Ditch homework says expert

gregmcc said:
With ideas like this now we know what the yanks aren't the smartest lot on the block!
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You must be right - I have no idea what it is you just said. :confused:
 
daveza said:
I would be happy if they were just made to read and write ( without the aid of a spell checker ).

Correct grammar, spelling and sentence construction appear beyond the reach of a vast proportion of pupils.
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There was educator that put everyone 60% without reason, no matter how hard you try.

Educators like that kill learners' language.
 
moggie said:
Need pictures? :twisted: ;) :D
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No, just someone to translate it into American ;), or even proper English. Punctuation and grammar are sorely missed.

Edit: Like my pappy used to say - always make sure you're smarter than the person you're calling an idiot. ;)
 
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Kids don't learn much in South African schools either.

Firstly there is the learning environment. When I was in high-school a couple of years ago, many people simply talked the entire lesson about the upcoming rugby match/playing on their cellphones/daydreaming. There was little motivation to do work in class unless there was a test coming up - and this was at a private school. I can't imagine what it'd be like in a poor school.

Secondly we have many under-qualified teachers in the education system. They are teaching the students anything, which means the students NEED to teach it to themselves sometime - a noisy environment like school is not conductive to self-study.

Thirdly it's good preparation for high-school and university. You'll have poor time management skills if you suddenly get an avalanche of homework without having prior experience with how to deal with such a workload.
 
Balstrome said:
Let me ask you, these geeks who get 47 A's each year? How is that possible? It could not be because they do tonnes of homework, and looking at pictures of them on tv and in the papers, they look like that are pretty decent looking people, to be really creepy pervery about it, some of those matirc girls look hot. And they study like crazy, play a couple dozen first team sports, are head girls and run soup kitchens for the old age. And you are suggesting that homework is bad.

Just wait till you have to make a presentation at work, or rather after the presentation, when the boss calls you about the lack on one. Then you will wish you where back in school with your homework.
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and end up burnt out in their 30s. Like I said school already takes up half a kid's day. There is more to life. Homework for the odd project, catching up or studying for exams is fine but the rest of it serves no purpose.

I don't see the correlation between arbitrary school homework and your job. One you do because some teacher feels it necessary to tie you down for 2 hours every day and the other work that you're remunerated for. It serves your interests.

gregmcc said:
+1

With ideas like this now we know what the yanks aren't the smartest lot on the block!
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Yeah not like they're the world's sole super power :whistle:
 
If that's what they want to do then fine. Others have hobbies, play sport, read and research other areas which interest them outside of school or just relax and enjoy themselves like children should.
 
Our national pass rate is 60% for Matric - and that takes into account the laughably low requirements.

These kids have no idea what awaits them when they hit university in terms of workload.
It's a nasty world out there - feel free to abandon homework but then don't cry when nobody wants to employ you after using mxit speak in your CV.
 
daveza said:
Our national pass rate is 60% for Matric - and that takes into account the laughably low requirements.

These kids have no idea what awaits them when they hit university in terms of workload.
It's a nasty world out there - feel free to abandon homework but then don't cry when nobody wants to employ you after using mxit speak in your CV.
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You are missing the part about teachers doing their jobs properly in the classrooms.

But in the same breath I have to sympathize with them as there is very little discipline left in most schools and class sizes are far too big for effective teaching.
 
moggie said:
You are missing the part about teachers doing their jobs properly in the classrooms.

But in the same breath I have to sympathize with them as there is very little discipline left in most schools and class sizes are far too big for effective teaching.
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As if homework compensates for the low standards at schools :o
 
As a teacher, I usually give homework to complete whatever it is we are doing in class. If they are busy buggering around in class, then they bring the homework upon themselves.

In English, I usually get them writing diaries which become a fun and ongoing thing. The only other homework I set is for revision prior to a test.

Almost without fail if you set certain exercises for them to do the parents end up doing it which completely defeats the point.

Final note to parents: DON'T do your kid's homework for them...the teacher ends up thinking that the kid understands a certain concept and the only person who suffers is the kid who bombs out in the test because his folks did the work and his teacher thought that he understood it.
 
In a way I agree with this article.. but I do think homework is necessary as it helps reinforce concepts that were taught during the day at school.

As for parents doing the homework for the kids, thats just stupid... I don't have kids, but if I ever do I will help them but never do it for them
 
moggie said:
Dr Jansen is spot on with this statement. The volume of homework dished out by educators in lower grades is pathetic and a poor reflection of their teaching abilities. They need to spend more time in the classroom teaching the learners instead of shifting the onus onto the parents to teach their children. In many cases the parents complete the homework, so the learner learns absolutely nothing.

It also limits the kid's time for extra-mural activities, probably one of the most important facets of a balanced childhood.

And the issue of dishing out homework as punishment is also a fact....
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my s.o. is a public school teacher and i can tell you why my s.o. and other teachers like her do not spend more time teaching and must give out more homework.

my s.o. has on average over 40 pupils in her class, you try getting 40 or more kids in a cramped classroom to stay quiet and listen to lessons, it is impossible. Because discipline at home is lacking, certain children feel that they can infringe on other children's rights on a proper education so she ends up spending half her time getting the class to listen and the other half actually teaching once the class has settled down.

also let's talk about the administration work that the provincial goverments put upon teachers, it is mountains and mountains of it and most of this work must be handed in on a daily basis to the department heads - so there goes the rumour of a half day job, administrative work can keep a teacher busy well past midnight.

you mention extra mural activties, yeah they are nice and keep a student well rounded but who do you think creates and runs those activties, it is the same teacher that has a mound of paper work, the same teacher that must spend half their class doing disapline that is creating and running those activties. most of the planning must be done during schools hours so please tell me when is my s.o. supposed to be doing what she loves most namely teaching?

have a more effective plan to discharge students that disrupt classes, cut down on some of the extra mural activties and get parents to start disciplining their children at home and then perhaps homework can be done away with because it is only then that my s.o. and other teachers will actually have the time and opportunity to teach.
 
Going to your parents for help is a last resort that should only be taken if you have been struggling for hours, it should happen so rarely that it shouldn't be a factor. It's your homework, you need to work it out. That's the whole point..
 
honestly homework teaches the kid to have a responsibility and that there will be consequences if his tasks aren't completed. How are kids that are not mathematically orientated for example suppose to master math without practice in homework etc?
 
moggie said:
You are missing the part about teachers doing their jobs properly in the classrooms.

But in the same breath I have to sympathize with them as there is very little discipline left in most schools and class sizes are far too big for effective teaching.
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bring back the 'moer-die-kind' system.
 
Fazda said:
Final note to parents: DON'T do your kid's homework for them...the teacher ends up thinking that the kid understands a certain concept and the only person who suffers is the kid who bombs out in the test because his folks did the work and his teacher thought that he understood it.
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Plus you guys usually get it all wrong, and you kid gets a grilling the next day, in front of the class, causing him to want to move back with his father.
 
We should just ditch school altogether ;)

Just give the kids a tv so we can get more of the hip hop generation.
 
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