8th June 2018

It is always good to make the students find an interesting platform to perform their individual homework. That’s mostly because they find homework pretty boring and uninteresting. At least the primary teacher training course in India has found out some positive suggestion through the Kathleen Cushman’s Fires in the Mind theoretical book to solve this problem.

A.  What is actually taken into consideration while imparting the theory?

Two vital things are considered in this layout,

First, rather than simply a list of alternatives to homework, it instead contextualizes the need for work at home or what we keep saying homework”.

And second, it does this by taking typical classroom situations–the introduction of new material, demonstrating a procedure, or more and offering alternatives to traditional homework assignments.

B.  Now, so what can be the varied option to this?

In fact, most of them are alternatives to homework altogether, including

a) group brainstorming,

b) modelling or think-aloud, or

c) even the pop-quiz.

C.  Coming back to the theory:

As a part of the teacher training courses in India, many trainers or even teachers consider the very theoretical understanding essentially significant. But why so? The reason follows,

1.  Cushman details how to make homework a more meaningful and ultimately beneficial endeavour for our learners.

2. Having interviewed many students on the subject, she revealed that there are 6 characteristics that our learners believe make up the ideal homework assignment.

How these 6 vital features develop the very idealistic yet alternative imposition through which the learning and development are achieved among the little wonder? In a way guiding them in a positive direction to read, write, act and corporate the learner’s guide – the main goal of lesson outcome for every teacher.

The Purpose: It should have a goal, and not just be busywork.

The Differentiation: Everyone is at a different level and assigning the same thing to everyone is not helpful.

The Attention and focus: Doing assignments at home when kids are tired, perhaps from after-school sports or music is not the best time.

The Repetition and rehearsal: These are mainstays of sports and music regimens and should be with other subjects.

The Careful timing/proper scaffolding/sequence: Do not give homework at the very end of a semester “just to get grades in.”

The Deliberate practice: This should be intended to lead to new skills. Don’t grade homework.

Of course, it’s helpful to have some idea of what this might potentially look like in classrooms, and Cushman doesn’t disappoint.

“Rather than simply a list of alternatives to homework, it instead contextualizes the need for work at home. It does this by taking typical classroom situations—the introduction of new material, demonstrating a procedure, etc.—and offering homework alternatives to traditional assignments.”

When considering homework alternatives like the ones below, we may need to rethink both the purpose and the method. In the end, perhaps it’s deliberate practice, and not assessment, that the whole idea of homework should be about.

Written By: Admin