Entry 10: Homework

1. What will constitute meaningful homework?
     Meaningful homework is a tough question... You hear parent talk about the lack of homework or that there is too much homework... So where is the happy medium? Meaningful homework to me would be homework that will benefit or prepare the student for future lessons, for example, I would have students read for at least 20 minutes a day because reading is one of the most important things you can ask a child to do at home. The second would be math homework, to review what they learned in the lesson, and to give them a glimpse of what the next lesson will be. I would also do vocabulary/spelling homework on a nightly basis, the only way for a child to grow in reading and writing would be learning vocabulary. Those are the major areas I see myself giving homework that will have meaning to the students.

2. What are your intended homework objectives for your students?
     My objectives for homework for my students would be to get the parents involved in what their child is learning at home. It may not always happen but I feel that if a student can learn outside of the classroom and ask for help or learn together as a family the better off the student will be in the future.

3. How will you provide specific feedback?
    Feedback will all depend on the student. Some students will "get it" by simply writing a note on their homework, some students will need verbal explanation, while others will need to you "spell it out" or physically show them what is expected or what to do, especially ELL learners who are still struggling with the translation, these students will need verbal and physical translation/feedback.

4. How will you incorporate technology?
    I feel that technology is very important! I feel that if you can get students to look up an article to read and print it out that would count for their 20 minutes of reading a night and it teaches them to research something they want to read about and navigate online. I would use my technology websites, especially National Geographic for Kids, so that they can learn about the world around them. I could even have them type up a summary or a comparison to their life as a meaningful homework assignment every now and again, that way they are still navigating the web, but they are also practicing their typing  and writing skills.