Quality – Not Quantity
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . .
The word homework makes me cringe. I think back to the countless hours my now grown daughter and I spent at the kitchen table – more concerned about completing the seemingly endless assignments than actually learning from them. She survived, but my heart breaks as I hear other parents discuss this same scenario. Sadly, homework frustrates children, parents, and teachers alike. These assignments should inspire student learning and be a positive connection between school and home, but research shows there is little connection between mountains of homework and student achievement. As a new year begins, let’s reassess how homework is handled and turn the frustration into quality learning.
The amount of time spent on homework is not as important as the quality of the assignment. So, what are some qualities that can make an assignment time well spent?
- Meaningful Assignments – Homework assignments should extend the learning that is taking place in the classroom. The task should have meaning to the student and provide an opportunity for the child to practice and extend growing skills.
- Purposeful and Relevant Assignments – The tasks should have a genuine purpose and reflect students’ interests. The assignment should be relevant to the real world, so students understand why they have been tasked with it.
- Open-Ended and Allowing for the Diversity of the Learner – Assignments need to be designed to meet the individual needs of students. Tasks that are open-ended allow students to find ways to solve problems that meet their learning styles and can support or challenge their learning.
- Opportunities to Manage Time – Assignments that allow flexibility and are given with an extended time period for completion allow students to manage their time. If assignments are given on Monday and are due the following Friday, students can schedule the time they will spend completing an assigned task along with their weekly soccer game or gymnastics practice.
- Allow for Student Choices – Quality assignments can come with rubrics that make sure the guidelines for learning are met, but can also allow for students to choose ways to demonstrate their knowledge. Everyone does not have to show what they know in the same way. Students can then come back to class and share the many ways they solved problems or share the knowledge gained through the assignment with each other.
- Clear Expectations – Students should know the expectations before they start the assignment. Rubrics and task outlines are great tools for explaining exactly what a completed quality homework project will look like, so there are few (if any) questions once students get home.
- Collaborative or Individual Flexibility- Assignments can allow for family participation, team work, or be individual in nature. Making homework a fun time to work together can make it more meaningful for some – while others like to work on their own. Children can interview family and friends and ask for strategies from others before choosing a method for solving a problem or completing a task.
- Evaluated for Understanding – Homework should be evaluated for the growing understanding of the student. Quality assignments will also give parents a snapshot of the learning that is taking place at school. Teachers can assess the completed tasks and see if concepts were understood or need to be re-taught or extended.
Homework does not need to be time intensive to make a difference in student learning. Assignments can be meaningful, hands-on, creative, and time effective. The answer to the homework dilemma is not more homework or less homework, but better designed homework – the kind that truly expands our students’ thinking and is worthy of their time. Quality – not quantity makes the difference.
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” – Maya Angelou