Homework help for you

By Rebecca Nero, Educational Technology Consultant

In the dark ages (no fiber optics) when I was teaching, assigning homework was easy. Assigning homework that was actually done was not easy. Neither was assigning homework that produced higher-level thinking skills.

Yes, I told my students that homework was important, had rules and impacted their grades. And, yes, I informed their parents and guardians.

As for higher-level thinking skills, whew! I dodged drill and kill, copy from an encyclopedia (now called cut-and-paste, I believe), stay-within-the-lines of their textbook, but I had holes in my head from drilling and killing cells while searching my brain for meaningful as in higher-level thinking skills homework.

You may be saying, "Higher level? We need the drill to meet proficiency levels." I understand. When I taught grammar, I wanted to drill and kill. When I taught literature, I could "stray" outside the lines.

Anyway, in 1998 (I'm behind on my reading), Nancy Paulu from the U.S. Department of Education produced an extensive document, "Helping Your Students with Homework: A Guide for Teachers" (http://www.ed.gov/pubs/HelpingStudents/index.html). Even though you've already started your school year, the document is worth perusal. You'll find sections on assignments with a purpose; homework that makes learning personal; tying assignments to the present; using school and community resources; and involving parents.

The article advises, "Homework can bring together children, parents, and teachers in a common effort to improving student learning. Teachers are a vital link in making this happen."

I've posted an extensive, annotated homework helper hotlist at http://wneo.org/hotlists/homework.htm to help children, parents and teachers with Internet homework resources, and I intend to keep the links vital. To add links or report links with no vital signs, just click on the e-mail webmaster link and I'll get the message.