Homework+&+Practice

Read and Reflect
How do you currently apply this strategy with or without technology?

Homework is something that I have wrestled with both as a teacher, administrator, and parent. The research read helped to clarify understanding and focus it as a strategy for increasing understanding. One thing that I found particularly helpful was the delineation of the four types of homework. Understanding the types of homework helps to match the right type and level to the goal and make it meaningful to students. Too frequently students (and parents) do not see the purpose of the homework assignment. There should be consequences for homework completion and noncompletion. However, homework is for practice and there should not be consequences if a student does not complete it correctly. This can be avoided if homework is assigned at a student's instructional level - therefore assignments will have to be differentiated. Timely feedback also is essential - particularly with instructive comments and opportunities for clarification. As an elementary teacher, homework was due on certain days of the week and students always had more that one day to complete. This was communicated to parents at the beginning of the school year. This worked well as it allowed planning to accommodate busy schedules on certain days. I also used incentives for students that completed homework on schedule. Homework and practice can increase student learning. Therefore, it's important to have clear and consistent school p olicies regarding homework and for teachers, students, and parents to be knowledgable of the research related to homework and practice.
 * 1) Memorization of basic rules, algorithms, or laws so the skill becomes rote.
 * 2) Increase in skill speed, used for improving students' abilities to apply these skills in more complex problem solving.
 * 3) Deepening understanding of a concept—providing students time to read further, elaborating on a new idea and expanding their understanding.
 * 4) Preparation for the following day's learning, such as an advance organizer or cue to increase readiness for new information.

Apply and Reflect
Provide evidence of the tool that you learned. Quizlet has many classroom applications. Teachers can certainly develop flashcards for students to review, but even better is for students to develop their own to use or share. For vocabulary, I did find it more appropriate for upper elementary. The typing and spelling could be problematic for younger students. For some, it would be helpful to have a word bank. Speed during Space Race could be a challenge for some, too. I did like the new applications to My son always makes flashcards, so I mentioned this site to him. He tried it out and found it fairly useful as a study tool. I also appreciated the fact that there are no longer notecards laying all around the house. I made a practice set of geometry terms for third grade.[|Geometry Terms]