HOMEWORK 2.0 - CHALLENGING CONVENTIONAL HOMEWORK PRACTICES

Stella Beale, Marin Academy Margaret Dunlap, Challenge Success

SESSION GOALS

• Participants will learn the latest research on homework.

• Participants will explore practical and effective solutions to make homework assignments more effective, meaningful, and relevant.

• Participants will discuss ideas for effective change of homework practice and policy to increase student learning while avoiding overload.

THINK PAIR SHARE

• Identify one challenge related to homework you face at your school, in your classroom, or even in your home

• Turn to a partner

• Share your thinking with one another

HOMEWORK ARGUMENT 1

Homework is good for kids. It teaches organizational skills, and keeps them out of trouble.

HOMEWORK ARGUMENT 2

Kids spend less time on homework than they used to, and kids in the U.S. spend less time on homework than kids in other countries.

HOMEWORK ARGUMENT 3

Homework leads to higher student grades and test scores.

HOMEWORK ARGUMENT 4

Doing too much homework leads to burnout and disengagement from school.

SURVEY

Completed by over 170,000 middle & high schoolers at over 200 schools

Questions include items on:Academic engagementPhysical and mental healthHomeworkAcademic worryBeliefs about teacher care/supportStress and ways to alleviate it

HOMEWORK DATANightly homework load:

Middle School: 2.1 hrs/nightHigh School: 3.1 hrs/night

% doing more than 3.5 hours/night

Middle School: 15%High School: 30%Exhibit poorer mental/physical health

Over 50% perceive most of their homework to be busywork

TENSION FOR TEACHERS

∕ Standards + tests = more homework

∕ Too much to cover in class

∕ Pushed to prepare kids for the next level

TENSION FOR PARENTS

∕ Some want more, some want less

∕ Agree that homework is a bigger issue than in the past

∕ Feel it’s out of their control

TENSION FOR STUDENTS

∕ Still dislike homework

∕ Most common cause of stress, according to our survey

∕ Longer days, overscheduled

USING A CRITICAL LENSChanging the homework conversation from quantity and achievement to quality and engagement

PURPOSES OF HOMEWORK

PURPOSES OF HOMEWORK∕ Review, practice skills

∕ Preparation for next class

∕ Individual assessment

∕ Opportunity to involve family in schoolwork

∕ Extension of classwork

ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE HOMEWORK∕ Clear directions

∕ Allows for student choice and voice

∕ Differentiated

∕ Authentic

∕ Connects to “big idea”

SAMPLE HOMEWORK

Use the cover sheet torate the sampleassignments

ONE SCHOOL’S STORY - HOMEWORK DATA

SHIFTING THE CONVERSATION

from one exclusively about quantity and achievement to one that included quality and engagement.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

HOW MIGHT WE...Use research and experience to find practical and effective solutions to make homework assignments more effective,

meaningful, and relevant?

StrategiesChallenge Success Speakers

Shadow Days & Student Focus Groups

Additional In-House Data Collection

Homework Experiments

● cover sheets● no homework● optional homework● ungraded homework● in-class homework● differentiated homework

Initial Results

Additional Take-Aways

WHAT EDUCATORS CAN DO∕ Aim for the “just-right” challenge

∕ Show clear purpose/meaning

∕ Offer students voice and choice

∕ Use homework for out of class tasks

∕ Monitor timing

∕ Check grading policies

∕ Educate parents about appropriate roles

LESSONS FROM CS SCHOOLS∕ Homework surveys

∕ Modify the schedule

∕ Test/project calendars or assigned days

∕ HW packets and flex time

∕ HW passes and other student “choice” options

∕ No homework on weekends/vacations

∕ Late policies, zero policies, no homework grades

LEARN MOREWEBSITEwww.challengesuccess.org

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YOUR HOMEWORK1. What I like best about my homework

assignments

2. An actionable commitment I would like to make...