Quick question about homework

[Or-Tal Kiriati]

As teachers and parents - can you help me?
I would like to know which are the topics that generate most homework assignments?

I am not discussing the importance or role of homework given, I'd just like to know where is is usually given?
Math?
History?
Geography?
...
thanks.

[Mike]

Hi Or-Tal.... hope this finds you well.

for my kids....math would be the one with the most homework then language arts (english in highschool)

History seems to come and go...when it comes its usually a project of sorts.

Science...hit or miss from my view....

be well..mike

[Ellen Pham]

From my experience in elementary school, the most common homework assignment is to read for 20 min every night. The second most common assignment is math practice problems, +/or study your spelling words for those teachers who give spelling tests. Social sciences and science would most likely be given as a longer term project to complete at home (you know, so the parents have something to compete over : ) )

In high school, with my kids it seemed as though math problems were the most common, daily assignment, followed by writing papers in English and studying for this or that test in science, history and a foreign language. That's the homework I noticed them doing, at any rate. I might not have noticed the reading homework assignments.

[Connie Weber]

Hi Or-Tal,

I kept thinking about this question, trying to decide what an answer might be. But I just don't think this way. I mean, what would you call the homework assignment of designing an artistic "crest" for your life at this moment, illustrating hopes, feels, feelings of the times, accomplishments, rudders? (Would that be English, art, or social studies?) Or, list 50 ways you used mathematical thinking in your family and personal life within a 24 hour period.) Those would be the sorts of assignment I give. And it wouldn't be assigned for that night, it could be worked on in school, or it could be done anytime across the week.

Sorry, I'm not really helping with categories.

The structure I use for homework: the rough plan is to spend 45 minutes to an hour working on any of the week's Learning Projects.

[Or-Tal Kiriati]

Thank you all for your replies.
Connie, this is very interesting - you are a very creative teacher and rather unique.
However in most cases kids do encounter some "old fashioned" homework, such as reading (either repeating or preparing), writing (from essay to answering questions), or exercising (math and similar).
I am happy to learn through this question (posted on our neighboring networks too) that there are more and more innovators who won't go the old fashioned way.

Several months ago I participated in a seminar dedicated to the topic of homework. I even wrote about one of the lectureshere. I've learned that over the years there were waves of homework pros and cons - periods when homework were considered more important or valuable or contributing and the demand for homework raised, and periods when homework popularity fell and less home assignments were given.

I'm trying to think what is the importance or value of homework? When does homework obstruct learning rather than contribute?

Personally I think homework is valuable if it helps the additional processing of material learned in the classroom. I hate it when teachers give homework assignments only to complete what they haven't taught in class. I like it when homework makes kids be curious, ask questions, analyze and process. But I really dislike homework that are given for the sake of giving homework.

I understood that there are schools where it is the school's policy to give homework. And I'd like to understand more about it. Do parents perceive it as a more serious school if the kids are bombarded with homework? Do colleges look at such schools more favorably?

And then I'd like to know in which topics homework can really contribute to processing and growing?
n