The principal asked me to analyze students' efforts and progress for the year. As I looked over the analysis, I noticed that students who did not complete homework or come to school regularly, did not have as good an attitude or growth as students who regularly completed homework and came to school.
Students' at-home practice made a difference.
Yet, when I looked a little deeper, I realized that the students who did not complete the homework had challenges because they had a hard time completing the homework on their own; there was little tech access for a variety of reasons, and they needed me to check in with them more often with regard to the homework.
Next year, in light of this, I'll do the following:
- Make expected homework easy-to-access and complete.
- Check in daily.
- Offer homework help sessions at lunch, before school, or after school as needed. Provide needed technology at these sessions.
- Work with families from the start of the year to provide as much support as possible.
- Offer an enrichment homework option for those who want to do more and have the support at home for this kind of work.
Data plays an important role when we're willing to use it to assess our work with care and make changes to make a difference. Positive administrators will invite this kind of analysis with an attitude of bettering the work we do for all children. Onward.
