Points for Peanuts – Evaluating Homework Nancy’s notes on session by Bonnie Greer - Ohio

I went to this session because I have been revising my own view of homework and its purpose.

Students copy homework – she no longer gives completion grades.

Reasons to give homework: Students investigate on their own Build and work as a team Practice what they are learning

Method 1 Workbook or Worksheets –. Boring Method 1 Workbook or Worksheets – Boring!! Not communicative Easy to copy Not differentiated Waste of class time to go over it No meaningful outcome

Nancy says – drill is important – can’t skip this step and expect students to be able to use the concept Do this part in class in small doses

Method 2 Quia Students get immediate feedback Individual work fun practice

Method 3 Journals •Write half a page each day M – Th, on Fri hand in 2 pages •Easily accessed – composition notebook •Differentiated – could be write vocab or write a story •Relates directly to text •Can be communicative •No wasted class time •Adjust amount if no school

Nancy: We have to make homework more meaningful and interesting Nancy: We have to make homework more meaningful and interesting. By explaining the purpose of the assignment, we will get more student buy-in. Drill and guided practice during class, fewer and more communicative assignments for home.

Nancy: At the beginning of the school year, I give the students an information sheet to fill out with lots of questions about what they like, etc. I always ask if they have Internet access at home. A surprising number of them do! I make a note of the ones who don’t, and I make paper copies for them to take.