NationStates Jolt Archive

Of course, most students say homework sucks, cuz it does (i am student), but now there has been a study done that PROVES it!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1376208,00.html

None of my teachers believed it...do you?

Depends upon why I assigned it. Busy work never does work, actual assignments that are better compleated at home (things like reading for example) are good.

That being said (and something not said in the article) many teachers assign homework because we have to due to school or district policy because parents bitch when we don't.

It's pretty compelling. Of course I have some bias...

Of course, most students say homework sucks, cuz it does (i am student), but now there has been a study done that PROVES it!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1376208,00.html

None of my teachers believed it...do you?

Of course I do. it's obvious to anyone who doesn't make the decisions about how much homework students get.

I hate how the people who make the decisions in life are the LEAST informed.

Of course I do. it's obvious to anyone who doesn't make the decisions about how much homework students get.

I hate how the people who make the decisions in life are the LEAST informed.

*cough*TedStevens*cough*

*cough*TedStevens*cough*

*cough* (In No Particular Order)
George W Bush
Ted Stevens
|
|
/
/
\
\
|
|
Condoleeza Rice
Akmenininijihad (You know who) *cough*

I loathed it, and thought it detracted from my learning in most cases, like most of the dull and tedious work that was assigned.

Whether this applies generally, I can't say.

Of course, most students say homework sucks, cuz it does (i am student), but now there has been a study done that PROVES it!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1376208,00.html

None of my teachers believed it...do you?Well, consider that doing mindnumbing homework doesn't help much, but practicing things such as regression tables in excel will work much better than watching someone do it for you in class.

Homework is alright, the only question is about the dosage. Some homework makes sure that students go over the material rather than just procrastinating before tests and studying then through poor tactics. Too much homework gets in the way of productive learning though. As well, more homework can offer more opportunities to make up for poorly done homework.

I loathed it, and thought it detracted from my learning in most cases, like most of the dull and tedious work that was assigned.

Whether this applies generally, I can't say.

Ditto, that.

Midway through my final year of high school I suffered burnout and gave up. My school had sent a note home at the beginniing of the year stating that students are expected to do "4-5 hours of homework per subject, per week" - I did six subjects. If I tried to stick to that, it didn't leave me with any time for anything, especially since I was taking music lessons outside of school and had to devote practice time to that as well. It was fucking depressing getting home at 5pm and being expected to put in "4-5 hours" of work, then having to be awake by 7 - of course, I couldn't do it, and ended up staying up late because i'd spent the first couple of hours procrastinating, and surviving on some 5 hours sleep...I think i've kept that habit from way back then. Another side effect would be that I don't really enjoy recreational reading anymore, probably because of all the shitty novels that were rammed down my throat. And then, when it got to school holidays, i'd be given work to do over them - some holiday.

So I practically gave up and put in the bare minimum of effort...and ended up getting into the university course I wanted anyway, since I got similar marks in everything except Japanese.

I can understand where homework might be necessary - for example, in learning a new language, or reading novels outside of class, but it does get excessive, and for most people, despite being told during that year "this is what the real world is like so suck it down", the amount of workload is far greater than what they'll experience after school - particularly for those going into apprenticeships or other non-academic positions, which are the majority. But even university was such a welcome change of pace from high school - while I still have a lot of work to do, it isn't constantly rammed down my throat and I do at least get some time to recover. Plus there isn't the constant stress about my parents or teachers going off at me if I should fuck up.

I'd say with homework plus getting into college, the average amount of sleep for seniors at my high school is around 4-5 hours per day. I've been averaging three hours of sleep a day at home, plus an hour and a half of sleep a day commuting. Homework sucks, and I have 6 pages typed on James Joyce that I haven't started yet due tomorrow (It is just past midnight in my timezone when I wrote this). So I COMPLETELY AGREE, and I know a few teachers who would as well.

I loathed it, and thought it detracted from my learning in most cases, like most of the dull and tedious work that was assigned.

Whether this applies generally, I can't say.

Oh, it does. It does.

I've always known homework is /the worst/, you learn nothing from it. No kid sitting at home wants to do 2 chapters in math instead of visiting a friend, or sitting in front of the computer.

I never do any homework though, I've tried a few times but I just can't bother. So I go to school and write a B/A at the test.
Yawn.¨

I'm the lazy type though, so I don't do much at school either :p

You know? Why doesn't the educational system just take facts and make them interesting or do something that makes them WANT to learn more instead of just goin "here do this assignment because I can't think of something to do right now" :headbang: :confused:

You know? Why doesn't the educational system just take facts and make them interesting or do something that makes them WANT to learn more instead of just goin "here do this assignment because I can't think of something to do right now" :headbang: :confused:

I think the school principal really should start reading a book called "The revoulution of learning" or something like that. Don't remember the name, but it states that a few students were able to learn 1000 german words in only 2 hours.
If they could improve the school system that much, we wouldn't need homework.

And all the other teachers should ofcourse read it aswell.

yup, they probably won't though, I ticked off because I have ridiculas and confusing assignments that occupy even every hour of my weekend!!:mad:

How ridiculas are your assignments? (ridiculas as in they're redundant, barely help you and may take you more time to percieve the instructions then to do the work)

You know? Why doesn't the educational system just take facts and make them interesting or do something that makes them WANT to learn more instead of just goin "here do this assignment because I can't think of something to do right now" :headbang: :confused:
Really? Then perhaps you can help me make this interesting.

I have to teach this to 7th graders, they've been studying English since April.

The dialog is:
Mike: Let's eat lunch.

Emi: All right.

Mike: Oh no! My cola!
I don't have any tissues.
Do you have any?

Emi: No, but I have a handkercheif.
Here. Use this.

Grammar points are teaching let's, any (I don't have any, do you have any?), and English command forms. Your class consists of 38 7th graders, 5 are intersted in English, 5 will not study and have fallen really behind, the rest want to read comics and so will do as little work as possible and don't speak unless called on.

Oh, and they HATE pair work.

Ready? Set?!
GO!!!!

That's a typical class for me. Not saying that teachers cannot do more to make learning interesting, but while you are ONE student who wants to be entertained, I have 38 students in 17 classes who feel the same way.

Really? Then perhaps you can help me make this interest.

I have to teach this to 7th graders, they've been studying English since April.

The dialog is:
Mike: Let's eat lunch.

Emi: All right.

Mike: Oh no! My cola!
I don't have any tissues.
Do you have any?

Emi: No, but I have a handkercheif.
Here. Use this.

Grammar points are teaching let's, any (I don't have any, do you have any?), and English command forms. Your class consists of 38 7th graders, 5 are intersted in English, 5 will not study and have fallen really behind, the rest want to read comics and so will do as little work as possible and don't speak unless called on.

Oh, and they HATE pair work.

Ready? Set?!
GO!!!!

That's a typical class for me. Not saying that teachers cannot do more to make learning interesting, but while you are ONE student who wants to be entertained, I have 38 students in 17 classes who feel the same way.


Those damn liberals have brainwashed our populace into hating education! The lefty media glorifies the one who doens't do his/her home work and the laws the left wing enforces seem to make education worse and worse! Its almost as if they are staging Red Alert 2:mp5:

I am currently working on:
--3 big problems from my Advanced Calculus class
--A chemistry lab writeup
--Memorizing a Spanish poem
--Reviewing the state of European colonization of Africa and Asia at the turn of the century.

And it's 11:15 at night. And I've been doing homework for the past three hours.

I utterly, absolutely, completely abhor and despise homework. Occasionally, it is useful in math or physics for familiarizing oneself with a principle or law or equation. Otherwise, one's time is better spent reading, or playing frisbee, or throwing rocks at passing cars. Well, I don't really mean that last one. Or do I?

If homework were a person, I would hunt them down right now, and there wouldn't be a shred of their body left bigger than a nickel...

welcome to the club...:( I'm gonna be awake a while....or a maybe longer....

That's a typical class for me. Not saying that teachers cannot do more to make learning interesting, but while you are ONE student who wants to be entertained, I have 38 students in 17 classes who feel the same way.

... but you're a teacher, we're incapible of empathising with your position. Silly.

I pity you guys, I'm bogged down too, if the left wing would stop making hell for everyone life would be way easier!!! But instead we have to resort to desperate teaching tactics in the US because of the way treehugging commies raise their children. :sniper:

I pity you guys, I'm bogged down too, if the left wing would stop making hell for everyone life would be way easier!!! But instead we have to resort to desperate teaching tactics in the US because of the way treehugging commies raise their children. :sniper:

As I'm in a baptist school, can we replace those with "Right" and "Baby-eating conservitives" respectivly?

As I'm in a baptist school, can we replace those with "Right" and "Baby-eating conservitives" respectivly?

Umm, What exactly didthe right wing do to lower education, besides force feed us propaganda and the no child left behind act?:confused:

I pity you guys, I'm bogged down too, if the left wing would stop making hell for everyone life would be way easier!!! But instead we have to resort to desperate teaching tactics in the US because of the way treehugging commies raise their children. :sniper:

My "treehugging commie" parents raised me to love learning and pursue it for its own sake.

The education system, in its standard manifestations, has tended to have the opposite effect on me.

Umm, What exactly didthe right wing do to lower education, besides force feed us propaganda and the no child left behind act?:confused:

The last two. Hell, the first one of those is bad enough.

... but you're a teacher, we're incapible of empathising with your position. Silly.
Ah, but my job is to teach the facts of the matter. ;)

The last two. Hell, the first one of those is bad enough.

Yes it is but my point is it didn't lower education, and complicate it. Thats the subject right? I'm completely against brainwash(propaganda), I used to go to a baptist school, and thats what they did, that was also another reason I mentioned it.

Yup if its a Baptist school it has to have people shoving propaganda down your throat.

yup, they probably won't though, I ticked off because I have ridiculas and confusing assignments that occupy even every hour of my weekend!!:mad:

How ridiculas are your assignments? (ridiculas as in they're redundant, barely help you and may take you more time to percieve the instructions then to do the work)
"yup" - Sentences begin with capitals.
"I ticked off" =? "I am ticked off"?
"ridiculas" should be "ridiculous"
"percieve" - I before E except after C
"then" should be "than"

... but you're a teacher, we're incapible of empathising with your position. Silly.
"incapible" should be "incapable"
"empathising" should be "empathizing"

As I'm in a baptist school, can we replace those with "Right" and "Baby-eating conservitives" respectivly?
"baptist" should be capitalized
"conservitives" should be "conservatives"
respectivly" should be "respectively"

Seems like some of us might have used a bit more spelling and English homework.

:headbang: <AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH)

I blame the circumstances :s :headbang:

:headbang: <AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH)
Could have been worse...

respectivly" should be "respectively"

Quotation marks come in pairs. ;)

Quotation marks come in pairs. ;)

So they do. :headbang: Here's the other one: "

"incapible" should be "incapable"
"empathising" should be "empathizing"


"baptist" should be capitalized
"conservitives" should be "conservatives"
respectivly" should be "respectively"

Seems like some of us might have used a bit more spelling and English homework.

I didn't realize I was being judged. Really made my night. :rolleyes:

"empathising" should be "empathizing"

Only for the US.

I didn't realize I was being judged. Really made my night. :rolleyes:
If you're going to complain about having too much homework, try to show that you actually paid attention in class. :rolleyes:

Only for the US.
Granted. ;)

If you're going to complain about having too much homework, try to show that you actually paid attention in class. :rolleyes:

I pay attention in class, I just forget it the second I try to do anything with speed.

I pay attention in class, I just forget it the second I try to do anything with speed.

Surely correct grammar should be fairly instinctive?

I type very swiftly, and I occasionally make typos, but rarely grammatical errors.

Know what the problem with the whole US educational thing is? It's too "one size fits all". It's like trying to teach blind people and deaf people at the same time using the same tecniques. Also, you can't use braile because it's too "offensive", like students praying at lunch or saying that al-queida's agenda is based off of portians of Islam.

Homework is added on alot. Sure, it's important, but there was this study what said that the US did worse than countries that don't force as much homework on kinds and better than Iran and Thieland, where homework is added more.

There's too many kids and there are teacher shortages places because of pathetic pay and the amount of college required. It's bad here is Las Vegas because:
1. college is expensive
2. Becoming a teacher requires alot of college
3. Pay is pathetic
4. Teachers often have to buy much of their own supplies
5. Las Vegas is expensive. Maybe not as costly as Tokyo or San Diego, but it is expensive. My parents get paid a total of around $100,000/yr and they can barely make payments on a 2-story house on a quarter-acre lot in a place where while ther's not a huge gang problem, cops appear regularly at certain houses and once or twice a year, you know thee's a crack house near because the whole neighborhood has that specific odor.

Surely correct grammar should be fairly instinctive?

I type very swiftly, and I occassionally make typos, but rarely grammatical errors.

I type the way I speak, and I don't always use correct grammar when speaking. I can't quote a single grammar rule off the top of my head. So I geuss it is fairly instinctive in that you can actually read and hopefully comprehend what I'm getting across.

I pay attention in class, I just forget it the second I try to do anything with speed.

Then slow down. ;) Posting on NSG isn't a race and I for one will take you more seriously if you look like you actually thought about what you typed, 1700+ posts notwithstanding. It's a wonderful language, when you use it correctly it can do amazing things. :D

Then slow down. ;) Posting on NSG isn't a race and I for one will take you more seriously if you look like you actually thought about what you typed, 1700+ posts notwithstanding. It's a wonderful language, when you use it correctly it can do amazing things. :D

By the time I actually think about what I type, the thread in question has moved on to other things. I'm an extremly slow typist, so unless I rush it just takes forever to get anything done.

I type the way I speak, and I don't always use correct grammar when speaking.

I type the way I speak, and I almost always use correct grammar when speaking. I even tend to avoid prepositions at the end of sentences, which puts me pretty far into the "grammar fanatic" category.

I can't quote a single grammar rule off the top of my head.

You shouldn't have to quote it. At least in most cases, it should be second nature.

So I geuss it is fairly instinctive in that you can actually read and hopefully comprehend what I'm getting across.

I can comprehend it, sure, but it's harder than it would be if it were correct grammar. And you want to attract your audience's attention to your subject, not to your bad grammar.

Know what the problem with the whole US educational thing is? It's too "one size fits all". It's like trying to teach blind people and deaf people at the same time using the same tecniques. Also, you can't use braile because it's too "offensive", like students praying at lunch or saying that al-queida's agenda is based off of portians of Islam.

Homework is added on alot. Sure, it's important, but there was this study what said that the US did worse than countries that don't force as much homework on kinds and better than Iran and Thieland, where homework is added more.

There's too many kids and there are teacher shortages places because of pathetic pay and the amount of college required. It's bad here is Las Vegas because:
1. college is expensive
2. Becoming a teacher requires alot of college
3. Pay is pathetic
4. Teachers often have to buy much of their own supplies
5. Las Vegas is expensive. Maybe not as costly as Tokyo or San Diego, but it is expensive. My parents get paid a total of around $100,000/yr and they can barely make payments on a 2-story house on a quarter-acre lot in a place where while ther's not a huge gang problem, cops appear regularly at certain houses and once or twice a year, you know thee's a crack house near because the whole neighborhood has that specific odor.

What's wrong with the education system is the current trend of teaching to standardized tests. That might result in a "one size fits all" approach, I suppose. Certainly teachers deserve better pay, I absolutely agree, and I am appalled that nowadays public school teachers have to buy supplies for their classes or have parents contribute because there's no money for it.

The study that started this discussion does make it seem as if homework is being piled on these days. I've been trying to think how much I got back in the Pliocene Era when I was at school, but I can't remember specifically. I do remember carrying lots of books back and forth, and I imagine I may have muttered about it, too. Then again I was one of those annoying smart kids who never found homework and school much of a trial. That actually cost me in college because I had really lousy study habits from not being pushed in high school.

By the time I actually think about what I type, the thread in question has moved on to other things. I'm an extremly slow typist, so unless I rush it just takes forever to get anything done.

I wouldn't worry about the thread leaving you behind. I'm sure you'll agree, half the time you can skip 2/3 of what's posted and not miss much. As for the typing, well, it's the same as getting to Carnegie Hall: practice. :p (Or you can take the B or the D train to like 57th Street.)

I type the way I speak, and I almost always use correct grammar when speaking. I even tend to avoid prepositions at the end of sentences, which puts me pretty far into the "grammar fanatic" category.
See, I regularly say "I love me some", "I ain't not gonna" and various like expressions. I think it comes from learning to talk in California and being reconditioned in the south. Of course, it could be I just never picked up on those rules, I had to go to a speech therepist (SP) for two years to learn how to pronounce my R's correctly. Went 80 deaf for a good deal of my early childhood, ear infections.


You shouldn't have to quote it. At least in most cases, it should be second nature.
Well I type what is second nature. Apperently it's wrong. (As is my urge to begin that second sentence with "and".)


I can comprehend it, sure, but it's harder than it would be if it were correct grammar. And you want to attract your audience's attention to your subject, not to your bad grammar.

What do you suggest I do, sit here with a book beside me? Because I honestly don't remember how to fix many of these errors. (Excluding the careless mistakes of course.)

I wouldn't worry about the thread leaving you behind. I'm sure you'll agree, half the time you can skip 2/3 of what's posted and not miss much. As for the typing, well, it's the same as getting to Carnegie Hall: practice. :p (Or you can take the B or the D train to like 57th Street.)

Actually, most threads I only post on in the very beginning, or after they've degenerated into spam. In the former case I read every post, but then again, I just love reading.

It's pretty compelling. Of course I have some bias...

I have radials

Actually, most threads I only post on in the very beginning, or after they've degenerated into spam. In the former case I read every post, but then again, I just love reading.

I do that, too.

There's nothing wrong necessarily with writing the way you speak, it's just ... in some threads I wouldn't have a problem with it, not at all. I think my little outburst up above was triggered by you guys complaining about having too much homework in shockingly bad English. I was shocked, anyway.

Besides loving to read, too, I love studying other languages and that's actually a good way to learn more about English. When you try to understand the structure of another tongue, you find you have to understand your own first. It worked for me, anyway.

I have radials

Aw, jeeeez ... :p

I think my little outburst up above was triggered by you guys complaining about having too much homework in shockingly bad English. I was shocked, anyway.

Nothing shocks me, not even 1337. (And, for the love of all that is good, don't start using it just because I mentioned it.) Anyway, I need to actually finish my homework, and go to bed. It's 3:30 AM here.

Nothing shocks me, not even 1337. (And, for the love of all that is good, don't start using it just because I mentioned it.) Anyway, I need to actually finish my homework, and go to bed. It's 3:30 AM here.

Ah, Eastern Time, are you? It's two hours earlier here but as you say, time to finish up and go to bed. Later.

I have declared my homework to be done. In normal terms, this means that my morning classes tomorrow will be occupied with quickly scribbling out a physics lab writeup and reviewing my calculus skills. Oh, wait, there's going to be a lecture on integral calculus anyway during physics. Perfect.

I hated homework when I was in school, mostly because I felt it was assigned from the wrong perspective. Our school district adopted a policy in 1992* that each student in middle school or highschool should have 30 minutes of homework each night per subject. (elementary got 1 hour a night from one subject)

I often felt like the teachers were trying to assign us work just so they didn't get in trouble, and we weren't allowed to do it in class even though the teachers often had nothing else for us to do.

There were some homework assignments that I didn't mind in highschool, like writing essays, and reading assignments, I understood why we had to take that stuff home to work on it. I didn't understand my Trig teacher having us do the even numbered problems in class and the odds at home, couldn't we just do the whole assignment? no, we had to turn in the first portion on our way out. :mad:

Needless to say, my kids don't have homework (homeschooled), they have work that needs to be done by a deadline and work that needs to be done at some point, and they pretty much get it done without me having to nag. In fact my oldest works ahead so that she can get days off to do nothing.

In the other classes I teach, the kids really don't get homework either. In the grammar class (please don't correct my post) they write a book throughout the semester, but most of that is done in class. In the preschool class, the parents get the homework, because I think preschoolers should just play a lot, I have to teach the parents what kinds of games to play.

I hated homework when I was in school, mostly because I felt it was assigned from the wrong perspective. Our school district adopted a policy in 1992* that each student in middle school or highschool should have 30 minutes of homework each night per subject. (elementary got 1 hour a night from one subject) ... *snip*

A policy of 30 minutes per subject a day? That's daylight madness! Homework should be a reinforcement for the day's lessons, given when needed and sometimes - I know you'll be shocked - not given. Gah.

Really? Then perhaps you can help me make this interesting.

I have to teach this to 7th graders, they've been studying English since April.

The dialog is:
Mike: Let's eat lunch.

Emi: All right.

Mike: Oh no! My cola!
I don't have any tissues.
Do you have any?

Emi: No, but I have a handkercheif.
Here. Use this.

Grammar points are teaching let's, any (I don't have any, do you have any?), and English command forms. Your class consists of 38 7th graders, 5 are intersted in English, 5 will not study and have fallen really behind, the rest want to read comics and so will do as little work as possible and don't speak unless called on.


You need a better dialoug writer. And a better scene.

Guidelines established by the school for how much homework should be assigned are usually detrimental. Granted, some homework should be assigned, but it should be either for major projects or to make sure students understand the material.

Through about eighth grade, homework should involve ensuring that kids are up-to-date with material presented in class and are capable of doing a long-term assignment. Homework assigned that goes over things that were covered a long time ago is busy work and should be banned; homework that goes too far ahead will confuse students. This should be obvious to people. Cover things that were covered in class to ensure an understanding.

Before high school, students need to learn the skills that will enable them to do long-term projects. Therefore, progress should be monitored and enforced on those. Beyond that, if kids want to put it off to the last minute, that's their business. Also, methods of demonstrating knowledge of material should be a little more free-form rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. If people can take notes from a book and it works for them, excellent; if people can live off class notes, that's fine too. The first years of education need to be about establishing methods for learning; the high school years should be a test of how those are applied. Let people work as they will in high school and judge from there.

Therefore, the conclusion is this - homework should be required only through the eighth grade or so as far as those piddling one-day assignments go. Homework should fit what I was taught about it when I was younger - that as students get older, there will be less homework assigned, but it will take more time. Projects and long-term papers are OK. They should be given priority over smaller assignments.

Homework?

I hate it GCSE coursework most of all.

I'm currently working on pre 1914 poetry.
and History - the rise of Hitler.

The students complaining about their workloads are going about it all wrong. You shouldn't do everything you're given as well as you can, you should do as shitty a job on as little as possible to get by.
I managed to slack my way through High School, and am currently playing the same game in College, its all a matter of getting a fix on how much attention your teacher is paying to you.

Most of my teachers don't give busy work, but the homework still adds up to 4-5 hours per week per subject (7 subjects). However, this is a very manageable amount. I just spend maybe 2-4 hours per week-night and at least 8 hours total on weekends. It's not really that much considering that six of my classes are college-level classes in high school and the seventh class is honors physics.


Besides loving to read, too, I love studying other languages and that's actually a good way to learn more about English. When you try to understand the structure of another tongue, you find you have to understand your own first. It worked for me, anyway.

I agree with that. Learning Latin has really helped me to better understand how the English language works.

Homework doesn't suck; pointless homework sucks. Homework assigned to accomplish a specific instructional purpose is often useful, but homework assigned because of an administrative decree that students are expected to have X amount of homework per day, week, or course is idiotic. My mother, a biology and environmental science professor, has taught at both the high school and college levels, and was informed on more than one occasion that she needed to be giving her students more homework besides just reading and labs. In one case, when she explained that given the nature of the course material, anything other than reading and labs would just be busywork, she was explicitly told to go ahead and assign busywork, then. This is rather obviously absurd, but seems to be fairly common practice.