#SAMedchat Archive
#SAMedchat is a an excellent interactive forum that discusses the latest in trends, strategies and issues relating to the exciting world of education and school leadership! Please join us on Thursdays from 7 pm to 8 pm, MST!
Thursday September 15, 2016
Welcome to ! Our topic tonight is Rethinking Homework. Please introduce yourself: name, role, & location. https://t.co/dioKHbAzb3
Brenda Krueger, K-5 principal, Ruder Elementary, Columbia Falls
John Gorton here. Elem princ. MC MT. Glad to be here and tonight's conversation.
Welcome to ! I am glad you are here!
Welcome! Thank you for being here
Chat will be the standard Q1, A1 format. Include on every post.
Gordon Klasna, principal Eileen Johnson MS in Lockwood
Thanks for coming to tonight's
A1 10 minutes per grade level
Question 1 is on its way…
What’s your homework policy/philosophy? What does HW look like in your school or classroom? https://t.co/GbPT9lSSXy
A1 reinforcement for independent thought and reflection
Hello ! Joining you for a few minutes before kid bedtime. :) Rachel, curriculum specialist, Bozeman.
Hi everyone! Crista Anderson, principle of Dixon school in Montana
Hello! thanks for joining us!
My personal philosophy is that we have kids for 7 hours a day and many parents don't understand the homework It's our job 2 teach
Welcome! It's always great to have you on !
Kids are busy after school and too much homework is difficult on them and families.
I believe it should be review and brief in length.
Q2: what is your homework policy/philosophy? What does HW look like in your school or class? https://t.co/ujrmiTb7ZX
What’s your homework policy/philosophy? What does HW look like in your school or classroom? https://t.co/GbPT9lSSXy
A1: We are trying a "No HW" policy this year - nothing punitive, focus on the loves - reading, family, games. etc.
A1 I'm not a believer in HW. I encourage Ss to read, but otherwise the time is theirs. Pursue passions, be w family, etc.
What's your definition of brief?
A1: I believe if/when homework is part of the equation… It must be relevant and accessible to the learner. Be mindful of equity
At the elementary level, it is always good to encourage some time for reading, but more is not needed.
A2 At middle and high school level teaches time management and self discipline which is are important life skills
Plus if they do it wrong it is more difficult to unteach the wrong way than ensure they learn it correctly in the classroom.
So impt to be aware of equity issues. Never a level playing field once they leave our sites.
When work goes home you don't know who is doing it. Or if they have time to do it because they are taking care of siblings.
A1: I am also not an advocate of homework tasks like daily reading logs. Potentially turns many young readers off
A1 no longer than 30 minutes.
I agree, but it they have 7 classes and 20 minutes a night, I believe we are asking too much.
Yes - no reading logs! Can undo the love for reading we want to instill. https://t.co/6oe1i0GEpR
A1: I am also not an advocate of homework tasks like daily reading logs. Potentially turns many young readers off
Many high school kids have sports and jobs. I know I don't want two extra hours of work once I get home. Just food for thought.
Do you promote some alternatives to your Ts?
Question 2 coming in one minute…
Agreed. Time can be a huge crunch for busy families. It isn't our time anymore. We had them for 7 hours!
It is a pleasure! I appreciate the ability to spark dialogue on important topics
Welcome and thank you for joining !
I promote sending home prompts for students to discuss with their parents. What they learned throughout the day…
Sorry trying to get the hang of this. I meant 20 minutes a night in all 7 classes.
A1: In , and I discourage schools from have a policy that requires homework.
No worries! We feel what you are throwing down!
A1 Not every teacher gives 20 minutes--hs is total one hour
if they don't have a "parent" available… Discuss with someone. Doesn't need to be signed off, for "accountability"
A2: "HW" should not be punitive. It should spark creativity, innovation, and a joy or passion. Don't make it mandatory
A2 We can offer some choice of tasks for Ss who may want more. Cons: Ps can undo what we teach (math); no support at home
A1: Yes!!! Well worth the read for all edus. and offer a realistic solutions https://t.co/bQ3B7tU3nG
A1: In , and I discourage schools from have a policy that requires homework.
Couldn't agree more. https://t.co/okmEHUMPvx
A2: "HW" should not be punitive. It should spark creativity, innovation, and a joy or passion. Don't make it mandatory
A2 college and career readiness--pro; lack of guidance at home--con
Love this. Great idea to send sentence/convo starters to engage parents.
A2 thought, isn't hw an ancient practice stuffed into a current pedagogy?
A1: I honestly do not know of pros to homework. Always have worked with students living transient lives. Creates stress/fear
Career ready? IDK about you, but I don't have homework assigned. https://t.co/WVFPjF0iaV
A2 college and career readiness--pro; lack of guidance at home--con
A2 it can be good if Ss understand but needs a little more practice. Con often times there is no one to provide assistance
What that current pedagogy be? https://t.co/JW6aSQFHuh
A2 thought, isn't hw an ancient practice stuffed into a current pedagogy?
A2: I honestly do not know of pros to homework. Always have worked with students living transient lives. Creates stress/fear
That is a struggle. Who is at home to help some of our Ss with hw?
I like the idea of flipped classrooms, record the lesson, students watch it, and then do the work in the classroom
I'm a curriculum director and I'm not a fan of traditional homework. https://t.co/ArNjYJz5fh
This principal >><< is discouraging HW this year at !
In education there is always homework
2 more: the Ss who need extra practice aren't ones who complete it; no opp for Ts to give timely feedback
A2: HW causes tension at home. Quality time is low for so many. Sad reality. Create more time for meaningful practice at school
I mean most everything else in education has evolved but HW really hasn't.
Question 3 coming in one minute…
If work is assigned for home, it should be something Ss can do independently, NOT in Zone of Prox Dev. https://t.co/R16qH7Yxo6
That is a struggle. Who is at home to help some of our Ss with hw?
Love it! We need more of you. :)
How do we help it "catch up?"
I believe hw had more value than video games, BUT not family time
Work at home, but not assigned. Chosen/selected by the employee. That's not how we do HW for kids. https://t.co/Uif6oeRaV8
In education there is always homework
I completely agree. No pros. And no research to support it.
A3: At elementary level… many still expect the "spelling list". We have transitioned to not isolating spelling as its own grade.
But can we expect that our Ss have access to tech at home? Seems like an equity issue
not sure. Get away from drill and kill types of practices.
How do we shift the mindset of HW so that all students are on the same playing level?
Son learned video editing, marketing & got a sponsor for his games. I argue more value than vocab words. https://t.co/p3fCzk7iQu
I believe hw had more value than video games, BUT not family time
RT RT RT! https://t.co/VNu8dj886r
A2: HW causes tension at home. Quality time is low for so many. Sad reality. Create more time for meaningful practice at school
A3 Yes, let them know their student is using class time wisely
Hattie says HW at the primary grades has negligible effect on student learning. https://t.co/y6Nx64mpDh
I completely agree. No pros. And no research to support it.
It's a "tradition" edus have a hard time letting go of. Ugh.
What do you mean, same playing level? https://t.co/gPv4Tly8L5
How do we shift the mindset of HW so that all students are on the same playing level?
Excellent discussion on relevance of HW on tonight. Shout out to
I like flipped classroom model when it is run like lrning centers… Within classroom..Ts support
She's on a roll.... https://t.co/bavjuDKXNd
2 more: the Ss who need extra practice aren't ones who complete it; no opp for Ts to give timely feedback
A3: Share the research at the el level why trad. hw doesn't work. Show alternatives instead.
It has to be within classroom. Can't expect Ss to have to do the flipped lrng @ home.
Equity, Same Opportunity...
She speaks the truth! Some Ts have never asked themselves why they give HW. Just b/c... they always have. https://t.co/4CReDbPQWH
It's a "tradition" edus have a hard time letting go of. Ugh.
Show families and students another way… powerful. I appreciate standards-based growth monitoring
I guess it comes down to why do we continue to expect 20th century ideas of education even though we are in the 21st century?
I completely understand that… As principal, working with many who are ready to shift, others not. (PD focus)
Truth! https://t.co/diBXLXRlcV
I guess it comes down to why do we continue to expect 20th century ideas of education even though we are in the 21st century?
Is it better to go with fewer class periods to allow for more class time to do work in class?
Question 4 coming in one minute...
It's time to look ahead and not back. Let's really look the research of homework and its effects on student learning.
Art Costa points out some of our students will live to be in the 22nd century. https://t.co/e6IZCMfCdm
I guess it comes down to why do we continue to expect 20th century ideas of education even though we are in the 21st century?
....or lack there of....
https://t.co/n0aVFF8hiW
It's time to look ahead and not back. Let's really look the research of homework and its effects on student learning.
I think going deeper in ed. concepts is always better...
Q4: HW often serves as communication piece for parents. What are alternative to traditional HW? https://t.co/OcHjicAIl0
A4: What if we asked students to teach parents what they'd learned?
A4: Encourage students to talk about what they learned, not try to learn it at home.
Great idea! How often do you use them?
A4: Teach students to facilitate dialogue and share their learning at home. Support family time, don't steal from it.
A4 so many technology apps to record student learning. Record student reading, writing, reports and share them with parents.
A4 Oh!! Love this Q! As a teacher, Classroom blog… Printed for those without access. Link it to Facebook page, for mobile too
A4: What's your dinner table talk going to be about? Fractions? Number the Stars? Lincoln? Planets?
A4: I think a shared google drive is great for communication with parents. I just glanced at my daughters & learned a lot.
PBL is a developing idea in my bldg. Trying to place an emphasis upon the concept.
Have students create videos of teaching to their parents or teddy bears https://t.co/IbHrYct0jR
A4: What if we asked students to teach parents what they'd learned?
Don't have dinner together? Mute TV between commercials and share one thing you learned at every break. https://t.co/wVoO5idoUw
A4: What's your dinner table talk going to be about? Fractions? Number the Stars? Lincoln? Planets?
A4: Weekly progress report on student growth… Invites conversation with parents. Student led conferences. Portfolio, digi or not
HW directions: go for a walk, cook a meal, play a game, museum, talk and if u have ? text me and we will talk! Worked great!
Stop making learning a secret and only hold conference once a year. Open communication through classroom based apps for parents.
The more students talk about their learning, the more they see themselves as owners of it. https://t.co/eesxoaoxcn
Stop making learning a secret and only hold conference once a year. Open communication through classroom based apps for parents.
A4 FB live can create discussions at home
Even better! https://t.co/fA164g0S5P
I've been encouraging my families to mute the TV, turn on the captions, and read together. Voice overs as families.
Place any homework research or articles you have in the shared padlet! Let's keep this convo going! https://t.co/FPdacHGEZj
Yes!!! Remember that what goes home & is communicated to parents does not have to look same 4 each child https://t.co/m0anZ3ASLy
Stop making learning a secret and only hold conference once a year. Open communication through classroom based apps for parents.
awesome! Class communication, parent DM, and portfolios all in the same place!!
A4 I challenge tt to reach out to each ss family via email, phone call, postcards.
Question 5 coming in one minute…
I think we're on the same page!
What a great strategy I love this… As universal design method, always have close captioning on with video https://t.co/4DdigBPXBf
Even better! https://t.co/fA164g0S5P
I've been encouraging my families to mute the TV, turn on the captions, and read together. Voice overs as families.
Oh wow - I'm getting sucked in to the great ideas this pln is sharing that I am forgetting to tweet!
Take pictures and create stories - future authors
Okay, so even if they do, is their time out of school ours 2 dictate?
I still think it's situational… A few of my students have phones, but none are actually connected
A5 The same conversations we are having here :-)
A5: What is the purpose of HW and how is it being used to drive instructional decisions? Just for starters.
A5: Conversations we need to have about HW? What are the most recent research findings on the impact of homework?
not sure what you mean? That's what homework is doing and I'm against that, Flipped classroom an idea instead of HW
A5: Have the difficult discussions w/ your teams: Why are we doing this? How does it benefit our Ss? What's the pos & neg impact?
Just extended Wi-Fi to reach across playgrnd from our school. Nightly, parents/kids connect there
A5: What are the expectations/goals for homework? How can we create a flipped home?
A5: Conversation we need to have about HW:
What message are we sending about family time when we require homework?
Way to provide opportunities to your families! https://t.co/ZQY6E4d1GC
Just extended Wi-Fi to reach across playgrnd from our school. Nightly, parents/kids connect there
A5: Conversation we need to have about HW:
How do students/families perceive homework?
A5: Important convo… has to happen without blame or shame. Has been ritual, shift needs buy-in from all
We forget about our priorities when we make HW the main thing
Then we notice when families aren't connected. When do they have the time? https://t.co/tR4w0xlUs4
We forget about our priorities when we make HW the main thing
A5 What's the purpose/benefit, what happens if they don't get it done?
A5 I believe it's all about mindset. Until we get others to truly move beyond "how it's always been done" we are stuck.
Buy-in. So true. All stake holders need to be involved.
There's value in dance class, walking the dog, even research that supports adequate SLEEP. Is HW more imp than all of these?
That "what happens if" is the scary part of that statement.
Different Q: What if they DO get it done and it's wrong... or copied... or parents spoon fed answers? https://t.co/I6bSUnRttz
A5 What's the purpose/benefit, what happens if they don't get it done?
usually no recess or after school detention https://t.co/PBAGr8jcf1
A5 What's the purpose/benefit, what happens if they don't get it done?
Teachers/districts need 2 understand where the world is going and that we can't expect change by doing the same thing over & over
Let's shift it as a united PLN :)
Agree. And this type of conversation is at least a start https://t.co/wBUxZDhvAj
A5 I believe it's all about mindset. Until we get others to truly move beyond "how it's always been done" we are stuck.
There needs to be an "unlike" button for these consequences!
It just doesn't make sense to have a 10 hour "work" day for an 8 year old. 8am to just 6pm is 10 hours. https://t.co/SNtJv2Up7S
This has been a wonderful topic of conversation! So much to reflect and process tonight!
