Classroom Practice in Assigning

Homework

If you expect your child to be well-educated, you have the

responsibility of making sure your child gets educated, starting at

home, with some basic fundamentals."

—President George W. Bush

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STTu39tn1wY

Homework is an opportunity for children to learn and for

families to be involved in their children's education.

At parent-teacher meetings and in conferences with

parents, teachers often hear questions such as:

Why isn't Maria getting more homework?

How can I help Robert with his English homework

when I don't understand it?

How can I get Felipe to do his homework? Every night it's a

struggle to get him to turn off the TV and do

his homework.

Why is Jonathan getting so much

homework?

When is Susi supposed to do homework? She takes piano lessons, sings in her church choir, plays basketball and helps with family chores.

There's hardly any time left to study.

Do homework assignments

really help my child learn?

Establishing and communicate a

homework policy Parents and students need to understand the

purpose of homework.

The amount of homework that will be assigned.

Consequences for not completing the homework.

Description of the types of parental involvement that are acceptable.

Communicate clearly with students and parents these guidelines.

Potential homework-related tensions that grow between parents, students and teachers.

Design homework assignments that clearly articulate the purpose and

outcome

Why is homework important?

Learn to use resources, such

as libraries, reference materials .

Review and practice what students have learnt in class

Prepare for class the next

dayExplore subjects more fully than classroom time

permits

Extend learning by applying skills they

already have to new situations

Vary the approaches to providing feedback

Homework helps students do better in school when the assignments are meaningful, are completed successfully and returned to students with constructive comments from the teacher.

Providing feedback serves to enhance students achievement.

Research and Theory

related to practiceMastering a skill requires a fair amount of focused practice.Practices increase learning.

While practicing, students should adapt and shape what they have learnt. Shaping phase: learners attend to their conceptual understanding of a skill.

Classroom practice regarding practicing

skills.

Students should be encouraged to keep track of their speed and

accuracy.

Design practice assignments that focus on specific elements of a

complex skill or process.

Plan time for students to increase their conceptual understanding of

skills or processes.

The book, Classroom Instruction that Works by Robert Marzano, Debra J Pickering, Jane Pollock, describes

research-based strategies for increasing student achievement.

This book provides some questions that will help guide you through the

chapters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS9ZwBsSC5I