More often than not, students have a hard time catching up the work they miss when they are not in class. Whether they are sick, have a doctor appointment, go hunting or fishing, or just decide to lay out of school to play the latest video game when it comes out on the market, they will be hard-pressed to learn what was taught. English class is an experiential adventure, so absenteeism puts gaps in students' learning.
I don't like to give homework. Period. Even when students remember they have homework, few put the time and effort in to make it meaningful. Therefore, I came up with a pretty good trade-off. When students pay attention in class there is little to no homework. Students are given enough time to finish an assignment or activity in class. RARELY is it necessary for someone to take something home. While there are many reasons why I could send homework with students, I find that other classes are heavy in assignments, and the quality of what I get back suffers. In exchange for little to no homework, my students have to agree to read at least one book during a grading period. They have to have a project that is related to the book so that other students will want to read it after they hear you tell about it. That is a fair trade.
Not liking to give homework or giving it rarely does NOT mean I don't have a homework policy. I do. And where it used to be a single paragraph that had a three sentence statement that was clear about no tolerance and zero grades being handed down, I have changed. Because I believe in mastery of concepts in a standard rather than learning something on a specific day at a certain time--or not, I have adopted a revisit and redo policy. Kids have to do assignments over and over again until they meet spec. After a while, I get good work the first time because kids learn that it's easier than having me assign it over and over again. Most students can earn As that way--if they master the concept during a grading period. I won't get into all the reasons why teachers don't approve. I'm sure there are great reasons to not use this practice, but I believe it helps kids achieve.
So, what does my homework policy look like? It's a "What-ifs" response to the most popular reasons why kids don't have their homework done. It will seem silly to seasoned teachers, but I have found that stating the obvious is helpful to seventh-graders (and their parents). The policy has a place for students and parents to sign that they understand my expectations and the ultimate consequences of not doing homework. It works. For me and my students, at least.
Write your own homework policy. When you have it the way you like it, make sure you put a copy in your teacher evaluation box or notebook. Doing so will help your evaluators see that you think ahead and communicate your intentions with students and parents.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions about the document. It takes some getting used to, and it's rough on a strong teacher in the beginning, but when kids are slacking off in other classes, they are still performing well for you--at least until they finish that standardized test at the end of the year!
I don't like to give homework. Period. Even when students remember they have homework, few put the time and effort in to make it meaningful. Therefore, I came up with a pretty good trade-off. When students pay attention in class there is little to no homework. Students are given enough time to finish an assignment or activity in class. RARELY is it necessary for someone to take something home. While there are many reasons why I could send homework with students, I find that other classes are heavy in assignments, and the quality of what I get back suffers. In exchange for little to no homework, my students have to agree to read at least one book during a grading period. They have to have a project that is related to the book so that other students will want to read it after they hear you tell about it. That is a fair trade.
Not liking to give homework or giving it rarely does NOT mean I don't have a homework policy. I do. And where it used to be a single paragraph that had a three sentence statement that was clear about no tolerance and zero grades being handed down, I have changed. Because I believe in mastery of concepts in a standard rather than learning something on a specific day at a certain time--or not, I have adopted a revisit and redo policy. Kids have to do assignments over and over again until they meet spec. After a while, I get good work the first time because kids learn that it's easier than having me assign it over and over again. Most students can earn As that way--if they master the concept during a grading period. I won't get into all the reasons why teachers don't approve. I'm sure there are great reasons to not use this practice, but I believe it helps kids achieve.
So, what does my homework policy look like? It's a "What-ifs" response to the most popular reasons why kids don't have their homework done. It will seem silly to seasoned teachers, but I have found that stating the obvious is helpful to seventh-graders (and their parents). The policy has a place for students and parents to sign that they understand my expectations and the ultimate consequences of not doing homework. It works. For me and my students, at least.
Write your own homework policy. When you have it the way you like it, make sure you put a copy in your teacher evaluation box or notebook. Doing so will help your evaluators see that you think ahead and communicate your intentions with students and parents.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions about the document. It takes some getting used to, and it's rough on a strong teacher in the beginning, but when kids are slacking off in other classes, they are still performing well for you--at least until they finish that standardized test at the end of the year!