Practically Speaking
Kyle and her husband moved to Brookfield in 1986. She became active in local politics and started blogging in 2004. Her focus is primarily on local issues but often includes state and national topics, too. Kyle looks at things from the taxpayers' perspective in a creative, yet down to earth way, addressing them from a practical point of view.
Homework Keeps Kids Busy, Too Busy For What's Really Important
Elmbrook homework policy on agenda
The Elmbrook School Board may vote tonight on a new district policy
that would limit most homework to no more than 10% of a student's
overall grade, while allowing greater grade weight for larger take-home
projects.
A
50-member district grading and reporting task force had recommended in
May 2006 that most homework not be graded at all - a change that drew
criticism and ridicule from some talk radio hosts and bloggers.
Meting
out poor grades for early homework assignments while students are
learning and practicing new concepts can cause students to give up,
believing they can't make up for the low grades with latter work, task
force research says.
Once students have time to practice
concepts, they should be graded on whether they have mastered those
concepts, said Eileen Depka, assistant superintendent for educational
services.
Teachers also can make major homework projects more
than 10% of a student's overall grades, such as science projects or
term papers, under the proposed new policy.
Extra credit can
only be awarded for work that is directly tied to the curriculum and
not for other class activities such as collecting goods to donate to
needy children.
Depka said teachers and administrators have supported the homework changes.
Other
task force recommendations, such as moving to a 10-point grading scale
(90 to 100 represents an A) from the existing 7-point scale (93 to 100
is an A), and adding extra grade weight to trancripted credit courses
offered at technical colleges, have not been implemented.
conversation with paulette and sara. pbs program on homework, little value, keeps kids away from family time family dinner
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