1. CLIMATE Lizzy Ashley Emma Beaton Alexandra Birkett Carly Griggs
Melissa
Holian
Ann
Irwin
Aimee
Malherbe
Fiona
Mapp
Hannah
Semple
Scott
Whorrod
CLIMATE

2. When I asked my children what they think about homework…..

3. What are our aims today?
To discuss our thoughts about home learning and consider the positive and negative effects it may have
To read some research about home learning
To reflect on this research and consider how we might apply it in our setting

4. Questions to consider – 3 tables, 3 issues
Why do we set homework? Is the homework we set ‘fit for purpose’?
What are the benefits of homework?
What are the negative effects of homework?
Reading time
Article by Harris Cooper to discuss

5. Harris Cooper’s findings – positive effects
Hw in secondary school has numerous positive effects
Immediate -
Better retention of factual knowledge
Increased understanding
Better critical thinking, concept formation and info processing
Long term –
Willingness to learn during leisure time
Improved attitude to school
Better study habits and skills
Non academic effects-
Greater self direction
Greater self discipline
Better time organisation
More inquisitiveness
More independent problem solving
Greater parental involvement in schooling
There are only 3 positive elements about knowledge/progress the rest are skills based
What do you notice about his findings?

6. Harris Coopers findings – negative effects
Satisfaction
Loss of interest in academic material – bored of the over study of the material
Physical and emotional fatigue
Denial of access to leisure time and community activities
Parental interference
Pressure to complete assignments and perform well
Confusion of instructional techniques
Cheating
Copying from other students
Help beyond tutoring
Increase difference between high and low achievers
Question 1)
How can we keep the positives but reduce the negative?

7. What other factors might influence the effectiveness of homework?
Exogenous factors
Assignment characteristics
Initial classroom factors
Home – community factors
Classroom follow up
Out comes and effects
Students characteristics – ability, motivation, study habits.
Subject matter
Grade level
Amount
Purpose
Skill area utilised
Degree of individualisation
Degree of student
choice
Completion of dead lines
Social context
Provisions of material
Facilitators – suggested approaches, links to curriculum, other rationales
Competition for students time
Home environment – space, light, quiet, materials,
Other involvements – parents, siblings, other students
Feedback – written comments, grading and incentives
Testing of related content
Use in class discussion
Assignment completion, performance,
Positive effects – immediate academic, long term academic, non academic, parental,
Negative – satiation, denial of leisure time, parental interference, cheating and increase student differences
The issue according to Harris - “homework probably involves the complex interaction of more influences that any other instructional device”.
Green - what we do but could be improved/tweaked
Red – are these beyond our control??

8. What can you take away from the article
What can you take away from the article? What implications does it have for the way you set homework?

9. Read – “Good Homework Policy” Nancy Protheroe 2009
Addresses the fact that there are many factors that influences the effectiveness of homework – quality of the homework set, student motivation, and family support
Homework should only be assigned when it has a clear purpose and not as a matter of routine. The purpose should be clear to the students (time in class to fully explain homework needed)
Homework should be set on topics/skills that students fully understand to avoid frustration and avoidance of the task
A consistent homework schedule allows students to monitor their work load and aid parents on when homework is due (hwk timetable?? Or more explanation on subjects hwk rationale)
Feedback on homework has a positive and powerful effect (selective deep marking?)
A clear homework policy that explains the purpose of homework for the school and each subject

10. “Good Homework Policy” Nancy Protheroe 2009
Students found the following helpful:
Homework set at the beginning of the lesson
Homework is fully explained with examples and it is written on the board
Giving students time to start it in class so they can have their understanding checked and assistance given
Explicitly relating the homework to the class work
Allowing students to work together on the homework task

11. Read – Homework and Practice
Amount of homework set per night should be different for each year group = 10 mins x year group (interesting notion?) but research is varied on this issue
Practical and ethical limits should be made on homework but in light of the evidence that hw does increase achievement
Parents involvement in homework should be kept at a minimum, with them being facilitators and not helpers as this has a negative effect
Purpose of homework should be identified and articulated. Two common purposes are practice and preparation/elaboration. Practice should only be set once the students are confident (SMHW better utilised to clarify the purpose of the homework)

12. Read – Homework and Practice
The way homework is assigning in the classroom is key, with it being clear to students and parents.
Homework policy should also be clear to parents (website improvement) so they understand the purpose and amount that will be given.
Feedback is important on the homework, but feedback can be varied from peer, self or teacher to aid teacher work load.
Practise only improves achievement if it is completed numerous times on the same skill and is linked to issues of the individual students (see pg 67) = focused practice

13. What can we take away from the article
What can we take away from the article? What implications does it have for the way you set homework?

14. Steps forward?
Research shows that homework, when used appropriately, does benefit student achievement. To create appropriate homework, teachers should –
Assign purposeful homework = introducing new content, practicing a skill or process that students can do independently but not fluently, elaborating on info that has been addressed in class to deepen their knowledge, and providing opportunities for students to explore topics of their own interest
Design homework that will maximise the chances that all students will complete it – able to complete independently but still has challenge to keep it interesting
Parents should not be asked to be the teacher, but a sounding board to help students prove they have learnt
Carefully monitor that the amount of homework assigned is appropriate to the students age and that it does not take too much time away from other home activities
Homework purpose should be articulated in class time and to parents (SMHW)

15. How could our approach to homework at Key Stage 3 be improved
How could our approach to homework at Key Stage 3 be improved? What should/could our homework policy at Key Stage 3 look like?

16. Supporting student well being
T.H.I.N.K. HW
Is it Time wasting / filling?
Is it Helpful to learning?
Is it Improving progress?
It is Necessary?
It is Kind to student well being?
The way forward with our hw setting

17. Thank you – you have no homework today!

18. READ - The case for and against hw – Marzano and Pickering
Hw and improved academic achievement go hand in hand

19. Against – “The end of hw: how hw distrupts families, overburdens children and limits learning” Kralovec and Buell 2000
Says that hw adds to the corporate style culture view that overvalues work to the detriment of personal and family well being.
Also the harm it brings to economically disadvantaged students who are unintentionally penalised because their environment often makes it impossible for them to complete hw at home.

20. BUT are our teacher/staff well trained in hw setting?
Against - “The case against hw: how hw is hurting our children and what we can do about it” Bennett & Kalish 2006
Criticises the quality and quantity of hw, and provide evidence that too much hw can harm students health and family time.
They say that teacher are not well trained in setting hw ( possible American issue?!)
Suggest reducing hw, design more valuable hw and avoid setting in the holidays
Positive takeaways
Too much hw, or meaningless hw will harm the mental and physical health of students and only setting meaningful hw
BUT are our teacher/staff well trained in hw setting?

21. BUT research is not misleading on the benefits of hw
Against – “The hw myth : why our kids get too much of a bad thing” Kohn 2006
He criticises the work of Cooper, claiming that Cooper massages the figures to gain a positive outcome for hw for younger children.
He believes that hw is not a successful tool for instruction and should only be set when it can be justified to be of benefit to the students – ideally involving tasks that can be appropriate for home eg experiments in the kitchen, cooking, doing a crossword puzzle with the family, watching a tv show or reading. ( ??? Is this any more valuable or accessible to all ??? )
He also urges teachers to involve students in deciding their hw and how much they should do
Positives takeaways
Only setting when it is a benefit, not just because it is policy, involving the students.
BUT research is not misleading on the benefits of hw

22. Home work – a three piece jigsaw to success
happiness’s of our students was an area of improvement flagged by teacher, parents and students. Now I am not saying I have a magic formula to fix this, because we know this is a complex matter, but I think, to a certain extent the happiness of our students could be improved if the area of hw could be reflected upon.
Homework was an area for improvement for both students and parents on the survey and is part of the PLT vision for the school. Research has shown that the homework does cause stress and arguments within the family unit, with parents commenting that it is an area that they feel creates undue tension at home. We know that family support and relationships helps students to thrive both emotionally and academically, but we also know that homework has benefits to academic progress and developing a good work ethic. So how do we get over this clash.

23. How we are going to put the pieces together
Parent
Workshop
Logged on to SMHW
Help page on website
Teacher
T.H.I.N.K
Prep as hw
SMHW tasks
explaining
purpose and how
parents can help
How we are going to put the pieces together
Student
LLL study skills
Study rooms with
Senior Prefect
buddies running
Three areas of support should create a more positive learning and hw environment, and then create greater well being in the students
I envisage an interlinking approach that supports students, staff and parents but also give opportunities for staff, students and prefects to develop whole school initiative.
I have layered it out like pieces of a jigsaw fitting together to help create a happier student. But hopefully the changes will also create less marking load on staff and more support for parents on how to help their child which came out on the survey.