Homework+and+Practice

=Homework and Practice=

Research shows that students need to practice a skill 24 times to reach 80% competency, with the first four practices yielding the greatest effect. Homework and practice are key strategies to enforce learning (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001). They give students the opportunity to reinforce their knowledge as well as practice methods and techiques previously learned (seems pretty repetative). Repatition is in fact the key to learning. Repatition is what drills information into long term memory rather than the short term memory bank.

Homework and practice are related. Sucessful educators will match a planned activity to the goal of the assignment. The research done by Marzano shows that for homework to be successful, teachers should not put it as an end of the day assignment, rather incorperate it into the days activites. I think this technique is useful because rather than students thinking as homework as something they are to do all on their own, in their minds it is something they are finishing up from class. I know this sounds like the same thing, but I remember as a child after completing a learning assignment a teacher would make it seem as though we were done. I would then go home to do the homework, and I would sit down and think, I thought I was done with this, and my brain would shut down. Using appropriate homework, to accompish the appropriate learning for the corresponding assignments is something a teacher needs to know how to do.

Research Findings

 * Grade level is needs to be taken into consideration when teachers assign homework. The higher the grade level, the more homework becomes useful to the learning process (Cooper, 1989). In high school, a student's GPA may increase up to half a point for ever extra 30 minutes of homework completed daily (Keith, 1992). The purpose of homework in elementary students is to create good learning and study habits (Cooper, 1989).
 * Mastery requires focused practice over days or weeks. After only four practice sessions students reach a halfway point to mastery. It takes more than 24 more practice sessions before students reach 80 percent mastery. And this practice must occur over a span of days or weeks, and cannot be rushed (Anderson, 1995).
 * Teachers in the United States tend to compress many skills into practice sessions and instructional units. Students learn more when allowed to practice fewer skills or concepts, but at a deeper level (Healy, 1990).
 * Complex processes should be broken down into smaller bits, or skills, which should be taught with time allotted for student practice and adaptation (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001).

Implementation of Homework
Correct homework and well-designed student practice will increase student learning. These few changes in practice may make a significant difference in student achievement by increasing the positive effects of learning.These are 12 rules every teacher should follow when assigning homework:
 * 1) Understand the four types of homework. Know when and why to have students practice:
 * 2) Memorization of basic rules, algorithms, or laws so the skill becomes rote.
 * 3) Increase in skill speed
 * 4) Deepening understanding of a concept.
 * 5) Preparation for the following day's learning.
 * 6) Match the right type to the goal.
 * 7) Assign the right level of homework.
 * 8) Assign the right amount of homework time.
 * 9) Apply consistent consequences.
 * 10) Recognize student uniqueness.
 * 11) Provide clear homework policies.
 * 12) Ask parents to facilitate homework completion, not teach content.
 * 13) Homework should serve a clear purpose.
 * 14) Provide appropriate feedback.
 * 15) Provide timely feedback.
 * 16) Create support structures for homework.

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