Martha
-----Original Message-----
From: Bret Taylor <bret@IAG.NET>
To: mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu <mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu>
Date: Monday, September 28, 1998 7:13 PM
Subject: [MATHEDCC] Homework in class
>Couldn't resist. Had to throw my $0.02 worth in.
>
>I do not spend nearly as much time in class going over homework as I used
>to. I used to spend approximatley the first 25% of every class going over
>homework. Thought I was doing a great job teaching students, reinforcing
>their understanding, clarifying their misconceptions. Then I decided to
>take an honest look at what was happening rather than just patting myself
on
>the back.
>
>As NFL officials used to say, after further revue, here is what I noticed:
>
>1. Most questions were asked by students who did little or no homework.
>
>2. Most questions were prefaced by students opening books and running
their
>fingers down to a "hard looking" problem and asking for it to be done.
>
>3. As I worked the problems on the board, I asked for input. "What do you
>do next?" "What now?" "Is that right?" I noticed that most answers were
>given by people who already had done the problems and did not need me to
>work them on the board. Those students who were "weaker" students paid
>little attention.
>
>I reluctantly came to the conclusion that, IN MY CLASSES, going over
>homework was a great ego booster for me, but was not a major learning
>experience for my students.
>
>Notes:
>
>1. I'm not trying to tell anyone else what to do or not do; just sharing
my
>experiences.
>
>2. I still do some homework in class, just not as much.
>
>3. I get to class early every day and answer homework questions before
>class starts and continue that into the first few minutes of class.
>
>4. I spend the "extra time" working more examples (with class
>participation), giving students time to work problems at their desk before
I
>work them on the board, and occasionally asking "5 points on the next test"
>questions which are asked about twice per testing period and are asked at
>the beginning of class and are either directly from the homework or very
>similar to homework problems.
>
>5. We have a free tutoring center where students can go get help 12 hours
a
>day.
>
>6. I am available after class and before class in my office to help
students.
>
>7. Students must understand that they will have to do work outside of
>class; the vast majority of them (regardless of the math course) cannot
>learn the material simply by working hard in the classroom.
>
>8. In pre-calc and calc classes when teaching some difficult concepts, it
>is not unusual for me to spend a day lecturing on new material and then the
>entire next day going over homework problems (and then assigning a few more
>problems of the same type).
>
>Conclusion: We all know that it is important for students to do homework.
>The purpose of homework is to assist students in learning the concepts.
>Going over homework in class may assist in helping students learn concepts.
>How we decide to do this is based on our professional judgement, teaching
>style, students, level of course, concept being taught, and probably a
>hundred other variables. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
>
>
>
>Bret Taylor Lake-Sumter Community College Leesburg FL
>
>"It matters not the subject taught, nor all the books on all the shelves.
>What matters more, yes most of all, is what the teachers are themselves."
> John Wooden
>
>John 3: 3^3 + 3
>
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