Assigning the right kind of homework and following it through is an important skill which every teacher needs to learn. The following are some tips for planning homework:
- Maintain a homework diary. A daily record is necessary both for the students and the teacher.
- Assign what the students already know. This is your time to test the knowledge and skills learnt.
- Do not encourage parents to help their wards. Encourage the ability in students to work independently.
- Make sure the students copy their homework correctly. Assign partners to check.
- Bring the attention of the students to the homework/ remind students of the homework before the class ends. Students need reminders.
- Be realistic about the time to be taken to do the task. Don’t burden the students with too much work at home.
- Check on the next day whether the homework has been completed. Allot a few minutes of the class to ensure this.
- Create a plan to deal with students who fail to complete homework. For example, they could stay back and complete it, finish it on the next day along with that day’s homework, etc. Ensure that they don’t get away with the incomplete task.
- Give feedback as soon as possible. Allow students to rectify their errors while they remember the assignment.
- Give time in class to do correction. Collecting, grading and returning homework don’t work unless it is ensured that the students understand and correct their errors.
- Correction by peers in class could be a good strategy. It helps the student who is correcting as well as the students being corrected.
- Make homework interesting. If the assignment is interesting, where the student gets an opportunity to use the skills of analysis, application and creativity, they would enjoy it more. Students also enjoy research to discover new things. Also, keep in mind the different types of learners. Some children express themselves better through drawing, for example.
Author: Sriparna Tamhane
© Oxford University Press