In this post I will be writing a response to an article titled "Should Parents Help Their Children With Homework?" The response will include a short summary of the issue at hand, a list of the experts involved and their arguments, and my opinion on the matter.
I read the article "Should Parents Help Their Children With Homework" on The New York Times Room for Debate page. I chose this topic because it is a question that I often ask myself. I usually always try to monitor my daughter with her homework. I let her do the work on her own and if something is done wrong I will go over it with her and help her to correct it. I think that these steps are helpful for learning and retaining the information.
In this article several "experts" voice their own opinion on whether or not they think it is a good thing to help children with their homework. Some argue that children can benefit from having the parental help, while others argue that the children will not benefit at all from parental homework help. Some studies show that parental help can have a negative effect.
MEET THE EXPERTS:
WHAT DO I THINK:
In my opinion, I think that a small amount of homework is reasonable. The homework gives the students a chance to review and practice the things that they learned in school. I do feel though that large amounts of homework do not benefit the child at all because then it becomes a matter of getting it done, but not retaining the information. As I stated previously, I have my daughter complete her homework as she can and then I go back and fix any mistakes with her. I feel like helping children is okay, but doing the work for them is not as then the assignment becomes pointless. Children do not learn that way and will not be able to pass a test.
I read the article "Should Parents Help Their Children With Homework" on The New York Times Room for Debate page. I chose this topic because it is a question that I often ask myself. I usually always try to monitor my daughter with her homework. I let her do the work on her own and if something is done wrong I will go over it with her and help her to correct it. I think that these steps are helpful for learning and retaining the information.
In this article several "experts" voice their own opinion on whether or not they think it is a good thing to help children with their homework. Some argue that children can benefit from having the parental help, while others argue that the children will not benefit at all from parental homework help. Some studies show that parental help can have a negative effect.
MEET THE EXPERTS:
- Erika A. Patall is an assistant professor of educational psychology in the College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin. She argues that the most important thing to do is not to help them, but to motivate them. She says "whatever parents say or do related to homework, it is critical to communicate that mistakes are a welcomed part of the learning process and effort is at the heart of kids’ success."
- Alfie Kohn is the author of 13 books, including "The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing."He argues that parents should help students when homework is assigned, but WHY is homework assigned? He feels that homework causes students to feel frustrated and exhausted and that it leaves less time for pleasurable activities.
- H. Richard Milner IV is the Helen Faison professor of urban education at the University of Pittsburgh. He is the author of "Start Where You Are, but Don’t Stay There: Understanding Diversity, Opportunity Gaps and Teaching in Today’s Classrooms," and the forthcoming "Rac(e)ing to Class: Confronting Poverty and Race in Schools and Classrooms." He argues that even though the homework itself has benefits, not everyone has the same amount of help as each other which unfairly effects how well the child does.
- Jessica Lahey is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, columnist at Motherlode, and author of the upcoming book "The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed." She argues that the best help that a parent can give is to let the child be independent and figure out the homework on their own. She feels that helping a child to find the answers will eventually cause them to give up when faced with challenge and frustration.
- Martha Brockenbrough is a former high school teacher and the author of books for young readers. Her next novel, coming in 2015, is "The Game of Love and Death." She argues that it is okay to let the children do the homework on their own. She knows that the child will make mistakes and will not know everything, but that those mistakes are good for learning.
- Sara Bennett is co-author of "The Case Against Homework: How Homework Is Hurting Children and What Parents Can Do About It." She argues that parents shouldn't help students because teachers will not see the child's real progress. But she also feels that homework is pointless because she knows that the child will have the extra help at home and its not really a display of their own knowledge.
WHAT DO I THINK:
In my opinion, I think that a small amount of homework is reasonable. The homework gives the students a chance to review and practice the things that they learned in school. I do feel though that large amounts of homework do not benefit the child at all because then it becomes a matter of getting it done, but not retaining the information. As I stated previously, I have my daughter complete her homework as she can and then I go back and fix any mistakes with her. I feel like helping children is okay, but doing the work for them is not as then the assignment becomes pointless. Children do not learn that way and will not be able to pass a test.