How is it assigned?

Homework assignments can differ in:

amount (frequency, length)

difficulty (hard, easy, interspersed)

purpose (instructional, practice, preparation, extension)

skill area utilized (reading, writing, memory or retention)

student choice (compulsory, with task options, voluntary)

completion deadlines (short-term, long-term) and

social context (independent, assisted, parent, sibling, other students, group).

  • I restrict homework to be done Monday to Thursday.  I do not want to impose on weekends and family time.
  • Some projects, though, may require extra time on a weekend where students can get together to work on an assignment, or parents are available to be a part of it.
  • Some students take work home because they dawdle in class.
  • My rule of thumb is no more than 1.5 hours in one night.
  • Some nights I assign no homework!
  • I won’t dole out an assignment just for the sake of having homework or to keep them busy.
  • I bear in mind that students complete homework at different rates.  Thus, on occasion, I hand out a time limit to do their homework assignment, rather than say the whole assignment must be completed.
  • We must keep in mind that students who spend more time on homework may possibly be doing so because they are poor achievers and homework is harder for them.

I never mark math homework as policy since I see it as a means of practice and exploration.  I do however, grade other homework, or at least track its completion.

I find that my student’s attitude towards homework and school is more positive when they know I will check it and acknowledge their time and effort.

I often design what I assign. Rather than use prefabricated worksheets and exercises in textbooks, I take more time to create an assignment; it makes me more likely to be selective about what I make my  students do.

Drafts are done in school and involve the student consulting with me.  Final copies are then normally sent home for publishing.  At this point, students are aware of the criteria and are confident that they can proceed independently with good results.  If a child still struggles, it is because they often don’t have the criteria or sample with them at home.

 

 

 

Alfie Kohn’s assertion that homework should be shared, not graded resonates with me and I will employ that process more often.   To illustrate, I instructed my grade 6 & 7 students to research a group or individual who is helping with global poverty.  The assignment was to hand in one page.  Rather than mark their homework and simply hand it back, I came up with a scheme for them to share what they had done for homework.  After skimming and documenting that the homework had been completed, I decided to pair students with their homework in hand.  One student (the educator) spoke for three minutes.  Next the other student (the learner) had a minute to voice what they had learned.  They then switched roles. Students assessed their partner as an educator and a learner (strong, okay, weak).  It was an interesting method for students to extend their homework and make it more meaningful and engaging.  I will continue to move towards a model where students explain and explore with one another what they have done for homework.

Suggestions to parents are to be a stage-manager, a motivator, a role model, a monitor, and a mentor.  If homework is a battle, please ask to meet with me.

Suggestions to students are to pick a good time to do homework, remember to make time for long-term projects, and if homework gets too hard ask for help, and find a place that makes studying easy.