RightKlik
June 18 2009 / 11:52 am
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And last but certainly not least, #5: School choice.

Matthew K. Tabor
June 18 2009 / 2:43 pm
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Melissa,

Thanks for having me on the show – it was a great conversation. We spoke about a few of the big issues and there are many, many more that aren’t going away anytime soon. RightKlik’s mention of school choice is a topic that is terribly important at the moment and will matter a great deal throughout our President’s administration.

Fuster’s point on homework is a fair one. Homework is a tough subject – it can be valuable or it can be a waste. Rather than assign lengthy, complex projects to our youngest kids – projects too advanced for them to complete without loads of help from a parent – I’d prefer to see simpler, more basic assignments. More reading, especially reading to be done with a parent, would be a welcome addition in place of needlessly difficult research projects for tykes.

Matthew K. Tabor
June 19 2009 / 12:01 am
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Trish,

I can’t agree with you when you say, “If schools are operating as they should be, homework should not be necessary.” Homework – any type of outside the classroom work – is an extension of what’s done during instructional time. That’s partly what makes it so difficult for many teachers. It’s hard for them to assign appropriate work that builds on what’s done in class without overwhelming kids and parents. Many of them aren’t prepared to do that effectively.

I also disagree when you say, “The only reason that homework is sometimes considered valuable is…” That simply isn’t true – not only is your contention false, but there are many reasons why homework can be valuable. Consider the necessary practice involved in bringing a child to mastery with a mathematics concept – the repetition required, if done during class time, is an inefficient use of a teacher’s time. That isn’t to say math teachers shouldn’t go over problems and have homework sessions during class – just that there’s a place for work outside of class, too, for everyone’s benefit.

Another brief example – the research paper for a history class. Research guidance is quite valuable and time should be set aside for it. Even so, the amount of research that should be done to write a decent paper would eat up far too much instructional time during the day. Most should be done outside of classtime, whether it’s a study hall, after school, or at home.

Homework for homework’s sake is a waste. Purposeful, well-chosen assignments aren’t.

Matthew K. Tabor
June 20 2009 / 12:58 am
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Trish,

I’m going to break down your comment so I can address it point by point.

“I do not find that the research paper for history class has been in any way beneficial to my learning these subjects. It is a barrier to learning, not a pathway. Most students don’t research anything; they copy from an encyclopedia or the Internet.”

The model you’ve cited – students copying from a source – is not the proper way to write a research paper. It is, as you say, copying. That’s simply not writing a research paper. A research paper is the culmination of the examination of primary sources, when available, or the best secondary sources – and their challenges. It is a holistic look at a defined topic and a solid way to begin to understand the scholarship that drives serious academic work.

“Secondly, I consider the necessary repetition of math concepts, if done during class time, to be a truly efficient use of a teacher’s time.”

It is, there’s no question. But when a teacher has 24 students – or, in China, India, or other countries that often have ~50 students in a class – the logistics aren’t feasible.

“The assignment of homework outside of class is to no one’s benefit. It is merely an unnecessary burden on students and teachers.”

Practice, repeated practice, is a necessary element to attain master for the vast majority of students – especially in mathematics. Most students can’t accomplish this during classtime. Independent work has value.

“Thirdly, and this is something you haven’t mentioned, much homework is merely geared toward creating a pc mindset in the child.”

This is irrelevant to our discussion. We’re talking about homework – not *bad* homework. I’m a solid Conservative and I spend my days criticizing public education for our benefit. Even so, I would never say that “much” homework is PC or even remotely related to anything social. It just isn’t true. Some is, and the bulk of some teachers’ efforts are, but the majority has nothing to do with politics. Homework without an instructional purpose, or of dubious educational value, is a far more serious problem.

“Children used to write book reports to prove they had read the book.”

Untrue – that’s a poor use of a book report and a cynical, oversimplification of the assignment. The summary element is minor, though it’s important for understanding. A good book report gauges both understanding and the student’s thought regarding a theme or facet of the work.

“It was the reading of the book that was considered to be important and helpful.”

That part is important; being able to relay one’s understanding, and extend one’s thought about a written work, is important and helpful, too.

“If the report doesn’t produce the proper pc responses, the child is marked down for not having “understood” the book.”

That is not the case in most classrooms or with most teachers. They may not be exemplary teachers – I certainly don’t think the average teacher is good enough – but to make it sound like a Stalinist re-education enterprise isn’t accurate. To be honest, teachers aren’t capable of that even if they wanted to try. And as I said on Melissa’s show, the left/right breakdown of K-12 teachers is surprisingly similar to the left/right breakdown of the whole United States. College level? Different story, but that’s not what we’re discussing.

“Homework is not “an extension” of anything.”

If it isn’t, it’s a poor assignment.

ROK
June 29 2009 / 9:58 am
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The answer to public education, assuming it makes any sense to keep it, is to ask yourself when it worked best and then emulate that.
The two room school houses that existed prior to the end of the 19th century produced the best educated generation in recent history.
They stuffed large numbers of kids into a classroom with mixed grades and still did a much better job than today’s system.
Why?
1. The teachers had the same kids for 3 or more years. No passing the buck.
2. They required the older kids to assist the younger kids. Teaching is the best way to learn.
3. They focused on core subjects, not the gay or ebonics or even sports agenda.
4. They were focused on teaching people how to think not what to think.
5. And most importantly there was almost absolute local control. Parents saw to it bad teachers or administrators were fired and they had the power to do it.

Until we return power to the parents of the children to set curriculum and control staffing, the school system will be a politically correct indoctrination system and education will never be fruitful.

As far as not having enough homework is concerned;
My home schooled children are 1 to 3 years ahead of their age group and they typically spend 3-4 hours per day on all of their schoolwork. When the school is sending work home they are failing.
There is good reason to send work home perhaps, but it is to encourage the student to work independent of the teachers direction so they learn to acquire knowledge on their own. This should be done done after they are solid on the three R’s so they are actually capable of doing it.
In today’s school environment twelve years not does accomplish the three R’s goal for a significant number. Homework is a waste of time for a kid who cannot read or write.