So my daughter keeps reminding me every week that it have not posted a new blog, so this one goes out to her. Actually she brought me home a very good article from school called, The Trouble with Homework by Annie Murphy Paul which raises a lot of valid points on the whole homework issue and rote memorization method and how much are school kids really retaining from these types of methods.
I had to chuckle to myself last night because I was going through my sons graded tests and homework assignments and found his spelling test from last week with 100%, A+, and a WOW!! written on it from his teacher. I was so happy for him and felt satisfied as a parent for drilling him every day on the week's spelling words. The teacher as assigns 5 "challenge words" for students that want to go the extra mile to excel which he got correct as well. She apparently asks those students to write it at the top of there paper I am guessing so she knows who attempted the words. The reason I laughed at this point was because there at the top of my son's A+ paper was written "challin list" and her correction on top "challenge". Obviously memorizing words for 3 days and testing on Thursday is really helping him to retain practically none of the words that he is given every week. In fact it has become almost a sport of "how quickly can I learn these words and spit them back out to get a good grade so I don't have to worry about them anymore" for my son. It really becomes painfully obvious when we work together on writing short essays or answers to questions and he asks me how to spell words that I know have been on previous spelling tests. The solution to this...I am not sure yet, but I an going to work on finding out these next couple of months and do some research. Honestly the science of learning has been a very fascinating area of study to me ever since I read the book "The Edison Gene" by Thom Hartman. Right now I am trying to get started on read a book called "Why Boys Fail" by Richard Whitmire...Saving our Sons from the Educational System That's Leaving Them Behind. I think as educators our homework assignment should be to find better ways for children to learn and if something isn't working them it is our responsibility to find a different, a better way.
I do have to point out that this year in his 4th grade class the teacher sends home a "monthly packet" of about 25 pages front and page. This packet has different kinds of activities from math, writing, social studies, reading, English, coloring, and puzzles incorporating the subjects. If the kids complete the packet by the end of the month then they get to participate in a class party at the beginning of the next month. If they do not complete the packet then they are sent to "study hall" at the library were the get to work on the packet. Getting through the first month's packet was a bit rough, but once my son was able to enjoy the reward he was excited to get started on the next month packet immediately. I am still out to lunch on how much of the information he is learning or retaining from the packet, but I love that it keeps him motivated to do some academic work after-school to avoid falling behind. I do think it is a great thing to try so that students get away from the whole "I have homework to do tonight" and instead they can learn to be organized, pace themselves on how much or how little to do, and earn a reward at the end. I have definitely in favor of doing things to put students in control of their learning experience, instead of pressuring them to learn. We shall definitely see what the pros and cons are with this type of learning with time.
I am also working on studying on the Praxis I test that I need to take in order to apply to the secondary teacher certification program as BSU. It's been forever since I have taken an English class at the college level, so I am feeling a bit rusty and have been reading through guides to see what I am exactly up against. My goal is to take the test by December, so I can apply for the program by Spring of next year. Good to have goals right??
Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are right around the corner...with it comes the cold weather. I will be my best to keep everyone posted on my learning experience and new developments that come up.
Have a great day!!
