Homework.......

Saturday, 08 March 2008 11:27

I'll be honest here and admit that I don't like homework. I don't like preparing it, marking it, chasing it up, justifying it................and when I was a parent. I absolutely hated having to find time for it, forcing my kids to do it and arguing with them about it. Having gifted kids, it was usually way too easy and simplistic for them - just "busywork". Yet I used to berate them for not doing it, because I thought it was important. Now I'm a teacher, I feel that it is still "busywork". How can it not be - it has to be designed for them to do alone. If it is a project, and the parents help too much, who did the homework? If your parents can't or won't help you, yours is the "inferior" product for all to see. I've tried contract projects; science experiment projects; writing and current affairs tasks; thinking skill questions - and always, I'll get a complaint from someone about something. I resist giving "write your spelling words out five times" because I embed spelling in every piece of wriiting we do; ditto a sheet of rote sums. Either they can do it already, or they can't, and they need me to sit with them to find the error in their thinking. I'd love some feedback on this - any ideas, parents?

Just in...

Did you know?

Gifted children vary a lot. Some are great at sports. Some have disabilities. Children can be gifted or not along one or more of a large number of dimensions. Labels like "gifted" need to be used carefully as all children are different.

NSWAGTC Blogs

The blogs appearing on the NSWAGTC site are designed to provide colour, news and subjective views about the many issues and concerns facing gifted children and their parents, care-givers and educators.

Some of the blogs are associated with formal roles of the NSWAGTC, such as the President and the Webmaster. These allow the persons filling these roles to note to members any current news and changes.

Other NSWAGTC blogs are written by individuals with experience of gifted children from one or more perspectives - for example Cate's Blog is from the viewpoint of a primary school teacher and parent of gifted children. These blogs are written solely by the person identified and represent his or her views, rather than necessarily those of the NSWAGTC.

Comments are invited

We invite comments on our blog entries, by both financial members and registered users (free). Click here to register. Comments may be reviewed and those considered inappropriate will be deleted.

New blogs?

We would also be delighted to consider applications from potential bloggers provided that the applicant accepts that this will be subject to a review process and may well be declined for any number of reasons which may not be shared with the applicant. Applications, which should include a resume and a vision for the potential blog, and suggestions for new blogs, can be sent in the first instance to the webmaster.