Your Opinions Please

Towards the end of the previous school year, I took a look at my grades and noticed that the single biggest problem for low grades in my classes was not turning in homework. A teacher can badger, cajole, pester, etc., ones students about the value of homework until the end of time, but for some, it makes no difference. So, it got me to thinking.

There tend to be two camps in education regarding homework. One says that it is necessary, of value and helps students learn the material. The other camp tends to say, forget homework; it is busy work, it is much more work for the teacher to have meaningful homework assignments, it is a waste of time because students won't or can't do it, etc. etc. This "anti-homework camp says to concentrate on getting the teaching done while you have the students in class. I agree with BOTH camps.

So, what I was thinking about trying in the upcoming school year, is to not require homework. There will still be homework assignments, but they will not be required. Those students who chose to NOT do the assigned homework, but successfully complete what is expected of them in class will then be eligible to earn no higher grade than a "C". Those who do what is expected of them in class and do well on the homework activities will then be eligible to earn an "A" or "B" grade for my class.

Have any of you tried this type of grading/student evaluation in your classrooms or at your school. I teach World History and Social Studies to Seventh graders. Let me know what you think of the idea. As always, I welcome your comments!

Thanks for reading my blog. Stay Cool!