Although your course packet asks you to post to blog for parts A, B, C, and D…we are asking that you only post part Dto the blog. We’re trying to make the blog more user-friendly and easier to read. Thanks!
A. Self Assessment of Current Beliefs and Practices: This component asks you to reflect on how and why you currently use the instructional strategies of Homework and Practice in your classroom. The intent of this is to activate your prior knowledge of your strategy use so that you can make comparisons as you read the chapter. Below are the questions to help you complete your self-assessment.
• Think about the kinds of homework you assign to your students and what some of the purposes of those assignments might be.
• Do you have questions about using homework?
• How do you decide which skills students need to practice a great deal and which skills they can just have a basic proficiency in?
• What makes skill practice effective?
B. Read & Reflect “Research & Theory”: This portion of the assignment asks you to read chapter 5 and reflect briefly on your thinking after reading the “Research and Theory” section for both homework and practice. You may want to think about the bulleted thoughts below.
• Reviewing the research on homework emphasizes the importance of commenting on students' homework assignments. What strategies would your recommend to a teacher who wants to assign homework but claims that it is logistically impossible to comment on students' work?
• The research described in this chapter suggests that, especially for older students, homework seems to be positively correlated with student achievement. Even when some parents who are opposed to homework become aware of this research, they express strong negative feelings about homework. What do you think are some of the reasons for these feelings?
C. Practice: Choose one of the specific “classroom practice” strategies or techniques shared in this chapter to teach to your students (If you are not currently teaching, you may reflect on how you would use this strategy in your classroom.)
D. Final Strategy Reflection: Use the following sequence of questions/promps to reflect on what you’ve learned about both the strategies presented in the chapter and what you’ve learned about yourself as both a teacher and a learner. Please post your brief reflection to the posting labeled Week Five: Homework and Practice by clicking on the “comment” link below.
How has the information you read in this chapter on homework and practice effected your thinking about teaching and learning? What have you learned about yourself as a teacher and learner? Use the following questions to assist you in writing a brief strategy reflection:
• How might I change how use both homework and practice in my classroom?
• What is something you now understand better about homework or practice?
• Do you have questions about using homework?
• How do you decide which skills students need to practice a great deal and which skills they can just have a basic proficiency in?
• What makes skill practice effective?
B. Read & Reflect “Research & Theory”: This portion of the assignment asks you to read chapter 5 and reflect briefly on your thinking after reading the “Research and Theory” section for both homework and practice. You may want to think about the bulleted thoughts below.
• Reviewing the research on homework emphasizes the importance of commenting on students' homework assignments. What strategies would your recommend to a teacher who wants to assign homework but claims that it is logistically impossible to comment on students' work?
• The research described in this chapter suggests that, especially for older students, homework seems to be positively correlated with student achievement. Even when some parents who are opposed to homework become aware of this research, they express strong negative feelings about homework. What do you think are some of the reasons for these feelings?
C. Practice: Choose one of the specific “classroom practice” strategies or techniques shared in this chapter to teach to your students (If you are not currently teaching, you may reflect on how you would use this strategy in your classroom.)
D. Final Strategy Reflection: Use the following sequence of questions/promps to reflect on what you’ve learned about both the strategies presented in the chapter and what you’ve learned about yourself as both a teacher and a learner. Please post your brief reflection to the posting labeled Week Five: Homework and Practice by clicking on the “comment” link below.
How has the information you read in this chapter on homework and practice effected your thinking about teaching and learning? What have you learned about yourself as a teacher and learner? Use the following questions to assist you in writing a brief strategy reflection:
• How might I change how use both homework and practice in my classroom?
• What is something you now understand better about homework or practice?
8 comments:
The quote, “schooling occupies only about 13 percent of the waking hours of the first 18 years of life” really shocked me. This information, along with the statement that “It’s not until students have practiced upwards of about 24 times that they reach 80-percent competency" made me think. For a long time now, I’ve tried NOT to give too much homework; I’ve tried to be understanding of the busy life my high schoolers live. However, 13% is so low and practicing something 24 times could never happen alone in the classroom. To top is off, we are also constantly hearing complaints about how our students are behind other students in the world. I wonder how much better our students would compare if they spent more time on their academics at home. Due to this discovery, I feel much more “in the right” to assign students work at home.
However, I know that I shouldn’t assign homework randomly. I agree with the comment that homework assignments should “clearly articulate the purpose and outcome.” This works well with the focus on proficiency grading that my district has worked on over the past three years. One of the expectations that my district has for its teachers is that we clearly explain to the students what the goal of their learning is. Continuing that on homework assignments seems like a natural part of this process. It might also make students more likely to complete it if they know what its purpose is.
I also know that I need to give feedback for any homework assignments I give. I think that teachers find this statement overwhelming because they feel like feedback = written response. I think that feedback can come in many different forms and we need to search for different AND effective ways to provide this feedback.
I had a similar reaction to Sarah’s when reading that students are only spending 13% of their childhood in school. I have never felt bad about assigning homework, even to first graders. I do believe they need to get into the practice of working on their schoolwork every night and learning the responsibility of turning it in. I create a weekly packet that I hand out on Mondays. This packet includes two math activity pages, handwriting, their spelling words, and a literacy page. All of the pages in the packet are review for the students and most should not need their parents help. I create a cover page that has a place for the parents to sign the homework, describe what the assignments are, and any upcoming events. The students are instructed to work 10-15 minutes a night on it and then turn it in on Friday. At Back to School Night I inform parents and students that I want them to review the packet with their child before turning it in. I also let them know that I will not grade the packet I will only check it off. The reason I do not grade it is because I use this as way to teach responsibility of completing something and turning it in. This focuses on the practice and getting into a routine of doing homework for students. Also, Monday-Thursday I send home child-specific reading homework. Each student has a folder and a calendar for their reading homework. I send home a book that is at their level to read each night and parents must initial on the calendar that they read it. I review the book by having a discussion with the children the following day during their reading group times. It is at this time that I offer feedback to specific students based on their ability to answer comprehension questions and discuss the book. Between the two forms of homework I feel I am preparing students for the homework they will be receiving in the upper grades. However, any other tips from Jackie or Mary would be greatly appreciated!
I think that both sides of this topic has valid points. Though, you both may not like to hear this :), this year with my first and second grade children we are not doing homework.
Our school/PTO has for the last year been having conversations about the evidence that homework correlates to academic attainment at the elementary level, or rather the lack of evidence that proves this point. As our principal said, there has been and always will be two camps around this topic. Those in favor and who would like more and those who want less or none.
In our conversations I shared with the principal that while our teachers do an amazing job of differentiating work during the school day, the homework that had been coming home is more busy work. As Regie Routman says about worksheets, the ones who need them often can't do them and the one's who can do them often don't need them.
In my family, the battles from the previous year were not worth it. Even though the sheets were easy for my kids to complete. I did not feel this stress was good for our family or for my children's concept of learning and school. So I was of the camp to have Optional Homework. I recognize that each family has different priorities and needs and parents parent differently. I would not want to take the opportunity for additional work away from students who enjoy it or truly need the practice. But with our busy lives of sports and activities, I would much rather my boys play outside, be creative with blocks or legos or read with me or by themselves. (They are both reading chapter books and their teachers tell me that they have excellent math skills...the math does not come from me at all. :))
I am not saying that I think homework will not be an important extension of the learning experience, but I don't think it's at the early elementary level. Now when will I think it's important...I don't know? Maybe 4th grade, maybe 5th maybe not until 6th.
I had wanted the homework grade to be a N/A on the report card, but our principal is opposed to having an optional homework policy. (I disagree with this.) I said in one meeting that I would like to see a N/A on the report card and he said no. A consequence for choosing not to do the homework, which we can all make is to get a 0. As hard as this was for me to accept, it is what I'm willing to do for the peace and well being of our family. AND I'm not even working this year, I'm home with my 18 mo. old daughter. I can't imagine what the battles would be like for two working parents who get home at 5:00 have to make dinner, get to any after-school activity and then get homework done before bed. I guess I'll find out next year when I return to teaching. :)
The interesting part of this is that the most vocal parents about the no homework/optional homework choice are the involved PTO members and many practicing or former teachers.
I taught first grade in Lake Oswego and I gave out the same amount of homework that you give your students Amy. I didn't really believe in it and did it because the parents wanted it and it was what the other first grade teachers were doing. I know it exceeded the rule of thumb of 10 min. of homework per grade level that most districts follow. If my kids were receiving as much homework as I had assigned I'd be having some huge battles with my kids over work that I didn't really see as important or useful.
This is not to say that I think either of your comments are wrong, I'm just sharing my perspective.
Our PTO president shared this letter she found from a principal who implemented a no homework policy at her elementary school. Again this is elementary. She said while there is no evidence to show that homework improves student performance, there are 5 things shown to benefit students and their performance:
1. Play outside for an hour after school. 2. Eat dinner as a family or at least 4X a week. 3. Go to bed early. 4. Limit screen time. 5. Read every evening.
Here's the link:
http://stophomework.com/wyoming-elementary-school-eliminates-most-homework/164
I'm not sure what the current status at the school is but the below link is some data about the success of the trial No Homework policy.
http://stophomework.com/great-news-wyoming-elementary-school-continues-no-homework-practice/185
What is so interesting about your post is that I agree with what you said 100%. I guess I have succumbed to the generic homework packets because four years ago I was a new teacher and my teaching partner (with 24 years experience) said this is how she does it. She and her last teaching partner did it this way and I didn't question it. I definitely have parents that WANT homework and more of it, but I think that is based on their own childhood experiences not what might be best for their child.
I think that I might talk to her about not giving homework for next year. Since I am going on maternity leave in January- no need to ruffle feathers right now :)
Thanks for your perspective. I hadn't really put a ton of thought into it.
What is your opinion on reading homework that is handed out based on where their level?
Oh, you're welcome. It's just my two cents. :)
Absolutely, I think sending home books at the just right level is great for reading each evening. We read every night, sometimes we forget to actually read the book sent home and I ask the boys to bring it back the next night but I'm trying to be better about this.
The books home came with a letter parents had to sign saying that yes we wanted leveled books sent home and that yes, we'd be responsible for paying for missing or damaged books. I'm not sure what the % rate was for how many kids have the leveled books coming home but bet it's pretty high. Even in our school which is just over 50% of free and reduced lunch.
My boys in first and second just started bringing books home in November. They come with laminated book marks for my second grader that say , "I can read by myself." "This book is to be read with an adult." "This book needs to be read to me." This way parents who aren't teachers can know if the book is to be an independent book or a book that they need to help the child with.
My first grader is just bring home leveled books at his independent level.
There are no reading logs or questions to answer. Just enjoyment of the stories.
Also, if you needed to for those families that aren't able to keep track of books you could print of books from some websties like A to Z learning if your school has a subscription or enchanted learning.com. Even if the school doesn't have a full school subscription you can ask the principal, PTO, the curriculum director or reading coach for a personal account to use only in your classroom. While these books aren't the best, at least something is going home and if it gets lost it's not a big deal.
I've let my teachers know that if they have a project they want us to work on at home we are happy to do that. I'm just not doing the work packets or worksheets. Both teachers are totally fine with this. And again, while I don't like not seeing a 4 on the homework portion of the report card, it's what we are doing for a calm and happy house.
1. Play outside for an hour after school. 2. Eat dinner as a family or at least 4X a week. 3. Go to bed early. 4. Limit screen time. 5. Read every evening.
Gosh! I really like this! Even though I work with high school students, I have a 5 year old. It reaffirms some patterns we're trying to instill in our household. Plus, my HS reading specialist told me that in high school, a student must read 90 minutes a day to increase their reading level. Isn't that incredible?? Makes me realize how important it is to focus on reading skills early in a student's education. You really don't want to get behind.
I recall hearing some where (the radio???) years ago an interview with students who scored 1600 on the SATs. (I know they've changed...so I'm not sure if 1600 is still a perfect score.) The one thing that ALL of them said they did and believed helped them on the test was to read, read, read. They all said they loved to read and read a lot and felt that this was a huge help in acing the SAT's.
Wow! 90 min. a night? I know high school students can have hours of homework, sports, after school jobs and social lives.
I'm researching a new class and a big piece that keeps coming up for ELL students is the lack of academic language that ELL students have. Even though many ELL students are fluent conversationally, they can be years behind with academic language that is needed for advanced courses and tests. So many students are "tested out" of ELL support, yet they do not have the language skills to advance in upper level courses. Basically it comes down to saturating students in rich literacy experiences and reading, reading reading.
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