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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.