Chapter 2
DISCUSSION
What are the effects of homework on Filipino Students?
Intended Purposes of Homework
Homework is a usual task to all students. It is a typical thing whenever attending school. After the class bell rung, it is mostly certain that there would be take home activities or list of task to be done at home; as a school extension of things not done in school. Dictionary meaning of homework is, as defined by Merriam Webster Dictionary, an assignment given to a student to be completed outside the regular class period. In simple words, a task done not in school but usually at home -- maybe that is why it is called as homework.
An average student probably gone through this task, many times already--then approximately, maybe at least thousands of homework were worked on by a student. But the thing is, no one ever thought of finding out what are the purposes of homework really are.
The researcher has done research and has found this discussion paper entitled "HOMEWORK: What are the upsides and downsides?" and realized the purpose of why homework was designed. Also founded were some obvious aims of homework and also some unexpected purposes that was not that acknowledge. The author of the discussion paper compiled the idea of another researcher named Epstein that came up with The Ten Ps of homework. Each purpose was as follows and was elaborated according to the researcher's understanding.
- Practice – With homework, all the things that had been discussed in the classroom can be put into practice. By doing exercises based on the day's lesson, students can apply what their acquired knowledge from the lecture.
- Preparation – Homework makes students be ready on the next lessons to be tackled. If there are things not yet that clear, assignments can clarify these questions and make students able to move on to another topic the next meeting.
- Participation – Although not all students are that active in participating in class, homework can force the learners to do so. Despite of some students being passive about homework, it will be required to participate in the discussion with the use of homework.
- Personal Development – With a task like homework being assigned on students it can create a sense of responsibilities among the students. Learners can acquire some competent study skills, giving attention in following direction and being conscious about the limited time given to finish the job. Also, with the grades given to all the homework, students can boost their confidence by excelling in some activities and having achievements through homework. Various activities assigned can open opportunities to students to explore and improve talents and skills.
- Peer Interactions – Group tasks or homework can able students to collaborate with each other and compare and share new ideas for the benefit of all. Working with a team also creates a good teamwork skill among all students.
- Parent-Child Relations – Homework can serve as a window for the parents and the students to have a good communication with each other and exchange ideas for the learning purposes. They can share ideas about expectations, school and how to apply the things they learn in real life. Also, this can be a means for the parents to give positive remarks for their children.
- Parent-Teacher Communications – Homework does also bridges teachers and parents. With homework, teachers can fill in parents on the learning progress of their children and how and what are they learning so far.
- Public Relations – A motivation is sometimes what homework is being assigned for. As to state that the school has a high standard to the families of the communities and one of its requirements is to accomplish these tasks or activities.
- Policy – Some are already a part of policy and that schools are required to accomplish a certain task or activity as ordered by an educational institution.
- Punishment – Homework can also be served as punishment to students who lacks focus and attention in studying or when in class. Common example is writing some lines or essays on how to behave properly in class. But this purpose is not that accepted rather inappropriate because as said in the discussion paper: "It serves merely as an exercise of teachers’ power to use up students time, with a negative focus on behavior rather than learning.
Why are the adverse results occurring in spite of the positive intentions of how the homework is actually designed -- The question that remained unanswered for the years of research done about the matter. The only thing sure is that there are numbers of factors and they kept on stacking and increasing as long as there are changes in the educational system -- as long as change is present, the hunt for the answer in the question will always be left unclear. The thing that can only be done for now is to catch up on these changes as close as can possibly be.
Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Homework
A. Type of Homework
Numbers of homework had been assigned on students since the very first time entering school. There is these story reading or draw activities. Of course, the definition of terms assignment is a usual kind also. But as all know, each student has a preferred type of homework. And also, preference on what kind of assignment to be assigned is a crucial factor in the effectiveness of homework.
There are three main types of homework according to New South Wales Department of Education and Training: practice exercises, preparatory homework, and extension assignments. As what is said on the document created by the institution mentioned above, the three types of homework were defined as the following:
- Practice Exercises let students apply new knowledge or review, revise and reinforce newly acquired skills. Examples of such exercises are memorization of mathematical tables, practicing spelling words, essay writing and reading for pleasure.
- Preparatory Homework where students gain background information on a unit of study to better prepare them for future lessons, for example, reading and collecting geometric shapes.
- Extension Assignments encourage students to pursue knowledge individually and imaginatively. Assignments might include writing a book review, researching local news or retrieving items from the Internet.
All different types of homework, if analyzed, have different goals and agendas to be met after each task were to be finished. A type aims to practice the student on what should have learned from the lesson and for them to be polished in all the parts of the lesson. The other goals of homework is to make students prepared for the incoming lectures, a brief overview on what will the lesson be about; while the other type's purpose is to add up more info that has not been included in the discussion proper.
As what has been aforementioned, type of homework is a crucial factor in the effectiveness of homework. All types have different approach on the lessons and also with the students. Each type also serves different purposes to be achieved after each assigned homework. These little details should be given much attention when deciding what homework should be assigned to make sure that all efforts will be worth the prize.
According to survey done by the researcher, the type of homework that Filipino students preferred the most is a group assignment and the least preferred type of homework is a research type assignment.
B. Student's Preference
What students want to do sometimes affect the output of the things that were assigned, Just like homework, if the topic assigned a student was a topic that does not trigger interest or it was too hard then, the learner may just simply turn down the assignment and not do it anymore. Saying this shows how the preference of students affect their performance on a given task greatly.
By doing surveys and interviews, the mentioned assumption was present in the case of Filipino students. According to the students, working in a group and doing things in class is what they preferred most. Since, students can be able to compare, share and correct each others ideas and answers. Also, there is the presence of teacher if done in school which motivate students to do it much efficiently and less cheating incidence will occur than if done at home. Lastly, if there are unclear parts of the activities learners can just simply clarify things with their mentors and go on through the task; which students find to be a time and effort saver in their part.
C. Students Assumptions on Homework
According to survey done by the researcher, the type of homework that Filipino students preferred the most is a group assignment and the least preferred type of homework is a research type assignment.
B. Student's Preference
What students want to do sometimes affect the output of the things that were assigned, Just like homework, if the topic assigned a student was a topic that does not trigger interest or it was too hard then, the learner may just simply turn down the assignment and not do it anymore. Saying this shows how the preference of students affect their performance on a given task greatly.
By doing surveys and interviews, the mentioned assumption was present in the case of Filipino students. According to the students, working in a group and doing things in class is what they preferred most. Since, students can be able to compare, share and correct each others ideas and answers. Also, there is the presence of teacher if done in school which motivate students to do it much efficiently and less cheating incidence will occur than if done at home. Lastly, if there are unclear parts of the activities learners can just simply clarify things with their mentors and go on through the task; which students find to be a time and effort saver in their part.
C. Students Assumptions on Homework
What the students thinks pertaining on what they are doing is a very crucial factor that plays importance in the effectiveness of homework. The way on how students see homework was being affected with the different assumptions being affiliate with it; the assumptions which were carried onto the minds of the learner throughout the whole process of learning. Some assumptions were proven present, but not automatically true, which adds up to the negative view on homework
Homework is an excuse of teachers in lessening their work and putting the tasks on students.
Homework is an excuse of teachers in lessening their work and putting the tasks on students.
There were some instances where the teachers were assigning homework wherein the only reference that the whole class should be using is the teacher's manual. The reason for it is because the students were to report also the said assignment which is the next lesson that should be tackled by the teacher.
The odd part is that a teacher will lend a student their own manual which should only be used by teachers; to be used as an aid and a guide on what to teach to their children. This created a certain idea among students that the reason teachers do that is to lessen their tasks and transfer their work to students. In that way, teachers would not have to worry about making anymore visual aid (notes/lesson) to give onto their students and would not be worrying much in discussing the lesson; since the teachers already have assigned students to do everything and to figure those things all by themselves.
Teachers are said to use homework for their own benefit and not for the good of the students which is a very sad situation that is somehow present in the country's educational institutions. Not all teachers have this kind of intention, but we cannot also say that this is not true, for somehow it does exist in some schools today. Homework is just an excuse of teachers -- that's how some students see it, which affects their perspective towards homework.
Assignments were some kind of an escape plan of teachers from their responsibilities. But what teachers do not know is that instead of helping the students to be independent and to learn by themselves; teachers may lead their students to be misled. Without much guidance of teachers on their students would be a dangerous risk for the children's learning. Teachers should always practice professionalism and consistency in spite of any other outside factors. As like what the article The Arguments Behind the Professionalization of Teaching, it can be detrimental to students. If teachers will just keep on assigning things to students and let the learners discussed things on their own, students can have misled understandings that can only be aided if the teachers' full supervision is to be given.
Homework is not really the worst thing in the world, but its promised benefits seem to be too good to be true. That some people abuses the concept of it, and take the opportunity to do something for their own interest. This leads to permanent imprint on people’s mind, as what had happen to this scenario. Teachers, as one of the most influential people on students, shouldn't be one of those who take advantage of homework. As to set example on their students; teachers, themselves shouldn't be the first one who uses things like homework in something it's not created to be used as.
Homework is just a small part in the computation of final grades.
Majority can say that one of the things that students spent time and effort is in doing homework but ever notice the very small part of it on grades? It can be as small as 2% which is a very small portion as an exchange to all the efforts exerted in accomplishing it. If the homework's purpose is to help students achieve much higher grades because it's the easier than test, exams and seat work. It's the students’ last haven. So students exert so much effort in doing homework. But if the percentage is that small, maybe it is one of the reason why the effectiveness of homework is not present
As a student, if a learner thinking that their efforts aren't going to have any gain then might as well just turn it down. If positioned as a student and there is lots of homework assigned considering it is only a small part of the final grade, why would someone try to burden their selves if there is not much to lose or gain? One reason why students don't do homework -- law of reciprocity not much evident.
The researcher conducted a follow-up research regarding the matter. The researcher surveyed her block mates and did saw the same answer to why they don't like homework. A respondent said it's just a small part of the grade so he didn't like homework. The researcher, knowing the block mate personally, knows what kind of homework was being assigned to the block. College students don't get homework like high school students. College students have those very complicated ones. Not that it is just difficult but also the quantity is twice as much than what is given in high school.
Homework consumes too much time of students.
Students mostly lack sleep and one common cause of it is doing homework. The stacks of homework that were soon due results to students sleeping problems. The worse possible next scenario is that either the tasks were not entirely done or the end outputs has a lot of error as lack of spare time for polishing is already excluded in the option.
It is said that this "sufferings" all has a purpose and in the end something useful and beneficial will be acquired. But as it appears, it does not apply in all cases. Like in homework; it does not mean that if more homework were to be assigned, the more knowledge were to be obtained, or if the harder topic or exercises were assigned the bigger and much concrete benefits were to be obtained obtain. As it is according to most students it does not really help but rather adds up to their pile of problems and the main provider of daily dose of stress. An assumption of students which is imprinted onto them as experiences supported the idea.
This article in titled Too Much Homework Can Lower Test Scores, Researchers Say, is an article to be read if you're also curious about this matter. Just an overview of this article and just some highlights, it says that homework can make the results of a student's test much lower as the title says itself. The author also noted some research he compiled that no more than 15 minutes should be spent on doing homework as suggested by the researcher. Also, stated there is that there better ways to spend those time allotted on doing homework to other much beneficial activities like playing musical instruments or joining sports team or school clubs.
According to the researchers understanding, what the article is trying to point out is that too much time is spent on doing homework. And that too much does not lead to anything good rather bad outcomes. So instead of spending this time on a thing wherein students tends to just suffer rather than benefiting, spend it to something with much more sense activities -- other activities wherein students can have a time out on all school works, but still can acquire useful knowledge.
There should be a right balance of everything. Too much of a good thing can also be bad; then, maybe same as goes with studying and homework. It cannot just be studying all the time. There should also be time for our interest and improving our skills. With that, it is possible to maximize time without sacrificing or obtaining much bad results. Learn but at the same time, have some time for something fun and enjoyable to do.
According to the researcher’s data, gathered from the surveys conducted, 87.5% of the respondents said to spend more than half an hour in doing homework which is beyond what is the said time limit that a student should only be spending. 14.29% of those even said to be spending more than five hours in doing homework which appears to be too much for it is almost half as time as students stays in school. The reasons are said to be behind these long period of time spent on homework is that the load of homework is too much, the homework is too hard for the student to figure out on their own, the instructions were not clearly laid out, and the students were already too tired to tired to work on homework.
Homework adds up to the list of too much task to be done at home.
If homework will be defined, it can said to be a task that is assigned to reinforce the student's knowledge outside the school hours; frequently done at home. This means this includes take home seat works, exercises, practices, research, answering and such. With just mentioning that, it is already too tiring for students, what more if it is the real thing that is to be done. Fortunately enough if homework is the only thing a student need to do after school. What if there are other things like house chores, church activities, part time job or sports training; Can a student manage all those things is a question that has an obvious answer.
Given all the things a student should be doing after school in addition to the never-ending homework, can it even possible to accomplish all in a day. Given the fact that a day only has 24 hours and 8 hours was already spent inside the classroom. There is not enough time to do the other task to be done.
This factor affects the approach of students towards homework. Which is a possible reason why the homework today is turning to be ineffective. Homework plus “Home Work” is way too much for students to handle. Some teachers tend to assign number of homework disregarding the other things that a student will also be doing.
Conducting interviews and surveys confirmed this theory. That some, means not all cases, teachers give out too much homework that students can't manage to finish because of other things that they shall be doing -- this includes church activities, extra-curricular activities, and leisure/family time.
Homework can trigger cheating.
Some say that if people were left unsupervised, how they act or how they behave is being affected. People tend to behave on what they think is right and not what they normally should be behaving. As what one professor, who is also a psychologist, had said it is a human nature. Whenever people are being observed they tend to act differently than if they were left in a room with no one supervising them. Which only means that people perform task better if being watched. Sometimes if people are not supervised they tend to do bad things like slacking, doing unrelated stuffs, and even fraud things.
The bad thing about this scenario is that it did not just start in a single snap but it started while a person is still young. For some reasons, it is very common to all; that it seems to be already socially accepted by everyone -- with that, this bad behavior is being acquired.
In school this is very evident and present. As young as a student can be, this trait can be observed already. The most common example is the issue in homework. Since homework, as assigned to be done at home, is a task that is not being supervised. As what is said in the beginning of this article, a person acts differently if left unsupervised. Unfortunately, regarding on how differently they do, it is more of in the negative aspect.
As what students usually does, stated on the existing research done abroad, when assigned with a homework -- students cheat. Learners tend to cheat in many different manners. It can be in a form of plagiarism and just copy paste whatever that can find in the Internet or let other people do their homework. Mostly, students ask their elder siblings, parents or even a classmate to do their homework. Looking at this scenario, it totally thrown away the purpose of homework and worse, gave students a chance to cheat.
High School Students Admit they Cheat to Get Their Homework Completed is a compilation of different confessions of students that admitting of cheating with homework. A person told that reason it is done is for survival. Since, students did not learn much on the classroom and for fear that they will flunk out or not have good grade -- cheating is the easiest way to take.
Conducted some research like interviews and survey as if these situation does apply in the Filipino students. Sadly, it is does present as it is in the other countries. They have shared that if they don't know what to do with the homework, instead of just helping them, their parents or siblings does the entire homework for them. A respondent also shared that with their other classmates, some bribes or pay their fellow student to do a homework for them.
With homework as a school work that has to be done unsupervised at their homes, the whole goal of the homework was somehow proven unattainable. If students will only cheat their school works every time not being watched by their teachers then might as well let the whole concept of homework be disregarded. If homework cannot help students at all but rather gives them negative effects, let homework be removed in all students curriculum.
Homework can be the reason of being bullied.
Bullying is very much evident in schools from primary to middle and even in high school level. Means, age is not an issue to bullies. If they can see an opportunity to abuse someone, they'll grab the chance to do so. Unfortunately, these chances include homework -- a thing that is considered as a frequent task given to students. It does is a horrible scenario that not everyone can see. No one ever thought that as simple as homework can triggers the chance of being bullied.
An article in titled Ninth-Grader Bullied for Homework stated a story about a student being bullied because of homework. The parent of the child asked an expert on what to do about the situation. The story goes like this. The student is a consistent honor student and loves school, which may be the reason why the bully chose him/her as a target to be bullied. The victim didn't ever tell his/her parents' about it, until his/her cousin saw what happened. The bully threatened the kid to not forget to do his/her homework. When the parents confronted their child, he/she told not to report the incident in the school and to forget about it. The parents did consider what their child said and the opinion of the expert said a different action to do. The adviser Connie Collins, a professional school counselor, told them that their child needed the help of the school -- A teacher or faculty member or anyone that can be trusted to tell the situation of the student. That even if not directly, the school should find out what is happening to the kid.
The concept of homework cannot be blame as being a cause of bullying, but the sad reality is that kids do bully others because of homework. The whole purpose of homework is being trashed in this situation. Not only it does not help students to have a positive academic impact, but it rather gives other student an opportunity to be abused. If homework is not much of a help in totality, then it should be fully taken away from the schools' curriculum. With this, at least, the doors for bullying can be minimized a bit.
As for the interviews conducted by the researcher, the bullying scenario does also exist in the Philippines. Although not as brutally physical as what is happening abroad, but the part of where students were threatened and force to do some other’s homework is does present.
Being bullied is one of the most traumatic scenarios that a child can ever experienced in being a student. It just starts to be just nothing until, without noticing, it leads to bad effects on students -- depressed, paranoid and even suicide. Sadly, this said helpful thing, homework, is one of the sources of bullying. Not everyone might not know it or notice it, but it is really a big deal.
D. People's Involvement
Guidance – A question regarding this is what would be the point of the after-school tasks if students will just learn the wrong things. This is also a factor where homework has its fall back. Homework means it is done at home. Then, when it is done at home there no certain that they can be guided correctly. There will be no teachers to ask if there as some unclear parts to the given task. Parents can't always be relied on because some may not have the time and some may not have enough knowledge.
Teachers, students, and parents working together -- this maybe the perfect way to aid the never ending problem to this homework situation. Regard all different point of views; then, from their make the action and instantly problems will be answered. Listening to each sides and having reflections and everything can be seen much clearer. Everybody can be an instrument. All that is needed to do is to know what role to assign on each one. Everyone has a role to partake but also has limitations of how much involvement should only be done.
a. Teacher
Teachers are the second parents of the students. Since, students spent most time in school teachers are the ones who are mostly with the students. Some may be much closer to their teachers than their own parents. Some students may hate their teachers so much or worse, fear them. This only means teachers can greatly influence or affect their students. If this assumption can be proven then, with the help of the parents, they will be the answer to the student’s behavior towards school.
An article in titled Four Ways to Encourage Students to Complete Homework is a guide for teachers how to be effectively involved in the process of homework. Following are the four ways stated in the article:
1. Set a Solid Homework Policy as your Foundation
Communicate to both the students and the parents. Clearly lay out to them the policies and let the parents also have a copy. So that parents can also be informed on what their children will do with regards this task. Also have a planner shown to the students showing what shall be done for a period of time.
2. Online Blackboard
With the advance technology, education should take advantage in it. Having an online blackboard where updates can easily be put and answer questions of both the students and the parents. Since, children of this generation is so inclined with the modern technology, being able to access the online blackboard would not be any problem.
3. Create a Reward System
Creating reward for students who completes their homework and submitting it on time will encourage students both those who follows the policy and those who are not really working on their homework. Teachers must do a weekly or monthly-basis reward instead of a daily-basis reward.
4. Create Assignments That Involve the Student's Interests
Trying to put attention on what the students are interested in not only will help teachers accomplish the goal but also will remind students of their strengths and help improve self-esteem.
b. Parents
The parents, as the main guardian of the students and also as the one guiding them whenever learners are inside their homes, have a huge role when it comes to the learning of the students. Though sometimes parents were confused on what they shall be doing and not doing. Especially regarding homework; since, it is the most common school work done at home. Parents sometimes just bribe their children to do their homework. The condition leads wherein the learners are only doing homework just because of a luxurious bribe from their parents.
An article in a site called TeacherVision proposed the following suggestions on how involved the parents should be. The suggestions were as follows:
As a student, practicing in studying is what we called as homework. Since preschool this practice was already been observed but in this times the children still see homework as an enjoyable activity. They even look forward in dong this but as we reach level in education higher, the lessons get harder. With that, teachers tends to give homework most of the time. A hard lesson then a number of homework, the said "enjoyable activity" suddenly turns into a "burden" for most students.
Teachers often assign homework before or after opening up a topic. Before, because teachers believe that students' should at least have a background on the subject and that it will be easier to understand the lesson. Or after the discussion for it is believed that this can further make the students' understanding in the lecture better. But the question is: does it really do any good or just a pure superstition and a waste of time.
An articles about this matter which is of Alfie Kohn entitled, The Truth About Homework mentioned different points regarding homework. Kohn cited conducted research and surveys on the said subject. But the striking part is when Alfie Kohn said that more time studying like doing homework doesn't automatically leads to betters learning.
The author stated in the article "homework ‘reinforces’ the skills that students have learned – or, rather, have been taught -- in class" which is said to be one of the wrong misconception of teachers about homework. Having the students to do more in a subject, the deeper they will understand the lesson. Like, doing more Math exercises will make students good in the particular topic. In this article, it does not agree with this presumption of teacher in why loads of homework was being assigned. Kohn said that if ever this "repetition" will make any positive effect on students; what kind of proficiency will this improvement will it be.
Another interesting point he raised is that if ever homework does creates positive outcome on students' performance, does it really need to be done at home? If students do better if being able to discuss or compare ideas and works with others, then it can be just done in school than to be taken at home. Also, what if the student didn't really have any clue or can't understand the assigned lesson then it'll just be a waste of time and effort. Frustrating as a student can be, never will the learners be any near in being productive.
According to research, piling too much homework on kids does not improve test scores instead it can even lower the test result. Besides the negative effect on students like being stressed, fatigued; now an effect on academic aspect of a student is an absolute ‘no’.
The feedback gathered from the survey verified the studies done abroad that homework have the same effect in the Filipino students. As in the Philippines, various achievement tests were given to students. Teachers often just give the previous achievement test booklets as homework and to also serve as a reviewer for the incoming examination. Stated by the respondents, the homework assigned did not help that much in answering the achievement exam for very few items appeared on the exam for the said year.
Psychological Effects
A. Resistance in Learning
A young student crying for not yet finishing homework and being left at home instead of joining their family to an outing or a bonding leaves a negative impact on a child. Not just with the attitude but also with how these children will react on learning.
Aside from the pressure of having lots to do, being not able to spend time with your family is a brutal punishment for a student specially children. Instead of just playing games with their friends, bonding with their parents or to have a break from a long tiring day at school, more of studying shall be done because of this so called school work extensions, homework.
Nancy Kalish, author of the article The Less-Homework Revolution, once supported the thought of having homework. Until her own second-grader got to react negatively about this. She had narrated some of their experience in this article. "But a few years later, Allison started coming home with four hours of homework each night, and everything changed. Now there was not only whining but also begging, yelling, and crying -- sometimes from both of us. The worst part: hearing my previously enthusiastic learner repeatedly swear how much she hated school." she cited.
Then, she started to research on this matter. She found out that there other parents who have the same problem as hers. In the article, the other parent who is also the principal in the school of her child, decided to make an experiment. They eliminate most of the homework but maintained the part where the students have to study for upcoming exams. This experiment shows that even without the stressful homework, there was no decline in the test scores and in classroom performance of the pupils. With this positive outcome in the children's academic results without the presence of these so called school work extensions they also have shown to put again their interest in reading and lessening the pressure and stress in both the parents and the students.
In the Philippines, according to the interviews conducted by the researcher, the same reaction was also been observed on Filipino students, mostly children. The more the learners thought of homework as a stressful activity, the more the students become resistive to learning.
B. Sour Attitudes and Wrong Mindset
A typical student has an eight up to ten subjects for the whole year. Every subject sometimes has a different teacher. With these, teachers do not have the knowledge of what the other subject teachers are assigning to students which leads to an overload work for students.
Believing all the positive effects of homework, teachers assigned these as often and as much as possible. But what teachers do not know is that it doesn't meet up with the said benefits but rather promotes bad effects specially, with the attitudes of the students.
An article titled "The Myth About Homework" and the ideas about homework had back-up the researcher’s theories. This article shows how the academically related benefits are not being met up and just results to bad outcomes for the students.
One negative effect on students, as testimonies by the respondents of the study, is that it can trigger a parent-child argument. As the parents can always supervise their children with regard to homework because it is being done at home although the thing that parents sometimes do not pay attention is that children are sometimes too tired to do homework because of the day at school alone. The student tends to be stubborn which leads to a conflict between the child and their parents.
Also, with too much pressure being put on to students in addition with being stressed it pretty much leads to the worse effect on students, disinterest in learning. This is the point where students give up on the institution of learning. They started to think that there is no point in studying for it will just end up on a failing note. This is probably the most tragic effect of homework to a learner.
The point of this stands is to try to consider all positions; trying not to be carried away on assigning things most especially to children. It is certain that a child’s understanding is not yet sufficient to understand all the things adults can see in things; which means children needed much more understanding. If the learners can't see any good on a thing do not force anyone to do it. It should be done in a slow and gentle way for no positive outcome can come from a forceful input.
b. Parents
The parents, as the main guardian of the students and also as the one guiding them whenever learners are inside their homes, have a huge role when it comes to the learning of the students. Though sometimes parents were confused on what they shall be doing and not doing. Especially regarding homework; since, it is the most common school work done at home. Parents sometimes just bribe their children to do their homework. The condition leads wherein the learners are only doing homework just because of a luxurious bribe from their parents.
An article in a site called TeacherVision proposed the following suggestions on how involved the parents should be. The suggestions were as follows:
- Keep parents regularly informed about the amount of homework assigned to their children.
- Parents should facilitate the completion of homework assignments. Guardians should not do assignments for students; rather, provide the atmosphere and support system that will increase the likelihood of student completion (e.g., a quiet place to study, encouragement, and praise).
- Parents should have active and regular conversations with their children about homework assignments, concerns, and issues. A solid interest in homework helps support the completion of that homework.
- Be sure parents understand the purposes of homework, the amount of homework assigned, consequences for non-completion of homework, and a list of the types of suggested or acceptable parent involvement.
As a student, practicing in studying is what we called as homework. Since preschool this practice was already been observed but in this times the children still see homework as an enjoyable activity. They even look forward in dong this but as we reach level in education higher, the lessons get harder. With that, teachers tends to give homework most of the time. A hard lesson then a number of homework, the said "enjoyable activity" suddenly turns into a "burden" for most students.
Teachers often assign homework before or after opening up a topic. Before, because teachers believe that students' should at least have a background on the subject and that it will be easier to understand the lesson. Or after the discussion for it is believed that this can further make the students' understanding in the lecture better. But the question is: does it really do any good or just a pure superstition and a waste of time.
An articles about this matter which is of Alfie Kohn entitled, The Truth About Homework mentioned different points regarding homework. Kohn cited conducted research and surveys on the said subject. But the striking part is when Alfie Kohn said that more time studying like doing homework doesn't automatically leads to betters learning.
The author stated in the article "homework ‘reinforces’ the skills that students have learned – or, rather, have been taught -- in class" which is said to be one of the wrong misconception of teachers about homework. Having the students to do more in a subject, the deeper they will understand the lesson. Like, doing more Math exercises will make students good in the particular topic. In this article, it does not agree with this presumption of teacher in why loads of homework was being assigned. Kohn said that if ever this "repetition" will make any positive effect on students; what kind of proficiency will this improvement will it be.
Another interesting point he raised is that if ever homework does creates positive outcome on students' performance, does it really need to be done at home? If students do better if being able to discuss or compare ideas and works with others, then it can be just done in school than to be taken at home. Also, what if the student didn't really have any clue or can't understand the assigned lesson then it'll just be a waste of time and effort. Frustrating as a student can be, never will the learners be any near in being productive.
According to research, piling too much homework on kids does not improve test scores instead it can even lower the test result. Besides the negative effect on students like being stressed, fatigued; now an effect on academic aspect of a student is an absolute ‘no’.
The feedback gathered from the survey verified the studies done abroad that homework have the same effect in the Filipino students. As in the Philippines, various achievement tests were given to students. Teachers often just give the previous achievement test booklets as homework and to also serve as a reviewer for the incoming examination. Stated by the respondents, the homework assigned did not help that much in answering the achievement exam for very few items appeared on the exam for the said year.
Psychological Effects
A. Resistance in Learning
A young student crying for not yet finishing homework and being left at home instead of joining their family to an outing or a bonding leaves a negative impact on a child. Not just with the attitude but also with how these children will react on learning.
Aside from the pressure of having lots to do, being not able to spend time with your family is a brutal punishment for a student specially children. Instead of just playing games with their friends, bonding with their parents or to have a break from a long tiring day at school, more of studying shall be done because of this so called school work extensions, homework.
Nancy Kalish, author of the article The Less-Homework Revolution, once supported the thought of having homework. Until her own second-grader got to react negatively about this. She had narrated some of their experience in this article. "But a few years later, Allison started coming home with four hours of homework each night, and everything changed. Now there was not only whining but also begging, yelling, and crying -- sometimes from both of us. The worst part: hearing my previously enthusiastic learner repeatedly swear how much she hated school." she cited.
Then, she started to research on this matter. She found out that there other parents who have the same problem as hers. In the article, the other parent who is also the principal in the school of her child, decided to make an experiment. They eliminate most of the homework but maintained the part where the students have to study for upcoming exams. This experiment shows that even without the stressful homework, there was no decline in the test scores and in classroom performance of the pupils. With this positive outcome in the children's academic results without the presence of these so called school work extensions they also have shown to put again their interest in reading and lessening the pressure and stress in both the parents and the students.
In the Philippines, according to the interviews conducted by the researcher, the same reaction was also been observed on Filipino students, mostly children. The more the learners thought of homework as a stressful activity, the more the students become resistive to learning.
B. Sour Attitudes and Wrong Mindset
A typical student has an eight up to ten subjects for the whole year. Every subject sometimes has a different teacher. With these, teachers do not have the knowledge of what the other subject teachers are assigning to students which leads to an overload work for students.
Believing all the positive effects of homework, teachers assigned these as often and as much as possible. But what teachers do not know is that it doesn't meet up with the said benefits but rather promotes bad effects specially, with the attitudes of the students.
An article titled "The Myth About Homework" and the ideas about homework had back-up the researcher’s theories. This article shows how the academically related benefits are not being met up and just results to bad outcomes for the students.
One negative effect on students, as testimonies by the respondents of the study, is that it can trigger a parent-child argument. As the parents can always supervise their children with regard to homework because it is being done at home although the thing that parents sometimes do not pay attention is that children are sometimes too tired to do homework because of the day at school alone. The student tends to be stubborn which leads to a conflict between the child and their parents.
Also, with too much pressure being put on to students in addition with being stressed it pretty much leads to the worse effect on students, disinterest in learning. This is the point where students give up on the institution of learning. They started to think that there is no point in studying for it will just end up on a failing note. This is probably the most tragic effect of homework to a learner.
The point of this stands is to try to consider all positions; trying not to be carried away on assigning things most especially to children. It is certain that a child’s understanding is not yet sufficient to understand all the things adults can see in things; which means children needed much more understanding. If the learners can't see any good on a thing do not force anyone to do it. It should be done in a slow and gentle way for no positive outcome can come from a forceful input.
1 comments:
Checked!
Chapter 2: 10/10
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