1. PRESENTED BY ED GARRISON
“ISSUES CONCERNING CLASS PARTICIPATION AND HOMEWORK” NORTH BERGEN HIGH SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
PRESENTED BY ED GARRISON

2. CLASS PARTICIPATION

4. KEY QUESTIONS CONCERNING CLASS PARTICPATION:
Why do I want students to participate in class discussions?
What class participation behaviors contribute to others’ learning?
How can participation be graded?

5. REASONS TEACHERS HAVE TROUBLE GRADING CLASS PARTICIPATION:
TEACHERS GENERALLY DO NOT PROVIDE INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO IMPROVE PARTICIPATON
INTERPRETATION OF STUDENT BEHAVIOR IS DIFFICULT AND SUBJECTIVE
PARTICIPATION OFTEN DEPENDS ON STUDENT’S PERSONALITY THUS DISADVANTAGING SHY OR INTROVERTED STUDENTS
RECORD-KEEPING IS PROBLEMATIC: PARTICIPATION SCORES FOR A GIVEN INDIVIDUAL ARE HARD TO JUSTIFY IF CHALLENGED
(BEAN AND PETERSON, “GRADING CLASS PARTICIPATION”)

6. REASONS FOR GRADING CLASS PARTICIPATION:
SEND POSITIVE SIGNALS TO STUDENTS ABOUT THE KIND OF LEARNING AND THINKING A TEACHER VALUES, SUCH AS GROWTH IN CRITICAL THINKING, ACTIVE LEARNING, DEVELOPMENT OF LISTENING AND SPEAKING SKILLS NEEDED FOR CAREER SUCCESS, AND THE ABILITY TO JOIN A DISCIPLINE’S CONVERSATION
RESEARCH REVEALS THAT STUDENTS WITH A HIGH GRADE ORIENTATION VALUE ONLY THOSE PORTIONS OF A CLASS THAT ARE VISIBLY GRADED
WHEN STUDENTS SEE THAT THEIR PARTICIPATION IS BEING GRADED REGULARLY AND CONSISTENTLY, THEY ADJUST THEIR STUDY HABITS ACCORDINGLY TO BE PREPARED FOR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
(BEAN AND PETERSON, “GRADING CLASS PARTICIPATION”)

7. MODES OF CLASS PARTICIPATION
OPEN OR WHOLE-CLASS DISCUSSION
(TEACHER POSES QUESTIONS AIMED AT DRAWING ALL CLASS MEMBERS INTO CONVERSATION)
“THINK-ON-YOUR-FEET SOCRATIC EXAMINATION”OR “COLD-CALLING” MODE
(TEACHER POSES A QUESTION AND THEN CALLS ON STUDENTS AT RANDOM TO FORMULATE THEIR ANSWERS)
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
(STUDENTS WORK IN SMALL GROUPS TOWARD A CONSENSUS SOLUTION OF PROBLEMS DESIGNED BY THE TEACHER AND THEN REPORT THEIR SOLUTIONS IN A FULL SESSION)
(BEAN AND PETERSON, “GRADING CLASS PARTICIPATION”)

8. DEVELOPING AN ASSESSMENT MEASURE
TASK ONE: ENVISION WHAT AN IDEAL CLASS SESSION WOULD LOOK LIKE
(I.E. DURING AN IDEAL WHOLE-CLASS DISCUSSION, ALL STUDENTS WOULD PARTICIPATE, AND THE DISCUSSION ITSELF WOULD REVEAL DIALOGIC INQUIRY CHARACTERIZED BY EMPATHIC LISTENING TO OTHER STUDENTS’ VIEWS AS WELL AS REASONABLY HIGH LEVELS OF CRITICAL THINKING)
TASK TWO: AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, THE TEACHER SHOULD “NEGOTIATE” WITH STUDENTS THE CRITERIA FOR SUCCESSFUL CLASS PARTICIPATION
TASK THREE: THE TEACHER SHOULD RECORD STUDENT RESPONSES ON THE BOARD AND ADD HIS/HER OWN CRITERIA TO THE LIST
TASK FOUR: ONCE MASTER LIST OF TRAITS AND FEATURES IS DECIDED UPON, THE TEACHER CAN CREATE A HOLISTIC RUBRIC FOR ASSESSING CLASS PARTICIPATION.
(BEAN AND PETERSON, “GRADING CLASS PARTICIPATION”)

9. CLASS PARTICIPATION RUBRIC (FROM TEACHNOLOGY.COM)

10. ATTENDANCE/PROMPTNESS
4=Student is always prompt and regularly attends class.
3=Student is late to class once every two weeks and regularly attends classes.
2=Student is late more than once every two weeks and regularly attends classes.
1=Student is late to class more than once a week and/or has poor attendance of classes.

11. LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT IN CLASS
4=Student proactively contributes to class by offering ideas and asking questions more than once per class.
3=Student proactively contributes to class by offering ideas and asking questions once per class.
2=Student rarely contributes to class by offering ideas and asking questions.
1=Student never contributes to class by offering ideas and asking questions.

12. LISTENING SKILLS
4=Student listens when others talk, both in groups and in class. Student incorporates or builds off of the ideas of others.
3=Student listens when others talk, both in groups and in class.
2=Student does not listen when others talk, both in groups and in class.
1=Student does not listen when others talk, both in groups and in class. Student often interrupts when others speak.

13. BEHAVIOR
4=Student almost never displays disruptive behavior during class.
3=Student rarely displays disruptive behavior during class.
2=Student occasionally displays disruptive behavior during class.
1=Student almost always displays disruptive behavior during class.

14. PREPARATION
4=Student is almost always prepared for class with assignments and required class materials.
3=Student is usually prepared for class with assignments and required class materials.
2=Student is rarely prepared for class with assignments and required class materials.
1=Student is almost never prepared for class with assignments and required class materials.

15. HOMEWORK
“I FORGOT TO DO MY HOMEWORK!”

16. KEY QUESTIONS CONCERNING HOMEWORK:
“What about the children who never do their homework? I’ve tried just about everything and nothing helps.”
“What about the students who only do part of the assignment?”
“What about the kids who don’t do it because there’s no one around who cares whether they are completing their homework assignments?”
(CHIP WOOD, “RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM NEWSLETTER”)

17. REASONS STUDENTS DO NOT COMPLETE HOMEWORK:
TEACHERS FAIL TO “TEACH” THEIR STUDENTS HOW TO DO HOMEWORK. WE TELL THEM HOW THEY ARE TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK AND WE MAY EVEN TALK ABOUT GOOD HOMEWORK HABITS. THEN, WE SEND THEM OFF TO DO IT ALONE.
STRUGGLING STUDENTS OFTEN DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO COMPLETE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS.
MOST FAMILIES IN NORTH BERGEN DO NOT MAKE EDUCATION A TOP PRIORITY.
SOMETIMES STUDENTS ARE TRULY UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO WORK AT HOME.

18. REASONS FOR ASSIGNING HOMEWORK:
TEACHERS HAVE SO MUCH MATERIAL TO COVER THAT MOST STUDENTS CAN’T COMPLETE ALL THE WORK DURING SCHOOL HOURS.
TEACHING AND LEARNING RESEARCH INDICATES THAT CHILDREN WHO SPEND MORE TIME ON REGULARLY ASSIGNED, MEANINGFUL HOMEWORK, ON AVERAGE, DO BETTER IN SCHOOL, AND THAT THE BENEFITS OF HOMEWORK INCREASE AS CHILDREN MOVE INTO THE UPPER GRADES.
“IT IS MANDATORY IN NORTH BERGEN HIGH SCHOOL TO ASSIGN HOMEWORK.” (QUOTED FROM VICE PRINCIPAL GEORGE SOLTER)

19. SOLUTIONS TO THE “HOMEWORK DILEMMA”
TAKE THE TIME TO “TEACH” HOMEWORK (IF WE REALLY WANT STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR HOMEWORK AND SUCCESSFULLY MEET THESE EXPECTATIONS, THEN WE MUST BE WILLING TO “TEACH” HOMEWORK. THIS MEANS INTRODUCING HOMEWORK SLOWLY AND INCREMENTALLY AND PROVIDING PLENTY OF TIME FOR STUDENTS TO PRACTICE THE ROUTINE UNDER OUR GUIDANCE BEFORE EXPECTING THEM TO DO IT AT HOME INDEPENDENTLY.)
TAKE A “PROACTIVE” APPROACH TO HOMEWORK EARLY IN THE SCHOOL YEAR.

20. BE FLEXIBLE AND INDIVIDUALIZE AS NEEDED. PRACTICE THE “3R’S”
BE FLEXIBLE AND INDIVIDUALIZE AS NEEDED. PRACTICE THE “3R’S”. HOMEWORK SHOULD BE:
RESPECTFUL OF THE STUDENT’S ABILITY AND DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL,
RELATED TO THE WORK OF THE CLASSROOM AND, WHERE POSSIBLE, THE INTEREST OF THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT, AND
REASONABLE IN AMOUNT AND DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY

21. DISPLAY A WILLINGNESS TO MODIFY AN ASSIGNMENT TO FIT YOUR STUDENTS’ LEARNING STYLE AND NEEDS.
INFORM PARENTS OF YOUR HOMEWORK PRACTICES IN YOUR “CLASS RULES AND EXPECTATIONS LETTER” SENT HOME AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. (THE MORE INFORMED PARENTS ARE ABOUT HOMEWORK EXPECTATIONS, THE BETTER ABLE THEY’LL BE TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN MEET THESE EXPECTATIONS.)
(CHIP WOOD, “RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM NEWSLETTER”)

22. “I SHOULD HAVE DONE MY HOMEWORK!”

23. …AND IF STUDENTS STILL FORGET OR DON’T FINISH THEIR HOMEWORK
WHAT IF A STUDENT HAS BEEN GIVEN REASONABLE, RESPECTFUL, AND RELATED HOMEWORK AND STILL HAS OCCASIONAL CREATIVE EXCUSES? THIS STUDENT NEEDS TO EXPERIENCE EQUALLY CREATIVE CONSEQUENCES THAT SEND THE MESSAGE THAT COMPLETING HOMEWORK IS A REQUIREMENT OF BEING A MEMBER OF THE CLASS.
BUT, WHAT IF NOTHING WORKS?
AFTER READING NUMEROUS ARTICLES ON TEACHER, SCHOOL, AND DISTRICT POLICIES FROM BOTH ONLINE SOURCES AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS REGARDING HOMEWORK POLICIES, THE “BOTTOM LINE” REGARDING STUDENTS WHO DO NOT COMPLETE THEIR HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS SEEMS TO BE THAT THE STUDENT RECEIVES A ZERO FOR EACH MISSING HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT IS YOUR SOLUTION?
HARSH AS IT MAY SOUND, WHAT ARE WE TEACHING OUR STUDENTS ABOUT THE “REAL WORLD” THAT THEY WILL ENCOUNTER AFTER THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL REGARDING PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY IF WE DO NOT SHOW THEM THAT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR THEIR ACTIONS?

24. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND/OR IDEAS CONCERNING CLASS PARTICIPATION AND “THE HOMEWORK DILEMMA”, PLEASE SEND THEM TO ED GARRISON, NBHS