Remember the days when you were in school and thought, When I’m a teacher, I’m NEVER going to do this! But then you become a teacher and do exactly what you said you weren’t going to do. Don’t worry, I’m guilty of this too. As soon as I became a teacher, I followed suit with the cycle of assigning homework in my class. However, I had a mindset shift to where now I’m a huge advocate for not assigning homework.
I know for some, this sounds crazy! Most of you probably have a list of questions that include how do you do this, what are the benefits, and how will I know if my students are understanding the concept? And while those are all valid questions, I’ve got answers for you! In today’s episode, I’m sharing why I chose not to assign homework, my strategy in doing so, and the 6 results I learned that may surprise you.
Since not assigning homework is hard for us to grasp, I ask one simple question that asks you to reflect on the meaning of the homework you assign. Once I was truly honest with myself, the decision to not assign homework became easy. With a few tweaks to my lesson plans, pacing, and instructional time, the need for homework became nonexistent. Plus, this new change had a positive impact on my students’ motivation, focus, and academic success in my class.
I acknowledge that making this type of change in your classroom can be scary and, honestly, not for everyone. However, my goal is to provide you with a new perspective and approach to how you view and implement grading in your class. When I stopped making homework a habit in my class, it was transformative for both me and my students, and I know it will be for you and yours, too!
Resources Mentioned:
Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode96
128. Admin Appreciation - The Best Ways My Admin Ever Supported Me
127. Teaching AP Chemistry With Guest Zach Matson
126. Teaching AP Environmental Science With Guest Ashton Allgood
125. Teaching AP Biology With Guest Beth Hines
124. Teaching AP Physics With Guest Laura Preiser
123. What to Do When You Care More Than Your Students Do
122. How to Nail Your Teacher Job Interview + 3 Mock Lesson Ideas
121. Burned Out? When It’s Time to Make a Change
120. How to Cut Your Grading Time in Half
119. Increasing Retention - How to Get Students to Remember Dense Topics
118. CER: What It Is, and Why I Never Explicitly Taught It
117. How to Prep for a Long-Term Substitute Who Doesn’t Teach Science
116. Behind Schedule? What to Do and How to Prevent It in the Future
115. How to Act Confident When You’re Not
114. How to Bounce Back After You Mess Up
113. What to Do When You Have No Energy - Truths for the Classroom
112. What to Do When You Have No Energy - Systems for the Home
111. Priorities and Boundaries in the New Year
110. How to Manage a Classroom of Apathetic Students
109. 10 Questions to Ask Yourself as You Reflect Over Your Course Sequence
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