Week 10 Response Paper

3/21/2012

Yeah!! You made it! This is the last response paper of this type. Please submit your paper and respond to your classmates.

Topic:
1. What concerns do you have about implementing homework in the classroom?
2. In your opinion, why is it crucial to involve parents in a positive behavior plan?

5 Comments

Janis

3/24/2012 12:25:18 pm

1. What concerns do you have about implementing homework in the classroom?
One concern that I have is giving homework that will reinforce the material taught in the classroom. I want to be sure that the student understands the material covered in the classroom discussions and practice. I want the student to be able to complete the homework without assistance from the parents unless I request their help for a particular assignment. Another concern I have is about the amount of homework that could be given to a student each night. I don’t want to give students too much homework and have them become frustrated by the amount. I realize that students with special needs can become frustrated by a large amount of homework. Another concern is that I don’t want to interfere with home life. I want the homework to provide practice in the material covered in class but not so much work that there is a chance the student doesn’t complete the homework because of frustration or other family needs.
2. In your opinion, why is it crucial to involve parents in a positive behavior plan?
I believe that it is important to involve parents in a positive behavior plan because they can follow the plan at home. A behavior plan is a proactive problem solving approach to changing students challenging behavior. The challenging behaviors interrupt the student’s learning opportunities in the classroom. The behavior plan changes the focus from the individual to changing systems, settings and skills. The parents are important because they can follow through with the schools expectations at home. They can help to develop, teach, and implement the schools expectations. The parents can provide reinforcements at home for positive behaviors in school, in the community, and at home. Some conditions that can contribute to challenging behaviors are difficult to change. Some of these conditions include poverty, family health challenges, and impoverished neighborhoods. With parental involvement in the behavior plan changes can be made and some of the changes can provide positive reinforcement and improvement in the student’s education opportunities.

Toby

3/27/2012 05:29:33 am

Janis,

I think your thoughts about homework are valid. On the one hand, we want students (especially students with special needs) to have additional practice at home. On the other hand, we have to be cognizant if we are overwhelming them with assign,ente and work. It is a balance. We as teachers must know where are students skills lie, and homework should be extra practice on a skill at the students instructional level.

2. you bring up valid points as to what contributes to behavioral problems. In addition, a key element to working with behaviors is consistency. The more unified school is with home, the more likely a behavior can change.

Joe

3/27/2012 12:37:35 pm

When implementing homework in the classroom the teacher needs to keep in mind what might be going on at home with their students. Students could have many different issues at home that would prevent them from being able to complete their homework. Some of the contributing factors could be things like taking care of younger siblings or relatives. The parents may not be around to help with the homework. The home environment may just not be conducive to allow a child to study (the family may not have a home and are moving all the time). The teacher needs to take all of these factors into consideration when deciding if and how much homework they will be sending home.

It is crucial to involve parents in a positive behavior plan because there needs to be follow through at home. If the child is only using the behavior plan at school but not at home then the plan is not going to be very successful. It is also important to make sure the parents fully understand what is expected of the child and how to implement the plan. The plan will also be most successful if the teacher has feedback from the parents on how the plan is working in the home environment and the parents need feedback on how the plan is working at school. The behavior plan will be one that evolves with the child, so it is very necessary to have everyone involved.

Toby

3/27/2012 02:12:39 pm

I think you have highlighted all of the key aspects that one should be concerned with when dealing with homework and/or positive behavior support plans. The big thing is to make sure you have a balance with your expectations. In addition, my favorite word for all of this is: consistency. Having similar expectations at home as at school helps shape behavior. Nicely done.

Adam

4/17/2012 05:50:12 am

I personally find that home work assignments play a crucial role in not only reinforcing lessons learned in the class room but they allow for connection and support in the home of the student. It allows for parents to engage in their child’s work and provides testimony to the child’s standing and abilities. I do believe that the home work must be class related and not to be beyond the skill level of the student and the parents. It should be used as practice and not truly discovery. The homework must be easy enough to be completed with little difficulty away from the teacher.
Including parents in a positive behavioral plan with benefit greatly in consistency. It will allow the student to practice and model the positive behaviors in all aspects of his life, not just the class room. It will also empower the parents to provide their insight as well as to the behaviors of the child.

Week 10 Response Paper

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