As a homeschooling mom, I used to detest busy work. Unfortunately, plenty of what's available in homeschool catalogs is busy work. Even worse, a huge amount of the work kids do in conventional school is a waste of time. Do kids really need to write out complete answers to the questions at the end of a chapter? Or is it enough to know the answers to the questions, and not even write out any answer (much less complete sentences). Do you even need questions at the end of the chapter? Maybe it's enough for the kids to know what they read!
But this year, I'm looking for busy work to assign. I feel like a wash-out as a teacher to have to resort to this. These days I have to be too specific about what I'm requiring of the kids. I'm having to micro-manage them more than is healthy. But if someone would be content playing video games and reading comic books all day, I'm not okay with that. Busy work may not be educational. It may not be stimulating. It may not encourage thinking skills. But it can keep someone [ta-da!] busy! If busy work prevents a kid from studying salutary topics, then the busy work is harmful to education. But right now, I'm not seeing any harm that could come from a vast increase in amount of assignments.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
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For some, the effort of writing the answer down solidifies it in their mind. It is not necessarily "busy" work but can be looked on as "reinforcement work". Does that put a better spin on it for you? If you see it, say it and do (write) it you are more apt to remember it.
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