Find this page: DitchThatTextbook.com/homework
1. Start here: Quick survey on your feelings about homework …
When you’re done, close the survey window and come back to this page.
2. Ditch That Homework book available on Amazon!
3. Central questions
Why do we give homework?
Is homework effective?
What would class look like if giving homework wasn’t an option?
How can we make that scenario actually happen?
4. Research
John Hattie: 10 myths about student achievement
Excerpts from the article:
John Hattie’s 15 year meta-analysis of over ¼ of a billion students worldwide has enabled him to identify what really aids student achievement. In an interview with Sarah Montague for BBC Radio 4, he dispels some popular myths about what does and doesn’t matter in your school.
4. Homework –Homework has been found to have no effect on the progress of primary school children. To get it right without getting rid of it, children at primary level should be given less projects and more activities that reinforce what they learnt in the lesson that day instead. Whilst homework does make more of a difference to secondary schoolchildren, too much emphasis is placed on it; 5-10 minutes of practising what was taught that day at school has the same effect as 1-2 hours does.
5. Ditch That Textbook (using technology to remix “textbook” activities and practices)
Screencastify (record screen and webcam) — screencastify.com
Create eye-catching infographics with Google Drawings — drawings.google.com/create
6. Ditch That Red Pen (providing timely, useful feedback that students can really use)
Quizizz (game show-style review and formative assessment) — quizizz.com
7. Ditch That Resistance (communicating with parents to build mutual understanding and support)
Remind (send text message reminders to parents, students … anyone) — remind.com
Social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.)
- Top Dog Kids (classroom): http://twitter.com/topdogkids
- Top Dog Teaching (teacher): http://twitter.com/topdogteaching
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/topdogkids
- Snapchat: @topdogkids
8. Ditch That Referral (building relationships with students that pay dividends for everyone)
Every kid needs a champion (Rita Pierson) via TED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFnMTHhKdkw
“The most important thing I can do as a teacher is sit next to a kid.” — Alice Keeler (@alicekeeler)
9. Ditch That Lecture (getting kids connected to content and learning in new ways)
Ideas for giving choice in class:
- Topic
- Source for gathering information
- How to demonstrate learning
- Peer interaction (i.e. face to face, through comments, blogs, etc.)
- Difficulty level
10. What do we do now?
PROGRESS. Make steps in the direction of your goals. Don’t expect everything to change immediately.
“We’re going to have to go through a middle phase before we go to no homework.” — Jon Corippo (@jcorippo)