Good Homework

This is what good homework looks like:

Reading. But- and this is a biggie- I am talking about reading without having to keep track of time or, even worse, pages read. Want to turn reading into a chore? Make a student have to keep track of it or do something every time they pick up a book like write in a journal.

Anyway, good homework...

Brings families closer together.No, I do not mean long, boring, time-intensive projects and reports that destroy family time and prevent parents from having a life of their own. I'm talking about homework that gets families talking, reminiscing, learning about each other- all of this without disrupting and disturbing family life.

Can be done independently (mostly!) Of course a student might need help or have a question once in awhile; the problem occurs when they need constant help with their homework. Homework should be an independent activity for students. Once they are in middle and high school, they can study with some friends. (You might want to look in the room and make certain they are actually doing homework and studying!)

Engages students. Have you ever seen a student truly engaged in a book, assignment or project? It's beautiful. The "right" kind of homework is interesting to students, and they want to do it.

Occurs spontaneously. Once in a while, the class will go off on a tangent or the teacher wants to take learning in a new direction. Right then, s/he assigns a homework assignment. After a discussion with my 3rd grade class about politics, I assigned watching a debate on TV that night. (They only had to watch a few minutes!)

Is individualized. Some students need more; some students need less. Some classes are ready; some classes are not. Why do we feel that every student and every class receive the same homework? Good homework meets individual needs.

Created by the teacher. Teachers have enough to do, and I hate to add another thing to the list. But, teachers know what their students need, what their students are interested in, and what homework best addresses all of that. Getting a homework assignment out of a book can never be as personalized or powerful as one created by the teacher!

Motivated by students. You have to trust that this is true: students actually ask for homework! And, sometimes they go home and read and study on their very own. This only happens when they are engaged, curious and have enough "free" time.

More Homework Peace?