I'm curious as to what other teachers do about homework. It seems to take an inordinate amount of time to deal with (and I've tried quite a variety of approaches). I've tried the weekly packet, but didn't feel it addressed problems early enough. What's working for you out there?

We have a homework system that works fairly well but haven't finished writing a description for a download yet. Basic idea is that homework is checked each day by student homework captains (about 1 for every four students.) If the work is completed, students get a checkmark in their homework log. The entire packet is turned in at the end of the week. If students have done all their homework, they get to pull a wibbit (for WBT ... get it?) out of a jar. The wibbits give them free, no cost privileges ... like sitting at the teacher's desk for 15 minutes, or sitting by a friend for the same amount of time, or being first in line at recess, or getting to help the teacher pass out papers, our having a snack with the teacher, etc. Just think up a bunch of privileges that cost you nothing and that kids will appreciate. If they are lucky enough to pull a Golden Wibbit, they get to pull two privileges from the jar!

We won't have the full download done for some time ... but we are just about finished with a new, completely revised guide to WBT for K-6 teachers. This one will be a doozy ... looks like we'll even have a paper copy available!

Yes, I agree homework can be a "pain" but thr review is so worthwhile. My emphasis has always been that it be turned in on time, completed neatly, with a certain amount of accuracy. Any homework that is way off track needs some remediation but generally I assign a checkmark for satisfactory work.

Biff, I look forward to seeing your approach to the homework dilemma.

I have the children check their own homework. With math for example, we grade the homework page together right before I teach them a new skill. That way I can use it as a review as well as an indicator for who is still not understanding the skill. I felt that if I waited until the end of the week to check it the struggling students would already be too far behind.

Along with checking the homework, I too give points or tally marks, if you will, to the students who did their homework and if everyone at their table has a homework check, they get a point. At the end of the week, the table who has earned the most points can be the "lunch bunch" who eats with me in the classroom on Friday.

Good luck and I can't wait to see what Mr. Biffle and his team come up with for this!

I send home weekly packets to encourage practice of content that I have taught in class. I do not give a grade for homework, I give points for turning it in on time and complete. I choose not to grade it as it is not an accurate depiction of what they know as most of my students have help from older siblings or parents at home. Parents like the homework packets as it helps them understand what is being taught that week and they have an opportunity to help their student with any struggles they may have.

As far as using the homework daily to see what the individual students are struggling with, I don't. I use the guided and independent practice during class to indentify the students that are struggling with concepts, then pull them into small groups during the week to reinforce the content.

Typically, each week I assign two students to be the Homework Checkers... they put a check next to each students name that turned in the completed packet. Students who turn in the packets get to participate in Fun Friday activities during the last 15-20 of the day on Friday. If students do not turn in the packets, they must use the time during Fun Friday to work on the packet.

I'm new to the forum, but got on here and saw the homework question. I give a homework assignment to my 3rd graders Monday-Thursday. They don't have homework on Fridays, except for the reading that they should be completing everyday. I have my kiddos read for 15 minutes every night, and then they have 1 page to complete that reviews a skill from that day. I have a class list on a clipboard, and each student has a homework calendar in their travel folder. I have my kid of the week go around and give a student a smiley if they have their homework complete and an x if they do not. We usually spend about 5 minutes going over the homework before the subject that it belongs with. At the end of the month, if they have completed their homework everyday, we have HOT (Homework on Time) club. When the weather is nice, we might go outside and complete some type of fun learning activity. I've also let my kiddos have a 15 minute game break or music break, where I play music for them and they can visit. Occassionally we'll watch a movie at the end of the month...if everyone has completed all their homework for the entire month. These are just a few ideas and they really don't take long either. I'm excited to see Chris's homework system and try out the wibbits though. I think that would be very beneficial and easy to implement in my room!

Is homework really important?
How can teachers be certain that homework meets needs of individual learners? And if students already have mastered content, do they need more practice? Also if students have misunderstandings and carry them to their practice, does that further confuse them?
I have a theory that may be unpopular...I believe it is the parents' job to parent and the teacher's job to educate?
Seriously, I need to spend my time teaching, not planning for, creating, going over/grading, and keeping data on homework. Is it just me?

I can totally see where you are coming from, however I never grade homework.

It takes us maybe 5-10 minutes to go over a homework assignment the following day and it should only take them about 10 minutes to complete it at home. Of course, I also ask that they read something for 15 minutes nightly, just to keep them reading. I don't assign them anything in particular to read though. I do feel that even if students have mastered content, that it doesn't hurt them to have a refresher every now and then. I know in my classroom, I don't teach something once, check for mastery, and then never mention it again. For example, when I teach a shared reading lesson, we'll review author, illustrator, text features, etc. on a daily basis. We may be talking about cause and effect that week, but we will still identify contractions as we read, or any number of other skills. It doesn't take a long time to revisit previously taught skills and I feel it's always good to keep reminding them with a quick refresher using gestures. I can tie many skills into my shared reading lesson or any other lesson I am teaching.

Back to homework though, I never give them something that hasn't been taught and I don't feel they have a firm grasp on because I don't want them to learn it wrong. Research has proven that it takes more time to unlearn something that was learned incorrectly than it takes to learn it correctly the first time. It also doesn't take me long at all to check to see if homework is finished, because I have student leaders that will take my clipboard and check to see if it is complete and mark the students' homework calendars. My kids look forward to having their homework checked and answering the questions when we go over it. Plus, it's a great motivator for the scoreboard as well. If they beat me in the scoreboard, I can always say, "Tonight you only have to do the odd numbered problems." They love that!

I hope this helps some.

I am trying the Universal Homework Model this year in my classroom. (We call it Homework Olympics with a bronze, silver, and gold level). Each level builds in requirements, and points earned for the class. The points accumulate daily towards Friday's Mind Soccer Minutes. Check out the Tuesday video archive for a great explantation on the Universal Homework Model. It is working really well- as a class we have hit gold every week except the first one!