Why is homework important?

Homework is important because it is at the intersection between home and school. Homework serves several constructive purposes in every student’s educational experience. Through practice and participation in learning mathematics, homework can improve the student’s achievement. Thus, it would be expected that if homework was completed accurately, not only would the student’s general knowledge and grades improve, but he/she would also increase mastery of mathematics.

The APEF curriculum is based on the constructivism approach, which emphasizes the importance of the learner’s active engagement during the learning process. The learner constructs or generates meaning from his/her experiences rather than passively receiving knowledge from the teacher. It increases emphasis on real problem-solving, investigations, projects, and other forms of applying mathematical knowledge and skills in everyday life situations.

My teaching is most effective when I understand what the learner knows and I have the tools, tasks and techniques to challenge and support the learner to move forward learning mathematics. As a teacher, my goal is to help students construct a deep understanding of mathematical ideas and processes by engaging them in doing mathematics: creating, conjecturing, exploring, testing, and verifying. Problem solving is, however, more than a vehicle for teaching and reinforcing mathematical knowledge and helping to meet everyday challenges. It is also a skill, which can enhance logical reasoning.

As a teacher, I would attempt to make home work more meaningful for students in several ways. When deciding what home work to assign, consider how meaningful the work is. When students see the purpose of a home work assignment or are interested in the topic, they are more likely to do it. It is important to communicate my home work policy to students and their families the first day of classes, a written policy is a great idea. Having a simple procedure for grading home work, having students check their own work or sharing work with peers to get feedback can also be effective. Large projects may be presented to the whole class. It is very important to record the assignment and points earned on a Home Work Grade Sheet. At this point it is important to communicate clearly when students do not do their home work. Show any students who do not turn in their assignments the record that indicates they are missing work. Tell them how this will affect their final grade. For long assignments, set benchmark dates for smaller sections of the assignment to be due. On each given benchmark date, have students bring the specified work to class to share with their classmates.

Geometry

Geometry, the study of space and spatial relationships, is an important and essential branch of the mathematics curriculum at all grade levels. The ability to apply geometric concepts is a life skill used in many occupations. The study of geometry provides the student with a vehicle for enhancing logical reasoning and deductive thinking for modeling abstract problems.

The study of Geometry develops logical reasoning and deductive thinking, which helps us expand both mentally and mathematically. Euclidean Geometry is a branch of mathematics where one must understand the material, and apply the understood material to discover patterns and relationships.