Homework;
Old Paradigm Vs. New Paradigm
Brenda
Bernhardt
Chapter 4 in
the book “Rethinking Homework,” compares the paradigm of old practices of
homework vs. creating a new paradigm for homework. This chapter seemed to bring the whole
concept of “Homework” into perspective for me.
As a teacher, with 20 years of experience, I feel that I have witnessed
and taken part in both paradigms of homework.
“The old
homework paradigm is set on ideas and beliefs in the goodness of homework. As teachers we assume that homework is doable
and any problems are related to motivation, the belief that the key to
controlling student behavior lies in reward and punishment, and the attitude
that homework should be completed simply because the teacher told the student
to do it.” In my first years of teaching
I fell into this paradigm that homework is good and students need to do it
because I said so. I rewarded the
student who was motivated to do the homework a good grade and I punished the
student who didn’t do the homework with a bad grade. I did not take into concern any common sense
ideas of, “Why the homework was not completed?”
-differ in the student’s readiness and developmental level, differ in
work speed, differ in families priorities.
Vatterott states, “ When students fail to complete homework, we tend to
approach the situation more like discipline than like learning.” I did more
punitive actions to change the behavior than look into the reasons of why.
In my
current teaching I have changed my philosophy toward homework. Not until I read this book did I realize that
I was practicing the “New Homework Paradigm.”
This book was not the source of my changed philosophy, but it does help
me to realize where my ideas were coming from.
As I read about the “Homework Trap” I realized that was what I was
trying to escape. My failing students
were caught up in this trap and were overwhelmed from my punishment, and I did
not really know if they were learning.
I realized that the old homework paradigm did not work and something had
to change to address the Why. Vatterott
states, “What we want is to nurture within students the identity of a
successful learner.” That is the idea
behind the new homework paradigm.
As I move
forward in my teaching I do want to create independent thinkers and successful
learners. To do this I feel a new
homework philosophy has to be created along with a change in our school
philosophy in homework, grading, and curriculum. I know this is a big change and I do not
fully believe in NO homework, but I do believe a new homework paradigm should
be created.
Chapter 4 gives good
information on creating this paradigm.
The following strategies seem to be a more common sense approach to
homework and meet the goals of the 21st century learner: Design quality homework tasks, differentiate
homework tasks, move from grading to checking, decriminalize the grading of
homework, use completion strategies, establish homework support programs.
