By Odeletta Marion. Worksheet. Published at Monday, April 29th, 2019 - 05:19:18 AM.
Worksheets do not teach. They check what kids know. If someone handed me a basic calculus worksheet and said, “Here you go. This will help you learn calculus,” I’d be at a complete loss. Now if I got on the phone and called my twin brother (for whom calculus is simple math), he could talk me through it and I might have a chance of understanding it. Please keep this in mind when handing your child a worksheet. If it’s a new skill, sit right there and coach him through it. Worksheets can be a cop-out. Sound a little harsh? My opinion is that teachers and homeschoolers who rely on worksheets are choosing not to find ways to really challenge and interest their kids. It’s the easy way out. Worksheets might not allow higher level thinking. Most worksheets have just one right answer, or one way to complete them. If we consistently keep our kids inside a box, they won’t be able to stretch. Teachers who use worksheets may not be teaching what their students are ready to learn. It really, really makes me cringe when a teacher or homeschooling parent has an entire year’s worth of worksheets printed and ready to go before the school year starts. (And yes, I’m including pre-printed workbooks here.) How do you know that’s what your child will need to learn? Maybe your first grader struggles with addition in August. But she could have a firm grasp on it by December. Are you still going to give her all those pre-printed worksheets or have her complete every page in that workbook? Challenge her with something new.
These are NOT good reasons to use a steady diet of worksheets: “My kids love worksheets.” Actually, I loved worksheets as a kid. My daughter loves them too. But we shouldn’t give our kids something just because they like it. My kids would love to watch TV all day and eat candy for dinner, too. We might also do well to determine why they like worksheets. Is it because they are easy? Because it means they don’t have to think as hard? Because worksheets let them be passive learners?. I’m just preparing my students for the next grade – because that teacher uses a ton of worksheets and workbooks. Believe me, this was a real concern of mine as a classroom teacher. How would my students be ready for the stacks of workbooks in the next grade if we didn’t do some in my room? Then I read somewhere — “It’s not your job to prepare your students for bad teaching.” That was a great comfort!.
Do you have students with great artistic abilities? Let them shine as they complete worksheets by asking them to draw or complete art projects. They could label items or talk about other ways that the art applies to the subject. Technology Usage, Rather than completing a worksheet, have students complete an assignment on a website or app. Since students enjoy working on tablets, this could be a fun way for students to practice a new skill. Combined with Engaging Activity, Use the worksheet to prepare students for a fun and engaging activity. Right before you play a review game, lead a discussion, introduce a project, or provide students with a real-world experience, have them complete the worksheet. This gives students information that they can use to make the activity more meaningful to them. Don’t just let your students fill out worksheet after worksheet. Instead, create fun teaching worksheets that can keep students engaged in the material. Use these tips to make them more interesting to students, so they can make the most of the assignment.
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