Incomplete work is a subject as old as school itself! In her posting,
Joanne, one of the MiddleWeb Listserv's first year teachers, asks for ideas
as she tries to bring some clarity to why it happens and how to handle it.
As the conversation continued, middle grades teacher and technology coach
Marsha Ratzel asked whether students might
be more engaged in assignments if they were approached "in their own
medium" (computers and instant messaging) -- and shared some ideas.
Joanne began:
One of the things that has amazed me most as a new teacher is the sheer
numbers of students who don't turn assignments in. I have 160 Language Arts
students each day. When I do my weekly grade updates in my software program
I am appalled at the number of D's and F's, solely due to missing assignments.
The majority of those students are very much capable of doing the work.
If they aren't, they know I will work with them, differentiate, give them
more time etc..
Is it common that students just blow off handing work in? Am I doing something
wrong that they don't consider it important? They get biweekly grade updates
and KNOW how it affects their grade. I've talked to all my classes, told
them I am here to help them before school, over lunch, and after school.
They just have to ask. But they don't. They continue to choose to fail.
I just don't get it.
Joanne
Note: also see Joanne's MiddleWeb diary
on this topic:
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Scott speculated whether incomplete assignments were on the increase
in middle school classrooms.
Solve this problem and become rich on the talk circuit!
We have the same problem with assignments not being turned in here. Two
comments recently. Our math teacher said he wasn't going to do projects
again because less than 1/2 of his students turned them in. (I don't blame
him, yet at the same time, that is what the students want...I don't like
them to win like that.)
Also, one of our language arts teachers on my team reported that 18 of 38
did not turn in the final draft of a research paper (worth 200 points).
They had been given time to work on all of the parts for two weeks and had
been getting grades for the parts....they just didn't bother to get the
final draft in!!!!
Maybe I'm just getting old, but it seems to be getting worse every year....
Scott
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Linda responded to Joanne's posting.
Joanne, this is a question I, too, have asked. I, too, simply can't
believe the attitude of the students. I have a couple of girls who received
honest grades in the 40s for their first report card. The school rounded
it up to 50 while telling them and their parents that they would HAVE to
earn a 90 in order to pass my course.
So far, their average is in the 20s - all because of missing assignments.
I've reminded them. They know that I don't want them to fail and therefore
have to go to summer school. But what difference does it make? When students
fail my tests, I ask them, "What went wrong? What happened?" They
are very honest and tell me they didn't study. I can't stand the lack of
caring.
Linda
--------------------------------------------
Brenda wondered if teachers are dealing with a new breed of student, one
that will require educators to rethink the way they assign work.
There's no question that we are dealing with a paradigm shift in student
thinking concerning how completed assignments are viewed. Once again, as
in the homework debate, teachers can take a hard line approach and give
zeros for incomplete work or we can search for alternative ways that will
help kids meet success in spite this new lax attitude. It will require us,
as teachers, to be willing to part with our own mental models that are largely
based on our own experiences in a 1960s-1980's education system. Instead
of settling for the following:
"They didn't hand it in so they deserve a zero."
"If we let them not do the work we will reinforce their lazy work habits"
"Its more work for me -if the student doesn't care, why should I?"
we will need to go back to the drawing board. We are clearly dealing with
a new breed of student. Taking the time to examine the "root causes"
behind the shift in student attitude will be key as well. Understanding
this will provide direction for us. In the end, it will challenge our thinking,
our ability to innovate and in the end, as always, our time. Perhaps we
will need to reconsider the "type" of assignments we give, the
number of assignments we assign and where the assignments will be done.
Perhaps we will need to brainstorm with our colleagues about systemic issues
(study hall? early dismissal on Fridays "if" your assignments
are up to date etc) in our school that will put further supports in place
to help the work get done. If our mandate is that our students learn, we
must take a long, hard look.
I am not saying I am thrilled to do this. Teaching seems to get more and
more complicated. At 48 years of age, I sometimes wonder if I have enough
energy or even the desire to change. I guess it's my belief that ongoing
reform is the only thing that will keep our classrooms relevant and engaging
(and consequently a place where quality learning takes place) that keeps
me going. I am reminded that education reform is not for faint-hearted people.
-Brenda
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Valerie voiced her frustration.
I agree with you Brenda--but what are we going to do? It is so frustrating
when students refuse to complete their assignments. I am at my wit's end
about this situation. I am listening for all suggestions. I don't consider
myself faint-hearted but I am becoming a bit battle weary.
Valerie
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Deborah Bova made some observations about the different breed of student
mentioned in Brenda's previous posting.
I agree that it "is not like the old days," and call it whatever
one wants, the shift would be more appropriate as shiftless, in a
kind way that is, as kids don't shift into school gear at home.
I mean, the world's a different place, and students at the middle level
do better with supervised study, workshop kind of teaching, where the classroom
is the place that the reading and writing and assignment is done. I think
that kids learn better when the actual teacher is dealing with the kid doing
his assignment and learning in the presence of the teacher.
I had many more kids passing and learning once our school emphasized this
approach, the key is that many more were learning, once I went to assigned
writing and reading in class.
Deborah
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Brenda added to Deborah's thoughts.
I think Deborah expressed her thoughts much better than I did (in my
previous posting).
If our goal is more focused on our students is learning and passing, and
less on how we get our kids there, that may mean we have to shed things
that aren't working in today's classroom. I have to admit that deep down,
it kind of bugs me that I can't always assign work to be done away from
our classroom (because students won't do a good job or can't manage to hand
it in). However, I have a feeling that once our students get an ongoing
taste of learning success -- maybe by next May or maybe not until mid high
school -- the lure of learning has the potential to turn them into the very
learners we wanted all along.
Today I was in my principal's office for a meeting with a new teacher. The
new teacher had given a student a zero on a Science lab because the student
hadn't put their name on it. "This issue continues to raise its head"
(I thought to myself), and I listened as the teacher defended her stance.
I had heard all her reasons before -- a few years ago I would have probably
even been saying some of them myself.
Over time I have come to realize how easy it is for me to hold onto particular
routines, rules and beliefs, not because they are needed to drive the learning
but because.... I sometimes can't even tell you why. When I go back to examining
whether the rule is relevant in today's classroom or will promote the learning
or confidence of the student, I often have to admit it doesn't.
By the time the new teacher left the meeting (and we had discussed various
ways she might make her point without jeopardizing the student's assessment)
she had decided that she would like to approach this in a more proactive
manner. This decision wasn't forced on her, but via the discussion she was
able to consider approaching an old problem in a new way.
Brenda
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Deborah summed up her thoughts.
Thank you, Brenda, for saying it all. If they need a pencil -- give
them one--albeit a golf pencil -- and if they need paper, give them one
-- albeit it is unlined back of old run off stuff that would be recycled.
I agree as well that that after learning that they can learn by learning
in the classroom with the teacher there to guide, they eventually do learn
to do a bit of homework, polishing, or practicing at home. They become vested.
-Deborah
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Naomi told MiddleWeb Readers how she helps students start each day with
a new opportunity.
I am glad I am not the only one that wanders through the hall after
classrooms have been swept, picking up pens and pencils. Many years ago
there was a poem in Instructor magazine about a kid who forgot his pencil
(no this is not a new problem). The ending was...this kid would grow up
to be a responsible adult... who always forgets their keys. I wish I had
saved it.
After years of chastising kids for not having pencils, having them pay,
exchange a shoe, etc., I just started having them available. As an AP I
often start the day by visiting the classrooms with a handful of pencils.
I also ask teachers not to start their classes by reviewing homework and
not to make their lessons dependent on the homework. Why? Because the unsuccessful
kids will start the new day being unsuccessful and we are always hoping
that each new day will be successful.
-Naomi
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Great minds think alike! Marsha joined her MiddleWeb colleagues in sharing
her pencil collecting experiences!
I had fun with this pencil thing, too. Whenever I was on hall duty or
just walking through, I'd pick up pencils. Then I decoupaged a coffee can
with lots of pencil/pen/marker pictures from my catalogues and put a sign
on it "Found One, Take One". I deposited all those lost pencils/pencils/markers/colored
pencils in there for anyone to take if they needed them. It worked out pretty
well.
-Marsha
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J. Gargiulo offered a schoolwide initiative that was successful in her
school -- and said a couple of profound things in the process!
Everyone has his or her own situations but I will offer my voice only
because what we are doing is working for us.
The teachers and the principal have to agree that they are "not getting
what they want from the students." Once you agree on what it is you
want you must also agree that it is worth putting out the effort to get
what you want. This is not an individual's fight. It is a systemic problem.
Once you have agreed to the first two items, you have to set up a system
whereby assignment completion is one of the things you want from all students.
Convince yourselves and your parents that this is part of a quality school
and that students need to be part of that quality. Students understand quality
and you have to lead them to believe that this part of their quality world.
After a school presentation, or visits to the home or whatever it is you
do, put the program in effect. Home and assignment completion is non-negotiable.
Work is done or it is not. Reasonable consequences for missing or incomplete
assignments are (enforced).
This is how we operate. This is our paradigm shift.
It will take time. This problem did not occur overnight, so it won't be
completed over night.
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Janet shared several classroom procedures that have improved student
success.
I don't know if I can take credit for this, because I think it has a
lot to do with the teachers the students had last year. But, I am finding
that the students turn in their homework, with very few missing assignments.
This year, I have not issued a text -- we do most of our work in class.
That has seemed to help, along with keeping all work in a classroom folder.
If parents want the student to have a book at home (and some do), the parent
may check one out for the year. Student grades are higher this year, with
very few failures. I am anxious to hear other results.
Janet
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Chris, a middle school principal, suggested an unconventional approach
to solving the problem of incomplete assignments.
Here's a radical suggestion that would not fly where we are. How about
lengthening the school day and not giving homework? Another idea might be
to make homework an option, but tie it to higher grades.
Chris
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Ellen responded to Chris' suggestion and challenged teachers to look
at the larger question behind this problem.
Chris wrote: Another idea might be to make homework an option, but tie
it to higher grades.
Maybe the larger question is, why are we assigning homework? Because we're
supposed to? Because we got homework when we were kids? We are required
to assign homework 4 nights a week, and so much of the homework assigned
is busy work. What does that teach children?
I struggled with that policy for quite some time. I wanted to make sure
that what I was assigning was important and worthwhile, as well as interesting
for my children. I finally decided to have my children do book projects--to
read at least four evenings a week and choose from one of 46 activities
to put in their project journal--and I have more students turning in their
homework than ever before. They see it as important but interesting stuff
to do, and I am getting them to read and practice comprehension skills.
The bottom line is our children are extremely busy these days, and many
times they have too much homework. To require middle school children to
do 2-3 hours of homework an evening (if they are on level, more if they
are not) on top of family responsibilities and after-school activities is
a bit much.
They are still children, and they need the down time and the opportunity
to just be kids.
-Ellen
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Rick responded to Chris and Ellen's comments.
I have been thinking about Chris' questions all morning. First of all,
I really like the idea of extending the school day so that there is time
for students to work on the comprehension of the day's learning, i.e. homework.
I am sure most of us have students that go "home" to environments
that are not conducive to school work, and many of them have to work themselves.
This would level the playing field a bit.
I agree that teachers should not be assigning busy work just to give homework,
but I do think it is important for students to reflect on the day's learning
on their own. When the homework is meaningful, like some of the examples
Ellen gave, then I truly believe that it is helping the students to become
better learners. I have seen some schools go to a block schedule, so that
the students are not inundated with every subject each night.
Rick
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Linda requested further information.
Ellen, what type of activities do they have to choose from?
Linda
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Ellen responded to Linda's request.
Basically I ask kids to make a short response to what they are reading.
There are art activities, diary entries, puzzles, poetry, etc. I adapted
my project from a posting on proteacher.com
called something like "75 ways to respond to books."
The first 5 on my project are:
1. Write a paragraph to explain how the main character is like someone you
know.
2. If you were an interior decorator, how would you decorate the main character's
bedroom and why?
3. Write a page about a character beginning with the sentence, "I was
(any verb) by"
4. Make a time line of the events in the life of the main character.
5. Make up five interview questions with answers for the main character.
I would be happy to send you a copy to your home address if you are interested.
Ellen
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Anne explained how teachers at her school were able to change the culture
surrounding homework by offering different types of assignments.
One thing that spurred students in the middle school where I taught
was offering options to regular assignments. One of the seventh grade teams
discovered this accidentally.
They were offering optional assignments to gifted and high achieving students
- both in the classroom and as homework - in an effort to get these kids
engaged and interested in the classroom. The kinds of assignments they offered
were not only more challenging - they were also more creative and more fun!
Some involved Web work. Some elicited student opinions and ideas. They got
the ideas from reading material on "engaging gifted students in the
regular classroom" and by inviting the gifted teacher to meet with
them and share ideas.
What the teachers discovered was that *all* students preferred these kinds
of assignments and - when classroom expectations went up - so did student
cooperation and performance! The social studies teacher met me in the hall
one day and told me that 93% of all his students (he had 150 students) had
turned in their homework that day, and had opted for the "challenging"
assignment. Grinning, he remarked, "And now I've got to grade it!"
Note that the kids did not show this kind of strong participation initially.
The teachers built a culture of high expectations for all of their students
and allowed the students choices in assignments. The end result became a
change in team culture that led to more successful students and deliriously
happy parents - because their kids were happy!
Anne
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Charles asked Anne to elaborate on the ideas presented in her posting.
Anne, I'm curious as to how this was done. What were the teacher
behaviors that reinforced this kind of message?
Charles
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Anne provided details concerning how her school was able to change the
way students viewed homework.
A couple of things that stood out about these teachers were that:
(1) They wanted the students to see them (the teachers) learning. One of
the teachers made the remark that students seldom see adults engaged in
studying and learning. They have no adult role models! So when the teaching
team met to look at journal articles, discuss instruction, and study student
work, they did so in highly visible places such as the library or the team
pod (which had glass all around). They told the students what they were
doing and why. They wanted them (the students) to love learning and to be
engaged in the classroom.
(2) They shared with the students why they were using certain strategies.
For example, everyone on the team began using the same types of open-ended
questions in writing and discussions. They explained how using logic to
arrive at a position and learning to defend their viewpoints with facts
would help students all their life.
(3) They offered several types of assignments that were designed to develop
the same skills in students, and the discussed their assignments with other
teachers on their team. On some assignments, students could work together
but each one was responsible for being able to explain and answer questions
about the assignment. In any case, students almost always had an opportunity
to choose from at least two different assignments in a given class.
(4) As students became more engaged in class work and homework, the atmosphere
began changing. Teachers got more excited and kept learning and trying new
approaches. Students became more engaged and began valuing their own abilities
to do the "challenging" assignments.
Somehow, Charles, this culture evolved from a group of teachers who didn't
necessarily start out with the intention of creating it. They just began
looking at and learning how to respond to a need their team sensed. The
parents of the students were also excited, and frequently sent food to the
teachers. On Teacher Appreciation Day these teachers were almost embarrassed
by the amount of food and gifts they received in comparison to other teachers.
As a follow up to this group of students:
They left that 7th grade team and went to an 8th grade team of teachers
who did not have any interest in collaborating or working together to address
student instructional needs. Mind you, these were knowledgeable teachers
- they knew their content p; but they preferred to keep the culture
of isolation that's so familiar to most classrooms today.
The students had no choice in assignments, and lots of traditional type
of work was assigned. They (the students) reverted to old patterns and soon
this team was having trouble coping with them. The teachers began to expect
misbehavior and little effort out of these students. The students picked
up on that and lived down to those expectations. Parents were antagonists
again.
Interesting. They were the same students, and there were qualified teachers
in both cases. The difference was the kind of approach the teachers took
with regard to working together and assuming joint responsibility for the
learning of all students.
Anne
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Amy shared some of her observations concerning the work that students
turn in.
I think the team that Anne mentioned got it right. I am finding that
some of my students equate just handing in a piece of paper with any writing
on it with deserving an A.
Some of them aren't getting that even though they turned in all of their
work, if they don't truly understand and demonstrate their understanding,
their grades will reflect that!
Amy
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Kasey's posting demonstrated the level of commitment and innovation that
many middle school teachers provide in an effort to help their students
reach success.
Our team has come up with a way that we think might help us to fight
missing work. We have decided to implement an "After School Attention"
program (ASA). This is not detention and is not meant to be punitive. Instead
we are requesting any student, missing assignments in any class, complete
the work they didn't ATTEND to in class or at home.
We have sent out permission slips to all of our students. Although we are
still trying to get many of the slips back, several students have returned
them and are anxious to get started. What I do, as ASA teacher, is to issue
the Neon blue ASA slip on Mondays, to any student missing assignments from
the previous week. Those students, who receive the blue note, are expected
to be in ASA on Wednesday afternoon.
They are expected to complete missing work, with my help, and I collect
the work and distribute it to the right teacher. Their parents are notified
and they are able to ride the activity bus home. Any student that does not
attend then gets another phone call home. We believe that it is going to
take a lot of extra work to get our 6th graders together, and we need the
support of our parents.
Our first ASA class will begin just after Christmas break. Wish us luck!!!
I will keep you up to date on how things go. For now, I think we are off
to a great start.
Kasey
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Ivone posed further questions.
Ellen spoke about giving out too much homework, busy work. On my team
we have the opposite. No one gives out homework or if they do it is on an
inconsistent basis. Therefore they rarely get more than 3-4 kids per class
to pass it in.
I co-teach 2 math classes. We have been giving out homework Monday-Thursday.
Many times it is review of what we have done this year. Tonight they had
interpreting graphs with several sets of data on each graph. (We did lots
of graph and table work during term one.)
The other class had finding the volume of rectangular prisms given dimensions
in decimal format. (they need lots of work on decimals and we are working
on volume in CMP program) 90%-100% of students bring in their homework everyday.
In the English class I teach, I assign a writing assignment every Monday,
which is due on Wed. It is an open-ended question for which they have a
rubric. I get 95%-100% passed in. On Wed I give some worksheet on whatever
we have been working on (topic sentences, fact/opinion, run-ons etc).
I am wondering if everyone on my team was consistent with homework would
my % of students returning homework decrease? My students know that homework
is expected in my classes. They often work towards meeting that expectation.
Could our expectations be part of the issue, or not making students aware
of those expectations be part of the issue?
Just some rambling thoughts,
Ivone
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Charles explained his approach to homework.
My understanding of homework is that it should be quick and an opportunity
to practice. Since perfect practice makes perfect, I was told that it had
to be easy enough.
In my Reader's Workshop, the reading time five nights a week is up to thirty
minutes. In my French Classes it runs about ten minutes with some kids spending
hours and hours because they spend hours and hours on everything. We are
on a block schedule (as Rick pointed out) with eight classes. I have about
an eighty five percent return, with kids separating out into those that
do it most of the time, and those that never do it.
I don't see a relationship between what the homework is and a transference
to in-class student work and overall performance because I haven't set up
a control. One reason that I assign homework is because of parents. I have
had parents leave messages after nights when we've had a test and played
some kind of game to clear out the anxiety. They want to know why their
student didn't have homework.
Honestly, I get nervous on those days because of all the phone calls I have
to return.
Charles
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John pointed MiddleWeb readers to an article that examined middle school
homework reform.
With homework assignments a hot topic on the list, we should take advantage
of this bit of serendipity. Brenda Dyck has a new article at the Education
World website. Here's the description and link. Check it out - it should
lead to more discussion. And Brenda is right here with us to respond!
FROM THE ED WORLD SITE:
Homework: A Place for Rousing Reform
Each week, an educator takes a stand or shares an aha! moment in the classroom
in the Education World Voice of Experience column. This week, educator Brenda
Dyck reflects on a year of shapeshifting. A year in which she and her colleagues
(begrudgingly at first) came to a new understanding about the value and
relevance of homework assignments. Included: Join the discussion! How have
you tackled the homework beast?
http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/issues202.shtml
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Trish, a middle school Librarian, explained how she became part of a
plan aimed at helping students succeed in their studies.
There are many things that do get in the way of learning and sometimes
we just have to stand back and reflect. I started a "school store"
as our students were getting detentions for not being prepared, not having
a pencil etc. I became tired of this and thought that the school store would
be the answer. It has pens, pencils, paper etc for a very small fee. Many
students have a running tab, which is o.k. because I just want them to be
successful.
This past year I have been walking the hallways after school collecting
pens and pencils and asked the custodians that if they found any pens or
pencils while they were cleaning to put them in the Media Center. This way
I can just give the students a free pencil or pen although some of them
may be a bit chewed...
Trish
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If reinforcement does not happen via teacher-assigned homework, when
will it happen? Scott challenged readers to consider this question.
At what point do the students take the responsibility to try and retain
what is being taught in class? (That reflection part of the learning process
that is very important.) I would be happy to never give another traditional
homework assignment again, if the students would prove they don't need any
extra reinforcement. They could prove this by improved quiz or test scores
or even by showing they can apply the info from class in new situations...
After all, if it isn't worth retaining, why bother with it in the first
place!
Scott
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Principal Chris Toy responded to Scott's query.
That's the key right there. The teacher absolutely needs to convince
the students that it's worth learning and retaining. The teacher needs to
make it clear by the way they structure their class activities and assessments
that it matters whether students do their homework.
So many times I hear from students that teachers barely look at the homework
except to see whether it's there. When I taught, oh so long ago, I didn't
look at the homework, but instead I gave the students a quick 5 or 10 item
quiz covering what I expected students to retain from the homework. The
homework was always a review, reinforcement, or extension of something I'd
already done in class.
In addition, I let the students know which topics or information on the
homework they could expect to see on quizzes and tests. Kids will do homework
if it is connected to important learning and if it helps them to work toward
learning.
- Chris
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Marsha shared an innovative way to implement homework with students who
belong to the "Net Generation".
This continues to be a problem everywhere. I think the message that
suggested we need to look at transforming our way of viewing homework and
its purpose is the key.
My students are over committed and rush from thing to thing once they leave
school. I don't think they even get to have downtime many evenings. That
is definitely in contrast with my personal growing up experience where I
couldn't do anything until Homework was done. So I know that I require a
shift in my thinking.
But I will share something with you. I think we're also not "talking"
in their medium. Do we ask them to use the tools with which they are most
familiar? In my case, the answer was no. I did not use "their"
literacy tools and when I started doing that....well, I had improvement
in both the quantity of completers and the quality of the assignments themselves.
And I'm talking about holding the "assignment" constant.
Let me explain what I mean. I assigned homework that involved using Instant
messaging, chat notes and/or posting to online bulletin boards. These are
my students most familiar and understood tools of communication. In particular,
I found online bulletin boards to be magical in motivating students to not
only complete their homework but to invest huge amounts of time hanging
out on line and doing beyond what I'd ask. I think that's reflective of
what they normally do....they hang out online, talking to about 1,000 people
at once, downloading Napster music, etc. Now before you ask me, the students
we have without computers at home had an option of staying late, coming
in early, going to a neighbors, or the public library to get into the assignments.
If all those options weren't feasible, the assignment went home in the traditional
way.
I throw this out there for your consideration. It has worked quite well
for me and now this year, I've been helping scores of teachers use it in
their classrooms to great success. (Math is still a bit problematic, but
as long as we have a writing-based math program, we're all set on the homework.)
-Marsha Ratzel
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Scott asked for additional information.
Would you please give a couple of examples of assignments they would
be doing in a chat room or by IM?? Thanks!
-Scott
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Carole asked Marsha to share additional information as well.
You posted an intriguing aspect! Would you please explain what kind
of assignments you used via instant messaging, chat notes, or bulletin boards?
This is food for thought. We are no longer exposed to instant messaging
at school due to security restrictions, so my students would have to go
to a friend's house or the library. The town our school building is in has
no library, so only the students in our neighboring town could use the library
option. I am curious how you adapt homework for the technological options.
Thanks!
I know what you mean about youth communicating using instant messaging.
My son needs restrictions in the amount he uses it so he get enough sleep.
They are all online late at night. We need our phone line open for other
needs, also.
-Carole
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Marsha provided an in-depth explanation about how she used Instant Messaging
as a homework tool.
I'll try and describe some of the more recent examples.
Instant Messaging is really only used inside the classroom -- instead of
talking to each other, they IM each other. It helps the quiet kids have
a chance to "talk" and they all are much more patient about listening
and responding to what others say. For example, this has been used to great
advantage in novel studies. The discussion is much deeper and asks questions
that show thinking. What the kids have done is to continue the discussion
later that night at home when they were online anyway. So we decided to
seize upon the momentum. Some of our parents even got in on the chatting...even
though they were as proficient at IMing as their kids.
Chat rooms typically have been sponsored through something in which we've
already been participating. For example, we were working on some pretty
complex science ideas in 6th grade. I made arrangements for classes to meet
with some of the Hubble Space Center's experts to talk about cosmic strings.
(Of which I know absolutely nothing and still don't even after the chat.)
We've done some this in the regular school day, too, through Scholastic
and had the kids able to chat with authors.
The most effective tool we're using right now is the bulletin boards. We're
mostly using two varieties --- the ones that are actually chat notes at
Eboard and through another free, online
bulletin board service. Again the assignments have been as varied as the
teachers using them.
One of our eighth grade math teachers used it to have students work on explaining
exponents. Another teacher used it for her students as they tried to brainstorm/refine/come
up with topics for National History Day (again the parents participated
and helped up the quality of the discussion). One of our teachers doesn't
even tell the kids what the homework is, but instead posts it on her eboard.
They anxiously log on to find out.
In some cases, the teachers post a hyperlink to an article or picture. The
student views that and responds with an entry on the bulletin board. You
can imagine this works particularly well for a current events assignment.
Science sites like a microscope or astronomy picture or even an animation
from How Things Work are favorites for students.
And my last example is our teacher who posts a Mystery Photo on her web
page. Then she adds a clue every two hours...the kids get online throughout
the night to see if they can correctly guess or research it to find the
answer and then write their guess using evidence. We're working on not just
making wild-eyed guesses.
Isn't it weird because they are no different than what we have been giving
in pencil/paper assignments forever? Now that we've started asking students
to do them online and via the Web, they'll do them.
I hope that helps. They really aren't anything special. It's blue smoke
and mirrors, if you ask me. But it gets the job done and I think Mom and
Dad feel more a part of the HW too. That's a big bonus as far as I'm concerned.
-Marsha
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashli had questions concerning Instant Messaging.
I am interested in your Instant Messaging assignments. Do you do this
at school during class time? OR do you use it as homework? What do you do
about the students who are not proficient typists, or do not have access
to the Internet?
-Ashli-
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Marsha responded to Ashli's questions.
We use Instant Messaging mostly in class, but sometimes the kids start
an IM thing from their homes.
I use the bulletin boards as homework. I haven't really had problems with
keyboarding problems. It seems like the kids who aren't very good get better
and better as time goes along. Their motivation is high at learning how
to be more efficient and that seems to help.
As I mentioned before, the kids that don't have access at home have many
options. They often go over to a friend's house, or their grandmother's
house. Some even go to their parent's worksite and access the Internet there.
Others use the public library where there are many terminals free of charge.
Some kids prefer to come to our schools early or stay late or use their
free time to log onto the websites. And my last option, is just to have
that student print out the assignment and do it the "old fashioned"
way. They miss out on the interactive nature, but they can catch up by reading
the conversation string afterwards when they're in class or somewhere at
school.
-Marsha
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Marsha offered some additional thoughts.
I forgot to mention the whole FunBrain
and Quia websites. Now before you go
to either place, let me tell you that both are drill and kill sites. These
are not places where the higher order thinking skills will be used. Sort
of like when your dad sent you to the driveway to practice free throws 1,000
times before dinner, rather than when you were asked to learn to read the
defense!!!!
But if you want students to memorize a set of facts, these online resources
are excellent. I also used these sites for differentiation. Sometimes some
students didn't do the same homework assignments and I had them work on
these sites instead. Particularly in math. It helped me give parents a place
to go to work with their kids on catching up with math facts or building
speed with those facts, for example.
Both sites are highly motivating and I never had trouble getting students
to complete their homework. They could print out their scores and bring
them in as "proof" they had spent the required amount of practice
time. Usually they spent more time that required and wanted to get on during
free time in class.
-Marsha
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary Anne shared her thought concerning online homework tools.
It seems that you are where we hope to be in a few years. Right now
we use homework bulletin boards and all of our students are registered in
Jason on-line. They can do their work on the Jason
project through the website at home or at the public library by using
their school sign-in codes.
Many of our kids still do not have home computers. We just received a grant
from a large corporation that is going to refurbish older model, donated
computers and put them in the homes of students after their parents have
taken some computer classes at school. It is an extensive project headed
by our technology committee. But, when they are finished we hope to set
up the chat rooms and homework help lines via the computers.
-Mary Anne
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris commented on the importance of providing technology training for
parents.
What an important idea, providing training for parents about the technology
their children are using at school. I think this is an important aspect
of moving technology into the schools. Just think, everyone is familiar
with textbooks as a tool for learning, but very few, at this point have
an understanding of how computers are used. And, we all know that what is
unfamiliar to us may not be easily accepted. I'll be sure to pass this piece
on to the folks who are working to implement Maine's Learning Technology
Project.
- Chris
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The digital divide continues to prevent students from experiencing equal
opportunity in their learning. Naomi pointed out how this is true in her
school.
We live in such different worlds. There is such a tiny percentage of
students in my school that have home computers and access to the Web that
Web based homework is not even a question.
The Public Library (a place where in NYC many kids can get access to the
Internet) in our neighborhood was closed down. Many of our kids' families
are living in temporary housing, shelters, etc. For example, one student
lives with his parents, 3 siblings (6 in all) in a one-bedroom apartment.
Computers, at home, are not even on the horizon.
-Naomi
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Trish agreed with Naomi and pointed out that there are bigger issues
to deal with at her school- attendance, for one.
It is the same in the district I work in and even though the idea is
a great one, it is not feasible at this time. Just getting these kids to
school is a great accomplishment in itself. Perhaps when our statewide laptop
plan becomes reality things will change but that is only a plan for 7th
graders.
-Trish
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeanina shared a dilemma surrounding incomplete assignments.
We also have had problems with whole missing assignments. As a matter
of fact our Assistant Principal just required all teachers to turn in a
list of students who are failing because of a lack of class work/homework.
The list totaled about 350 out of 900 students. The decision was then made
by the administration to suspend these students who were not turning in
work. The reason listed was insubordination.
I am not sure how I feel about this. We are giving these students days not
in school and then we have to provide them with make-up work when they return.
It seems to me that we are just making things more difficult for the teachers
and that the students who are not doing work are just going to be farther
behind when they return.
The AP feels that this is going to work as a wake up call to the parents;
however the parents are all saying that their students are telling them
that they do not have homework. So we also have started sending home a monthly
calendar per grade level listing all the assignments for that month. This
is yet another difficulty because I had to have January's assignments planned
a week ago. It is difficult to know what we will be doing a week from now
much less a month from now.
If anyone as any suggestions we could sure use them. Thanks
-Jeanina
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris expressed his concerns about resorting to suspension in order to
manage the problem of incomplete work.
Oh my....I have some serious reservations about tossing kids out of
school for not doing homework, but then again, I'm not there. Maybe everything
else has been tried. What has been tried and hasn't worked?
To have a third of the student body failing for one reason, and to have
that reason be something that is not directly related to curriculum and
instruction seems odd. I'm thinking that if 1/3 of my students were failing
a class I was teaching, I'd be looking in the mirror a lot....
OK, so what do we do....Well, some teachers keep kids for makeup work. They
do it at lunch/recess detention. It's a duty and we have it working within
the contract. Everyone gets a duty free lunch. Teachers are required to
provide makeup time beyond the student day. So, there's another time.
We have a late bus that comes 45 minutes after the last class. Each grade
level also has what we call ASAP, After School Academic Program. This is
an optional, recommended program for students who are not getting homework
done. We let parents know their children are recommended and keep them up
to date about attendance and homework.
We also have an at-risk after school program for about a dozen students
identified by the guidance counselors and the teachers. It is run through
an area social service agency. It's pretty cool actually. It happens over
a two-day period. Thursday after school is a work period, two hours long.
Then, on Friday is an activity afternoon where students, as a group, get
to select an activity. It has been movies, Christmas shopping at the mall,
bowling, going out for pizza, etc. The catch is, in order to do the fun
Friday activity, they need to do the Thursday work session. Food is always
involved.
Summer school is also a big option as the third and fourth grading periods
come around. Our summer school is not course-based, except failing a course
for the year is how they get into summer school. Teachers identify what
skill areas the students need in summer school and each student works on
those skills. It is fee based, and student must pass summer school in order
to move on to the next grade. We've only had one student retained in the
8 years we've run the program. We end up with about a dozen students. I've
gotten off the homework issue...but you did remind me that I have to contact
our summer school folks to begin collecting names....
-Chris
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Naomi agrees with Chris' concerns about suspending students who don't
complete work.
I agree with Chris. It seems strange to punish kids not doing work by
keeping them out of school. Plus, it doesn't get to the root of the problem.
At my daughter's high school there was a great deal of lateness, so they
decided to keep kids who were late (even 1 minute) out of the first period
class. The kids did not come in earlier; they just missed the entire class,
instead of a few minutes. The policy was dropped quickly.
-Naomi
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Trish pointed out the usefulness of agendas for keeping students and
parents up to date on homework expectations.
Do these students have agenda books or assignments books where their
homework is written in daily? If so the parent can check that for what the
student owes. Our teachers grade the agenda
books making sure all assignments are written in them. I feel parents
have to be involved in the homework and the assignment books will keep them
informed. Also our teachers are constantly calling parents to tell them
what is going on...a lot of work but it helps. This is one area where we
have to get parents involved...
A monthly calendar (if that is the only "homework correspondence"
with the parent) is too long a time period. Weekly would be better but that
is time consuming which is why I return to having agenda books. Our teachers'
plan books are expected to be done a week at a time and sometimes the principal
checks. Where my sister works, the principal actually collects the plan
books and grades them over the weekend...oh, well.
-Trish
--------------------------------------------------------------------
John directed readers to MiddleWeb diarist, Joanne Payling's recent entry
on re-dos of homework and other assignments.
Recently we had some discussion about "re-dos" of homework
and other assignments. Joanne was part of that chat, and took up the topic
in her latest diary entry, posted below. I've also posted a response she
got through the MiddleWeb site. If you have thoughts about any of this,
chat away!
John
January 11,2002
JOANNE PAYLING
Diary #17
What's More Important: Learning the Material or Learning Responsibility?
I'm a pushover. Students give me reasons why work isn't done on time,
or why it is done poorly, and I give them the benefit of the doubt. Yes,
I allow them to turn work in late. Yes, I allow them to redo work for a
better grade. Other teachers shake their heads at me, believing that I am
giving students the wrong message.
My students, I admit it, are learning that following directions the first
time doesn't really mean much in Ms. Payling's class.
Sometimes, I wonder if the other teachers are right. After all, they have
a great deal more experience than I do. Maybe next year, or in five or 10
years I will agree with them. I certainly chastise myself for being a pushover.
Did the printer really quit working just as they needed it? Did they really
forget to save the draft of their assignment? Was the student's cousin really
killed in a car accident? Did Grandma really die last night? Was the homework
really at Dad's house, but the student was at Mom's, unable to get it?
The excuses, real or imagined, roll in regularly. Am I Solomon? Is it my
job to determine who is telling the truth and who is not? I prefer to trust
people. I prefer to give people second chances. Most of all, I prefer that
my students learn the material, rather than get a zero, whatever the reason.
One student is very adept at handing in the minimum, then screaming when
the grade is mediocre or failing. He has a hundred excuses, all of them
convincing. I am certain he believes I am a pushover, allowing him to get
away with poor work the first time, then receiving the option to re-do and
improve the low grade.
Has he caught on to the method behind my madness yet? Yes, madness, because
I am at least doubling my work by accepting and grading an assignment more
than once. Does he realize that for all his procrastination and sloppy work
and not following directions initially, he still ends up doing the work?
Does he realize that what I really care about is the fact that he EARNED
an A or B, instead of a D or F? That grade, based on the given rubric, tells
me that he did the work, that he mastered the material.
Am I harming him for life by not teaching him responsibility? In the real
world, deadlines exist. In the real world he may well have a boss who expects
excellence the first time. Am I harming him? My answer as a new and undoubtedly
naïve teacher is, I don't think so.
My students are 13 and 14 years old. Many of them just don't have the maturity
yet to understand the ramifications of responsibility and what the "real
world" expects. I am happy if I can just get them to learn the material.
Maturity and responsibility will develop without me having to hand out D's
and F's routinely.
I feel sure there are better ways to handle this issue, but for now, with
my beginner level knowledge, I will continue with this method and try to
ensure that my students are learning the material, if not the responsibility
they also need.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey responded to Joanne's diary entry.
I too am a newer less experienced teacher. I have been teaching for
4 years.
I often ponder many of the same questions as in your Diary entry #17. My
students are 4th graders (9-10 years old) and I allow for the late work
& for students to improve and improve their work until they can apply
the skills in a final quality product. I believe that it is my responsibility
to guide and facilitate the learning of my students.
If I accept mediocre work resulting in D's or F's what type of message is
that sending to our kids??? What type of message does that say about my
"teaching?" Colleagues often blast me because it appears that
my students are not learning responsibility, time management, and that they
are receiving inflated grades (because not everyone can receive A's and/or
B's).
I feel that I build a stronger, longer lasting relationship with my students
as we work together when learning new strategies for skills and/or concepts.
With that relationship my students feel comfortable letting me know, instead
of giving me an excuse, that they need more time on the project/assignment/skill
(now I realize that there is a big difference from innocent, naive elementary
students and your middle school students.) Like you maybe in 10 p; 15
years when our first group of students are in the real world they may answer
some of our questions for us. Until then?
-Jeffrey
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Naomi offered a comment based on Joanne's diary:
This has always been a dilemma for me. Do we accept work that is late?
Do we modify assignments? Do we allow alternative assignments?
Most people would probably say that I went overboard in the flexibility
I gave students. I always have figured that for every assignment I have
given, different teachers might have given a few hundred different ones.
Who am I to decide that the assignment I have given, with my timeframe,
is the only thing a student is to be judged by. What is important is that
a student be academically prepared to move on and be given every opportunity
and way to show it.
Naomi
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Dickinson provided some thought-provoking insights on the topic of
re-dos in middle school.
I've got a comment about re-dos and related issues from outside of teaching
and outside of middle schools. When I was Editor of the Middle School Journal,
I learned several things again as an editor that I knew as a teacher. One
was that authors had lives; that deadlines weren't inscribed in stone, high
on some mountaintop; that commentary given in the right manner and couched
in the right terms could provoke an author to even better work the second,
third, and even forth time around.
I had the privilege to work with some of the finest authors in the middle
school arena--people like James Beane, Chris Stevenson, Daniel Kain, Tom
Erb--and they all profited from advice, observations, commentary, recommendations
to go one direction and not another, to expand here and eliminate there,
to reconsider and rewrite. What eventually got published in MSJ was always
better, stronger, deeper, and richer.
If this works for adults--if the emphasis is on creating the very best possible
that one can--is it that far away from what we want our children to do?
Or is the problem, our problem overall in K-16 teaching, that we're trying
to do so much, cover so much, cram so much, that we loose the essence of
what we are about?
I know there are probably individuals on the list who want to throw up their
hands over their Gutenberg Bible-sized curriculum guides and yell, "Do
you see what I have to cover? Get real! Go back to your college classroom,
Tom."
But the question still remains: are we trying to do so much that we end
up not paying attention to exactly what we are doing with kids in those
fleeting moments we have with them? And do we end up with unintended outcomes
counter to our fundamental mission?
My people (excuse me, but like John, I'm Southern) worked in the Newport
News Shipyard in Virginia. The main entrance to the Yard had a quote from
the founder, Colis P. Huntington:
Here we build good ships.
At a profit if we can.
At a loss if we must.
But always good ships.
-Tom
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill carried on with Tom's thoughts concerning the value of re-dos in
the spectrum of learning.
On the first question concerning re-dos - goodness gracious, I certainly
hope it is exactly what we want our children to do. We have an English teacher
who, by taking her 6th grade class carefully through draft after draft,
helped them create poetry which was more powerful than many of the poetry
contest winners at my (now part time) high school, where the poetry program
is considered to be quite strong. The principle here can apply to any subject
and any learning.
I would absolutely agree that there is a huge risk we get so caught up in
the content of what we are trying to do that we forget that we are really
trying to educate "the whole child." Over the past 19 years, I
have seen some teachers complain repeatedly and bitterly about field trips
which take kids out of their classroom for a day, as if 40 less minutes
of literary discussion or grammar exercises or solving for x will hurt the
kids irreparably when contrasted to what they get out of the other experience.
Fortunately, I have an Upper School Head who is extremely supportive both
of helping kids achieve the highest possible standards and of making sure
we are educating the whole child. Recently, I have been struggling to keep
the school's rock band together in the face of mounting conflicts with other
electives and school needs; I believe they have built up a tradition of
quality that deserves to be preserved and passed on to future students.
This wonderful man is actually dreaming up creative ways to borrow time
for us to work regularly without killing other classes by finding a way
to spread out periodic days off from all their different classes (not just
one) and even covering my French classes when I need to be with the rock
band, a degree of flexibility in scheduling I wouldn't have dared hope for
from some of the other academic leaders under whom I have worked.
Moreover, he is supporting me as I teach my advisees to be reflective about
their academic and social lives and goals in the school community, allowing
me to begin doing student-led conferences even though that is not official
school policy. I find there are quality people like this at any school I
know at all well, but believe it is extra important to have someone like
that as an administrator.
- Bill
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Joanne responded to Tom, Jeffrey and Bill.
Like Bill Ivey, oh, yes, goodness gracious, yes. Let us be about helping
our students create the very best possible that they can.
It is heartening for me to hear others agree with this... Tom, Jeffrey,
Bill, and others. I am not sure how to deal with the Gutenberg Bible-sized
curriculum, but certainly I want to opt for excellence over full coverage.
I believe Tom has "hit the nail on the head" with his second comment
above. We do get so involved with covering the curriculum that we lose the
whole point of our goal - the education of the child. What kind of growth
does a D or F reflect? None. Zero. Just like the grade. And there aren't
many things sadder than that in a classroom. I know. I have several students
I can't seem to reach. Students who are just marking time, not doing any
work, quietly accepting the F's, in spite of conferences, interventions,
etc.
The puzzles/challenges never end, do they?
-Joanne
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Michelle Pedigo finished off this though-provoking string by pointing
out the need for flexibility when dealing with studentsand even adults!
Regarding the re-do's. I haven't read all the posts, so someone may
have already said this. However, I would tactfully ask, "As adults,
are we allowed to redo work on the job that does not always hit the mark
with our bosses?" Most often, the case is yes.
I know the management of this can become a nightmare, but if we stay grounded
in this, and trying to help the child achieve "the best he can"
as someone said, we will make the right decisions.
-Michelle
=========================================
AS CONVERSATIONS OFTEN DO at the MiddleWeb Listserv, this chat found a second
life a couple of weeks later. Here's what was said:
Scott wrote:
How many of you allow your students to redo graded work to improve their
score?
Do you average the grades? Do you have a limit as to how often this can
happen? Do you only allow it for certain types of grades? When do students
make up the work? (example a test needs to be done in your presence...)
How about homework that you have returned to everyone? ...and a 100 other
related questions that I can't think of.
I am sitting on the fence on this issue. Part of me says that we would like
more mastery and that allowing work to be done again, we are more likely
to get it. Another part of me says they should have put a bit more effort
into the first time...allowing them to make up a bad grade reinforces that
their actions (or inactions) don't have consequences.
Can you help push me over the fence? (Please, the greenest side if you don't
mind) :o)
Scott Havice Fremont Middle School
-----------------------------------------
Scott-
My policy is that if they want to redo work it needs to be within a week
and the students have to make time to come in and grade the redone work
with me. It is amazing how many students won't come in early or stay late
to grade a redone assignment. Those who do appreciate my time and also get
a little extra help if they haven't mastered a skill.
Selena
----------------------------------------
Anne Jolly wrote:
I'll jump in here with a twist on "allowing" students to redo
homework. I decided that I'd had enough of sloppy homework, and particularly
on one assignment where the students were to turn in a report. I told students
that they had a good start on the report, and now they were going to do
it again. I showed them (again) how to design the report (unlined paper,
typed or in ink, use white space, balance diagrams and text, etc.) and told
them that their first page had to follow all of those. I handed out the
list of the original expectations (content requirements, spelling and grammar,
neatness, etc.) I told them that they would all make 100 on this report
because they would do and redo it until it was correctly done.Well, most
of the students were appalled. They had already "done" this and
didn't want to redo it. I insisted that until it met specs, it was a zero.
(Incidentally, the reason for the emphasis on balance, white space, etc.
is because one of the basic skills many will need when the go into the workforce
is the ability to prepare a decent report, resume, whatever. It has to look
professional as well as be written professionally. They need to take pride
in what their work looks like. With computers, the "sloppy" writers
no longer have an excuse.)
So, the students turned it in again two days later. I accepted about a dozen.
The rest I handed back with notes on what still needed improvement. They
groaned and whined and pleaded, and I insisted they do it right. I finally
got all of the reports turned in (out of 156) correctly except for six.
I think the concept of "mastery" should be applied once in awhile
and kids should not be allowed to turn in less-than-good work. On the other
hand, if you're trying to build a sense of responsibility in terms of having
work done on time (another important habit for the workforce), then make
that expectation clear and don't accept it late.
If kids want to redo homework for a better grade, it might be a good idea
to offer all students that opportunity openly rather than letting one or
two do it on the quiet. And - give the homework a different twist - something
to make it a more in-depth assignment the second time around. That way they
will either redo it and learn more than ever, or they will quit bothering
you about it!
Anne
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cathy responded:
Thanks, Anne, for your comments to Scott. I also handed back reports today
to all my students when the first five I read were too awful to grade (and
those were from the students I thought would do a good job). I gave them
a copy of the rubric and told them to grade their own papers. Until they
believed that they had at least a B, I didn't want to see those papers again.
I'm really tired of getting sloppy work.
Cathy
-----------------------------------------------
Ann, a recently appointed assistant principal, wrote:
I think the art ( and I mean art) of re-doing work is one of the aspects
of middle school that should be the centerpiece of a middle school curriculum.
I guarantee that middle school age students (particularily the youngest
and the most disaffected) really really do not get the link between doing
work carefully and increased levels of comfort (dare I say engagement too)
with a subject.
In simple terms re-doing work can be a concrete forum for metacognition
ie thinking about thinking.
That being said however, a teacher needs to set clear criteria for the re-doing
of work, what students should look for when re-doing work, when re-dos are
due and how and when the teacher/school/family can support those students
who are re-doing work.
LIke all skills, students need to learn what to look for when re-doing work.
I do not believe in negative consequences. (eg: the best you can get is
a "B" on a re-do) However, I do believe in keeping the re-do to
certian standards. Eg: "Johnny, if you re-do your book report it must
contain the following.... and you must meet with me whne you start it so
that we agree that you can identify what went wrong...."
Also, so the teacher does not suffer from paper overload, I believe in having
time limits on re-dos. Like many things in life, it is amazing what students,
teachers and families learn about oneself and the the craft of being a good
student from talking about work that needs to be re-done.
Ann
-----------------------------------------------------
Michelle chimed in again:
Thanks to all the people who responded regarding re-doing student work.
Just a tidbit I would add is that when we use scoring guides and/or rubrics
with the assignment, we automatically lay the foundation for students understanding
the expectation without the teacher having to create that expectation for
the re-doing of the work.
Michelle
------------------------------------------------------
Brenda shared a personal experience and wondered what the statute of limitations
on re-do's ought to be:
I've spent a lot oftime thinking and even writing about reworks but today
I had something happen in my Grade 6 son's classroom that has caused me
to think about reworks again and in a way I haven't before.
John (my son) and his class did a novel study last fall (from October to
late November). Apparently the students had to hand the completed work in
at the end of Novemeber. Last week John came home and told me that his teacher
told him that he didn't hand all the novel studyy in and he would have to
find it or redo the work. Today he brought home two worksheets from the
novel study that he hadn't done well on and he was supposed to do corrections
on them. This is 2-3 months after the fact.
What do you think of this way of approching redos? I am contemplating the
effectiveness and whether we have the right to let kids know months later
that we don't have what we asked them to hand in. As you can imagine, the
likelyhood of John finding the material is nil. Did I mention its report
card time for this teacher...
What do you think? Should redos have a "Shelf-Life"?
Brenda
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Joanne responded to Brenda's query:
Yes, Brenda, re-do's must have a shelf life. This teacher is totally off
base. As a parent myself, I would confront this teacher and politely tell
her she is nuts. Then I would tell my child that I support her, whatever
grade she ends up getting. This is a lesson to our children that not all
teachers are as good as they should be. We are all human, though, so these
things are bound to happen. Then keep a huge binder/folder/drawer at home
into which all work for this teacher is kept for the rest of the year.
As a teacher, I tell my students to keep their work until they see a grade
printout (approximately every 2-3 weeks) showing that their work is recorded,
and recorded correctly. I make mistakes, and that way they can prove to
me that I made the mistake. I am thrilled to correct them and raise the
grade.
Joanne Payling
-------------------------------------------------------------
Math teacher Karen Cole wrote:
Regarding re-doing work, I allow (and sometimes require) my 6th and 7th
graders to do corrections on tests (I teach math) for half credit. ALL work
must be shown. In this way, even if they copy from someone they may still
be learning. 8th graders get half credit for the first trimester, 1/4 credit
for the second and none for the third.
I give homework quizzes one day a week, (I choose representative problems
assigned - about 25-50% of total) and if the student is in school they are
required to take it. (I do take questions before the quiz). No re-do on
homework! No late homework! This allows me to really give feedback on homework
and see what my students are understanding. I also give out all of the answers
(with no work) a few days before the quiz so that students can check to
see if they are correct. All of this has really improved my hw completion
rates!
Regarding grading, I use a simple point system. Quizzes (including hw quizzes),
tests, projects are all assigned points and I add them up and find the ratio
of points earned to points possible. Weekly quizzes (given after hw quizzes)
and hw quizzes are usually about 15-20 points, unit tests and projects about
60-80 points. It is the best system that I have found (so far).
Karen Cole Epstein
Hebrew Academy
St.Louis MO
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Naomi sent a comment and web link:
I thought that this was a good addition to our ongoing homework discussion.
Naomi
SACRED COW:
SHOULD WE GET RID OF HOMEWORK?
Ron Wolk reports that as student, father, and grandfather, he has found
homework to be a practice that distracts kids from more important pursuits,
wastes the time of all involved, and turns too many evenings into fractious
encounters between parents and their children. In the absence of truly constructive
homework, he writes that kids should be playing games, reading for pleasure,
hanging out with friends, practicing the guitar, helping little old ladies
cross the street, and doing other activities they don't perform in school.
Mr. Wolk is the founder of Education Week and a Public Education Network
board member.
http://www.teachermagazine.org/tm/tmstory.cfm?slug=06persp.h13
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Brenda shared something she found on the Web:
I saw these comments from, principal, Howard Pitler on an Admin Listserv.
They too were discussing "homework". I thought his comments on
the quantitative implications of properly addressed homework procedures
were interesting-
Brenda
Here they are:
"Check out the work of Robert Marzano from McRel. In his book, "Classroom Instruction that Works" he presents a meta-analysis of the research on effective practice. In the area of homework, if you assign homework and provide no grade or feedback the effect size is .28. In plain language, basically no effect on student achievement. If you grade the homework and return it to the student the next day, there is a .77 effect size. If you also provide written feedback, the effect size is over .8. The research is clear. If you assign homework - grade it and provide feedback. Our other option is to avoid the research and continue doing what we have always done.
- Howard Pitler