HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-11-03, Page 9Wednesday, November 3, 2004
Exeter Times–Advocate
9
Glavin donates
rs Big Sister •
Ilh Huron
Glavin Collision Repair
donated $500 last week
to South Huron Big
Brothers Big Sisters as
part of the repair cen-
tre's grand opening cele-
brations. From left are
foreman Ben Glavin,
owner Jack Glavin, gen-
eral manager Matt
Glavin, Big Brothers vice-
president Barbara Bloch -
Gower, resource co-
ordinator Bobbi -Jo King
and director Drew
Robertson.The money
will go to Big Brother
programs. (photo/Scott
Nixon)
How much homework should students do?
By Scott Keys
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE
EXETER — Homework is an ongo-
ing issue between parents and their
children.
How much should be done and
how often? Many answers have
been given to these questions and
each answer is right in its own way,
but still, is there one answer to this
question? The contents of this article
may help you better understand this
topic.
Jocelyn A. Butler has written a
report on the importance of home-
work. She gives the definition of
homework as the "time students
spend outside the classroom in
assigned activities to practice, rein-
force or apply newly acquired skills
and knowledge and to learn the nec-
essary skills of independent study."
She also writes that homework
assigned routinely and graded tends
to deliver higher achieving students
and states that homework may
increase achievement and improve
attitudes toward learning. Some
advice Butler has for parents is that
there should be a set time made
everyday when a student does
homework. Parents should also
make sure all materials needed for
the student are available for use.
The parents should be part of the
homework help and not just the per-
son who makes sure the student
gets it done. More of Butler's report
may be found on the Internet.
Those were just some helpful tips
that students and parents can use
when it comes to homework, but the
question still remains, how much
time, if any at all, needs to be spent
on homework every night?
A homework policy from the
Indianapolis, Indiana Public School
Boards states for high school stu-
dents, "Regular homework should
be assigned and expected for most
high school courses. Typically, the
initial phase of homework will begin
in the classroom and be completed
out -of -class, either at school or at
home. Length of assignments will
vary according to purpose and level,
but it is suggested that moderate
assignments completed well done
are more effective than the lengthy
or difficult ones poorly done.
Generally, homework on weekends
or holidays should be limited to
review, voluntary projects or make-
up work."
School boards across Ontario put
out homework policies stating how
much time a night they expect stu-
dents to spend on homework. The
Thames Valley District School Board
policy states students should expect
homework equal to their grade level
times ten. For example, a Grade 9
student would get nine times 10
minutes of homework, or 90 min-
utes of homework, and a Grade 12
student should get 120 minutes of
homework. Their homework policy
also states that even when there is
no assigned homework, a student
should still be studying topics they
have in school. South Huron District
High School is located in the Avon
Maitland District School board.
Their policy is the same as the
Thames Valley School Board; a stu-
dent should expect their grade level
times ten in terms of homework
time per night. The only major
change is that our policy does say
that homework time may vary from
night to night.
According to the policies studied in
Ontario, high school students are
looking at amounts of homework
ranging from 90 minutes for a
Grade 9 student to 120 minutes for a
Grade 12 student. This is all good,
but is it necessary to achieve the 70
per cent to 80 per cent average the
Ontario curriculum considers the
expected mark, or provincial stan-
dard?
A survey taken in South Huron
came out with these results:
• The highest percentage of stu-
dents surveyed received marks
between 71 per cent to 80 per cent,
showing that South Huron students
on average, are working at provin-
cial standards.
• The highest per cent of Grade 9
students spend 30 minutes a night
on homework and their resultant
marks are mainly in the 71 per cent
to 80 per cent area.
• Grade 9 students who spend an
hour or over a night on homework
Fall
Maintenance Service
95t
Lube, Oil and Filter Change
Top -up of Washer Fluid
Tire Rotation
Environmental
handling charges
may apply.
Peace of Mind Inspection
Provide Written Report
on Findings
did not receive any higher marks
than the ones who only studied for a
30 minute period.
• The highest percentage of Grade
10 students spend an hour on home-
work a night, receiving marks in the
61 per cent to 70 per cent, 71 per
cent to 80 per cent and 81 per cent
to 90 per cent area.
• The highest per cent of Grade 11
students spend 30 minutes of time
on homework, and the marks
received were above and below the
71 per cent to 80 per cent area, but
Grade 11 students who spend an
hour on homework received more
marks in the 71 per cent to 80 per
cent area.
• Grade 12 students spend an hour
to two hours on homework a night,
receiving marks in and around the
71 per cent to 80% area.
It seems to me that the information
collected from the students at South
Huron goes against the recommend-
ed time put out by the school board,
but still, the data was all over the
place, showing that everyone does
not do as well in school, or does not
need to spend as much time as oth-
ers, or may need to spend more time
than others on homework. It is
impossible to put one set amount of
homework for every kid in school,
because some students don't need to
spend much time on homework a
night, if any at all. The major thing
that a student and parent need to
know about homework is how much
time that specific student needs to
spend on homework to achieve the
marks they are happy with and
capable of receiving.
Sources:
• The Avon Maitland District
School Board Web site:
www. amdsb. ca
• The Thames Valley District
School Board: www.tvdsb.on.ca
• Jocelyn A. Butler's report on
home w or k:
www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/1/cuLhtml
— Scott Keys is a student at South
Huron District High School. He and
his classmates in the Grade 11/12
Communications class are writing a
series of articles for the Times -
Advocate this year.
Lots of family visitors
in the Saintsbury area
By Hazel Davis
SAINTSBURY CORRESPONDENT
SAINTSBURY - Happy to
report that Starr Davis
has returned home follow-
ing heart surgery at Sick
Children's Hospital in
Toronto last Monday.
A number of family visi-
tors have called on her
this weekend. Cousin
Nancy Simpson Parent
visited with Starr at the
hospital. Thoughts and
prayers continue to be
with Starr as she recovers.
Courtney MacGillivray
visited with
friends in
Toronto.
Hugh and Hazel Davis
attended St. George's
Anglican Church in
Harriston. Rev. Nancy
Beale was officiant for the
holy eucharist at 9 a.m.,
All Saints' Sunday. At
11:30 a.m., the Davises
attended St. Stephen's
Anglican Church in
Gorrie. Rev. Brad Beale
was officiant for the ser-
vice.
These two parishes are
included in the Parish of
the Resurrection and are
two of seven churches
that Hazel Davis has visit-
ed as Perth Deanery rep-
resentative. On this
Sunday closest to All
Saints' Day, we look to
those whose lives give wit-
ness to God.
Ron and Margaret
Carroll were guests with
the Iredales for a birthday
celebration honouring
their grandson Matthew
who was celebrating his
18th birthday on Sunday.
Get well wishes,
thoughts and prayers go
out to cousin Doris Mullins
as she recovered from a
fall this past week from all
h e r
Hodgins
relatives in
the community.
Thoughts and prayers
also for Margaret Carroll's
mother who is in hospital
in Perth, Scotland suffer-
ing from a broken hip.
SAINTSBURY NEWS
141, Gaiser
im Kns. n keale
EXETER - 235-2420
GRAND BEND - 238-8484
CLINTON - 482-3401
BIKINI
BOB'S
NOW OPEN: 7 days a week 11 am
(Kitchen Open Late)
The kids can pay for their own meal!!
ff 114
"TOONIE"
TUESDAY!
(And PD Days)
Kids Eat
for a Toonie*
Every Tuesday and
Every PD day
4pm-7pm
Main St.,Grand Bend
"We focus on Service!"
*One $2 child meal with each adult meal purchased
Ages 12 and under
$2 deal only available off Kids menu
MUNICIPALITY OF
BLUEWATER
BAYFIELD - HAY - HENSALL - STANLEY - ZURICH
2001
NOTICE & WARNING
Bayfield-Hensall-Zurich
NO PARKING is allowed on any road allowance
between the hours of 2 a.m. - 7 a.m.
During the period of November 1 - April 1
for SNOW REMOVAL PURPOSES.
VIOLATORS WILL BE TICKETED.
The council has passed a motion prohibiting the
placement of signs, planters, pop machines
or any items that would interfere with
snow removal on sidewalks or boulevards
during the period of November 1st to April 1st
Get 4th Tire
Convenient. Affordable.
FREE!
See your retailer fortire.avai
*Must be dealer installed and excludes tires sizes
18 inches and over. Balancing and installation extra.
There's no better way to take care of your vehicle...
we'll prove it.
ONLY AT YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD CHRYSLER,J E E P ®, DODGE RETAILER
Service offer and pricing applicable only at participating DaimlerChrysler retailers. Maintenance Service includes up to 5 litres of Mopar Oil. Some exclusions apply.' Additional charges may be applied for diesel, V10s, HEMI® V8s, fluid disposal, semisynthetic and
synthetic oils. Price does not include taxes. Retailer may sell for less. Offer expires December 31, 2004. Jeep is a registered trademark of DaimlerChrysler Corporation used under licence by DaimlerChrysler Canada Inc. See your participating DaimlerChrysler retailer for complete details.