November 15, 2013 · 7:40 pm
Credit goes to Gary Larson and The Far Side comics
How often have your students not turned in their homework? What excuses did they give? I like Gary Larson’s The Far Side comic panels. They are very funny and still relevant today. The one above is a play on the common excuse kids make for not turning in their homework (“My dog ate my homework”).
Homework is definitely a pain for both teachers and students. There is merit in assigning homework because it reinforces the concepts that were taught in whichever lesson wast taught that day, but it also means extra work for the teacher. Sometimes, I think teachers assign homework as busy work, not really helping the students but making them quiet and giving them something to do.
I don’t assign homework unless I know it will help the students. If the students can’t do the homework, it was probably above their learning ability and that’s just as bad. If homework is assigned, it should be at a level where the students can complete it (but too easily). Likewise it shouldn’t be so hard where they can’t do the work at all.
I have a policy where, if I assign homework, I’ll give them until the next day as “grace” so they can complete it; If they fail to turn it in, I’ll notify the Korean home room teacher for that class. I don’t like to penalize them with more homework because that doesn’t do anything helpful, but I’ll trust the Korean teacher can find a suitable solution (which usually involves calling the student’s parents).
What do you think of assigning homework? What is your homework policy?
Filed under Andong, English, ESL, Homework, Kids, Lesson Planning, South Korea, Teaching, The United States
Source:
http://ketanhein.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/i-swear-the-dog-ate-my-homework/
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