Nearly every secondary-age student must complete homework for their classes, and for many students with disabilities, completing homework at home is a struggle. Students with disabilities often require substantial support to execute homework assignments, and this responsibility frequently falls to their families. This dynamic can create a…

Allowing students to make choices (e.g., on the reading materials to read for an assignment) can contribute to creating learning environments that promote critical thinking, and intrinsic motivation among students. Given this potential that choice has to enhance instruction, it is reasonable to examine its potential as a contributor to enhanced…

Maximize learning by making grades more meaningful and motivating to students. With the support of this practical guide, professional learning communities (PLCs) will discover a clear road map for implementing a standards-based grading system at the secondary level. The authors provide all of the actionable ideas and tools needed to not only…

During the author's eighteen-year tenure as a high school mathematics teacher, there has been one question that she has yet to answer: "Why don't students do homework?" On the basis of research, many factors may lead to a student leaving homework undone. A student may lack the drive to complete work out of school. Or a student may choose…

This Teaching Note reports on an initiative designed to increase the number of students who undertake homework in the absence of formal rewards, such as additional marks. While the initiative was successful in increasing the number of students who attempted the homework each week, preliminary findings suggest it may have been accompanied by a fall…

Gaming, an integral part of many students' lives outside school, can provide an engaging platform for focusing students on important disciplinary core concepts as an entry into developing students' understanding of these concepts through science practices. This article highlights how S'cape can be used to support student learning aligned with the…

This article shares thoughts about motivating young adolescents from the perspective of middle level students. The most compelling thread to emerge from the interviews with students was the fact that teachers matter. Teachers have a direct and significant impact on students' motivation to achieve. This article identifies three ways in which…

Teachers educate children in a way that potentially leads these learners to become active agents in constructing a better world. The present study examined teacher candidates' beliefs about the characteristics of self-regulated teacher. Specifically, teacher candidates (N = 71) described the characteristics of a teacher with high teacher's…

To encourage students to do routine homework assignments, teachers might occasionally assign silly homework assignments (such as "Brush your teeth with the hand you usually don't use"). Class discussions and parent reactions provide feedback. A list of suggestions and a reproducible page are offered. (JL)

This study was designed to: (1) determine whether there was higher achievement by students assigned homework or by those not assigned homework; (2) determine whether there was higher achievment by students assigned preparation homework or those assigned practice homework; and (3) determine whether there was higher achievement by females or by…

This article reports on homework practices of 88 teachers of learning-disabled students. While the findings indicated that respondents were using several quality practices, some problems were noted, especially as regards motivational difficulties. Suggestions for confronting these problems and improving homework procedures are presented.…

Discusses the failure of students with learning disabilities to complete their homework assignments, lists criteria for planning assignments to motivate secondary students, and offers suggestions on procedures and outcomes for inviting students to participate in the assignment completion process. An Assignment Idea Chart is provided. (CR)

For homework assignments to be effective, they must serve to develop skills and help students gain a sense of accomplishment. Suggestions for developing interesting, positive homework assignments that use contracts and skill cards are offered. (DF)

Discusses how to use homework as an effective teaching method and offers creative sample assignments. (SRT)

This book presents strategies you can integrate into everyday instruction in every subject area and across grade levels. It shows teachers how to motivate and engage students with instructional strategies that promote learning. There are 26 chapters in this book, one for each of the letter of the alphabet. The practical examples make it easy to…