1. Managing Homework Advice about assigning, collecting, and assessing homework.

2. Homework can help students: develop mastery by practicing what they have learned. acquire effective habits of self-discipline and time management. learn to work independently. gain a sense of personal responsibility for learning. develop research skills such as locating, organizing, and condensing information. research indicates that homework is effective for student learning in Middle School and High School, but not in elementary school.

3. 4 categories of homework Memorization Increase in skill speed, used for improving students’ abilities to apply these skills in more complex problem solving Deepening understanding of a concept Preparation for the following day’s class (Focus on Effectiveness, Researched-Based Strategies)

4. Assigning Homework End of section problems Usually repetitive in nature Often plug and chug Lower order thinking skills End of chapter problems Larger variety, intermixed Variety of difficulty Internet homework sites

5. Collecting Homework Collect every assignment? Random? Weekly problem/question sets? Unit problem/question sets? Never collect?

6. Assessing Homework Assess for completion/attempt Spot check Assess for accuracy On-line assessment

7. Returning Homework Needs to be returned in a timely fashion Provide feedback on assignments? Have students correct missed portions?

8. Reviewing Homework Teacher works problems on board and or leads discussion Whiteboarding homework assignments Students work problems on board and or leads discussion All solutions provided on teachers website after assignment due date

9. Problems with homework Time “vacuum” Student copying Time constraints for students Should all students (within the same class) have the same homework assignments?

10. Successful implementation of homework Teacher must convey importance of homework, Ensure homework is appropriate Ensure no mixed messages are implied concerning homework Consistent assignments Apply consistent consequences True student motivation should be intrinsic not extrinsic

11. Homework Ideas Individualize homework problems in some way. Table talk (student discussions with parents). Do-at-home experiments. Don’t forget about the Modeling Method of Instruction worksheets; they are a tremendous source of great problems for homework and follow- up in-class presentation and analysis. Diagnoser.com and Just-in-Time-Teaching