Miami Herald Logo

Beyond the Classroom: The key to homework success | Miami Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Site Information
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Herald Store
    • RSS Feeds
    • Special Sections
    • Advertise
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    • Sections
    • News
    • South Florida
    • Miami-Dade
    • Broward
    • Florida Keys
    • Florida
    • Politics
    • Weird News
    • Weather
    • National & World
    • Colombia
    • National
    • World
    • Americas
    • Cuba
    • Guantánamo
    • Haiti
    • Venezuela
    • Local Issues
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • In Depth
    • Issues & Ideas
    • Traffic
    • Sections
    • Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Pro & College
    • Miami Dolphins
    • Miami Heat
    • Miami Marlins
    • Florida Panthers
    • College Sports
    • University of Miami
    • Florida International
    • University of Florida
    • Florida State University
    • More Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Fighting
    • Golf
    • Horse Racing
    • Outdoors
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Youth Sports
    • Other Sports
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Florida Influencer Series
    • Sections
    • Business
    • Business Monday
    • Banking
    • International Business
    • National Business
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate News
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Tourism & Cruises
    • Workplace
    • Business Plan Challenge
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Cindy Krischer Goodman
    • The Starting Gate
    • Work/Life Balancing Act
    • Movers
    • Sections
    • Living
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Wine
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Dave Barry
    • Ana Veciana-Suarez
    • Flashback Miami
    • More Living
    • LGBTQ South Florida
    • Palette Magazine
    • Indulge Magazine
    • South Florida Album
    • Broward Album
    • Sections
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Games & Puzzles
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Music & Nightlife
    • People
    • Performing Arts
    • Restaurants
    • TV
    • Visual Arts
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Jose Lambiet
    • Lesley Abravanel
    • More Entertainment
    • Events Calendar
    • Miami.com
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Sections
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Ed
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Jim Morin
    • Letters to the Editor
    • From Our Inbox
    • Speak Up
    • Submit a Letter
    • Meet the Editorial Board
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Blog Directory
    • Columnist Directory
    • Andres Oppenheimer
    • Carl Hiaasen
    • Leonard Pitts Jr.
    • Fabiola Santiago
    • Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Place an Obituary

    • Place an ad
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Apartments
    • Auctions/Sales
    • Automotive
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Employment
    • Garage Sales
    • Legals
    • Merchandise
    • Obituaries
    • Pets
    • Public Notices
    • Real Estate
    • Services
  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Real Estate
  • Mobile & Apps

  • el Nuevo Herald
  • Miami.com
  • Indulge

Community Voices

Beyond the Classroom: The key to homework success

By Laurie Futterman

lfutterman@dadeschools.net

    ORDER REPRINT →

January 21, 2015 04:00 AM

In today’s column I hope to shed some light on one of the most hated word in American culture. Kids have to do it; parents have to enforce it and review it, and teachers have to make it and grade it. HOMEWORK.

If you are one of those parents who has felt compelled to actually look up Miami-Dade County’s policy on homework you will find among other things, that it:

▪ recognizes regular and purposeful homework as an essential part of instruction

▪ considers homework an integral factor in fostering academic achievement by extending school activities into the home and community

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

▪ provides opportunities for developmental practice, drill, the application of skills already learned, the development of independent study skills, enrichment activities, and self discipline.

Brian Sztabnik, an AP literature teacher in his article Is Homework Helpful? 5 Questions Every Teacher Should Ask comments that the new standards asks teachers to increase rigor by diving deeper into the material. Consequently, everything has been ramped up — class work and homework are no exception.

Sztabnik reports that students will spend 137,160 minutes doing homework from first grade to 12th grade. That equals 2,286 hours or 95 full days of homework.

Meanwhile, high school students in Finland rarely get more than a half-hour of homework a night. It, as a country, allows children to engage in more creative play at home. This is significant because Finland’s students scored remarkably well on international test scores. It has many parents and education advocates in America questioning our practices. Are we misguided with all this work? To answer that, one must step back and question the value of assignments. How often should they be assigned? Where is the line between too much and too little?

So what is meaningful homework and how much is appropriate?

If you reference the county website, you will find that it provides a guideline for homework assignments. It suggests an average daily homework as follows: Grades K-1: 30 minutes, 2-3: 45 minutes, 4-5: 60 minutes, 6-8: 75 minutes, 9-12: 120 minutes.

But if you peruse articles on homework you find that there are telltale signs of a good homework assignment. I agree with Cathy Vatterott who shares that homework should aim to deepen understanding and build essential skills. Here are five hallmarks of a good homework assignment.

▪ It has a clear academic purpose (practice, applying knowledge/skills)

▪ The work requires and demonstrates the level of understanding

▪ It promotes ownership by offering choices and being personally relevant

▪ It instills a sense of competence in that the student can successfully complete it without help

▪ It is aesthetically pleasing. it appears enjoyable and is interesting to do.

According to Sztabnik, a teacher should answer these five essential questions when creating an assignment.

1. How long will it take to complete? Assignments need to lead to better learning outcomes and one must balance efficiency and effectiveness. The more efficient the assignment, the more material and learning that can be covered over the course of a year. 

2. Have all learners been considered? Teachers make assumptions about the time it takes to complete an assignment based on the middle-of-the-pack kid. Yet, struggling learners can take double or triple the time as other students to complete an assignment.

3. Will an assignment encourage future success? A longer assignment can be justified if it is meaningful. Work that builds confidence and opens the door to future success is certainly worth it.

4. Will an assignment place the material in a context the classroom cannot? Homework is effective when classroom learning is transferred beyond the school walls. When teaching the concept of area, have students measure the area of a refrigerator shelf to determine what size sheet cake will fit for an upcoming party.  Make the learning applicable to everyday life, and it will be worth the time it takes to complete.

5. Does an assignment offer support when a teacher is not there? Students can reduce the time it takes to complete assignments if they know where to turn for help. Teachers should provide links to online tutorials, like Khan Academy, that offer instruction when stuck. 

So how can parents do their part to ensure homework success?

By helping your child with homework you not only improve his/her chances of achievement in school and life, you help them develop confidence, self discipline and a sense of responsibility. Topmarks, a British website, says that parents of successful children show an interest in their child’s homework. Talk about school and the assignments they have. This communicates the fact that school work is important and needs to be taken seriously.

▪ Ensure that the child has the necessary resources to complete the assignment. Paper, pencils, rulers, erasers are essential. Access to a computer and/or internet provide obvious benefits. Libraries and other internet cafes are great places to access the internet.

▪ Encourage children to complete homework to the best of their ability and express high expectations from an early age.

▪ Set a good example. Children’s attitudes to homework are mainly influenced by their parents’ guidance and examples. They are more likely to want to study if they see you reading and writing. Limit television, video game time, and spend more time studying and reading.

▪ Provide a quiet work environment that is free from distractions such as the TV and loud music.

▪ Maintain a regular homework routine. For children, late night is rarely a good time to study. They are tired. Don’t expect good results when the child is hungry. Everyone’s routines are different but a balance is necessary and homework should always be the priority.

▪ Praise their child’s effort and achievement. A positive comment goes much further than a critical one. Self esteem is the key to motivation.

▪ Monitor homework being done. Depending on the age of the child, his/her academic ability and level of independence all plays a role in how much monitoring is required. In any of these cases, it is a good idea to check homework over. Remember, the homework is not yours, it’s your child’s. If you do the assignments you are not helping them become an independent learner.

As these individuals and sources have articulated well, no one actually celebrates homework but it is agreed that students achieve academic success as a result of their commitment to their homework and extracurricular learning assignments. With the right tools, the right setting and meaningful work, homework can be viewed as a continuum of an effective classroom.

Teachers have a critical role in creating authentic, realistic and effective homework assignments that extend meaningful learning into the home and then providing feedback on it.

Parents also have a vital role in supporting the completion of this homework by demonstrating interest and supporting accomplishment through struggle.

And the kids, well homework is here to stay — at least for the time being.

Laurie Futterman ARNP is a former Heart Transplant Coordinator at Jackson Memorial Medical Center. She now chairs the science department and teaches gifted middle school science at David Lawrence Jr. K-8 Center. She has three children and lives in North Miami.

  Comments  

Videos

Ron DeSantis announces plan to create “equal opportunity scholarships”

Dwyane Wade on his 16th and final NBA season

View More Video

Trending Stories

Haiti is once again on edge, and humanitarian aid groups debate whether to go or cancel

February 14, 2019 07:24 PM

He was robbed while mowing a lawn. He talked. Then 40 bullets were fired into his house

February 14, 2019 08:45 AM

Here’s Jimmy Johnson’s multi-step guide as the Dolphins begin their rebuilding program

February 14, 2019 03:05 PM

Hearts are heavy, attendance is light at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

February 14, 2019 09:05 AM

PGA Tour star was wrong to stiff caddie, but vilification of Matt Kuchar is wrong, too

February 14, 2019 01:48 PM

Read Next

Iconic Miami activist Georgia Jones-Ayers memorialized with street naming

Community Voices

Iconic Miami activist Georgia Jones-Ayers memorialized with street naming

By Bea L. Hines

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 14, 2019 01:57 PM

On Friday, Feb. 8, Northwest 22nd Avenue from 79th to 135th streets in Northwest Miami-Dade was co-designated Georgia Jones-Ayers Way. It was an event that would have had Ayers “spitting bullets,” so to speak. She wasn’t one who loved to be in the limelight.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE COMMUNITY VOICES

Youth basketball league offers year-round skills program for boys and girls

Community Voices

Youth basketball league offers year-round skills program for boys and girls

February 14, 2019 12:54 PM
‘Living Legend’ publisher Garth Reeves to celebrate 100th birthday

Community Voices

‘Living Legend’ publisher Garth Reeves to celebrate 100th birthday

February 07, 2019 09:53 AM
United Way, Girl Scouts beautify campsite in honor of MLK

Community Voices

United Way, Girl Scouts beautify campsite in honor of MLK

February 06, 2019 05:58 PM
Black Migration theme prompts discussion of perseverance

Community Voices

Black Migration theme prompts discussion of perseverance

February 06, 2019 05:48 PM
Young musicians win South Florida’s Got Talent concerto competition

Community Voices

Young musicians win South Florida’s Got Talent concerto competition

January 30, 2019 02:00 PM
Longtime Episcopal priest honored on 50th anniversary of his ordination

Community Voices

Longtime Episcopal priest honored on 50th anniversary of his ordination

January 30, 2019 05:13 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Miami Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Public Insight Network
  • Reader Panel
Advertising
  • Place a Classified
  • Media Kit
  • Commercial Printing
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story