Is it o.k. for a teacher to give a student the same exact work done in class as homework? ?

Question

My son is in a special education resource room for reading, language, and math. Teacher does not give homework, but I asked that she give my son homework so that he can practice the skills he has learned in class. She gives him the same work done in class as homework. My son has a mild mental retardation, he is in the sixth grade and on a 3rd grade level. I don't feel like he is being challenged enough. My son often remembers the answers from class.

Answer 1

Homework is really meant for students who have not yet completely grasped a skill and need extra practice to master concepts. If your son is performing well on the skill in school than sending homework home is simply a waste of your son's time. Also some teachers feel that homework can actually lead to the student learning "wrong skills" or encoding bad or wrong habits. For example if a student did not understand a skill at school and then goes home and tries to complete homework on that skill, they can end up doing every problem incorrectly and simply practicing improper techniques or skills. This will cause the student to become discouraged when the problems are counted wrong and cause more work for the teacher who has to "undue" the damage done. Most teachers have had many college level courses on homework and it's harm and benefits. If they feel homework is necessary they will assign it. If not, they won't. Without sounding accusatory some parents feel that having the opportunity to help their child with homework makes up for the lost time they have with them during the day or somehow makes them good parents. Instead it would be more effective to expand on what they learned each day by discussing it with them and then perhaps giving them an activity or something to go along with what they've learned. For example if your son read a book about Native Americans than you could go online with him and view some pictures or art related to Native Americans. I would ask the teacher what her reasoning is for not wanting to assign homework and see if her answer satisfies you. If it seems less than a professional response than talk with her superior about ways to challenge your son.

Answer 2

Yes that is ok, it's what homework is suppose to be, repetition, not something they have to go out of there way and figure out.  Any homework given should reflect the work done in class.  And she may be giving him the same work because it may be the only resources she has to give.

I would be more concerned if she was giving him work that was below his level.

Answer 3

I suggest you talk to the teacher. If the reason makes sense to you and you are happy then drop it and accept her leadership on homework. If you still don't agree with her, then you could tell her that and ask her to come up with similar but different exercises for your son, websites you can use at home, or workbooks that are for enrichment. The teacher must follow your sons IEP - she should know it inside and out, and so should you - (please, no offense). You need to know it so that you can judge if she is following it. If there is anything on it that requires repetition, then she is really the instructional professional and hopefully you can work it out so that you trust her judgment. Talk to the principal if you can't resolve the issue. Most textbooks now days have web resources that you could use at home as enrichment as well. The key is really in the IEP - that is the plan she legally has to follow.

Answer 4

Is he getting everything right on the paper? I have done this when the student didn't get things right and made the child go home and fix it. Also are you sure it is exactly the same. We have a test generator at school that makes tests using the same kind of problems but they are different. Unless you look closely, it looks like the exact same paper, but it's not. Anyway, if you can't get the teacher to give homework, what's the matter with having things at home for your child to do. My son knew that if he didn't have homework, I had plenty of things for him to do when he got home. It got to the point where my son would make up his own homework rather than do mine!