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#1 2007-02-11 02:49:45

Heather
Guest

worksheets - good or bad?

Sometimes i have a very strong opinion and don't really give others a chance to express theirs.  In my opinion worksheets should be used for assesment purposes only and not given to children to complete for the sake of it.  I see it everyday in the school where i teach.  So many teachers get sucked in to using worksheets.  They give these great introductions, really inspire the children then give them a sheet to fill in.  I just don't see the point!  What's your opinion?  worksheets - good or bad?

#2 2007-02-11 03:11:20

mathsyperson
Moderator
Registered: 2005-06-22
Posts: 4,900

Re: worksheets - good or bad?

It's hard to say. On one hand, worksheets are quite tedious to fill in, especially if they're lengthy and the person filling it in already knows the method that they need to use and so are guaranteed to get 100% on it.

But on the other, they are very good at reinforcing your memory of how to use a method if you're not completely sure of how to use it.

So then, the ideal solution would possibly be to give out worksheets, but make them optional. People who don't need to do them don't do them, and people who want a bit of extra help can get more practice. The problem with that is that if you make worksheets optional, then it's fairly likely that people won't bother doing them, even if they haven't completely learnt the method. This is especially true with young children. To the majority of them, optional homework is essentially the same as no homework. Unless of course they like maths, but in that case they probably would know whatever method the sheet was covering anyway and so wouldn't need to do it.

On balance, I think obligatory worksheets are better than no worksheets, although optional worksheets would be better than both.


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It wanted to be normal.

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#3 2007-02-11 19:12:57

Toast
Real Member
Registered: 2006-10-08
Posts: 1,321

Re: worksheets - good or bad?

Yeah but then those who don't enjoy the subject won't bother filling in the worksheets at all even if they aren't fluent in doing so, and will hence fall even further behind.

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#4 2007-02-12 02:04:27

George,Y
Member
Registered: 2006-03-12
Posts: 1,379

Re: worksheets - good or bad?

First off, I don't know if the child has the right to choose. Choice is not only right but also responsibility. So the child may be too immature to calculate the consequences of the choice. Thus to let choose is to abandon.

Secondly, maths indeed need practice. Practice may not necessarily lead to perfect, but at least to some degree of good performance, maintaining the enthusiam for maths-after all, a low score hurts. And the choice of not enough practice may cost much much more than one can imagine.

Hence, a certain amount of practice is necessary-whether it is completed within school or not.


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