Assigning lots of homework seems what rigorous schools are supposed to, several teachers and principals admit. But assigning hours and hours of busywork can backfire, depriving a child of the free time he needs to develop. To be useful, homework must build on concepts already taught in the classroom and efficiently show a teacher the child has mastered the material. The teacher also needs to read and grade the homework promptly.
Homework that is relentlessly dull, takes the place of classroom instruction or completely devours a child's personal time thwarts mental development rather than enriching it.
Pro forma busywork can rob children of the sleep they need, and the essential unstructured time necessary for recreational reading, creativity and building relationship skills.
Nevertheless, a moderate amount of meaningful homework, about two hours a night for high schoolers, helps students practice what they've learned in school and prods their intellectual curiosity, say educators, including Mike Feinberg, co-founder of Houston's Knowledge is Power Program charter school.
It also might reinforce time management skills. Especially in low-income families with parents at work and few neighborhood resources, attending to homework cuts into the number of hours spent dully staring at television. That's no small educational benefit.
Splitting the difference, with what experts calls the 10 minute rule — 10 minutes per grade per year, starting with second grade — is a sane rule-of-thumb.
But even that shouldn't be blindly followed without scrutinizing what teachers assign and measuring its success. Our students' minds are too precious to be fed empty calories.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Editorial: Homework is excessive
An editorial in today's Houston Post takes on the issue of whether homework is excessive and should be abolished:
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Girl with pink hair allowed to return to school
The Mountain Home seventh grader who was suspended from school for dying her hair pink to honor her father who died of cancer has returned to school, according to an article in today's Springfield News-Leader:
Amelia Robbins, a student at Mountain Grove Middle School, returned to classes Monday, after the school district relented, Springfield television station KYTV reported. The 12-year-old had been suspended just days after classes began Aug. 13.
Amelia has said she dyed her hair pink to honor her father, who died of cancer when she was 6.
The reversal came after an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union office in St. Louis wrote to the district last week arguing that students have a protected right to express themselves.
Amelia finished sixth grade at the same school with pink streaks in her hair.
She said school administrators warned her not to continue wearing the color, but -- with her mother's permission -- she dyed her hair entirely pink over the summer.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Girl suspended for wearing pink hair as a tribute to her dead father
A Mountain Grove, Mo., seventh grader has been suspended from school for wearing pink hair as a tribute to her dead father. From Associated Press:
A southern Missouri school district has suspended a pink-haired seventh-grader.
Mountain Grove Middle School student Amelia Robbins said she dyed her hair pink to honor her father, who died of cancer when she was 6 years old. She says that to her, pink is the cancer color.
The 12-year-old said that when she finished 6th grade with pink streaks in her hair, school administrators warned her not to continue wearing the color. But with her mother's permission, Amelia dyed all of her hair pink, and her school year ground to a halt just days after it started.
She doesn't think her hair color is a distraction.
The school handbook says administrators have the authority to decide whether a student is causing a distraction. Officials declined to discuss specifics of Amelia's case.
(KY3 Photo)
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Texas school district to allow teachers to carry guns to deter school shooting
A Texas school district has come up with a novel idea to prevent school shootings. Teachers will be allowed to carry firearms in the classroom:
HARROLD, Texas (AP) -- A tiny Texas school district will allow teachers and staff members to carry concealed firearms to protect against school shootings, provided the gun-toting employees follow certain requirements.
The small community of Harrold in north Texas is a 30-minute drive from the Wilbarger County Sheriff's Office, leaving students and teachers without protection, said David Thweatt, superintendent of the Harrold Independent School District. The lone campus of the 110-student district sits near a heavily traveled highway, which could make it a target, he argued.
"When the federal government started making schools gun-free zones, that's when all of these shootings started. Why would you put it out there that a group of people can't defend themselves? That's like saying 'sic 'em' to a dog," Thweatt said in a story published Friday on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Web site.
Barbara Williams, a spokeswoman for the Texas Association of School Boards, said her organization did not know of another district with such a policy. Ken Trump, a Cleveland, Ohio-based school security expert who advises districts nationwide, said Harrold is the first district with such a policy.
Trustees approved the policy change last year, and it takes effect when classes begin this month. For employees to carry a pistol, they must have a Texas license to carry a concealed handgun, must be authorized to carry by the district, must receive training in crisis management and hostile situations and must use ammunition designed to minimize the risk of ricocheting bullets.
Officials researched the policy and considered other options for about a year before approving the policy change, Thweatt said. The district also has other measures in place to prevent a school shooting, he said.
"The naysayers think [a shooting] won't happen here. If something were to happen here, I'd much rather be calling a parent to tell them that their child is OK because we were able to protect them," Thweatt said.
Texas law outlaws firearms at schools unless specific institutions allow them.
It isn't clear how many of the 50 or so teachers and staff members will be armed this fall, because Thweatt did not disclose that information, to keep it from students or potential attackers.
HARROLD, Texas (AP) -- A tiny Texas school district will allow teachers and staff members to carry concealed firearms to protect against school shootings, provided the gun-toting employees follow certain requirements.
The small community of Harrold in north Texas is a 30-minute drive from the Wilbarger County Sheriff's Office, leaving students and teachers without protection, said David Thweatt, superintendent of the Harrold Independent School District. The lone campus of the 110-student district sits near a heavily traveled highway, which could make it a target, he argued.
"When the federal government started making schools gun-free zones, that's when all of these shootings started. Why would you put it out there that a group of people can't defend themselves? That's like saying 'sic 'em' to a dog," Thweatt said in a story published Friday on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Web site.
Barbara Williams, a spokeswoman for the Texas Association of School Boards, said her organization did not know of another district with such a policy. Ken Trump, a Cleveland, Ohio-based school security expert who advises districts nationwide, said Harrold is the first district with such a policy.
Trustees approved the policy change last year, and it takes effect when classes begin this month. For employees to carry a pistol, they must have a Texas license to carry a concealed handgun, must be authorized to carry by the district, must receive training in crisis management and hostile situations and must use ammunition designed to minimize the risk of ricocheting bullets.
Officials researched the policy and considered other options for about a year before approving the policy change, Thweatt said. The district also has other measures in place to prevent a school shooting, he said.
"The naysayers think [a shooting] won't happen here. If something were to happen here, I'd much rather be calling a parent to tell them that their child is OK because we were able to protect them," Thweatt said.
Texas law outlaws firearms at schools unless specific institutions allow them.
It isn't clear how many of the 50 or so teachers and staff members will be armed this fall, because Thweatt did not disclose that information, to keep it from students or potential attackers.
Link provided to podcast of Mitch Albom show discussion on teachers and MySpace
I just discovered a podcast of my interview with guest host Steve Courtney on WJR Radio in Detroit's Mitch Albom Show.
The discussion centered around the topic of teachers communicating with their students via MySpace, Facebook, and other social networking sites.
The discussion centered around the topic of teachers communicating with their students via MySpace, Facebook, and other social networking sites.
Teachers and MySpace
(From the Aug. 13. Turner Report by Randy Turner)
(People are killed with guns, so naturally no one should have guns.
Anyone who expresses that view in the United States is quickly besieged by people who generally make the same argument time after time- Guns don't kill people, people do.
We have many in the United States who value their Second Amendment right to bear arms. Unfortunately, some of those same people, including a Missouri state representative who speaks with pride of her devotion to the National Rifle Association, use the same tactics as the gun control lobby when it comes to the First Amendment.
CNN posted an article today about teachers having students as "friends" on their MySpace or Facebook accounts. Rep. Jane Cunningham proposed a bill earlier this year, designed to crack down on teachers who are predators, which included an amendment added in her committee, banning teachers from communcating with students through so-called social networking sites. It's the same kind of logic detested by gun supporters. On very rare occasions, teachers have taken advantage of these sites to establish unhealthy relationships with students. So instead of punishing those who break the law, simply stop teachers from using what has turned out to be a productive educational tool.
I was surprised when I began reading the CNN article and saw that the first two words were "Randy Turner." The reporter interviewed me last week, but I did not realize my views were going to be the focal point for the side which favors the use of MySpace and Facebook by teachers:
Turner said he understands the reasoning for the bill. He acknowledged that in some cases, teachers have become the public face of inappropriate Facebook and MySpace relationships with kids.
"I see where they are coming from," Turner said. "You can't argue with people whose intentions are trying to protect children. But the simple fact is, you take these people who prey on children and they are going to find a way to do it, whether it's over Facebook or not."
Those teachers are ruining it for the ones legitimately trying to help children, Turner said.
"There are so many kids who are stubborn against anything teachers say, who are struggling in the classroom and refuse to ask for help," Turner said. "When it's so hard to reach these kids, why would you remove any of the weapons at your disposal to make a difference?"
When I first read of Mrs. Cunningham's bill, I supported the idea, who wouldn't, of removing perverts and lawbreakers from the classrooms. However, a similar bill has already been passed a few years back and has simply never been enforced by the state department. Instead of asking for more background checks on teachers, why are we not simply checking lawbreakers against a data bank with a list of certified Missouri teachers? We are already fingerprinting teachers and conducting background checks when they are hired; all we need to do is find a way to fill in the gaps when people break the law after they are hired and a database and coordination between our automated court system, the Missouri Highway Patrol and the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education would take care of that.
But what of those who have never previously broken the law or who have never been caught? If Jane Cunningham and those who supported her bill think preventing teachers from having students as MySpace and Facebook friends is going to stop predator teachers, they are wrong. Those people always seem to find a way.
As far as social networking sitse are concerned, I have had a MySpace page for the past couple of years and many, probably most of the "friends" are students or former students. I have had students ask about assignments, ask questions about outside writing they are doing, and have even had students turn in assignments over MySpace.
I have never asked a student to be a "my MySpace friend." To my way of thinking, that would be inappropriate. I also keep my MySpace open to where anyone can go to it, and have had parents tell me they appreciate the fact that I am keeping the lines of communication open- to them as well as to their children.
During this time of the year, as the first day of school approaches, I have had several of last year's eighth graders writing to tell me their fears of going from the much smaller South Middle School to gigantic Joplin High School. I reassure them that it will not take them long to adjust and give them a few tips to help them along. I consider that to be a part of my responsibility to help these children succeed as they move along to the next level.
In the CNN article, an "expert" talks about how teachers can communicate with students appropriately through school-sponsored websites. I have a class website and I also have websites for the South Middle School Journalism Club, which I sponsor, and one for the third quarter project I do each year over the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. It would be nice if students always opted to do things that would make it easier for adults and went to the "appropriate" websites. Unfortunately, that is not the way life works. I find some students who would never dream of going to a school-sanctioned website, have no problems whatsoever with sending a question or making a comment about classwork over MySpace. Should I toss aside those students in these days of No Child Left Behind because politicians are trying to cash in on the popular trend of trashing social networking sites?
A few months ago, I read an article in which an Ohio NEA official recommended that teachers not have MySpace or Facebook pages. I read it, thoroughly expecting to find valid reasons to back up his viewpoint.
Instead, I read about teachers who posted photos of themselves drinking, or made comments promoting drugs, or who were dressed inappropriately. Some of the teachers acted more like children than their students. Why is NEA spending its time bowing to the lowest common denominator? Of course, those teachers should not be communcating with impressionable students over social networking sites- THOSE TEACHERS DO NOT BELONG IN THE CLASSROOM PERIOD!
Fortunately, for today's youth, those kinds of teachers are a small, distinct minority. Of course, when you read about teachers in the newspapers or hear about them on television, you usually hear about the ones who stray from the straight and narrow- the ones who give us all a bad name.
My MySpace and Facebook accounts (I have one of those though I seldom use it) are open to the public. I take my responsibility as a teacher seriously and so do the many other teachers I know who also have students as "friends" on social networking sites. When students add me as "a friend," they are getting a teacher, not a buddy, and that is exactly the kind of "friend" these students need.
(People are killed with guns, so naturally no one should have guns.
Anyone who expresses that view in the United States is quickly besieged by people who generally make the same argument time after time- Guns don't kill people, people do.
We have many in the United States who value their Second Amendment right to bear arms. Unfortunately, some of those same people, including a Missouri state representative who speaks with pride of her devotion to the National Rifle Association, use the same tactics as the gun control lobby when it comes to the First Amendment.
CNN posted an article today about teachers having students as "friends" on their MySpace or Facebook accounts. Rep. Jane Cunningham proposed a bill earlier this year, designed to crack down on teachers who are predators, which included an amendment added in her committee, banning teachers from communcating with students through so-called social networking sites. It's the same kind of logic detested by gun supporters. On very rare occasions, teachers have taken advantage of these sites to establish unhealthy relationships with students. So instead of punishing those who break the law, simply stop teachers from using what has turned out to be a productive educational tool.
I was surprised when I began reading the CNN article and saw that the first two words were "Randy Turner." The reporter interviewed me last week, but I did not realize my views were going to be the focal point for the side which favors the use of MySpace and Facebook by teachers:
Turner said he understands the reasoning for the bill. He acknowledged that in some cases, teachers have become the public face of inappropriate Facebook and MySpace relationships with kids.
"I see where they are coming from," Turner said. "You can't argue with people whose intentions are trying to protect children. But the simple fact is, you take these people who prey on children and they are going to find a way to do it, whether it's over Facebook or not."
Those teachers are ruining it for the ones legitimately trying to help children, Turner said.
"There are so many kids who are stubborn against anything teachers say, who are struggling in the classroom and refuse to ask for help," Turner said. "When it's so hard to reach these kids, why would you remove any of the weapons at your disposal to make a difference?"
When I first read of Mrs. Cunningham's bill, I supported the idea, who wouldn't, of removing perverts and lawbreakers from the classrooms. However, a similar bill has already been passed a few years back and has simply never been enforced by the state department. Instead of asking for more background checks on teachers, why are we not simply checking lawbreakers against a data bank with a list of certified Missouri teachers? We are already fingerprinting teachers and conducting background checks when they are hired; all we need to do is find a way to fill in the gaps when people break the law after they are hired and a database and coordination between our automated court system, the Missouri Highway Patrol and the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education would take care of that.
But what of those who have never previously broken the law or who have never been caught? If Jane Cunningham and those who supported her bill think preventing teachers from having students as MySpace and Facebook friends is going to stop predator teachers, they are wrong. Those people always seem to find a way.
As far as social networking sitse are concerned, I have had a MySpace page for the past couple of years and many, probably most of the "friends" are students or former students. I have had students ask about assignments, ask questions about outside writing they are doing, and have even had students turn in assignments over MySpace.
I have never asked a student to be a "my MySpace friend." To my way of thinking, that would be inappropriate. I also keep my MySpace open to where anyone can go to it, and have had parents tell me they appreciate the fact that I am keeping the lines of communication open- to them as well as to their children.
During this time of the year, as the first day of school approaches, I have had several of last year's eighth graders writing to tell me their fears of going from the much smaller South Middle School to gigantic Joplin High School. I reassure them that it will not take them long to adjust and give them a few tips to help them along. I consider that to be a part of my responsibility to help these children succeed as they move along to the next level.
In the CNN article, an "expert" talks about how teachers can communicate with students appropriately through school-sponsored websites. I have a class website and I also have websites for the South Middle School Journalism Club, which I sponsor, and one for the third quarter project I do each year over the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. It would be nice if students always opted to do things that would make it easier for adults and went to the "appropriate" websites. Unfortunately, that is not the way life works. I find some students who would never dream of going to a school-sanctioned website, have no problems whatsoever with sending a question or making a comment about classwork over MySpace. Should I toss aside those students in these days of No Child Left Behind because politicians are trying to cash in on the popular trend of trashing social networking sites?
A few months ago, I read an article in which an Ohio NEA official recommended that teachers not have MySpace or Facebook pages. I read it, thoroughly expecting to find valid reasons to back up his viewpoint.
Instead, I read about teachers who posted photos of themselves drinking, or made comments promoting drugs, or who were dressed inappropriately. Some of the teachers acted more like children than their students. Why is NEA spending its time bowing to the lowest common denominator? Of course, those teachers should not be communcating with impressionable students over social networking sites- THOSE TEACHERS DO NOT BELONG IN THE CLASSROOM PERIOD!
Fortunately, for today's youth, those kinds of teachers are a small, distinct minority. Of course, when you read about teachers in the newspapers or hear about them on television, you usually hear about the ones who stray from the straight and narrow- the ones who give us all a bad name.
My MySpace and Facebook accounts (I have one of those though I seldom use it) are open to the public. I take my responsibility as a teacher seriously and so do the many other teachers I know who also have students as "friends" on social networking sites. When students add me as "a friend," they are getting a teacher, not a buddy, and that is exactly the kind of "friend" these students need.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Texas school requires students who violate dress code to wear prison-like jumpsuits
A school in Gonzales, Texas, has found a unique way to punish dress code violators and not everyone is happy with it.
The school forces students who violate the dress code to wear a prison-like jumpsuit for the rest of the day:
The school forces students who violate the dress code to wear a prison-like jumpsuit for the rest of the day:
Some parents said the jumpsuits will make students feel like prisoners but the district said it's just a way to keep the children dressed appropriately for school.
A school board official said it's "worth a try" because it's a way to keep the district's conservative values intact.
Some students said the plan may backfire on the school.
"I talked to some of my friends about it and they said they are not going to obey the dress code just so they can wear the jumpsuit," high school student Jordan Meredith.
Before the jumpsuits students who didn't follow the code had to sit in the office and wait for their parents to bring them clothes or face in-school suspension.
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