What is the best way to help those students asking for homework help?

Question

Do we rudely shoo them away or should we at least give them some pointers and steer them towards the right direction?

In my case, I'm prone to helping by giving them links to get them started but only if they ask nicely and not in a demanding manner.

Your inputs are much appreciated so we can help these kids help themselves.

Answer 1

My standard reply to what I perceive as a homework question varies a bit, something like,,,

engage your brain, it's your homework/assignment not mine.  

or,,, sleeping in class again ?

or,,, search engines work, and yahoo has a fine one

I am not inclined to help in any way,,, I get kids on my job sites without a clue as to basic math, manners, science, or the ability to think for themselves.  Pointing them in the right direction with links is simply aiding their laziness and does nothing to promote independent thought processes.

Some of these kids are truly lost, that I agree, however I have also gotten a few emails after they read my remarks, asking quite nicely how to use a search engine and what words or phrases to use.  Those I will reply to in a more thoughtful manner with a few hints, but no links.  This situation I believe is instructional, not just holding their hands or providing an answer.

Possibly this attitude of mine is fueled not only by what I see on my jobs from young adults who graduated high school, but also by my independent nature.

Answer 2

Hehehe... I'm guilty of helping some of them, whenever I can. I can't help it. Sometimes, it also helps me to study again and be reminded of what I've learned before, especially with math. Just like a review or refresher. And maybe just like you do, I sometimes give links leading to possible answers, but I let them do the reading and further research . And for those who needs specifics, like write me an essay, or slogans, I just skip the Q.

Answer 3

it depends on the question.are they just lazy or needing help

Answer 4

Hope that u are smart enough to help them and get them to realize wtf u are saying unless u are a total genies there is no exact way to help them cause there are many answers idk????

Answer 5

I would answer like i normally do. yahoo answers does not require us to discriminate answering students from non-students.  

Answer 6

I'm a former teacher and lecturer.  I think the best way is simply guide them to find their own answers.  If possible show some example but not the answers for their questions, direct them into a website that maybe could help them...to sum up just guide them so they could find their own answers.

Answer 7

If they post in any other section than Homework Help, I tell them to put it in the right section.  

On some occasions I'll provide a link to a research site.  I confess to checking their profile to see how many homework questions they post; if it's a lot, I just ignore them.  

Answer 8

What? Acourse you help them, thats what teachers get paid to do, you should never shoo them away.

Answer 9

I never shoo them away, but I am guilty, nevertheless.

Because of my "great youth" and "bubbling enthusiasm" to be with other youth,  I am usually caught up with the object of the assignment, perplexed with the interest I find myself with,  carried on by such trivial joy, and the thought that if the teacher would have the temerity to ask such things, he would be in for the surprise of his life with my equally  bungling retort.

Answer 10

You simply tell them to go to their campus library.  For them to become bookworms and resourceful ones.

Answer 11

I am one of them, actually... jejeje... but I only post questions here that for me is hard and if I can't find the answers alone... the rest, I do it by myself...

Gosh, I'm so guilty!!!

but it really depends, I post my questions in the right sections... for example, if it's problem solving, I put it in Mathematics and Science section...

Answer 12

Advice them to do it for them self, thats the way they learn. sometimes they are just lazy.  

Answer 13

What I did with my kids was work their problem but using different numbers. That way they had to do it again.... Oooh they hated that.

Here, I sometimes help them when I find out that the answers are all over the place.