Homework survey reveals stressed students

Part II of two parts

A large percentage of middle school students in the Las Virgenes Unified School District don't know what state standards actually require, according to a district homework survey for secondary students.

And just as in high school, a large percentage of students said that while their school offered a positive learning environment, they believed it was equally stressful.

At Lindero Canyon Middle School, 68 percent of the students surveyed, or 315 students, didn't know what state standards meant.

Half the students at Alice C. Stelle Middle School said they didn't know what the state standards were, and 42 percent of students at A.E. Wright Middle School weren't familiar with the concept of state standards either.

California Standards represent a baseline of what students need to learn in all subject areas and in each class. A large percentage of students who did understand the standards said their homework assignments were reinforcing state standards-44 percent at Stelle and A.E. Wright. At Lindero, just 21 percent said that homework reinforced state standards..

Students in grades six through 12 were surveyed in June 2005 about how much and how important homework is to their success in school. Student members of the district's Homework Policy Study Committee created the survey questions for middle and high school students.

Assistant Superintendent of Education Joe Nardo presented the results at a recent school board meeting.

School board member Terilyn Finders said that the fifth/sixth grade transition from elementary to middle school was crucial, since elementary students must get used to homework in several classes by a variety of teachers, rather than just one. She said students in elementary school should learn the importance of speaking up for themselves.

"They need to learn how to raise their hand," Finders said.

Finders questioned the students' answers about how many times they seek extra help from a teacher. At AC Stelle, 51 percent, or 223 students, said they never sought extra help, compared to 40 percent of Lindero Canyon Middle School students. Fortyfour percent of A.E. Wright students chose not to ask for additional instruction when confused about a subject.

A large percentage of parents help their young teens with their homework, according to the survey. At both Stelle and Lindero 59 percent of students said that their parents help out with homework "sometimes," with Stelle students not far behind at 57 percent with the same response.

But students at all schools overwhelmingly stated that teachers were willing to make extra time before, during or after school to help them prepare for a test or project.

Sandra Pope, co-president of the Las Virgenes Education Association, said that she was proud of her colleagues.

"I think that we are moving, ultimately, in the right direction," Pope said.

Middle school students were in sync with high school students in their belief that homework was meant for practice or repetition.

When questioned about outside tutoring, the results resembled the high school students' responses. Thirty-two percent of students at A.C. Stelle said that they received outside tutoring in one to three classes, while 149 students at Lindero got extra help from tutors. At A.E. Wright, 82 students received tutoring outside of school.

School board members were happy to hear about such teacher dedication to their students. Finders called the results "impressive."