Letter: Hold students accountable for work
File photo of children in a classroom. (Aug. 6, 2012) Credit: iStock
With all due respect to columnist Anne Michaud, I have had it with non-educators telling me how to run my classroom ["Your assignment: Get ready for homework," Aug. 23]. Giving kids a choice about doing homework or socializing helps them to manage their time? Seriously?
Frankly, the quality of the homework doesn't so much tell me whether my students are learning, but it absolutely reflects the value their families place on education. I do not speak for all teachers, but I believe in the importance of homework because it instills a sense of responsibility, creates good work habits, provides a sense of accomplishment, and reinforces classroom concepts or highlights misconceptions.
If Michaud is concerned about parents finding out what the assignments are, I suggest they ask their kids first. It's the kids' responsibility, and holding them accountable is a reasonable and meaningful expectation of parents and teachers.
Rissa Sable Zimmerman, Dix Hills
Editor's note: The writer teaches at Vanderbilt Elementary School in Dix Hills.
