In many classrooms, teachers assign homework out of habit.
Author Eileen Depka urges educators to reflect on the purpose of student
assignments in Bringing Homework Into
Focus: Tools and Tips to Enhance Practices, Design, and Feedback to
determine if and when homework is valuable. Because of homework’s constancy in
most classrooms, educators must preserve what is beneficial about it and
isolate what is not helpful through considered design, clear rubricsm and swift
feedback. Homework does have the capacity to foster continuous growth, as long
as educators work toward optimal homework design by considering the type,
amount, and timing of assignments. This book shows them how.
K-12 teachers will:
Recognize that different kinds
of homework assingnments advance student’s knowledge and promote their
understanding during all stages of the learning process
Learn the components that
influence quality homework design
Interpret examples of
assignments for multiple school subjects to understand how to create impactful
questions on any topic
Develop rubrics and checklists
to clearly assess the accuracy of completed homework and better communicate
feedback with the time and resources available to them
Create learning environments in
which students recognize that well-designed homework can help them reach their
own goals for future personal growth.