Have you been looking for a homework policy for your classroom? This one may cover all the basics that you’ve been searching for!
Homework Policy Made Simple
This week we are all chatting about our classroom homework policy. With the district that I am in right now, the grading policy is very straightforward. It ends up coming down to how I schedule my homework. I do what is easiest for me but still provides my students with practice.
For our district, homework is given to apply the knowledge they have gained from previously taught objectives. It is counted as a daily grade if taken for a grade. Our grading scale for secondary is simply 50% daily grades/50% test grades. I do take the liberty of putting quizzes on either of the scales depending on how important I think it is. We are required to have 7 daily and 3 test grades per 6 week recording period.
Our district has cracked down on late work. Therefore if an assignment isn’t turned in on the day it is due, a student has 2 days after that to turn the assignment in for a maximum of 70% of the original grade. After the two days, a zero remains in the gradebook and can not be made up.
How to Keep Track of Your School’s Homework Policy
To help me keep up with things this year when it comes to students turning things in on time, I give homework on the first day of the week on a skill we completed the prior week. That homework is due by the end of the week. If they do not have it in class on the last day of the week, they fill out a Homework Excuse slip (it’s a FREEBIE) and turn that into the tray at the end of the period.
When I gather homework from the tray and put it in my folder to grade, I can easily pull out the slips and then contact parents as needed.
I do contact parents after the first card. My goal is to remind them of our district-wide homework policy. I’ll let them know the date that the student must have their assignment in by to receive credit. By doing this, I will say that last week I only had to contact one parent out of 146 students. I thought that was pretty amazing for the first week of school.
I keep the sheet until the assignment is turned in and then I staple it to the assignment so I have that reminder when I am grading it that they are only to get 70% of the original grade.
Documentation is Key For Implementing a Homework Policy That Works
When it comes to the second time of filling out an Homework Excuse Slip in six weeks, I notify parents once again. This is where the documentation is key. If the student turned it in within the 2 day window the first time and does so this time, I stop there. If they received a 0 the previous time, then this time they will receive a detention. Since homework is due once a week I am hoping to not have to get to this step much this year as this has been adjusted since last year for me.
So what do you as your homework policy? How do you keep track of it over the school year?
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I have a similar set up. My homework is called Oldies but Goodies and right now it (2nd week of school), it consists of things I really want them to remember from 7th grade. These ideas will probably always be on it. As we cover new content, new ideas will be added to the Oldies. Handed out on Monday and due on Friday.
I’d love a copy of this! I’m reading all the blogs and taking in everyone’s personal and district homework policies, trying to make up my mind on what I’d like to adjust in my own classroom. I have mixed feelings about late/missing homework and the resulting grades — and from the sound of things, schools and districts vary WIDELY on the topic!
i keep trying to figure out how much I want my homework in sixth grade to be worth, and the best way to collect it.
Ruth,
You have to make that decision as a teacher if you are able. I wasn’t able to make that decision and our homework and classwork were lumped together to result in 50% of our student’s grade each grading period. Assessments were the other 50%. Now, I had to have a minimum of 9 homework/classwork grades over the course of that grading period as well. This meant I was grading 1.5 assignments every week from my students just to see their daily accomplishments but more than likely I was grading 2-3 to get a more well-rounded figure of their achievements.
Hope this helps!
Jennifer