tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post89582571544098976..comments2024-01-03T04:58:04.221-05:00Comments on I Hope This Old Train Breaks Down...: Homework SuccessUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-14700191594040117672012-03-25T06:23:42.489-04:002012-03-25T06:23:42.489-04:00My students know that homework and asking question...My students know that homework and asking questions are a fluid process. If a kid turns in homework and have questions, typically I ask them to hold their questions until I've looked over their work to get a general sense of repeated issues, and then I'll address the rest of their questions individually during class when other kids are working on other stuff. (Or if their question is more extended/involved, they can come see me outside of class...) I find that to be a more efficient use of my time because I would have already diagnosed / anticipated the question before talking to them, just by looking through their work.untilnextstophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285583728476473117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-16161766415601647602012-03-24T03:52:01.258-04:002012-03-24T03:52:01.258-04:00Love your blog, Mimi. So here's my second comm...Love your blog, Mimi. So here's my second comment for tonight. I'm ALWAYS gathering ideas on what to do with homework. (This is my 8th year teaching math, and I'm still pondering if my homework policy is sound. I went from NOT grading homework at all, to grading all of it the next day (students exchange papers and we correct them together). <br /><br />You wrote, "Each week, I collect and provide feedback on all assignments." If this is done weekly, then what happens from one day to the next? I mean if a student did his homework Monday night and had questions on it, would he be able to ask on Tuesday?Fawn Nguyenhttp://fawnnguyen.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-56029400071739257482012-03-02T04:05:21.824-05:002012-03-02T04:05:21.824-05:00One drawback is that the textbook does not contain...One drawback is that the textbook does not contain all of the topics that we teach. I am starting to think about the feasibility of making my own problems booklet by grade level, with examples and solutions in the back. Kids can still choose what problems they work on, but they would get a checkoff sheet to use to keep track of what they've already worked on. I go back and forth about this because I think there IS value in kids looking through a traditional (big) textbook to find relevant examples and problems, and/or kids going online and googling for more problems on their own.untilnextstophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285583728476473117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-39916191031071273932012-03-01T18:21:46.909-05:002012-03-01T18:21:46.909-05:00I really like your homework system. I also tried ...I really like your homework system. I also tried experimenting with homework this year. I don't collect it anymore. I ask students to do it in a notebook, give them the answer key the next day in class, have them grade it and keep track of their own scores and difficulties. I've had more students doing homework, asking questions and scoring well on tests than I did last year when I collected homework. I only have a student who doesn't do any of the homework maybe once every two weeks. I think this system helped in the shift from homework as something for students to do for me to homework as something students need to do for themselves. If I added on your "choose your own problems" on top, I think that would complete this shift.Lizzy-Senseihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16697599110257655917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-5702770825297094082012-03-01T13:02:31.065-05:002012-03-01T13:02:31.065-05:00I love that last statement. And yes, choices could...I love that last statement. And yes, choices could be its own post at some point. I think you can do an entire geometry curriculum based around kids designing their own projects.untilnextstophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285583728476473117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-70961781162870488772012-02-29T20:22:13.815-05:002012-02-29T20:22:13.815-05:00Thanks for documenting and sharing these great ide...Thanks for documenting and sharing these great ideas. This post makes a lot of sense to me, as I've been reading and thinking a lot about Dan Pink's book, Drive. There he points out that the research consistently identifies three pillars of intrinsic motivation: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. It's amazing how quickly students respond to being given autonomy. Middle schoolers, I have realized, have very little autonomy in their lives. So when you provide them with the opportunity to have it, the majority seem to seize it!<br /><br />I too have been experimenting with giving my middle school students more autonomy in their assignments and I've been pleased with the rapid uptick in engagement. It's made me realize that most of them really do prefer success/mastery to boredom/failure, and given the opportunity to pursue it, they will. <br /><br />I've also been noticing that trying to push them into understanding the purpose behind mathematics is not always necessary. Mathematics, it turns out, is its own purpose.<br /><br />- Elizabeth (aka @cheesemonkeysf on Twitter)cheesemonkeysfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09311170815422010013noreply@blogger.com