1.  Is the homework meaningful and not just repetitive busywork assigned for
    the sake of giving homework? 
   
2.  Is the homework relatively easy for you to keep track of, grade, and check in.
   
3. Do you have a clear objective for the homework assignment and know why you're assigning it?
    
4. Do you have a good sense of how much time it will take the average student to finish this homework?
    
5. Do students have sufficient knowledge of the material or the math skills to do the homework?
   
6. Where possible and appropriate, have you checked with other teachers to make sure all of you aren't assigning big homework projects at the same time?
   
7. Is the homework fun and interesting at least part of the time? Kids learn best (neuroscientists will agree with this) when work is fun and not boring?
    
8. Have you thought up homework assignments that are relevant to home, community, family life, the backyard? In other words, homework that couldn't be done at school.)
9.  Have you made the homework assignment as clear as possible. Made sure
    kids are writing the instructions down?
   
10.  Have you given kids the time to ask questions about the homework?
     

Now Add up the checks and see what your score means.

10 checks: Take the quiz again. Nobody's perfect!

7-9 checks: Great. Your students benefit from your homework assignments

5-7 checks: Good job. You're certainly on track but might want to put some more thought into homework assignments or consider less homework.

3-1 checks: Good idea to take a look at what's going on with homework in your class. Maybe it's just become too routine. Or you're too rushed.

0 checks: You need to seriously reevaluate homework.

So what does reasonable homework look like?

1. If tonight's homework assignment isn't meaningful, give the kids a break. They don't have to have homework every single night just for the sake of having homework.

2. Homework shouldn't be an extra burden on you. Make it easy to keep track of and grade.

3. Ask yourself "Why am I assigning this homework? What is it that I want the kids to learn, practice, master?" If you can't answer this question, skip the homework.  If you still believe that kids need lots of homework, read "How Much Homework is too Much" with the latest research on homework, including guidelines per grade level. You may be surprised!

4. You want to make sure that the average student in your class can complete the homework in a reasonable amount of time. Don't judge by the kids who work quickly. Kids have important things to do after school and shouldn't be expected to spend hours and hours night after night stressed out by homework.

5. Homework's best for emphasizing and practicing already learned concepts and skills. Homework shouldn't be too difficult or covering new material. (Unless you're teaching an AP class to high school students.)

6. Although it's a good idea, you can't always know that your big project is due the same day as another teacher's big project is due. If you don't find this out until after the fact, change the deadline so kids aren't stressed out trying to do too many things at once.

7. What if homework were so much fun that kids looked forward to it and asked for more? What a concept? Get those creative juices flowing and think up interesting, fun homework: puzzles, art projects, riddles, assignments that involve moving around (Learning about inches and feet? Have kids measure things at home in different rooms.) What can they do outdoors?

8. Think up some homework projects that require being outside school. For example, kids are learning to do percentages. Have them gather store receipts and work the math problem for the sales tax percentage. If you're teaching American history, have kids ask parents or grandparents about their life during a certain period. (Make sure you're thinking in time frames that make sense. For example, older history text books often have kids ask grandparents about The Depression or World War ll. Many kids today won't have grandparents who remember these times.)

9. You're stressed. You didn't get everything covered during the hour. The bell will ring in 2 minutes. This isn't the time to assign the homework.  Best to assign homework long before the bell rings so you have time to thoroughly explain it and kids have time to ask questions and write down the instructions.

10. Same answer as #9 above.

Be sure to read or listen to the latest research on homework:  "How Much Homework is Too Much"  This article appeared in the January issue of "Brain Boosters for Your Kids."  

Now that you've mastered your end of the homework, take a look at the Parent's Homework Checklist. This can give you a good idea of what needs to be going on at home to help kids get their homework done. 

Feel free to reprint the Parent's checklist and send it home with kids or distribute it at Parent/Teacher conferences or PTA nights.  Reprints must include the following lines including the copyright:

by Dr. MaryJo Wagner
The Learning Doctor
"Helping You Help Your Kids Learn"
mjw@mjwagner.com

Subscribe today to the "Brain Boosters for Your Kids" newsletter and get your copy of the report "Why Kids Don't Want to Read." Go to
www.brain-based-learning.com/newslettersubscribe.htm

© 2007  MaryJo Wagner

Want more skills to help your class with homework?  Master math?  Improve reading? Lower your own stress?

Check out Brain Gym Basics today.  Graduate credit for salary upgrade and teacher recertification is available from the University of Colorado at Denver.