The Great Debate

On Homework in Schools 1

Some Basic Beliefs to Address

     The role of the school is to extend learning beyond the classroom.

Intellectual activity is intrinsically more valuable than non-intellectual activity Homework teaches responsibility Lots of homework is a sign of a rigorous curriculum Good teachers give homework; good students do their homework 2

3 Views on Homework

 Moralistic View: Who we believe students are  This theory suggests students are basically lazy and irresponsible and they have to be coerced into learning.

 So we must teach responsibility 3

Puritan Work Ethic

 Hard work is good for you regardless of the pointlessness of the task  Hard work builds character  Hard work is painful; suffering is virtuous~and we all like suffering 4

Behaviorism

 How we think we can control students  Behavior can be controlled by rewards and punishment  The most imbedded practice in schools today  When punishment doesn’t work, increase the punishment 5

Six Steps to Effective Homework

 Designing quality tasks  Differentiating homework tasks  Moving from grading to checking-focusing in on feedback  Decriminalizing grading  Using completion strategies  Establishing support programs 6

Quality Homework Tasks

 Have a clear academic purpose (not busy work)  Are customized to promote ownership (personal)   Instill a sense of competence (doable) Are “aesthetically pleasing” (well organized, easy to understand, pleasant) 7

Quality Homework Tasks

 Homework should NOT be used for new learning  Homework that cannot be done without help is not good homework!

 Purpose of homework: Practice, checking for understanding, pre learning, or processing 8

Quality Homework Tasks promote ownership when they…       Allow for choices Offer students an opportunity to personalize their work Allow students to share information about themselves or their lives Tap emotions, feelings, or opinions about a subject Allow students to create products or presentations

I never heard of a child not doing his work. It’s our work he’s not doing.

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General Findings of the Research on Homework

    The amount of time spent doing homework is positively correlated with achievement Homework appears to be more effective for older students than younger students As more variables are controlled for, the correlation between homework and achievement diminishes At each grade level there appears to be an optimum amount of homework 10

Research

 What we want is to develop and refine intellectual skills —but when students don’t do homework, they may not perfect math skills, may not read as well, or may lack depth of knowledge for future learning 11

Continued

 What we want is to develop independent learners —but when students don’t do homework, they may fail to develp strategies for independent work and may miss the sense of efficacy that comes from completing tasks independently 12

Continued

 What we want is to nurture within students the identity of a successful learner —but when students don’t do homework, they may have trouble keeping up in class, may receive failing grades, and may lose confidence in their ability to learn 13

Assumptions on Homework

      Do not assume the child has a quiet place to do homework Do not assume the child has a parent home in the evening Do not assume the child’s parents speak and read English Do not assume the family has money for school supplies Do not assume the child has access to materials such as paper, pencil, etc Do not assume the child has access to a computer and the internet 14

Renegotiating the Parent School Relationship

 Get Real!

 Resist the temptation to judge  Revise expectations of parental support  Suggest (Do not mandate) guidelines for the parent’s role in homework 15

Differentiating Homework Tasks

 The 10 minute rule  Maximum of 10 minutes per grade level per night (6 th grade = 60 minutes)  How much is too much? Depends on the student  The 10 minute rule is recommended by the PTA, NEA, and consistent with research on homework.

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Common Sense

   If we know students differ in readiness, why would we give everyone the same assignment?

If we know students differ in working speed, why would we expect slower students to spend more time instead of giving them less work?

If we know students have responsibilities and activities after school, why would we give students an assignment at 3 pm and expect it back at 8 am the next day?

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A Bill of Rights for Homework

 Children shall not be required to work more than 40 hours a week, when class time is added to homework time  Children shall have the right to homework they can complete without help. If they cannot complete homework without help, children shall be entitled to reteaching or modified assignments 18

Bill of Rights

 A child’s academic grade shall not be put in jeopardy because of incomplete homework. Children shall be entitled to an in-school or after school homework support program if they are unwilling or unable to complete homework at home 19

Bill of Rights

   A child’s right to playtime, downtime, and adequate sleep shall not be infringed upon by homework Parents shall be entitled to excuse their child from homework that the child does not understand or is too tired to finish Families shall be entitled to weekends and holidays free from homework 20

Principles of Differentiating Homework

    Diagnosing readiness —what level of work can they do?

Standards based —which concepts do they need to work on?

Fewer concepts for struggling learners —how can we show them they can be successful with independent work?

Prioritizing of subjects for some students —what are the most critical subjects for future success?

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Ways to Differentiate

 Difficulty/amount of work  Amount of structure/scaffolding  Learning style/Interest 

Many teachers have discovered that the homework completion rate skyrockets when they simply give less work!

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Moving from grading to checking focusing in on feedback  Checking is diagnostic —teacher is an advocate  Grading is evaluative-teacher is judge!

 Grades are not necessary for learning, but feedback is!

 Everything does not need a number!

 Formative feedback, summative grading 23

Designing Quality Homework Tasks

 Academic Purpose  Competence  Ownership  Aesthetics 24

Quality Feedback is:

   

Formative

—assessment for learning takes place during learning.

Corrective

—provides specific information to the student about how to reach the learning target.

Interactive

—requires dialogue between teacher and student (written or verbal) or student and student

Not part of the grade

—”We don’t keep score during practice” 25

Differentiation

   “If I don’t grade it, they won’t do it” Because we allow them not to do it. This is learned behavior and can be unlearned. This is a teacher expectation issue.

The attitudinal change is that homework is for feedback about their understanding, not gotcha, not grading.

Should all homework be graded? No. Should all homework receive feedback? Yes. Is the teacher the only one who can give feedback? No.

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Decriminalizing Grading Things to think about

     Work ethic + behaviorism= using grades to reward virtue and punish vice (often to the detriment of learning and motivation) Giving a zero for incomplete work is not “holding them accountable.” Accountability is making them finish the work.

We think we’re teaching them responsibility, but are we teaching them math?

What if grades reflected what students really learned, not which work they chose or were able to complete?

If poor children are disproportionately failing due to homework, are they being punished for their home environment?

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Grading

 Grades should reflect learning.

 Psychological effects of grading on motivation.

 The homework trap —incomplete work=poor grades=poor attitude=predictable avoidance=resentment 28

Late policies and Grading Is the climate one of learning or compliance  We are faced with the irony that a policy that may be grounded in the belief of holding students accountable (giving zeros) actually allows some students to escape accountability for learning  The learning goal for homework is to GET IT DONE, better late than never.

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Five Reasons why Homework is not getting done

     Academic-work is too hard or too lengthy for the student’s working speed Organizational-getting it home/getting it done/getting it back Motivational-burnout, overload, too much failure, frustration with tasks Situational-unable to work at home, too many other activities Personal-depression, anxiety, family problems, etc 30

Home Study plan

       My favorite position to do homework is?

It is easiest for me to pay attention to homework (where)?

When I am working on homework?

When I have more than one thing to do?

After I start working, I like to do?

WHEN is it easiest for me to do homework?

WHERE will I do homework?

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Suggestions

 Limit homework to one assignment or one subject per night  Take time to discuss the homework assignment and possibly give students a few minutes to begin the assignment in class. This way, students can be sue they understand what they are supposed to do 32

Suggestions

   Avoid giving homework assignments at the end of the hour; when students are packing up and focused on leaving Set a maximum amount of time that the student should work on each assignment Give assignments further in advance of the due date, or give students more than one day to do assignments 33

Suggestions

 Provide a course syllabus at the beginning of the semester, unit, chapter  Make sure all students have the necessary materials at home to complete specific assignments 34

Homework

 

Homework that cannot be done without help is not good homework!

We know that practice helps perfect skills- time on task matters--some children take longer to learn--children differ in the type of tasks that help them learn--differ in motivation, persistence, and organization — frustration is detrimental to motivation and the desire to learn--whatever its value, if homework is not done, it doesn’t help anything. 35