I just read an article in the New York Times about a teacher who requires his student's parents to do homework. They must read what their children are reading every week and post their reactions on a blog. Surprisingly, most of the parents enjoy it and cooperate with the teacher. I think this is a great approach, and it should be broadened to other areas subjects and assignments. Parents could be required to read their children's papers, for example, and thus help them with grammar and critical thinking. The parent would then have to sign the essay to show they read it. Teachers could make up a special study guide for parents to use with their children, so that parents could more easily help their children study, without having to learn the information themselves first. When I was younger, my mother helped me with my homework, which allowed me to learn good study skills that have aided me in high school and now in college. Requiring this interaction would help more students gain the skills they need to succeed in school. I know that this approach might not work in all families, but it might aid enough students that it is worth looking into.
Here's the article
1 comment:
This sounds like a fantastic idea to me. For years now our national educational system has been trying to find ways to get parents more and more involved in what their children are doing. This would be a fantastic way to involve parents with their children's school work. I know that some parents may not have the time to be as extensively involved as others, but every parent has time to read a two page essay.
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