If it's important enough for teachers to assign, then it is important enough for students to complete. That has been our overriding philosophy on homework for decades here in Hudson. At the same time over the last couple of years, our intermediate levels have tried hard to avoid overloading our young learners with too much homework outside of the confines of a regular school day. They work hard to make certain there is ample time to complete the assignment in class. That is particularly the case if the purpose behind the assignment is to provide guided practice. As its name implies, guided practice provides the teacher opportunity to monitor the work and provide personalized instruction where appropriate. It would do little good to provide a practice opportunity only to have students practice incorrectly at home! All that would do is reinforce an ineffective strategy. So what is an appropriate amount of homework? The National Education Association (NEA) recommends schools prescribe to the 10 minute rule, which suggests a maximum of 10 minutes per grade level. It is conceivable a high school student could see upwards of 2 hours per night, although I am not certain that is the norm here at Hudson. But, if your child is having difficulty with homework or is spending an inordinate amount of time studying each night; it may be worth having a conversation with the teacher. Perhaps the teacher can offer valuable insight into what is going on in the classroom; including how much in class time is set aside for homework completion. Parent teacher conferences are only a week and a half away, so there is a golden opportunity to have that conversation!
Now then, a plug for participation in parent teacher conferences wasn't the point of my column today, but merely a secondary benefit. What I really wanted to discuss is the application of our homework policy when the work isn't completed on time or with high quality. For reference, please see our Hudson Student/Parent Handbook. Our discussion on homework begins on page 45. To quickly summarize, our policy states that when assigned, it is due when it is due; and of high quality. The option to take a 'zero' in the gradebook isn't an option. When considered with our philosophy as described in the second sentence above, this would make sense; right? I mean, the teacher has deemed it important enough to assign then it should be graded and feedback provided. Additionally, when not completed on time and of high quality; the student stays after school that day to complete the work. No exceptions. There is no doubt this is an impediment on the students' time, and in many cases an inconvenience for parents who now have to make arrangements to pick up a student who has to stay after school.
From a 'macro' or 'global perspective' our overarching charge is to prepare our students for whatever awaits them when they leave our institution. Indeed there is a lot in that, but from a big picture perspective that really means preparation for the real world of work. While I presume one could reasonably argue a college professor might be more inclined to award a 'zero' as opposed to making a student stay after 'school', a future boss will not. I would find it very hard to believe if your boss assigned you a task, you didn't complete it, and the boss said, 'nevermind, it wasn't that important'.
You see, there are no gradebooks at work.
On the other hand, some may suggest the consequence of not 'completing your homework on time' at work is grounds for immediate dismissal. I tend to respectfully disagree. If it is a repeated pattern of tardiness and shoddy workmanship, then yes dismissal is the appropriate remedy. Missing a deadline here and there? Turning in a work product that isn't quite what I had in mind? More than likely, I handle employees here the same way your boss does where you work. You go home at the end of the day when it's finished, and if it isn't quite what I had in mind I'll give you some feedback and ask for the appropriate corrections. The point is completing the work isn't an option. You have to do it and as such, 'govern yourself accordingly'. Truth be told, you aren't going home until it's finished.
Even in my work, I am bound by those same expectations. Choosing to file a report or meet a deadline isn't optional. Showing up at a school board meeting without preparing an agenda or having thought through my recommendations with research based exhibits is, well frankly inconceivable. So I 'govern myself accordingly'. That means sometimes I have to work later in the evening or weekends, and guess what? That disrupts my free time, and from time to time causes an inconvenience for my family. Shoot, using my work with the school board as an example, sometimes they don't necessarily like what I have proposed and I have to come up with something different.
Staying late at work or school is sometimes inconvenient. But if the work is important enough a teacher (or boss) asks you to do it, the choice of completing that work isn't optional.
Now then, a plug for participation in parent teacher conferences wasn't the point of my column today, but merely a secondary benefit. What I really wanted to discuss is the application of our homework policy when the work isn't completed on time or with high quality. For reference, please see our Hudson Student/Parent Handbook. Our discussion on homework begins on page 45. To quickly summarize, our policy states that when assigned, it is due when it is due; and of high quality. The option to take a 'zero' in the gradebook isn't an option. When considered with our philosophy as described in the second sentence above, this would make sense; right? I mean, the teacher has deemed it important enough to assign then it should be graded and feedback provided. Additionally, when not completed on time and of high quality; the student stays after school that day to complete the work. No exceptions. There is no doubt this is an impediment on the students' time, and in many cases an inconvenience for parents who now have to make arrangements to pick up a student who has to stay after school.
From a 'macro' or 'global perspective' our overarching charge is to prepare our students for whatever awaits them when they leave our institution. Indeed there is a lot in that, but from a big picture perspective that really means preparation for the real world of work. While I presume one could reasonably argue a college professor might be more inclined to award a 'zero' as opposed to making a student stay after 'school', a future boss will not. I would find it very hard to believe if your boss assigned you a task, you didn't complete it, and the boss said, 'nevermind, it wasn't that important'.
You see, there are no gradebooks at work.
On the other hand, some may suggest the consequence of not 'completing your homework on time' at work is grounds for immediate dismissal. I tend to respectfully disagree. If it is a repeated pattern of tardiness and shoddy workmanship, then yes dismissal is the appropriate remedy. Missing a deadline here and there? Turning in a work product that isn't quite what I had in mind? More than likely, I handle employees here the same way your boss does where you work. You go home at the end of the day when it's finished, and if it isn't quite what I had in mind I'll give you some feedback and ask for the appropriate corrections. The point is completing the work isn't an option. You have to do it and as such, 'govern yourself accordingly'. Truth be told, you aren't going home until it's finished.
Even in my work, I am bound by those same expectations. Choosing to file a report or meet a deadline isn't optional. Showing up at a school board meeting without preparing an agenda or having thought through my recommendations with research based exhibits is, well frankly inconceivable. So I 'govern myself accordingly'. That means sometimes I have to work later in the evening or weekends, and guess what? That disrupts my free time, and from time to time causes an inconvenience for my family. Shoot, using my work with the school board as an example, sometimes they don't necessarily like what I have proposed and I have to come up with something different.
Staying late at work or school is sometimes inconvenient. But if the work is important enough a teacher (or boss) asks you to do it, the choice of completing that work isn't optional.
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