Saturday, April 12, 2014

Checking Homework...A Time Saver!!

Happy Saturday to you! I hope you are having a wonderful day! It is beautiful here in the St. Louis area. It's supposed to be in the 80's today. I just love this time of the year.

I was thinking throughout this week how there are so many things in our classrooms that we do on a normal basis that are just routines to us. Then I started thinking how one thing that isn't a big deal to me could really help another teacher. I guess that's one of the biggest points with blogging...sharing ideas to help others.

Anyways, I don't know about you, but with all the other demands of teaching, I find grading papers to be overwhelming at times. When I first started teaching, I graded and checked everything. However, I started to learn that I don't need to grade everything, especially homework. One of my teammates shared this with me at the beginning of last year and it was genius to me. This isn't something brand new and some of you may be doing this. However, I wanted to share this, just in case you weren't.

So we start math right after the announcements. Before the announcements and while my kiddos are unpacking, I remind my kiddos to make sure they have their homework out from the night before on their desk (this has been a daily routine since the beginning of the year). Once the announcements are over, I have my kiddos get with a partner and check over their homework with each other with a pen or pencil, depending on what I want them to do for the day (pen is used to just check their answers and a pencil is used if they are going to redo the answers together). Since I have two different math groups who do different homework, they have to pair up with someone who did the same homework as them. As they check their answers, I walk around and chime into their conversations (some of them need some gentle reminders to stay focused and some others have questions about the problems that they didn't do correctly).





If this is a brand new topic, I have my kiddos just circle the answers they do not have the same answers on. I will go over those problems when I meet with their group. If the topic has been discussed for several days, then I have my kiddos circle the answers they do not have correct and then work the answers out. I make sure to tell them my expectations before checking the homework.

Due to the Common Core, I am trying to implement conversations within all subject areas. I find that it is simple within Reader's and Writer's Workshop. I have them turn and talk frequently. However, math was a bit more challenging for me, until I decided to incorporate these within checking homework (and other math areas as well). Not only do my kiddos have to check their homework, they have to prove to each other the answers if they don't have the same answers. This creates some great conversations amongst my kiddos.

This has saved a lot of time and also gives the kiddos immediate feedback. It also allows interactions among my students and allows kiddos to carry on their math skills that they understand and know.

How do YOU check your kiddos homework? How do you get conversations going within math?

I would love your input. Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!

 

6 comments:

  1. I love this! I'm definitely doing this next year! How do you handle grading everyday work? Is there a way to keep it from piling up? :)

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  2. Thanks so much for your response Amber! :) I hope it goes well for you!

    It all depends on what I am grading and if it counts for a grade. If it's not for a grade, I have them do the same as their homework. If it is something that I plan to grade and we can grade together, then I will. That is determined on what type of assessment it is. If it's a multiple choice assessment, we grade it together. I normally have the kiddos get out a pen and clear their desk. They aren't allowed to use a pencil at all while we are checking over our work so if they have folders up (I call them offices) then it is difficult to see what is going on at their desks (Unfortunately, I have some kiddos who would try to be sneaky and change their answers). If the assessment is constructed responses, then I grade them myself. Sometimes I will pull the kiddos back and grade the constructed responses with them so they can get immediate feedback.

    Because of small group, I can typically see the struggles amongst my kiddos. Therefore, I only grade something if I want to use it as a grade. I also only give out assessments after we focus on the topic for a while.

    I hope this helps and makes sense! :)

    Jamie
    3 Teacher Chicks

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  3. Hi! I love this homework post - practical ! I think this routine could really help a lot of folks out.I hope you don't mind, but I posted about homework on my blog here (http://readingandwritingredhead.blogspot.com/2014/04/homework-personal-reflection-from.html) so I posted a link to your post since I thought it was terrific! Thanks so much!
    Bex
    Reading and Writing Redhead

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  4. السلامه عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته نحن فى شركة الكمال نقوم بافضل واقوى المبيدات العالميه

    الموجودة التى تقضى على جميع الحشرات الطائره والزاحفة وابادة الحشرات


    شركة مكافحة حشرات بالطائف



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    شركة رش مبيدات بجازان



    شركة مكافحة حشرات بحائل



    شركة رش مبيدات بحائل

    والسلامة عليكم وحمة الله وبركاته

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