (for the most part). Now lets say that you have one student that was smart enough to copy crucnch that assignment right before class and another student that simple looks you in the eye and says, "I didn't do it, can I turn it in later?" Do you really think that that copy crunch student deserves the points (for practicing/learning) and the other student deserves an irreversable zero? Where is the logic in that?
Aren't we trying to teach integrity, communicaton, self organization and respect? By having extremely rigid rules and punishment for breaking those rules what exactly are we teaching? I would imagine that students in this ridgid setting are more liking to lie and cheat. Why? Because there is little to no alternative for them if they don't for some reason reach the bar the first time. They often aren't offered the chance to show honesty, ask for an extention, given respect or given the opportunity to be listened to.

As a parent I have read research after research that tells us over and over again that punishment cures the behavior short term, but does nothing to change long term behavior. And although punishment seems to fix the problem at that moment I would argue that if you look at a students behavior over time (that have been continually punished) their behavior is almost exactly the same. Please argue with me if you think I am wrong.
I think we teach respect by giving it an modeling it. My mom use to tell me, "Who you are speaks so loudly that I can't hear what you are saying!" Meaning we can tell kids 1000 times to be respectful, honest, to communicate their needs to us, etc., but until we live this theory and model it, they won't get it.

I realize that many will argue part of school is learning the system and what about the students who are just plain lazy Janes. I would argue first of all that isn't the system what we are trying to change to be 21st century and global? Why do they need to learn the loops holes in a system that we are questioning some of the logic behind (at least on certain things)?
Also what about lazy Janes? Let's find out what is really going on with them and discuss other stradegies because in my opinion, the zeros and punishments aren't changing their outlook, behavior, or motivation.
I am ranting a bit, but it is frustrating to see things implemented in classrooms that have been proven over and over again not to work for kids. Or maybe I am just way out there :)

One step forward, three steps back...
Okay, so today in class today, before the bell rang I overheard some students talking. They were genuinely upset and confused. I asked them if everything was okay because they seemed pretty worked up. One of the students proceeded to tell me that he doesn't know what is going on in his classes, but he is all confused and frustrated. He continued to express his concern with how he didn't feel like he knew what was going on in class and what he was suppose to do/learn/know. His last comment struck me. He said, "I don't know why my teacher just changed his way of teaching. He just stopped explaining things to us, it is extremely frustrating and confusing."
Whoa, I thought, this isn't the feedback I/we want. I think that constructivism is an awesome methodology, but we can't make the change too drastic and not explain things to students as far as expectations and goals. Also I don't think that constructivism is complete discovery learning without explination/clarification of the content from teachers.
However, then I thought, thinking can be confusing and frustrating. And isn't that exactly what we want students to learn how to do? To have the logic, and criticial thinking skills to muddle through information and realize the logic, truth, and meaning behind it?
I don't know, I just think we do need to be careful about the students and how I have heard some of them percieving some of these changes. Again, just making sure that our expectations are clear to them. Because as we've seen on our blogs and the fischbowl thinking is often confusing, messy and frustrating right?!

I wrote the following when responding to Stacie's blog:

When I think about 1st grade I think about reading in bean bags, math games, going outside after the rain to collect water and seeds and watch them grow, story time to just sit and enjoy someone reading me an adventure (not to later have to disect/defend my love or feelings from the story).

In high school I remember huge books that I could barely carry, lectures, lectures, lectures and notes, notes, notes. Huge scantron tests and a great deal of copy crunch homework I completed right before class to get credit. Not to say that that is how it is today, but those are some of my memories :)

Do any of you have those same memories? When I think about constructivism, I truly think back to my kindergarten and first grade years.