Should We Kill Homework?

Zach Cresswell

Mt. Pleasant High School

Twitter: @z_cress

zcresswell@mp.edzone.net

Exploring the role of homework in the modern math classroom.

Presentation

bit.ly/killhomework

Backchannel

bit.ly/MIAhomework

About you

Grade level/Role
Years of experience
Parents?
Attend last year?

About Zach

My Motivation

Text

Calvin's take on homework

Homework - Definitions

Independent Practice
Prep work (watch video, do reading)
Reflection and Asynchronous Conversation
Activities

The case for homework

If we want to get better at something, we need to practice it
It doesn't take much - the compound effect
An in-person class can be more effective if students come to class with an experience to build on
Doing work independently, without a teacher present, teaches time-management and problem-solving persistence
Curriculum time constraints

The case against homework

Isn't a school day enough time?
If every teacher gives homework, that's a lot of time from the evening
Students, especially in high school, have other responsibilities
Many students simply won't do it (or they'll copy the answers)
The home life of the student may not be conducive to doing homework, resulting in them falling behind their peers
Parents often can't help

What did I miss?

Discussion

Your Intuitions

What's your current philosophy/practice regarding homework?
What problems do you have with your current policy/approach?

Solutions

Are there any creative approaches to homework that you think are worth sharing? (This could also be ways in which you've completely avoided assigning homework.)
What's the best kind of homework?

The Moral Question(s)

Do we have the right to demand that a student uses his/her time outside of school for the purposes of our class?
What do we do with the fact that assigning homework will almost certainly create an unequal outcome between our students?

Closing Thoughts

Thoughts from the backchannel

credit: https://xkcd.com/336/

The Research

Go here (my highlights): bit.ly/MIAhwresearch

Or here (publication link): bit.ly/37SctN4

Takeaways

It's a multilevel problem
- For instance, there's a negative association for the individual but positive for the school/classroom
- The success or failure of homework depends on your values/goals
Frequency seems to have a bigger impact than volume (on student achievement)
Correlation versus Causation

My thoughts

Questions, comments or feedback?

Thank for attending!