Do you assign your students homework? If yes, how much? And do they actually do it?
Please answer in as much detail as you think will be useful. Looking ahead to the fall, when I’ll actually be in charge of my own classroom, I’m wondering what’s a realistic expectation for student homework. I’m thinking TFA’s “high expectation” rhetoric will result in my students getting an hour of homework from my class every night–which is great, if they actually do it. Right now I’m teaching in a high-performing school in the suburbs and it’s still difficult to get students to do their homework. What’s the best way to implement a homework plan in your classroom? Any ideas or suggestions? I’ve had tons of jaded teachers tell me to “just not assign it” and I remember a few classes in high school where I never got homework. This does seem wrong to me. So if I’m going to have some homework, what’s the best way to do it? On the other hand, if I send students home with a big assignment and they all come in the next day saying they “lost it” or “forgot” do I fail them all?
Also, I read recently in my literacy class that assigning homework doesn’t always lead to student learning anyway. i.e. if the kid isn’t getting it in class, he’s not going to get it at home. If you’re not teaching it right, there’s no point in assigning homework anyway. And if you are teaching the material and the kids are understanding, homework is usually not a good tool for reinforcement–it’s basically just a waste of time and becomes a “busywork” grade. I guess that all depends on what kind of homework you’re actually assigning, but still, it does make sense in a way.