Apples 2 Apples in Chicago Public Schools http://teachersmakingadifference.org Fri, 13 Nov 2020 09:29:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.3 Why Homework Is Bad http://teachersmakingadifference.org/why-homework-is-bad.html http://teachersmakingadifference.org/why-homework-is-bad.html#respond Tue, 07 Jul 2020 13:45:06 +0000 http://teachersmakingadifference.org/?p=65 Continue Reading "Why Homework Is Bad"]]> Although the purpose of homework is to help retain knowledge, research has shown that teachers give bigger chunks of take-home assignments than is necessary, which be stressful and have other adverse effects. Research has also shown that students who are stressed due to homework do not do well in school; they may not have a balanced life. Additionally, it may affect their self-esteem and make them deficient in social skills. Excessive homework may stress out a whole family, especially families where the parents are partially educated and lack the confidence to discuss schoolwork with their kids. When students spend more time on homework than necessary, they may not be able have an all-round development; some may even end up abusing drugs to deal with stress.

 Despite its adverse effects, we cannot wholly write-off the purpose of homework, which is designed to retain knowledge and development. Homework should have a purpose and an advantage for it to be effective. The quantity of homework matters less than quality. Quality of homework helps the teacher to understand the ability and weakness of students truly. But, excessive assignments may not be a true reflection of the student’s abilities.

Homework may be bad for the following reasons:

  • When homework is excessive, its purpose is defeated. This is because a student is supposed to read for pleasure, which is already defeated by stress. More homework is not equal to higher achievement.
  • Young students are known for short attention span, forcing them to solve homework beyond the attention span is putting a child under duress. It may cause difficulty in the mental development of the child. Also, students are often tired and restless after school; the purpose of the assignment may be lost under stress.
  • The theory that homework should be for reinforcement would not be necessary if the teacher takes time to teach students in class effectively. If a student does not understand the teaching in class, then homework will force the student into repetitive errors, and he may never learn to do it right.
  • Parents may also not be available to guide their kids in solving their homework, which is necessary for support and correction.
  • A student may resent homework and learning generally, because he feels overwhelmed by the bulk of work he has to do and learn, without which he would not receive approval. Many students end up ignorant thinking education is not their fit; since they can see their colleagues meet up with learning challenges.

Remember, we’re not saying you should ditch homework totally. We’re only giving guidelines to help prevent burnout and other negative side effects. It is easy to cross the line from “enough” to “too much”, especially when we want the young learners to know it all. In essence, balance is key.

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Should homework be banned? http://teachersmakingadifference.org/should-homework-be-banned.html http://teachersmakingadifference.org/should-homework-be-banned.html#respond Tue, 07 Jul 2020 13:42:48 +0000 http://teachersmakingadifference.org/?p=62 Continue Reading "Should homework be banned?"]]> A lot of students would gladly say yes to the teacher’s question: ‘should we stop giving you home assignments?’

According to a research report, teachers give students more homework than is necessary. Sometimes, students spend the whole night finishing an assignment! So, why should homework be banned?  Here are some reasons:

  1. The number one reason why students do not want homework is boredom, coupled with laziness. Some students consider 2 hours of homework after 9 hours in class, a punishment. They feel the need to play after long hours in school.
  2. Homework can be suspended to enable students to prepare well for examinations. Lengthy and complicated assignments can discourage students from putting in their best during exams.
  3. It can also affect students’ mental health due to stress from those assignments. The adverse effect of complicated homework on students’ health is traceable in their performance in class.
  4. Students who are in between jobs and schooling find it challenging to combine homework with their extra tasks; hence, their performance may decline over time.
  5. Some teachers do not also give guidance on how students should go about their homework. Therefore, confusion may arise when they pick up their homework to solve. If teachers are not willing to give appropriate guidance, they should stop giving homework.
  6. The levels of perception of students differ, some comprehend easily, others do not, so, it would be fair for some while unfair for the others. This problem of inequality is another reason why we should do away with homework.
  7. Every student can not perform at the same level due to their inadequate writing and research skills. Those students are at the risk of failing, except they go the extra mile to learn how to write and carry out research.
  8. According to the OECD, the extra hours of homework has no real impact on student’s performance.
  9. Homework can be deemed unnecessary if it is unrelated to the subject. This is because it is improper to ask students to produce information on topics with which they are unfamiliar.
  10. Homework hours prevent students from having enough time with their parents, who are also always busy with work. This will continue to widen the care gap in the family.

Although homework has a lot of disadvantages, it also has its benefits. These include: helping students improve time management skills, develop critical thinking skills, be independent and enthusiastic in their endeavors, and helps them learn how to multitask and build research skills. However, it is terrible to give students homework a day to the exam; it can destabilize or confuse them. Fortunately, you can get affordable homework assistance at https://domyhomework123.com/, and forget about any troubles with difficult assignments.

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Should Kids Have Homework? http://teachersmakingadifference.org/should-kids-have-homework.html http://teachersmakingadifference.org/should-kids-have-homework.html#respond Tue, 07 Jul 2020 13:40:42 +0000 http://teachersmakingadifference.org/?p=59 Continue Reading "Should Kids Have Homework?"]]> I was thinking of the impact of homework on both physical and mental state how it reduces a student’s leisure and sleeping time. How it leads to cheating and how much it leads to social discrepancies.

Some persons opposed giving homework to kids and assured that it is not beneficial to the kid in any way. The proponents as well, argued that homework for kids improve their academic achievement, and gives room for their parent to be actively involved in the child’s academics. They also said homework enhances the child’s habits and life skills. And so they encourage that homework should be given and made compulsory for students.

Now is the crucial question that requires a critical response: Should kids be given homework?

Naturally, kids often make different complaints about the practice and structure of designating homework, but on the part of the teachers, homework is only for advancing the kids knowledge. This conflict has always been for years, and the balance is still being compromised. The big question remains: should kids have homework?

According to a child psychologist, the effort put into homework seldom yields a child’s enhancement in school. He also made mention of kids that fail to do their assignment as not being indolent. Some might feel so discouraged, frustrated, anxious or better still disinterested. Though some elementary schools considered no homework implementation, and they go with the plan of kids reading at night, have some play out time with friends and have a family dinner together with everyone.

While some have an alternative way of making homework less stressful and impacting, they believe that by reducing the amount of homework being assigned to a student and promote the quality of assignments. This can improve learning for the student and make it useful.

Indeed, sometimes it doesn’t come as expected, but when you think of how helpful this will be for your kid, it will be a way forward in making better comprehension of what is taught in their school. Here are some of the advantages of kids having homework

  • It helps them to quickly and correctly remember all that was taught in school for the day. Learning comes by consistency, allowing kids to solve questions over time helps them to assimilate quickly.
  • It improves independent work and develops self-discipline. It also brings the consciousness of responsibility for completing the homework being given to them.
  • Homework also allows parents to have active responsibility for their kids. Learning does not end in the four walls of a school. It also continues at home, and the parents are saddled with the responsibility to evaluate the child’s progress.
  • Homework reinforces skill concept and helps to promote good study habit.
  • It also helps to promote achievement attained by the kid giving room for self-actualization.

Thus, homework has positive impacts on kids. It gives the right attitude to learning. Nevertheless, we need to know that every kid has a peculiarity that should not be deprived of them.

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UNO Teachers Consider Strike…how much are they paid? http://teachersmakingadifference.org/35.html http://teachersmakingadifference.org/35.html#respond Thu, 04 May 2017 13:24:51 +0000 http://teachersmakingadifference.org/?p=35 Continue Reading "UNO Teachers Consider Strike…how much are they paid?"]]>

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Now that the CTU Strike is potentially averted (and the newest contract awaiting ratification by the rank and file), the United States’ first charter school strike is looming in Chicago.

The teachers for UNO Charter Schools Network are on the verge of withholding their labor. You can read about it in this report from WTTW.

So. How much do UNO Teachers (and staff) make compared to the CTU? You can scan the 2014 numbers for yourself and compare them to the salaries of other schools in my previous post.

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Apples 2 Apples Cited in Report on CPS School Closings http://teachersmakingadifference.org/hello-world.html http://teachersmakingadifference.org/hello-world.html#comments Wed, 03 May 2017 14:58:25 +0000 http://teachersmakingadifference.org/?p=1 Continue Reading "Apples 2 Apples Cited in Report on CPS School Closings"]]>

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From Roosevelt University:

“The proliferation of charter schools, particularly in areas of declining enrollment and in proximity to schools that have closed, is adding financial stress to Chicago’s financially strapped public school system, a new report co-authored by a Roosevelt University professor shows.

Released by Roosevelt Associate Professor of Sociology Stephanie Farmer on Tuesday, March 28, the report titled “Closed by Choice: The Spatial Relationship between Charter School Expansion, School Closures and Fiscal Stress in Chicago Public Schools” tracks 108 charter schools opened between 2000 and 2015 – a time when CPS was closing schools, cutting resources and reducing staff.

A research team led by Farmer found that the majority of charter schools opened during that period were largely in areas where the population of school-aged children was in decline and were located in close vicinity to shuttered schools.

“We were surprised to discover how much CPS has saturated charter schools in neighborhoods with declining school-age populations. We believe this decision is a strong contributing factor to the current strain on CPS’ finances,” said Farmer, who co-authored the report with sociology PhD candidates Ashley Baber from Loyola University and Chris Poulos from the University of Illinois at Chicago on behalf of the Project for Middle Class Renewal.

“The proliferation of charter schools in Chicago has forced CPS to stretch its resources across a surplus of schools in low-demand markets,” Farmer said. “CPS now has substantial off-the-books debt due to the public’s responsibility to finance all of these additional privatized charter schools.”

CPS Apples 2 Apples Data and Analysis by Jeanne Marie Olson referenced in the report included:

Data Analysis Reveals Nearly 11,000 Empty Seats; 47% of Charter Schools Under-enrolled
“Space Utilization: Does Central Office Use 36 as the Average Maximum Class Size or Not?”

Previous CPS Apples 2 Apples analysis relevant to this topic:

Where did 100,000 Empty Seats Come From?

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