Homework and Practice Norwalk High School – Thursday, 11/4/2010 Modules created by: Craig Creller, K-12 Instructional Specialist (Math) – Norwalk PS Julie Giaccone, CREC Consultant

Participants will:  Understand the purpose and importance of homework and practice  Identify ways to implement effective homework and practice activities ◦ Identify ways to differentiate homework and practice opportunities  Review examples of homework and practice activities

Rationale  Why homework? - Students are in school a short time - Homework extends learning beyond the school day  Asset or Liability? - It depends on how it is used

Generalization #1: The amount of homework assigned to students should be different from elementary to middle school to high school. (Cooper, 1989)

Generalization #2: Parent Involvement in homework should be kept to a minimum. Facilitation, not “enable-ization” Generalization #3: The purpose of homework should be identified and articulated. Practice Preparation or Elaboration

Generalization #4: If homework is assigned, it should be commented on. The effects of homework VARY greatly depending on the TEACHER FEEDBACK provided

 Take 3-4 minutes to answer these questions on the handout provided. ◦ What are the purposes of homework? ◦ What kind of homework do you assign your students? ◦ What makes homework effective, and how do you know it has been? ◦ What questions do you have about using homework?

 Should be in the form of Parent / School Connections  Homework Contracts should include ◦ Clear purpose and design ◦ Consistent organized place ◦ Consistent organized schedule ◦ Feedback will always be provided ◦ Parents understanding of THEIR ROLE in the process  Encourage  Motivate  Prompt  Conversation: What steps were easy, hard  At bedtime, homework STOPS

Research Both homework and practice give students opportunities to deepen their understanding and proficiency with content they are learning.

Considerations/Recommendations - Amount 10 X the # of the grade as a guideline -Parent involvement Parents as facilitators -Homework policy Feasible & defensible expectations -Purpose Without one, it’s “busy work” -Assignment sheets Clarify what they are doing and why -Feedback (be specific) Can improve student achievement

Research  Students need to practice skills and processes before they can use them effectively.  Goal is for learning a skill, not learning information.

# of practice opportunities Improvement in Learning Speed and accuracy

 learners attend to their conceptual understanding of skills ◦ Deal with only a few examples during SHAPING phase ◦ Do not press for speed with skill “Whereas American 2 nd graders may spend thirty minutes on 2 or 3 pages of addition and subtraction equations, the Japanese are reported to be more likely at this level to use the same amount of time in examining 2 or 3 problems in depth, focusing on the reasoning process necessary to solve the problem” (Healy, 1990)

 Students keep track of their own speed and accuracy by charting  Learner engages in overall skill or process but targets one aspect or step

Recommendations For Classroom Practice  Determine which skills are worth practicing.  Schedule massed and distributed practice.  Help students shape a skill or process (explicit instruction and modeling)

Conga Line Find your article group #1, #2, #3, #4

 Find your group based on your article. (#1-4)  Read silently for 10 minutes.  Line up in two rows facing each other.  Share one (1) important fact, then shift left at the bell/buzzer until you have shared with the whole team.

Jigsaw

 Sit back with your same article group  “Prioritize” 3 to 5 (max.) facts (5 min.) – Post on chart paper.  Present/share out with the larger group

 Line up against a different article group.  Share one (1) fact.  *** Does not have to be done the same day.  Excellent follow-up/reinforcement.

 Take a walk around the room observing the other group summaries.  Possible activities: - Write down at least one fact from each. - Think-Pair-Share with a member (of that group or your own to discuss).  *** Does not have to be done the same day.  Excellent follow-up/reinforcement.  Leave the Summaries up for display.

What have you learned about Homework & Practice? Or Differentiation?

 rganizers/ rganizers/  The Case against Zero, Journal article by Douglas B. Reeves; Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 86, 2004, (see handouts)  Classroom Instruction that Works, Marzano et al, 2001, ASCD, ISBN #  The Art and Science of Teaching, Marzano, 2007, ASCD, ISBN #  * (203)