HOMEWORK!!!

Homework-It demonstrates practice towards a goal and keeps accountability of both the student and teacher in providing adequate teaching and practice and performing the practice. Homework, in fact does not and should not actually affect the student grade because it should be just that practice. And it doesn't have to happen every night, nor should it be more than ten to twenty minutes of practice.

What could be homework:

• Items that students can choose to complete to further their understanding, either due to needed remediation or desire to advance their learning beyond the classroom instruction.
• Items that will be needed for the lesson or activity the next day that are easy to complete at home or gather data for an activity.
• Items that are based on reflection.
• Reorganization of notes taken in class to further the memorization of material presented to assist learners in learning to study. Or summarizing notes for a concept.
• Items that progress learning that otherwise would not have adequate time to complete in class.
• Items that the students were responsible for during independent work that they could have completed that they did not spend enough time doing.
• Cyclical practice items to keep information in the students mind that otherwise would not get reviewed that has been previously taught and the students are capable of working independently.

Feedback needs to be given for homework, either they need to reflect themselves using the rubric, or the teacher needs to provide it and not just in marking right and wrong. The grades can be self reported based on a description of what the student demonstrates ability to do and explains based on verbiage from the rubric. Student reflection alone is not enough.

*All homework sent should be sent with the intention of progressing a student’s learning and understanding of content. It should be practice of content that is learned in class, or to develop understanding. Each student asked to perform the task independently, needs to be capable of doing it independently before they are sent home with the task.

And just for fun, look what we did in class today! Recovered chairs to learn about surface area and sprucing up the media center!