Marking of Homework by Teachers

Ogham

As a parent of 2 sons - one in the first year of Leaving Cert and one in the final year - I have a question for all you students out there.

Do teachers take in and check and correct homework in your school? In my sons' school it happens rarely. The best thay usually get is a quick run around the room to see if anyone had problems - or to get random students to read out the answers.
In my days at school we handed in homework, it was checked and marked and comments given as to where we went wrong. Very poor work had to be repeated.
What happens in your school? Is it different for different subjects? Is this normal? Should I be concerned and maybe bringing it up with the Principal?

Thanks

tolosenc

It does seem to be the norm these days.

Dr.Louis

Completely depends on the teacher. I finished school last June and I'm starting college in a week- there are some teachers who still have work of mine that was never corrected- just lost somewhere on their desk, I'd say it's in the bin by now...

Although One or two of my teachers went of of their way to correct homework and give very helpful comments, they would usually have the corrections the next day!

izzyflusky

Im also starting college this year. I had ONE teacher that did what you mentioned. Correct the homework properly, go over it with you pointing out what needs to be improved etc etc (the best teacher ive ever had). The rest would give homework but was rarely corrected.

Selphie

I got homework in six of my seven subjects, never got any in Biology, and it was always corrected. Taken up, graded and given back. Always.

cocoa

pfft, I don't mean to sound too harsh here but at fifth and/or sixth year (sorry but when you call them first and final year of leaving cert it sounds like the damned thing takes three or four years, it doesn't) it's time to start letting up on the spoonfeeding.

It should be the student's responsibility to do homework, no leaving cert teacher is going to bother looking for homework from dossers (i hope).

Amount of homework and level of correction should depend on the subject, maths doesn't need to be handed up, ever, if you didn't get the answer at the back of the book, tell the teacher and it'll be gone through in class, if you didn't do the homework you're selling yourself short.

whereas in english, because everyone can answer differently, it takes a lot more correction and prompting from the teacher for the student to improve. I know I handed up approximately one piece of work per week in english and although it wasn't always corrected that promptly, my teacher was thorough and I did improve.

again, depending on the subject the level of individual teacher-student varies. But by all means talk to a teacher about this, just be careful to not make it sound in any way like you're accusing them of bad teaching... (probably didn't need to be said but just to be sure...)

Mars Bar

We do the sums people find hard on the board for maths, the french teacher looks to make sure we have it done and then goes through it, biology is most definitely done and corrected properly, history i hardly ever get, english is sparingly but corrected like an exam except for the small things,irish...haven't had homework in it yet so don't know(different teacher to last year, i'n repeating)...and that's it. So overall, its pretty good in our school!

PurpleFistMixer

It depends largely on the teacher and subject I think.

Personally, I've never ever gotten any art homework. : p

But yeah, my maths teacher confessed to us the other day that the reason he rarely hands back students' work is because he prioritises the 6th years. Which he may have just been saying to trick us into believing we'll get work back...

Generally however, if the work is in the form of an essay, ie for the languages, the teachers take it up and give it back with varying degrees of notes and correction. I find I'll always get Irish essays back, English essays can take a while but I think this is down to the fact that there's less in the Irish class, the essays are shorter, and my English teacher also teaches History.

If it's something like simple maths/physics/other subject calculations or short answer questions, teachers call out the answers in class (or get students to say what they got and if everyone agrees then it's alright) and if someone had particular difficulty with something they can ask about it.
There's no reason in taking up copies and individually checking that everyone correctly conjugated Avoir or whatever it is, if you can call it out in class and save time. If someone got it wrong and doesn't bother to correct it, that's their loss really. By the time you're doing your LC you'd want to be independent enough regarding learning to be able to recognise when you need help with things.

TheInvisibleFie

Well in most classes in my school teachers gave out plenty of homework, corrected it, and were surprised when grades were not in keeping with other years. No one in my classes felt the need to do anything outside classes. English, biology, history and Spanish I had teachers who collected and corrected things. The Irish teacher left things for weeks and my maths teacher rarely noticed there were more people than tables in her class. For most subjects pupils need to sit down by themselves and do the work. Personally, I'd expect this more in Leaving Cert than 5th year. Books include answer keys and there are useful sample answers and marking schemes online for things like maths and biology.

So if they are in any way independent minded (or can be made see the light) don't worry about it.

Corruptedmorals

It depends on the subject. All English and History essays were handed in, but for other English work, a few people reading theirs out is enough. ALL Irish work was handed in though.

Piste

In maths in my school (well with my particular teacher, I can only speak for one other teacher I had who did the same thing) we all do the work and only correct the ones people had problems with, with maths you generally know if your answer is right or not, and if in doubt the answers are at the back of the book so if your answer differs you know to ask the teacher.

regob

in my school all my home work was always corrected, mistakes was always pointed out and if the teacher wasnt going to correct it i would have handed it up and asked him/her to correct it. they didnt mind. i personally think u should bring this up wit the principal because if a student spends their time doing this work then the least the teacher can do is correct it

spurious

As a teacher I would agree. If the child has spent time on his/her homework, they deserve to have the work properly corrected - and not just with a grade or a short comment. The teacher should point out what the student did right and what they could do to improve their work next time round.

It's far more effective to point out good work and encourage towards better than to just mark 'wrong' answers.

Micko23

From subjects I know about

English- should always collect work and return it to them and should also review it with the pupil

Irish- Answered questions from homework in class was as far as it went in my days.

French- Shockingly, hw rarely given and hw never checked and I think I suffered!

Maths- I likes the way Maths was done. Teacher spent twenty minutes teaching, then let pupils try some questions. He then went around the class helping with these questions and checking homework from the night before.

Physics- Checked like Maths and was given a grilling might I add!

Business- Never collected but random checks- not good enough really

Accounting- Collected the odd time but really needed student to be with pupil to explain where they were going wrong anyway (especially for me!!)

From what I know, History should be collected and Geography perhaps viewed with pupil.

A teacher does have to balance teaching and viewing hw in class which is time consuming.

Ogham

Sounds like it's fairly common practice then - not to check homework - but not everywhere? I have another son in second year too and it's the same story - hardly any checking or feedback at all. I'd be more worried that any difficulties will be missed at that stage. It's bad that it seems to be so inconsistent around the different schools. Personally I can understand the stuff like Maths to be gone through in class - but more of the written stuff needs more feedback. I think that some of the teachers at the school are just working out the last few years before they retire - the newer ones seem to be a bit better. I will keep an eye on things.
Thanks for the feedback.

stipey

cocoa wrote:

pfft, I don't mean to sound too harsh here but at fifth and/or sixth year (sorry but when you call them first and final year of leaving cert it sounds like the damned thing takes three or four years, it doesn't) it's time to start letting up on the spoonfeeding.

It should be the student's responsibility to do homework, no leaving cert teacher is going to bother looking for homework from dossers (i hope).

Amount of homework and level of correction should depend on the subject, maths doesn't need to be handed up, ever, if you didn't get the answer at the back of the book, tell the teacher and it'll be gone through in class, if you didn't do the homework you're selling yourself short.

whereas in english, because everyone can answer differently, it takes a lot more correction and prompting from the teacher for the student to improve. I know I handed up approximately one piece of work per week in english and although it wasn't always corrected that promptly, my teacher was thorough and I did improve.

again, depending on the subject the level of individual teacher-student varies. But by all means talk to a teacher about this, just be careful to not make it sound in any way like you're accusing them of bad teaching... (probably didn't need to be said but just to be sure...)

Good point, well made!

At LC level, students should be responsible enough to know how important their Leaving Cert results are to their future plans and should be able to motivate themselves to put the effort in. Equally, they should have enough sense to seek more in-depth comment or assistance from the relevant teacher in areas they feel they need to improve. IMO, at this leve homework should be used as a learning aid - to help the student learn what they need to know or alternatively to highlight areas that will need extra work or assitance.

Life is tough and there will be nobody to hold their hand when they go on to college or the workplace (unless of course they decide to work in a creche - but I don't think holding 3 year old's counts). Now is as good a time as any to cut the apron strings and, to some extent, let them start to look after their own learning.

smemon

It depends on the teacher.

I always thought the lazy teachers would never correct homework or just go through it in class.

The good teachers would make sure you did it and take essays/copies up every week or so...

That involves a hell of a lot of work, and i had tremendous respect for the teachers that did that as it showed me they actually cared about not just me, but the dossers in the class..

Some teachers will argue the students should be mature enough to make their own minds up and all that - that's just an excuse to give the teachers less work.

A good teacher will make sure each and every student stays up to date and doesn't get away with anything - even if it involves taking work home.. the same way a good employee will stay on when asked to or work a bit of overtime for the good of the company - it shows they care about the success of the company.

As a student, you always knew what teachers you could feed excuses to and what teachers you couldn't.

For example, i'd do my business homework every day without fail as there was simply no talking to the teacher - didn't do your homework and you were kept back/punished/given more work,letters home etc..

Another example was maths - we'd get homework every night but rarely did i do it as i knew it was never checked or maybe checked once a month tops.. even then i could say i forgot my books and i'd get away with it.

Guess which subject i got the best marks in

It's an interesting question and a very important one imo as this could be the difference of an A or a D come Leaving Cert results.

Throughout my time in secondary school, i'd say the vast majority of teachers would have no set pattern for checking homework. In a weird sort of way, everyone respected the teachers that did have patterns and routines and imo, the class as a unit would be much more disciplined/organized/knew what they were doing when it came to exams.

Coco88

Ogham wrote:

As a parent of 2 sons - one in the first year of Leaving Cert and one in the final year - I have a question for all you students out there.

Do teachers take in and check and correct homework in your school? In my sons' school it happens rarely. The best thay usually get is a quick run around the room to see if anyone had problems - or to get random students to read out the answers.
In my days at school we handed in homework, it was checked and marked and comments given as to where we went wrong. Very poor work had to be repeated.
What happens in your school? Is it different for different subjects? Is this normal? Should I be concerned and maybe bringing it up with the Principal?

Thanks

I'm doing my leaving cert this year (5 year now ) last year was 4th year . And certainly I comprehend what your endeavour to utter . Ok last year in 4th year we had this teacher and let me tell you about him . He only given a essay every two months and nonetheless it took him a month to give it back to us and correct it . And one day I copped a essay out of a higher level English book and give it to him for a essay . And this essay would have been grade for a A . but he give it a C . and my economics teacher last year never give homework at all !! . And we were just after starting a new chapter and it was really really problematical . And our test’s were coming up in 3 day . And that chapter was on it. And he said in my report not studying at the best of his ability . And thx god that English teacher retired this year . YES:D

Ogham

I do get the general impression that at this school several of the teachers just can't be bothered and don't really care about the job - just the pay and the pension. I'm not saying that about all the teachers - just several at this school. I sometimes think that publishing the results of all the schools might liven some of them up - or give them a reason to be sacked? I know that's a whole different subject - but I do think there would be some teachers performance levels questioned if results were public.

ethernet

Ogham wrote:

I do get the general impression that at this school several of the teachers just can't be bothered and don't really care about the job - just the pay and the pension. I'm not saying that about all the teachers - just several at this school. I sometimes think that publishing the results of all the schools might liven some of them up - or give them a reason to be sacked? I know that's a whole different subject - but I do think there would be some teachers performance levels questioned if results were public.

I realise we don't have league tables but I did see a little book in Eason's around a year ago that rated Irish schools [don't recall the title]. It's probably the best you can get short of league tables at the moment.

spurious

Of course league tables mean nothing unless you know a school's entrance policies.
A school that rejects weaker students on entrance hardly has any right to boast about good results.

cocoa

Rating of teachers based upon student's results for the lose. The leaving cert is supposed to be a measure of a student's abilities and work, not the teacher's.

There is the argument that if you take a group of people, given two different teachers, the average grade changes but the 'ranking' among students doesn't change, therefore we can measure a teacher's abilities this way. WRONG. A group of twenty to thirty people is not statistically significant and therefore not relevant for this purpose.

Also, being the idealist I am, I would like think that the leaving cert is so comprehensive it measure's only the student's ability and is not affected by the teacher, which would cause advantage/disadvantage to some students, I know this isn't so, but I can hope...

JC 2K3

smemon wrote:

Some teachers will argue the students should be mature enough to make their own minds up and all that - that's just an excuse to give the teachers less work.

Unless you're a student who actually is mature enough to make up your own mind and take responsibility for your studies, you see:

smemon wrote:

A good teacher will make sure each and every student stays up to date and doesn't get away with anything - even if it involves taking work home..

to me, they wouldn't necessarily be a good teacher, they'd be a fúcking annoying teacher.


In any case, what's being said here is largely true.
Out of the 8 subjects I did; Irish, English, Maths, History, Physics, Chemistry, Applied Maths and French; only Irish, English, History and occasionally French would have required collection and correction. The others are easily self-corrected.

PurpleFistMixer

cocoa wrote:

Also, being the idealist I am, I would like think that the leaving cert is so comprehensive it measure's only the student's ability and is not affected by the teacher, which would cause advantage/disadvantage to some students, I know this isn't so, but I can hope...

I believed for a short while that if you have a terrible teacher, it shouldn't affect you too negatively. However, you could end up with a seriously, I guess, dangerous teacher, who seems to be trustable and decent, but turns out to not have a clue what they're talking about and leads you down a completely incorrect path. But that's what cross-referencing is for.

JC 2K3

Moral of the story: take everything any teacher says with a pinch of salt.

cocoa

PurpleFistMixer wrote:

I believed for a short while that if you have a terrible teacher, it shouldn't affect you too negatively. However, you could end up with a seriously, I guess, dangerous teacher, who seems to be trustable and decent, but turns out to not have a clue what they're talking about and leads you down a completely incorrect path. But that's what cross-referencing is for.

oh absolutely, I know it's a ridiculous thing to believe and I know it will probably never be achieved, but I think it would be nice to strive for it.

JC 2K3

^Not really. I believe it. It depends on what you expect from students, and if independence is high on your priority list, which it is on mine, it's definately true.

cocoa

JC 2K3 wrote:

^Not really. I believe it. It depends on what you expect from students, and if independence is high on your priority list, which it is on mine, it's definately true.

yeah but I'm talking about all students, you'll always get the dossers who will score higher if they have a stricter teacher IMO.

JC 2K3

Well, there's a luck factor in every life situation.

But, as we all know, bad luck is never an excuse.

PurpleFistMixer

Sure if the teacher makes no difference whatsoever, why bother going to school in the first place...

JC 2K3

I often wondered this towards the end of 6th year.

My conclusion was that a teacher's purpose is to go through the whole course of a subject with a class, in doing so they act like a sort of an "ice breaker" towards the subject in that they give at least some familiarity towards course concepts to students. That, and to set tests and in certain subjects to correct homework.

Essentially, school just forces you to direct your attention towards 6/7 subjects in short periods every weekday. Something which would prove much more difficult without supervision or guidance.

PurpleFistMixer

I think they contribute important exam technique tips as well, though you could argue that a book could tell you that. And also it's handy to have someone to explain something to you if the book you're using is particularly obscure. (For example, a maths book I was using didn't explain what the "composition of functions" symbol was for about 20 pages...)

JC 2K3

The only exam techniques I ever used were:

1. Read the whole paper quickly first.
2. Know how long to spend on every question(work this out mathematically based on marks vs. time) and stick rigidly to these time limits.

I don't recall ever using any other exam techniques and can't really see what any others might be. Sure, I've heard the odd word of wisdom from a teacher, but nothing earth shatteringly important.

As for needing something explained to you, well maybe in the past a teacher might have been necessary, and they are still a valid resource, but with the advent of the internet, you can get multiple explanations of concepts from sites such as wiki and even personal responses to your questions on forums such as this, so a bad teacher really shouldn't affect your understanding of a concept.

regob

a teacher is there to advise u on what they think is good methods. there not the bloody bible.

ZorbaTehZ

Only subject that a teacher corrected my homework in was French. I certainly don't think that it's completely necessary.

PurpleFistMixer

JC 2K3 wrote:

I don't recall ever using any other exam techniques and can't really see what any others might be. Sure, I've heard the odd word of wisdom from a teacher, but nothing earth shatteringly important.

Well I mean stuff like "in this question, the emphasis is on this, so make sure that's clear/well done/blah" or "for x marks, the answer should be y pages long", those sort of little things.

philologos

Ogham wrote:

What happens in your school?

They usually take in work to correct on a weekly basis in mine. Like Geography essays, Irish essays, Business questions and English. Doesn't happen so much in Maths and German. I'm in 6th year.

Xhristy

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