homework secret code

All teachers really want to set high expectations and support their students' learning. All students really want to learn, do what is asked of them, and succeed. Unfortunately breakdowns in communication often lead to conflict over these common interests.

To avoid such conflict teachers need to know:

The Secret Code of Schoolwork Expectations

What Is Said / What Is Really Meant

You are teaching your most wonderful and dearly beloved lesson or book and students say: "This is boring." You almost want to strangle them! But if you only knew "This is boring" might really mean "I don't understand," you could see that your mission is to help them understand and overcome their frustration.
Students need to work to learn. You are creating appropriate high expectations, yet all the students do is complain: "This is too much work." What they might really mean is: "I am not interested in the work." Students who enjoy and are interested in what they are doing are willing to work hard-don't assign less work, make the work more interesting.
When students misbehave or act out it is so easy to start to think that "they just don't care" but it might really mean "I believe I can't do the work" or "I don't understand the work." or "I don't know why the work is important?"
If the teacher tells the class: "I will notice when you do not do the work and I will talk to you about it personally." Students may say: "What a hard ass!" But they might really think be thinking: "The teacher cares about me."
When the teacher tells the class: "Students of your age (or level) really should be able to take responsibility for turning in homework on your own." The students might think this means "The teacher doesn't care if I succeed or fail."
When students say: "I hate writing." They might really mean: "I am afraid I will be criticized."
When students say: "I hate reading" They might really mean: "I don't yet know how to read very well."
When teachers believe: Students from that family or economic background can't do homework. They might be communicating to students "You are not capable. We believe there is no hope for your success."
"Students are not allowed to take books home." might send the message: "We are convinced our students will fail to learn, and we don't care if they learn or not."
"What grade did I get?" might not really be about grades, but mean instead "Do you like me? Do you approve of my work?"
The question "When will you pass our papers back?" can drive even conscientious teachers crazy, but it might really mean "The assignment I turned in meant something to me."
When students say "Did I miss anything important when I was gone?" Teacher's receive: "My class means nothing to them, they think we never do anything important." But students might really mean: "I like this class and am sorry I missed it."
When teachers write a lot of comments on papers it might mean to teachers: "I really care about my student's writing." But to students it could come across as: "The teacher wants to tear us apart."

[Western Michigan University] WMU English Department [WMU English Education]

Created by: careywebb@wmich.edu

Revised Date: 4/98