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Hi there! I am posting the next two assignments early as I'll be heading to the Delaware shores this coming week. We were told there's internet access, but you never know....:)
Please continue to post your response to section D, as we're continuing to try and make the blog more user-friendly and easier to read. Thanks!
Please continue to post your response to section D, as we're continuing to try and 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?
10 comments:
It was surprising to see that there is no data to support giving homework to K-1 students. It made me wonder, if there has been any further studies done on the topic? After reading this chapter, I am going to focus on my homework being more about “focused practice” in such areas as math and reading and avoid just sending home worksheets. After reading this chapter, I further understand the importance of keeping parent involvement with homework to a minimum.
Assignment #5
I will definitely make a more concerted effort to respond in writing to student’s homework assignments. I found the research that noted the effect this had on student’s achievement, and I am assuming attitude, was significant. I plan to have students chart their own progress when practicing their multiplication facts in class this coming year.
I was not surprised to read the information about the possible negative effects of parent’s assisting in homework. I do however have a better understanding of how to describe the job of facilitating homework for their child’s success.
Hi Laura – it was a big surprise for me as well to find out that there really wasn’t any research to support homework in k-1. I think we can all agree that students at this level need to read every night as well as practice their basic math facts;)
David – I am glad that this reading will better support you as you speak to parents about homework. I think that you will definitely see some positive results from your students tracking their multiplication facts. There’s a great website (I’m sure there are many…) you might want to check out: xtramath.com that allows kids to monitor their growth…and the best part: it’s free;)
Assignment #5 Chapter 5 “Homework and Practice”
I have had to readjust my homework routine several times. My first year, I had only pre-kindergarten children. At that time, the curriculum required teachers to send children home with a question to discuss with their families each day. The question was an extension of the curriculum’s weekly topic. I would send a packet of coloring pages that included the letter of the week and objects that began with the letter on Friday. When I had to combine the pre-k and kindergarten classes I changed the routine. The kindergartner’s where expected to read their book every night, and occasionally had a math or writing activity to do.
As I became more organized, we made a chart of reading homework and I began to add coloring sheets and short activities designed to enhance or relate to the curriculum. I was not as consistent as I would have liked and found that this is an area I can work to improve. I now understand, how important a system to record and return homework is to student progress. I will include comments or have students correct the homework in class. Homework is more effective with these elements in place. A classroom system that includes practice and homework can be an important part of this classroom practice.
Was any one else shocked by the, “only about 13 percent of waking hours [in school]…” statistic from the beginning of the chapter? It’s an amazing piece of research to consider, especially compared to the amount of screen time that most kids experience per day. I’m still processing it!
I feel like I was given a much different perspective of homework when I transitioned from the classroom as a teacher, to my afterschool program. I can see first hand, from both the students and parents, that homework for some kids in elementary school can be really challenging for working families. I’m thinking of a specific situation when a student told their parent that there wasn’t any more homework to be finished at home that night. The parent let out a sigh of relief comparable to being saved from a tragic accident (!). I engaged with the family and was told how hard it was for them to finish homework together after work, and how much time it took away from their family time and added stress to the child’s after school schedule. I can’t say I was totally shocked to hear that homework was a “bummer”, but it really seemed like it was truly a burden for this particular family.
On the other hand, I was really inspired by the chart featured as Figure 5.6, showing the increase in learning between practice sessions. I appreciated the combination of practice and “adapting” or “shaping” skills to go a little bit deeper with the conceptual understanding of new skills.
Hi Laura E. – It’s really great that you had a system in place to show that you valued the effort and work your students put into homework. I am with you in that organization wise…this was always a nightmare to manage for me…personally – I like to have the kids read an appropriate amount each night and practice their math facts as appropriate…..
Nicolette – The 13% statistic is quite scary…not only when compared to screen time…but also the amount of time that I tend to spend in school myself!!!;) Homework is a HUGE challenge for working families…and I feel that effect myself with my own children. I actually have never been a huge proponent of homework – learning needs to happen in school – not from piles of worksheets sent home. As I mentioned to Laura above – kids need to read and practice their math facts each night….
Week 5: Homework and Practice
I am not a proponent of worksheets for homework. I lean more towards students showing their learning in a more organic way. I have used composition books in the past that were divided into quadrants. Students were required to show their learning for spelling, reading, math, and science in each quadrant by designing and drawing a representation of their knowledge in that subject. I might ask students to build spelling words with newspaper clippings or draw a picture of what it means. Science would be represented by a chart showing all the parts of a plant. The math quadrant required students to write and illustrate a simple story problem. The art work and writing were definitely student driven and less a question on parental involvement.
Our school requires that grade level teams generate homework that is the same for each class. My team in first grade liked “packets” of worksheets. What surprised me was that parents were demanding homework for their little first graders by the second week of school. By the middle of the year I was totally bored with correcting worksheets that certainly had students practicing skills but did not show mastery of those skills and the ability to transform that knowledge into application for a real world problem solving. I had several really low students who ALWAYS turned in their homework packets completed and 100%; however, if the student were actually doing the practice they would have shown improvement in their schoolwork and they did not. (Insert sad face)
My third grade team would like to do reading logs and if there is some incomplete math work from daily lessons they want students to take it home and complete it. I am going to go back to the composition notebook. Each week they will receive a letter home. On the front of the page I will write a letter to parents identifying various skills we are working on. The back of the page will have the homework assignment of reading every night, responding to their reading, math practice either vocabulary or showing an understanding of concepts (place value, problem solving, multiplication), a quadrant for a personal goal and tracking success, and the last quadrant will need to rotate focus for science, social studies, or health. I consider this a value tool for me to monitor progress and understanding. Parents will be able to see what we are working on and how much their child comprehends and is able to share their understanding. Students will have a reference for their learning and an entire year of documentation of what they know.
Hi Debra – I loved reading about your Homework notebook with four quadrants for each subject. It really is crazy how much variation there is on homework beliefs from both teachers AND parents! I can’t believe that anyone would want homework packets coming home (esp. in first two weeks) in a first grade classroom. They should be reading and practicing the math facts each night….what else is there? ;) It sounds as though your future third grade team has much more realistic homework guidelines that will match your philosophy.
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