Assign Meaningful Homework (Monday)

When considering what homework to assign, consider how meaningful the work is. When students see the purpose of a homework assignment or are interested in the topic, they are more likely to do it. When they can select the topic or apply the work to their own lives or interests, they will put more into the assignment. As often as possible, encourage students to read and write. Have students keep a journal about their reading, writing at least a paragraph about each article or chapter they read.

Create a Homework Policy (Tuesday)

Communicate your homework policy to students and their families. Decide what your homework policy will be prior to the first day of class. Will assignments be started during class and finished as homework? Will you give separate homework assignments? Will you do a combination of the two? When will the homework be due? What percentage of a student’s final grade will be determined by the homework? Will homework be evaluated or simply credited for completion? Once you have determined your policy, write it down. Then, post it and prepare a letter to send home with the students, preferably during the first week of school. Be aware of the amount of labor involved in daily homework grading.

Grade and Track Homework (Wednesday)

Set up a simple procedure for grading homework. Depending on the subject, you might consider having students check their own work. Sharing work with peers to get feedback can also be effective. Large projects may be presented to the whole class or to small groups. You will want to grade the most important projects yourself. Record the assignment and points earned on a Homework Grade Sheet. Leave blank any assignments that are outstanding so that you can record the actual grade later. Define what constitutes 'late' homework in advance. If it is due at the beginning of class, is it late if it is turned in at the end of class?

Help Students Pace Homework Assignments (Thursday)

For long assignments, set benchmark dates for smaller sections of the assignment to be due. First, break down long assignments into smaller parts, identifying a benchmark date for each small part to be due. On each given benchmark date, have students bring the specified work to class to share with their classmates. As the students share what they have done so far, you can conference with individuals and check off who has completed that portion of the assignment.

Communicate with Students Who Do Not Do Homework (Friday)

Communicate clearly when students do not do their homework. Show any students who do not turn in their assignments the record that indicates they are missing work. Tell them how this will affect their final grade. If the situation jeopardizes a student's standing in your class, communicate with parents, identifying the missing assignments and the effect this will have on the student’s grade.