"Homework" Is NOT a Dirty Word!

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"Homework" Is NOT a Dirty Word!

ATTENTION

TO ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS:

The Following are Basic Key Tools For Youngsters to Excel in Their Academic and Vocational Endeavors Under Your Instruction:

• Daily and Weekend Homework (Plus Holiday Vacation):  Unfortunately, this practice of giving homework on a daily basis, over the weekend, and during their holiday vacation break has seemingly become obsolete!  
• Give Essays: Today, there are more youngsters becoming increasingly illiterate when it comes to spelling, and using proper grammar.  It is not cute when a child, or an adult for that matter, have no clue on how to differentiate 'their,' 'there,' or 'there.'  And that is only one small example.  Constant use of "Abbreviations" and "Acronyms" have become a way of life today with both youngsters and adults, especially on social networking sites (i.e., Facebook, Myspace, etc.) 
•  Mark 'Incorrect' Spelling Words in Red, and/or Let the Child Write the 'Correct' Spelling Word Numerous Times: This is a practice used when I was attending school.  It works!  Do not allow a child to get away with misspelled words whenever they are writing an essay, homework, etc.  Encourage him or her to learn the proper spelling of words.  And whenever they turn in their homework paper, and there is/are word[s] misspelled, mark it in red indicating that it is incorrect, and have him, or her, write it out several times until it's etched within their cranial membrane! 

The more questions the children ask - the better.  ANSWER their questions whenever they ask you something!  BE HONEST with them if you do not know the answer.  Simply advise them that you do not know, but you will get back to them with an answer the next day, or shortly.  After all, you're only human.  Remember that you, too, have flaws, and make mistakes.

NEVER, EVER, judge the youngsters you are teaching under your care.  You're NOT a god.  You're a teacher.  You're an educator.  You are NOT their friend, so refrain from talking your personal business with them! 
If you, too, happen to attend school to further your academic objectives and goals (Master's degree, doctorate), then be honest with yourself by asking "Am I giving all of myself to help these youngsters?"  If the answer is no, then you need to make a decision quickly as to how you're going to fulfill your educational duties by proving these youngsters with "whole education," without sacrificing them.  If the answer is yes, then you better be well prepared for the youngsters who are more intelligent than you give them credit for because they can spot someone who is not 'genuine,' or 'sincere,' in their words, or actions.

Therefore, stop being fearful to give and teach our youngsters 'whole' education.  Life is an education. It's time to eradicate many of these old relic so-called traditional methods of teaching, and begin to get real with these students of the 21st Century!

Homework is not a dirty word . . . It is a word of necessity!  Isn't that the reason why you became a teacher?  

If you find yourself not wanting to grade papers, or check homework at your home every night, on weekends, or during your holiday vacation break, then perhaps "Teaching" is not your cup of tea!  Think about it!  Like they say, If the shoes fit . . . then wear it, and get to walking!'

In the meantime, for all of you who have no problem whatsoever in carrying out the aforementioned tools, or who is already practicing these invaluable tools of academic learning, then let's produce "thinkers" and "leaders" and "rulers" in the 21st Century!

Peace.

Miriam G. Aw

Do You Have Any Homework? Nooo!

By Miriam G. Aw

Let’s be honest.  How many times have you asked your daughter, or son, or both, if they have any homework once they got home from school?  More likely the answer is no!

Too often than not, daily assigned homework given by teachers in public schools are becoming more obsolete everyday!  And that alone is a damn shame!  I am an advocate for daily & weekend homework.  

When I attended school, daily home-work assignment was a part of my life.  Everyone whom I grew up with had homework.  In fact, homework was assigned daily, to be done over the weekend, and it was a given to have homework assigned while school was closed during holiday vacation.

There are skeptics who question whether daily  homework assignments are necessary for our children to do.  I say that it is necessary, and we can no longer afford to 'dumb-down' their education!  

The ‘dumbing-down’ educational system creates our present generation of youths to become more illiterate, grammatically incorrect, and awful spellers!  Have you checked out Facebook, Myspace, or any other social network site lately?  There are more abbreviations, and acronyms, used today than ever before!  [Go to http://futurehealthcareprofessionals.blogspot.com to learn medical terminology, and its abbreviations].

To add insult to injury, all of these negative attributes are designed for this generation, and the generation before and after them, to fail.  
Yes, that’s right . . . FAIL!  How in the hell can any child be expected to compete with their peers by taking the lead to better themselves both on an academic and vocational levels when they are not guided to do so?  When did it become shameful in life wanting to speak, read, spell, and write well in order to secure a prosperous future on an academic, or vocational level? 

Despite the efforts made by President Obama’s call to raise our present generation of youths to take-on the world by getting a good education falls short of the fact that in order for our youths to get a good education, we must have good teachers to provide ’whole’ education to our children without use of fear, or prejudice!

The bottom line is that mothers are their children’s first teacher in life.  And once their child[ren] attend school for the first time, it is up to the mother to ensure that his or her child receive the same ‘food of thought’ at school as it’s given at home.  In other words, no teacher has the right to undermine what had been taught at home, especially if what is taught at home propels the child to reach greater heights academically, vocationally, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Homework is not a dirty word.  And it should not be consider as a bothersome chore to discourage teachers from checking their students‘ papers at their home, or office.  

Sadly, some teachers chose not to give homework because they, too, attend school to achieve their Master’s degree, or Doctorate, and checking students’ homework papers are not as important as their quest to achieve their educational objective and goal!

Essentially, to have homework means that the child will make good use of using the dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, the Internet, etc.  And when homework is given daily, over the weekend, and during Spring Break, the likelihood of these children spending time in front of the television, or playing video games will lessen in time. 



Today, a myriad of students who have not acquire the skills to build their vocabulary, comprehend what they’ve read, nor write lengthy essays with correct grammar are high in numbers throughout the country.  Even many colleges lack giving regular reading assignments to students, and are skimping with the materials in the required books needed for the desired curriculum. 

By routinely giving daily and weekend homework assignments, to include essays, and lengthy textual content, to youngsters throughout elementary, middle and high school, helps to prepare youngsters early to achieve greater success in their higher learning when they attend college, or any other type of post-secondary educational institution to assure that whatever career field of interest these youngsters chose to do in life, the likelihood of them doing well increases one hundred fold!

Frankly speaking, certain career oriented professions should be taught early starting in, and throughout, middle school and high school, such as the medical field, for example.

So, parents, if you need to go shopping, visit relatives, and/or need to attend your place-of-worship, then take your child’s homework with you for them to do!  It takes both parties to ensure that your child’s educational future is sustained with commitment, desire, and persistence.  

And if your child is not receiving regular or no homework, then demand your child’s teacher to give daily and weekend homework!  Encourage your child to use dictionaries, thesauruses, encyclopedias, as well as learning to use the Internet effectively.

Oh, and before I go, it is a great idea to have your child go a step further in his or her assignments.  Teach them not to wait to be instructed to read certain pages in their instruction book.  For example, if your child's teacher request that their assignment is read pages 10 through 19, then encourage your child to go a bit further, and read some extra pages without being told to do so by their teacher.

We must encourage our youngsters to be leaders.  We need to teach them how to 'lead,' instead of 'following' to the point they become mere puppets bouncing up and down as if they don't have a brain cell in their heads!  

DEMAND DAILY HOMEWORK!  DEMAND WEEKEND HOMEWORK!  It will pay-off in the long run, and reaping the rewards years later will be sweet!   


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Copyright 2011 by mgaw.  All rights reserved.