Classroom Teachers' Opinions about Homeworks

Abstract

This study is aiming to establish the training teachers get regarding homework and how/how much it is to be given, and ascertain their views on this subject. The study has been conducted with 56 classroom teachers who have newly graduated in the 2014-2015 academic year and were currently teaching. A questionnaire was designed in order to accumulate the teachers' opinions on homework. The questionnaire was prepared with questions designed to keep the participants from veering away from the subject without constraining their views. These questions have been formed as "the teachers' views on homework," "the necessity of homework," "the effectiveness/importance of homework," "courses taken on homework," "how the teachers learned how much/how homework should be given" and "what disturbed the teachers about the homework they were given as students." At the end of the study it was seen that teachers were of the opinion that homework was necessary for students to repeat and reinforce their learnings, and to gain a sense a responsibility. Yet they have also pointed out that excessively and pointlessly given homework frustrates students, makes them feel unsuccessful, alienates them from school and even decreases their self-esteem. In addition it was found that they were not taught any lessons about how to give homework and how much of it, and that they have had to learn through their own experiences and observations.