homework – Teaching The Outsiders (and more)

experiment, homework

The Great Homework Experiment

mrC

This time it’s for real. This morning, having my coffee and shingles and news reading before school, I read a blog post by the education lefty (and even though they don’t know it, hero to middle schoolers everywhere) Alfie Kohn, who was railing (again) about the evils of homework. He even used that word, evil. […]

homework, Rerun, The Giver

No Groove Yet (Also: The Giver and No Homework Returns)

mrC

I don’t know about you guys (remember the old Electric Company intro: “Hey You Guys!”), but I’m having trouble finding any sort of groove so far in 2012. The kids are all dopey and spacey (I know; how can you tell?), nothing much is happening around school, my student servant doesn’t even have much to […]

homework, parents

Grumble…Grumble…Grumble…

mrC

“How long have you been doing it like this?” “Years and years.” “And you’ve never had a problem before?” “Never.” I don’t know about you, but this is my 21st year of teaching and my 18th year at the same school, and I have been having the above conversation more in the last couple of […]

Follow up, homework, Pink Slips, poll

Career Opportunities II (Also, homework.)

mrC

The votes are in, and have been tabulated. No, this isn’t about the homework poll. Although, thanks to those of you who have taken the trouble to contribute. I know all that clicking is sort of wearing. (Hello Erica B! Of course I remember you!) I’ll leave it active for a while, and see how […]

homework, poll

Homework Poll

mrC

Our district is asking us how much homework we give. I think they’ve had some parent complaints about the homework load. I used to scoff, and still do to a certain extent, at the complaints of “hours of homework devouring our family life.” But my son is a 4th grader in the district (his school […]

homework, open mouth quizzes, Teaching, testing

Guinea Pigs

mrC

I guess the term these days would be lab rats. Maybe Guinea pigs were too cute. Seventh graders make for good experimental subjects too. Kids think we do the exact same thing every year. And being seventh graders, they are of several minds. They think that would make things so easy for us (which is […]