Northwest Regional Professional Development Program, in accordance with the Nevada Revised Statutes, is committed to building regional partnerships which provide equitable access for teachers and administrators to support and sustain professional and student learning.


Northwest RPDP will work in collaboration with districts, the Nevada Department of Education, and institutions of higher education to provide high quality research-based learning opportunities, aligned with the Nevada Professional Development Standards and content standards adopted by the State of Nevada to: offer diverse professional learning opportunities centered around current research on effective instruction for student learnin; improve and increase communication among the Northwest RPDP region members concerning professional learning for teachers and administrators; improve and increase communication among the Northwestern, Southern and Northeastern Nevada RPDPs; use technology to build capacity among the partnerships.

Collaborating about Meaningful Homework Assignments

During the 2009-2010 school year, a group of math teachers worked together to attack the following essential question:

"Why don't students do their homework?"

With high stakes tests looming and each moment of instructional time at a premium, it is important that teaching time be used at the greatest benefit for all students.  No longer can teachers spend 45 minutes each class period going over homework; instead, we have to look for ways to use our time more efficiently while shifting the burden of responsibility onto the students’ shoulders.

On this page, we share resources created by teachers collaborating on this very important topic


A Collaborative Resource for Improving Homework:

To participate in the collaborative plan outlined on this webpage, participants should have the following resources:

  1. Rethinking Homework: Best Practices that Support Diverse Needs (Vatterott, C.)
  2. A Handbook for Classroom Instruction that Works (Marzano, R.,  Norford, J., Paynter, D., Pickering, D. , & Gaddy, B.)
  3. Classroom Instruction that Works (Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J.)
  4. The NWRPDP's 40-page Homework PLC Guide.

After reading the first page's introduction in the Homework PLC Guide, individuals should complete the homework pre-assessment found on page two of the guide.

Then, follow the step-by-step collaborative activities, which are designed to begin in-depth conversations about homework between you and your colleagues. This is not a resource to simply flip through at top speed; it is provided here to be used as a complete framework for putting a plan in place that will inform and improve upon your current use of classroom homework. Move through our guide's pages slowly and deliberately, and let the professional conversations inspire changes, both big and small.

And while collaborating, study and discuss the lessons posted below. Let these lessons inspire you to craft your own homework assignments that change your practice and opinions of what makes homework a meaningful tool in a classroom.

By the time you reach the homework post-assessment found on page 40 of our Homework PLC Guide, you should be able to document changes to personal practice that can be shared.

Lessons created and posted by Nevada teachers
collaborating about changing homework practices:
Pre-Learning
Homework Assignments		 Checking for Understanding
Homework Assignments
  • “Museum” by Alexandria Suchy-Mabrouk.  Students gather objects that represent a topic to create a classroom museum which helps create a concrete link for learning.
  • “Pre-Research” by Holly Young.  Students have 4 options in order to choose to gather some pre-research on a topic in order to prime their brains before starting a new topic.
  • “Mini Graffiti Wall” by Kim Price.  Students create a “mini” graffiti wall to outline and brainstorm about a new topic.
  • “Venn Diagram” by Sue Gonyou.  Students do some pre-learning and compare a new topic to a topic they already know.
  • “Interview” by Sue Gonyou.  Students interview an adult to find out when it is best to use specific new mathematical concepts vs. estimating.
  • “Use New Vocabulary” by Misha Miller.  Students will use the words in a word splash to write true mathematical sentences.
  • “Memory Box” by AJ Ellison.  Students recall everything they know about a particular standard or I-can statement before learning.
  • “Mind Map” by Jessica Ligon.  Students answer specific questions regarding a topic, rating their knowledge, and differentiating how they delve into their pre-existing ideas.
  • “Word Web” by Mary Keller.  Students make a word web surrounding a particular word or concept.
  • “Finding Patterns” by Michael Jackson.  Students draw pictures and look for patterns in new material from what they already know.
  • “Making Sure You’re Getting It” by Jenny Salls.  Students will provide evidence that they understand a topic, reflect on their success, then be differentiated on how to continue depending upon their understanding.
  • “Analyzing Steps” by Michael Jackson.  Students circle steps to a solution in a worked out example and use a stoplight to show their level of understanding at each step.
  • “Teach or Write” by Alexandria Suchy-Mabrouk.  Students will either teach an adult how to do a problem or write an explanation for an absent student.
  • “Sketch-n-Write” by Jessica Ligon.  Students demonstrate their understanding of differentiating between two topics that are related.
  • “Trading Cards” by Ben Dickson.  Students create trading cards that explain facts about a mathematical content.
  • “Top 10” by Kim Price.  Students create a top ten list of facts about a topic.
  • “The Important Page” by Misha Miller.  Students create a page from The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown to show their understanding of a topic.
  • “Postcard” by Mary Keller.  Students write a postcard to an absent student showing their understanding of a topic.
  • “Three Minute Essay” by Mary Keller.  Students do a quick write to show understanding.
  • “Categories” by AJ Ellison.  Students sort and categorize new vocabulary and concepts.
  • “Letter Writing” by Sue Gonyou.  Students explain a new concept through letter writing.
Practice
Homework Assignments		 Processing
Homework Assignments
  • “Old Maid” by Alexandria Suchy-Mabrouk.  Students create cards for problems so that they can play Old Maid with other students to expand their practice.
  • “Sort It” by Jenny Salls.  Students examine problems and sort them according to a specified criteria, helping students look at correct first steps.
  • “Persuasive Letter” by Ben Dickson.  Students practice conversion by writing a persuasive letter, thoroughly explaining how to practice a particular skill.
  • “Words to Questions” by Jenny Salls.  Students practice using vocabulary from a topic to answer and generate questions.
  • “The Matrix” by Mary Keller.  Students are given a matrix of problems which requires them to examine problems in many different formats.
  • “Think Dots” by AJ Ellison.  Students complete a differentiated list of problems.
  • “Persuade or Create” by Sue Gonyou.  Students have a choice whether to write a persuasive paragraph substantiating the use of a formula or they can create 5 problems and solve.
  • “Bingo” by Holly Young.  Students choose problems from a problem set and create their own Bingo card.
  • “Recipes” by Jenny Salls.  Students create a recipe for solving a problem with multiple steps.
  • “Photos” by Misha Millers.  Students will practice real-world problems that they see everyday.
  • “Compare and Choose” by Jenny Salls.  Students will compare and contrast the procedures for solving problems that are similar in nature.
  • “Lightbulb” by Alexandria Suchy-Mabrouk.  Students will look at problems from multiple perspectives deciding which method would be best for each problem type.
  • “Treasure Hunt” by Jessica Ligon.  Students will complete various types of problems that require a different set-up depending on the type of question.
  • “Real Life” by Kim Price.  Students show their understanding by choosing what visual would be best to describe a real-life scenario.
  • “Poem in 2 Voices” by Ben Dickson.  Students compare and contrast two mathematical concepts by creating a poem for two voices.
  • “Three Way Relationships” by Jessica Ligon.  Students connect three mathematical concepts in a number of ways and summarize all relationships.
  • “Open-Ended” by Misha Miller.  Students answer open-ended questions relating to concepts taught.
  • “Computer Voice” by Kim Price.  Students create a writing piece in the form of a computer voice that explains a mathematical concept.
  • “Report Card” by Mary Keller.  Students create a crazy report cart in order to communicate important information about a subject.
  • “Tour Guide” by Misha Miller.  Students write a script for a tour of a concept.
  • “Menu” by AJ Ellison.  Students create a menu that shows a mathematical process.
  • “Test Generator” by Sue Gonyou.  Students create test questions that examine common errors and show understanding of a concept.
  • “Cards of Knowledge” by Mary Keller.  Students create flashcards according to specific criteria.
  • “Advice” by Sue Gonyou.  Students write responses to an advice column question explaining the process to use in a mathematical situation.
  • “Storyboard” by Jenny Salls.  Students make a storyboard describing the process for solving multi-step problems.

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