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How to Write the Perfect Homework Policy

Author: Naimish Gohil

Posted: 10 May 2017

Estimated time to read: 4 mins

Homework is an integral part to the learning process and as such, each school should have a clear homework policy readily available to teachers, students and parents that sets out your expectations when it comes to home-learning .

how to write the perfect homework policy

A clear and effective homework policy will mean that quality and quantity of homework can be easily tracked and all stakeholders are on the same page. We've created our own Homework Policy that you can adapt for use in your school or use as an outline when creating your own policy:

1‭. ‬Introduction

This is the school’s policy for the provision of homework to pupils and has been drawn up in accordance with guidance from the DFE and Sutton Education Trust‭.‬ It must be recognised that parents play a vital role in the education of their child‭, ‬therefore it is important and valuable to‭ ‬have a good home-school partnership‭, ‬of which a homework policy must address‭.‬

2‭. ‬Homework‭ - ‬A definition

Homework is defined as any work or activity that students are asked to undertake outside of lesson time‭, ‬either on their own or‭ ‬with the aid of parents and carers‭. ‬Homework doesn’t necessarily have to be completed at home but can be completed in free periods and after-school homework clubs‭. ‬We see work completed outside of lesson time as a valuable part of a student’s learning‭.‬

3‭. ‬The purpose of homework‭ ‬

The school regards the purpose of homework as being to‭:‬

‭ Provide learners with the opportunity to work on an activity that is relevant to learning outcomes‭, ‬or that contributes to gaining qualifications/accreditations‭.‬
Develop an effective partnership between the school‭, ‬parents and carers in pursuing the academic aims of the school and the development of their child‭.‬
Consolidate and reinforce skills and understanding prior to the following lesson‭, ‬particularly in English and Mathematics‭.‬
Extend learning across the curriculum‭, ‬for example through additional reading‭.‬
Encourage pupils as they get older to develop the confidence‭, ‬self-discipline and independence to develop organisational skills‭.‬

As a school‭, ‬we encourage children to pursue out-of-school activities‭. ‬Homework should be used to effectively reinforce and/or extend what is learned in school‭. ‬We hope that children will feel a sense of personal satisfaction in a task completed well and that their efforts will be recognised and praised both at home and at school‭. ‬

Homework tasks should be undertaken to the best of‭ ‬their ability‭. ‬We hope that parents and carers will be willing and able to give their active support to ensure that work completed at home is done so conscientiously and in the best possible conditions‭.‬

4‭. ‬Current practice‭ ‬

At the beginning of the academic year‭, ‬each year group will be informed about what is expected of them with regards to homework‭.‬

5‭. ‬Time to be spent completing homework

Based on current good practice‭, ‬we ask pupils to spend the following amount of time on homework‭:‬

Years 7‭ ‬to 9‭: ‬1‭ - ‬2‭ ‬hours per day

Years 10‭ ‬&‭ ‬11‭: ‬1‭ - ‬3‭ ‬hours per day‭ ‬

Pupils may be expected to undertake a variety of homework activities‭. ‬These activities will differ depending on the teacher and‭ ‬subject‭. ‬Examples include‭: ‬Reading tasks‭, ‬numeracy tests‭, ‬spelling tests‭, ‬quizzes‭, ‬project work‭, ‬classwork extensions‭, ‬coursework‭, ‬essays and research activities‭.‬ As a general rule‭, ‬teachers will not usually set substantial homework tasks to be completed for the next day‭, ‬pupils will have at least two days to complete any work set‭.‬

6‭. ‬Pupil feedback

The school recognises the importance of providing prompt and actionable feedback to pupils‭, ‬parents and carers‭. ‬Feedback will include how well homework tasks have been tackled‭, ‬and the knowledge‭, ‬skills and understanding developed‭.

‬A variety of methods will be used to provide feedback‭, ‬such as an appropriate comment of praise‭, ‬appreciation or area for improvement‭. ‬Any given feedback will vary according to the age of the pupil‭.‬

7‭. ‬Where to access the school homework policy

The school will use newsletters to inform parents and carers about the school’s homework policy and secure their involvement‭. ‬The homework policy‭, ‬as well as useful information for parents in supporting their child’s learning‭, ‬is displayed on the school website‭. ‬

Parents’‭ ‬Evenings and New Intake Evenings will be used to promote this partnership and obtain feedback‭ (‬e.g‭. ‬English and Mathematics workshops‭). ‬Homework questionnaires will be used where appropriate to ascertain parent views‭. ‬Parents will be consulted about any significant changes to the policy that are being considered by the governing body‭.‬

8‭. ‬Reviewing the policy

The homework policy will be reviewed every year‭. ‬Where significant changes to the policy are felt to be required‭, ‬proposals will‭ ‬be presented to the governing body and parents consulted‭.‬

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Getting students to work on their homework assignments is not always a simple task. Teachers need to take the initiative to create homework policies that encourage students to work hard to improve their achievement in the classroom setting. Educational leadership starts with making a policy that helps students learn and achieve while competing with extracurricular activities and the interests of students.

Set high standards

Homework policies need to have high standards to encourage students to work hard on achieving the best possible results. Student achievement in school improves when teachers set high standards and tell students that they are expected to meet the standards set in the classroom.

By setting high standards for the homework policy, teachers are ensuring that the students will be more willing to work on getting assignments done. The policies for homework that teachers and parents create can help improve student understanding of materials and result in better grades and scores on standardized tests.

Focus on study skills

Teaching students in their early education is a complicated task. Teachers need to balance the age of the students with the expected school, state and federal educational standards. Although the temptation to create a homework policy that focuses on repetition and traditional assignments can make the policy easy to create, it also removes the focus from establishing strong study skills and habits to engage students in education.

Creating a homework policy for younger students in the elementary grades should avoid traditional assignments and focus on building study skills and encouraging learning. Older students after elementary school are ready to take on written assignments rather than using technology and other tools.

Putting more focus on study skills will set a stronger foundation for homework in the future. As students get into higher grades, the type of assignments will focus on writing with a pen or pencil. The age of the student must be considered and the goal is to create a strong foundation for the future.

Involve the parents

Getting parents involved in the homework policy will encourage students to study and complete the assigned tasks. Asking parents to get involved to facilitate assignments will ensure students are learning without the parents completing the assignment for their child.

The goal of involving the parents in the homework policy is getting the family to take an interest in ensuring the assignments are completed. The best assignments will allow the student to manage the work without seeking answers from a parent. That allows parents to supervise and encourage their child without giving the answers.

Give consequences for incomplete assignments

Homework is an important part of providing educational leadership in the classroom. Although parental involvement and high standards can help encourage students to study, it is also important to clearly state the consequences if assignments are incomplete or not turned in on time.

A clear homework policy will lay out the possible consequences of avoiding assignments or turning in incomplete work. Consequences can vary based on the student grade level and age, but can include lowering the grades on a report card or taking away classroom privileges.

Although it is important to provide details about the consequences of avoiding the assignments, teachers can also use a reward system to motivate students to complete their work. Rewards can focus on the entire class or on individual rewards, depending on the situation. For example, teachers can give a small candy when students complete five assignments in a row.

Consequences and rewards can serve as a motivating factor when it comes to the homework policy. By clearly stating the potential downsides and the benefits to the student, it is easier for students to focus on the work.

Creating homework policies is part of educational leadership in the classroom. Although homework must focus on helping students achieve, it also needs to clearly state the expectations and give details about the benefits and consequences of different actions. By giving a clear policy from the first day of school, the students will know what to expect and can gain motivation to work on achieving the best results.

Homework Policy

We’re all aware of how students dread homework. They don’t like the idea of doing schoolwork at home after spending a whole day in school. We know how that feels. We’ve all been there during our elementary , high school , and college years. Although laziness is among the reasons, there are credible justifications for why students hate homework. That’s why some schools have imposed policies to regulate homework. Too much homework can be counterproductive. So as a school admin, if you see that your teachers are overworking students with homework, make your move to control it. You can start by downloading our Homework Policy Examples !

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What Is a Homework Policy?

A school homework policy is a set of guidelines on how often teachers should give homework or what type of homework they should give. Its main function is to protect students from being overworked and ensure that their homework is beneficial to their learning .

Homework policies are an important aspect of classroom management . It’s crucial not to drown students with school work. They need time to breathe from doing study activities . Other than that, some teachers might be giving homework that contributes nothing to their studies. Homeworks that are irrelevant only serves to waste the students’ time and energy. But with a homework policy elementary school, high school, or college, that won’t happen.

The Purpose of Homework in Schools

At the start of this blog, we’ve been shedding a bad light on homework inadvertently. Giving a home assignment to a student has some benefits. After all, homework wouldn’t exist in the first place if it doesn’t have a real purpose.

One purpose of homework is to push students to immerse themselves more with their studies. That helps them to absorb what they’ve learned during classes more effectively. It keeps their learning process consistent outside of the classroom . And also, homework teaches students to be responsible and professional, especially when it comes to meeting deadlines.

Another function of homework is that it can be a way for parents to be more involved in their children’s education. They can monitor what lessons their kids are studying by seeing what sort of schoolwork they’re doing at home.

How to Create a Homework Policy

Among the first steps you must take to protect students from too much and irrelevant homework is creating a homework policy. To get you started, we’ll show you our short 4-step guide below.

Step 1: Conduct a Survey

In general, conducting a survey is the first step in formulating policies. In this case, you need to survey the students regarding their homework duties. Your survey form must ask the right questions, such as how homework affects them mentally and how useful it is in the lesson plan . Find out how functional the students’ homework is to see its pros and cons.

Step 2: Communicate with Faculty

Imposing a homework policy is a drastic change in your school’s teaching process. That said, you should communicate about it with your faculty staff . Based on the findings of your survey, let your teachers know what specific regulations you’ll impose in terms of giving homework. You may also ask if they have suggestions or objections about your proposed policy . If there are, you can make some adjustments if you see them fit.

Step 3: Write Down the Regulations

After you make adjustments and finalize everything, write the homework regulations in a document or memo . Make sure to explain each of them in detail. Justify how each regulation is helpful for the students’ learning and well being. For instance, if one regulation is a No Homework on Fridays, you can justify it by saying students need the weekends to spend more time with friends and family. And that it gives them a chance to refresh their minds from school pressure.

Step 4: Add the Homework Policy to the Student and Teacher Handbook

To make the homework policy an official school policy, integrate it into the teacher and student handbook. In doing so, both faculty and students will be more aware of it. That way, the homework policy will slowly but surely become a norm in your school. The teachers, especially, will follow it strictly.

What is the 10-minute rule in homework?

The 10-minute homework rule, as its name implies, suggests that teachers should only give homework that students can finish in under 10 minutes. However, this rule mostly only applies to first graders.

What type of homework is considered meaningful?

The type of homework that’s meaningful are those that are in-line with the curriculum and beneficial to the learning process. Meaningful homework complements the lesson plan significantly. And they’re doable depending on the students’ current level of capability. A homework that adds nothing to the students’ progress is merely a to-do task .

Is it too much to give two hours of homework?

According to the Stanford Graduate School of Education , beyond two hours of homework is too much. Having more than two hours of homework to do has three negative effects on students. These are:

Increase in stress levels, affecting productivity
Health risks, such as sleep deprivation, severe weight loss, and exhaustion
Less time with friends and family, which can lead to depression and neglect of schoolwork

Homework is an integral part of your school’s teaching methods. It is an extension of your school’s guidance for the students outside the classroom. But there have to be limitations. So start making a homework policy now. And don’t forget to download our Homework Policy Template.

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Shadwell Primary School in Leeds has a homework policy that covers:

When pupils take books home for reading
How long they should spend reading at home
English and maths homework
Spelling and times tables expectations
Additional half-termly homework tasks, such as a learning log and key instant recall facts
Instances when pupils may receive additional homework
How homework will be recorded
Rewards and sanctions

Chelmsford County High School for Girls in Essex has a school-wide homework policy setting out:

The importance of homework
Types of homework that could be set
How much time different year groups should spend on homework

How homework may differ in form, expectations and outcomes How long the school recommends pupils spend on homework The roles of the class teacher, leadership team and governing board, and parents and carers The homework that different Key Stages and learners will get Marking, feedback and pupil

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The power of a good homework policy

Published 18th March 2019 by Frog Education

With the homework debate continuing to rage and be fuelled by all parties involved, could publishing a robust homework policy help take some of the headache out of home learning?

What is a homework policy.

The idea of a homework policy is for the school to officially document and communicate their process for homework. The policy should outline what is expected of teachers when setting homework and from students in completing home learning tasks. It is a constructive document through which the school can communicate to parents, teachers, governors and students the learning objectives for homework.

Do schools have to have a homework policy?

It is a common misconception that schools are required by the government to set homework. Historically the government provided guidelines on the amount of time students should spend on home learning. This was withdrawn in 2012 and autonomy was handed to headteachers and school leaders to determine what and how much homework is set. Therefore, schools are not required by Ofsted or the DfE to have a homework policy in place.

The removal of official guidelines, however, does not give pupils the freedom to decide if they complete homework or not. Damian Hinds , Education Secretary, clarified that although schools are not obliged to set homework, when they do, children need to complete it in line with their school’s homework policy; “we trust individual school head teachers to decide what their policy on homework will be, and what happens if pupils don’t do what’s set.”

The majority of primary and secondary schools do set homework. Regardless of the different views on the topic, the schools that do incorporate homework into their learning processes, must see value in it.

Clearly communicating that value will demonstrate clarity and create alliance for everyone involved – both in and outside of school. This is where the publication of a good homework policy can help. 5 Benefits of publishing a good homework policy

#1 Manages students' workload

Studies have shown a correlation between student anxiety and demanding amounts of homework. One study found that in more affluent areas, school children are spending three hours per evening on homework. This is excessive. Secondary school students’ study between eight and ten subjects, which means they will have day-to-day contact with a number of teachers. If there is no clear homework policy to provide a guide, it would be feasible for an excessive amount of homework to be set.

A homework policy that sets out the expected amount of time students should spend on homework will help prevent an overload. This makes it more realistic for children to complete homework tasks and minimise the detrimental effect it could have on family time, out-of-school activities or students’ overall health and well-being.

#2 Creates opportunity for feedback and review

The simple act of having an official document in place will instigate opportunities for regular reviews. We often consider the impact of homework on students but teachers are also working out-of-hours and often work overtime . One reason is the need to set quality homework tasks, mark them and provide valuable feedback. No-one, therefore, wants home learning to become about setting homework for homework’s sake.

A regular review of the policy will invite feedback which the school can use to make appropriate changes and ensure the policy is working for both teachers and students, and serves the school’s homework learning objectives.

#3 Connects parents with education

Parents’ engagement in children’s education has a beneficial impact on a child’s success in school. Homework provides a great way for parents to become involved and have visibility of learning topics, offer support where needed and understand their child’s progress.

A good homework policy creates transparency for parents. It helps them to understand the value the school places on homework and what the learning objectives are. If parents understand this, it will help set a foundation for them to be engaged in their child’s education.

#4 Gives students a routine and creates good habits

Whether children are going into the workplace or furthering their education at university, many aspects of a student’s future life will require, at times, work to be completed outside of traditional 9-5 hours as well as independently. This is expected at university (students do not research and write essays in the lecture theatre or their seminars) and will perhaps become more important in the future workplace with the growth of the gig economy (freelancing) and the rise of remote working .

A homework policy encourages a consistency for out-of-school learning and helps students develop productive working practices and habits for continued learning and independent working.

#5 Helps students retain information they have learned

A carefully considered and well-constructed home learning policy will help teachers set homework that is most effective for reinforcing what has been taught.

A good homework policy will indicate how to set productive homework tasks and should limit the risk of less effective homework being set, such as just finishing-off work from a lesson and repetition or memorisation tasks. What makes a good homework policy?

A good homework policy will determine how much homework is appropriate and what type is most effective for achieving a school’s learning objectives. Publishing the homework policy – although it might not unify everyone’s views on the matter – fosters good communication across the school, sets out expectations for teachers and pupils, and makes that significant connection between parents and their children’s education. But most importantly, if the policy is regularly reviewed and evaluated, it can ensure home learning remains beneficial to pupils’ progress, is of value to teachers and, ultimately, is worth the time and effort that everyone puts into it.

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Articles / Homework

The Do’s and Don’ts of Good Homework Policy

by Cheryl Mizerny · Published 10/24/2016 · Updated 11/20/2019

A MiddleWeb Blog

At the time, I could not exactly relate to him because I was one of the kids who knew how to “do” school well and actually enjoyed it. I also did little homework at home because I was also one of those kids who broke the rules and generally did homework assignments during class while the teacher was instructing.

All that changed after the publication of “A Nation At Risk” – when our schools began to be seen as failing and the homework levels increased. Then I empathized with the boy in that candy bar commercial.

Homework has been the most hated part of school for decades, and that’s not going to change. However, public perception of the efficacy of homework is cyclical – with each cycle reshaping homework policies and practices in our classrooms. That’s something we can change.

Some of the history behind homework

In the 1940s, when the country was dealing with more important issues, homework was seen as a redundant waste of time. After Sputnik, it was the way we would beat the Russians to the moon. The resulting backlash (post-moon landing) led to my elementary school years in the blissful 1970s when more problem solving, hands-on learning was emphasized.

After the dire “A Nation At Risk” warnings, the emphasis was on drill and kill in the 80s and 90s. This prepared the way for the piling on of homework as supplemental test prep after the passage of No Child Left Behind in the early 2000s and its even greater emphasis on rote learning.

We are now seeing the detrimental effects of this overtaxing of our children in the form of anxiety, attention issues, and increased family stress. The result is a lot of necessary conversation around the topic of the value of homework.

The homework domino effect

We recently had the homework discussion at my school, after listening to feedback from parents. One of the conclusions we reached: many of my colleagues would love to give less homework, but they feel that they would be doing a disservice to the students by not sufficiently preparing them for the next level of their education (HS), which gives significantly more homework.

Sidebar: This, in my opinion, is a major problem in education today—we don’t allow children to be the age they are and push them too far too fast with developmentally inappropriate practices.

The high school feels the pressure to give excessive homework to enable students to pass the Advanced Placement tests and to do well on college entrance exams. Universities see students who are “unprepared” to do the critical thinking necessary to be successful because, sadly, they were given too much rote work at the high school level and below. The effects of all these conflicting goals roll downhill to educators at the middle and elementary school levels.

Homework teaches compliance, not responsibility

Although I am thrilled with the recent trend in elementary schools (which tend to be the most progressive level of education) – eliminating homework in response to research – I don’t see this moving up through the grade levels any time soon.

Therefore, I am continuing to follow my gut on this issue and do what I think is right for my students. I’ve always been an educator who believes in family time and have never given homework on weekends or over holidays, but I am also very mindful of work I give on weeknights.

I was in a recent Twitter chat with other middle school educators about the topic of homework. There was a clear division among the teachers on the question of whether homework teaches time management and responsibility.

Giving two or more hours of homework after they have already spent seven hours sitting and absorbing feels like making children clock in for a second shift. I worked two jobs during college and was miserable, exhausted, and didn’t enjoy my classes as much as I should have. I see the same in my students.

I also feel that if teaching time in school is used effectively, not much homework needs to be given. When I do give homework, I make every effort to make it engaging, meaningful, and brief.

Applying what I’ve learned about motivation

During my time as a special education teacher, I had no control over the assignments my students were given by other teachers. In those years, I witnessed a lot of ineffective teaching – and some that was sheer brilliance.

When I began teaching English in 2008, I wanted to be more like the excellent teachers I’d known. I never wanted my classes to feel like a “sit and get” experience that students must somehow survive.

I began my quest to make all of my classwork, and resulting homework, motivating and useful to my students. This included an intense study of motivation while obtaining my graduate degree in Education Psychology.

As luck would have it, much of what I learned in my graduate courses was summed up brilliantly in Daniel Pink’s groundbreaking book, Drive , which arrived on the scene during my first year teaching English (and was neatly summarized in an early example of the animated YouTube lecture).

In Drive , Pink presents a three-part test for homework:

Am I offering my students autonomy over how and when to do this work?
Does this assignment promote mastery by offering a novel, engaging task (as opposed to rote reformulation of something already covered in class)?
Do my students understand the purpose of the assignment? That is, can they see how doing this additional activity at home contributes to the larger enterprise in which the class is engaged?

I have used these guiding principles for all work I give in class as well as for home. As Pink says, “With a little thought and effort, we can turn home work into home learning .”

One of my other touchstone middle school teaching texts is the classic Day One and Beyond by Rick Wormeli . In it, he says, “Homework given to keep students busy regardless of whether it clarifies, reinforces, or prepares students is irresponsible.” I wholeheartedly agree.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Positive Homework

Through all of my research, and from trial and error in my own class, I have determined my own set of “rules.” Following practices like these can assure we have a positive homework policy in place.

I do not use homework to introduce a new concept. If students are learning the concept on their own, then they are teaching themselves and what is my role? What’s more, muddling their way through unconnected information may frustrate more than enlighten.

I make sure that the homework I assign is never too difficult for my students to do without assistance. Just because it’s homework does not mean that it is family work. I much prefer my students discuss what they learned in school with their parents rather than battle over something none of them may fully understand. Tears and arguments over homework are not the hallmarks of rigorous thought.
I don’t grade homework for correctness. Often I will give a few points for completing homework, but homework never counts for more than 10% of the final grade in my class (thank you, Rick Wormeli). If it is intended to be practice of what they are learning, then it is unethical to mark students down for errors.
I feel that “No Homework” passes send the wrong message that homework is unnecessary and can be skipped. I would much prefer accepting homework late than chastising a student who did not have their work finished on time.
I don’t assign homework as students are ready to walk out the door during the last few minutes of class. When there is going to be some homework, I want them to begin it in class so that I can help answer any questions or clarify directions.
Students are more likely to complete assignments if they have an audience. Much of the work done in my class is shared and/or displayed.
Our school uses a common calendar for each grade so that students don’t have more than two quizzes, tests, or projects due on any given day and also not after a large evening school event.
For anything more complex than just finishing a small amount of what they started in class, I give more than one day for assignments to be completed so students may parse their time as needed.

My homework assignments are a deeper dive into the topic we study and always reach at least the application of the knowledge, not memorization. To the greatest extent possible, I allow students to choose how the work is completed and encourage creativity.
I reduce homework by using my class time as effectively as possible. If there is vocabulary they need to know, for example, we work with it often and in many different ways in order to cement the information in their brains. I don’t use the rote memorization of vocabulary as homework because then it is in and out of their brains quickly.
My homework is always developmentally appropriate. For middle school students, this means taking advantage of their desire to still have fun and see the absurd side of life, while simultaneously using their critical thinking skills. It is also work they are able to complete independently.
I do not assign homework that necessitates the gathering of numerous, expensive materials or the use of resources (especially electronic) that they may not have. I am mindful that the only level playing field is my classroom.

In my ideal world, there would not be homework unless it was student chosen, developed, and executed. Until I live in that world, I do what I believe is right for my students. I don’t want to be the teacher that causes them to totally stress out and learn to dread school.

4 Responses

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Please leave your thoughts about homework policies here in the Comments section!

I agree with the homework dos and don’ts. Less is more and should make sense and be purposeful with the whys discussed before the assignment. Different due dates for things like journals based on when the students want it due (depending on their at-home and afterschool schedules) is also useful. This does teach them to take responsibility for their decisions.

Our school has a no homework policy. It’s not really a policy per se, but if a parent complains that there is no homework provided, the principal will support the teacher in response to the parent and cite research that homework does not increase proficiency in a skill and the kids need/deserve down time or time to be outside. That being said, there is always research to contradict other research out there .

I do believe the homework should be available to students.

I like your idea about it being developmentally appropriate, fostering independence and creativity, etc. but what are the specifics? What structures, routines and procedures do you implement in you class that support a homework policy for reading and writing?

Thank you for an informative article that speaks right to the heart of this Special Education Middle School teacher. I agree with you that the only level playing field is right here in our presence where we can create community and autonomy if we do so intentionally.

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Shifting to Asset-Based Literacy Assessments

Bringing the Science of Reading into Grades 3-5

Class Libraries to Inspire and Challenge Readers

Strategies to Integrate AI into Every Classroom

Preparing Our Students to Engage the World

Smart Classroom Management

A Simple, Effective Homework Plan For Teachers: Part 1

So for the next two weeks I’m going to outline a homework plan–four strategies this week, four the next–aimed at making homework a simple yet effective process.

Let’s get started.

Homework Strategies 1-4

The key to homework success is to eliminate all the obstacles—and excuses—that get in the way of students getting it done.

Add leverage and some delicately placed peer pressure to the mix, and not getting homework back from every student will be a rare occurrence.

Here is how to do it.

1. Assign what students already know.

Most teachers struggle with homework because they misunderstand the narrow purpose of homework, which is to practice what has already been learned. Meaning, you should only assign homework your students fully understand and are able to do by themselves.

Therefore, the skills needed to complete the evening’s homework must be thoroughly taught during the school day. If your students can’t prove to you that they’re able to do the work without assistance, then you shouldn’t assign it.

It isn’t fair to your students—or their parents—to have to sit at the dinner table trying to figure out what you should have taught them during the day.

2. Don’t involve parents.

Homework is an agreement between you and your students. Parents shouldn’t be involved. If parents want to sit with their child while he or she does the homework, great. But it shouldn’t be an expectation or a requirement of them. Otherwise, you hand students a ready-made excuse for not doing it.

You should tell parents at back-to-school night, “I got it covered. If ever your child doesn’t understand the homework, it’s on me. Just send me a note and I’ll take care of it.”

Holding yourself accountable is not only a reminder that your lessons need to be spot on, but parents will love you for it and be more likely to make sure homework gets done every night. And for negligent parents? It’s best for their children in particular to make homework a teacher/student-only agreement.

3. Review and then ask one important question.

Set aside a few minutes before the end of the school day to review the assigned homework. Have your students pull out the work, allow them to ask final clarifying questions, and have them check to make sure they have the materials they need.

And then ask one important question: “Is there anyone, for any reason, who will not be able to turn in their homework in the morning? I want to know now rather than find out about it in the morning.”

There are two reasons for this question.

First, the more leverage you have with students, and the more they admire and respect you , the more they’ll hate disappointing you. This alone can be a powerful incentive for students to complete homework.

Second, it’s important to eliminate every excuse so that the only answer students can give for not doing it is that they just didn’t care. This sets up the confrontation strategy you’ll be using the next morning.

4. Confront students on the spot.

One of your key routines should be entering the classroom in the morning.

As part of this routine, ask your students to place their homework in the top left-hand (or right-hand) corner of their desk before beginning a daily independent assignment—reading, bellwork , whatever it may be.

During the next five to ten minutes, walk around the room and check homework–don’t collect it. Have a copy of the answers (if applicable) with you and glance at every assignment.

You don’t have to check every answer or read every portion of the assignment. Just enough to know that it was completed as expected. If it’s math, I like to pick out three or four problems that represent the main thrust of the lesson from the day before.

It should take just seconds to check most students.

Remember, homework is the practice of something they already know how to do. Therefore, you shouldn’t find more than a small percentage of wrong answers–if any. If you see more than this, then you know your lesson was less than effective, and you’ll have to reteach

If you find an assignment that is incomplete or not completed at all, confront that student on the spot .

Call them on it.

The day before, you presented a first-class lesson and gave your students every opportunity to buzz through their homework confidently that evening. You did your part, but they didn’t do theirs. It’s an affront to the excellence you strive for as a class, and you deserve an explanation.

It doesn’t matter what he or she says in response to your pointed questions, and there is no reason to humiliate or give the student the third degree. What is important is that you make your students accountable to you, to themselves, and to their classmates.

A gentle explanation of why they don’t have their homework is a strong motivator for even the most jaded students to get their homework completed.

The personal leverage you carry–that critical trusting rapport you have with your students–combined with the always lurking peer pressure is a powerful force. Not using it is like teaching with your hands tied behind your back.

Homework Strategies 5-8

Next week we’ll cover the final four homework strategies . They’re critical to getting homework back every day in a way that is painless for you and meaningful for your students.

I hope you’ll tune in.

If you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! Click here and begin receiving classroom management articles like this one in your email box every week.

21 thoughts on “A Simple, Effective Homework Plan For Teachers: Part 1”

Good stuff, Michael. A lot of teachers I train and coach are surprised (and skeptical) at first when I make the same point you make about NOT involving parents. But it’s right on based on my experience as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator the past 17 years. More important, it’s validated by Martin Haberman’s 40 years of research on what separates “star” teachers from “quitter/failure” teachers ( http://www.habermanfoundation.org/Book.aspx?sm=c1 )

I love the articles about “homework”. in the past I feel that it is difficuty for collecting homework. I will try your plan next year.

I think you’ll be happy with it, Sendy!

How do you confront students who do not have their homework completed?

You state in your book to let consequences do their job and to never confront students, only tell them the rule broken and consequence.

I want to make sure I do not go against that rule, but also hold students accountable for not completing their work. What should I say to them?

They are two different things. Homework is not part of your classroom management plan.

Hi Michael,

I’m a first-year middle school teacher at a private school with very small class sizes (eight to fourteen students per class). While I love this homework policy, I feel discouraged about confronting middle schoolers publicly regarding incomplete homework. My motive would never be to humiliate my students, yet I can name a few who would go home thinking their lives were over if I did confront them in front of their peers. Do you have any ideas of how to best go about incomplete homework confrontation with middle school students?

The idea isn’t in any way to humiliate students, but to hold them accountable for doing their homework. Parts one and two represent my best recommendation.:)

I believe that Homework is a vital part of students learning.

I’m still a student–in a classroom management class. So I have no experience with this, but I’m having to plan a procedure for my class. What about teacher sitting at desk and calling student one at a time to bring folder while everyone is doing bellwork or whatever their procedure is? That way 1) it would be a long walk for the ones who didn’t do the work :), and 2) it would be more private. What are your thoughts on that? Thanks. 🙂

I’m not sure I understand your question. Would you mind emailing me with more detail? I’m happy to help.

I think what you talked about is great. How do you feel about flipping a lesson? My school is pretty big on it, though I haven’t done it yet. Basically, for homework, the teacher assigns a video or some other kind of media of brand new instruction. Students teach themselves and take a mini quiz at the end to show they understand the new topic. Then the next day in the classroom, the teacher reinforces the lesson and the class period is spent practicing with the teacher present for clarification. I haven’t tried it yet because as a first year teacher I haven’t had enough time to make or find instructional videos and quizzes, and because I’m afraid half of my students will not do their homework and the next day in class I will have to waste the time of the students who did their homework and just reteach what the video taught.

Anyway, this year, I’m trying the “Oops, I forgot my homework” form for students to fill out every time they forget their homework. It keeps them accountable and helps me keep better track of who is missing what. Once they complete it, I cut off the bottom portion of the form and staple it to their assignment. I keep the top copy for my records and for parent/teacher conferences.

Here is an instant digital download of the form. It’s editable in case you need different fields.

Thanks again for your blog. I love the balance you strike between rapport and respect.

Your site is a godsend for a newbie teacher! Thank you for your clear, step-by-step, approach!

I G+ your articles to my PLN all the time.

You’re welcome, TeachNich! And thank you for sharing the articles.

Hi Michael, I’m going into my first year and some people have told me to try and get parents involved as much as I can – even home visits and things like that. But my gut says that negligent parents cannot be influenced by me. Still, do you see any value in having parents initial their student’s planner every night so they stay up to date on homework assignments? I could also write them notes.

Personally, no. I’ll write about this in the future, but when you hold parents accountable for what are student responsibilities, you lighten their load and miss an opportunity to improve independence.

I am teaching at a school where students constantly don’t take work home. I rarely give homework in math but when I do it is usually something small and I still have to chase at least 7 kids down to get their homework. My way of holding them accountable is to record a homework completion grade as part of their overall grade. Is this wrong to do? Do you believe homework should never be graded for a grade and just be for practice?

No, I think marking a completion grade is a good idea.

I’ve been teaching since 2014 and we need to take special care when assigning homework. If the homework assignment is too hard, is perceived as busy work, or takes too long to complete, students might tune out and resist doing it. Never send home any assignment that students cannot do. Homework should be an extension of what students have learned in class. To ensure that homework is clear and appropriate, consider the following tips for assigning homework:

Assign homework in small units. Explain the assignment clearly. Establish a routine at the beginning of the year for how homework will be assigned. Remind students of due dates periodically. And Make sure students and parents have information regarding the policy on missed and late assignments, extra credit, and available adaptations. Establish a set routine at the beginning of the year.

Thanks Nancie L Beckett

Dear Michael,

I love your approach! Do you have any ideas for homework collection for lower grades? K-3 are not so ready for independent work first thing in the morning, so I do not necessarily have time to check then; but it is vitally important to me to teach the integrity of completing work on time.

Also, I used to want parents involved in homework but my thinking has really changed, and your comments confirm it!

Hi Meredith,

I’ll be sure and write about this topic in an upcoming article (or work it into an article). 🙂

Overall, this article provides valuable insights and strategies for teachers to implement in their classrooms. I look forward to reading Part 2 and learning more about how to make homework a simple and effective process. Thanks

We Are In Beta Newsletter

Homework policies - what can we learn from 31 high performing schools?

Can ai write one for you.

It’s ironic this edition lands in your inbox this morning.

Last night was surely the one night of the year where absolutely no homework was done.

Commiserations to the England team. Congratulations to France.

Sad though it is, there are two upsides:

now there’s one less distraction from getting more homework done.

I have a tenuous link to open this week’s newsletter, which saved me from rambling on for too long about whether Open AI’s ChatGPT can write a homework policy for you from scratch.

Spoiler alert: it can’t.

But I do share three things I learned at the bottom, which you might find useful.

We - schools - Are In Beta - always learning ( when we design strategies to meet the needs of our students without relying on world changing AI ).

🔬🏡 Guest research: Homework policies - what can we learn from 31 high performing schools?

📚🧠 Curriculum Thinking Week 2023 - dates not to be missed.

💼 🔎Jobs with We Are In Beta community members.

🔬🏡 Homework policies - what can we learn from 31 high performing schools?

This week’s highlight is a mind-blowingly thorough piece of research by Wilson Muchenje (Innovations Lead, Moseley Park).

Here’s some context:

Dylan Wiliam is quoted to have said, “Most homework teachers set is cr*p.”, ResearchEd 2014. That is mostly true. However, Dylan Wiliam is also quoted to have said “Everything works somewhere; nothing works everywhere.”, (Dylan William, 2018). That is also mostly true. But, how true is it for homework? As part of my role as STEAM and Innovations Lead at my school, I wanted find out. Here’s what I learned from reading 80 homework related documents across 31 high performing schools.

Read the full article

📝 How schools write and implement homework policies - what Wilson explores:

why he did the research and what we really mean by ‘homework’ and ‘effective’ homework

how we identified the 31 schools to research

what he learned about their policies’ content, accessibility, use of online platforms, implementation and use of pupil premium.

how to read and download the 80 homework related resources he found

Read homework policy findings

🔎 5 homework policy observations

Sent this by a friend?

🔬Evidence-informed – The majority of these 31 top-performing schools also adopted evidence-based approaches to homework (even though some do not spell this out in their policies), with a focus on Retrieval Practice and Knowledge Organisers.

📝Resources – 16/31 schools have their homework resources accessible on their website or on their VLE (Virtual Learning Environment). Here, under ‘homework resources’ we include Knowledge Organisers, homework booklets and general revision guidance.

🏆Rewards and Praise – 10/31 schools have at least one reference that is specific to homework. 20/31 schools have general ‘rewards and praise’ statements under their “Behaviour” policies, and these are not specific on rewards/praise available for homework. Only 1/31 schools were found to not have any references to rewards/praise in their policies.

⛔️Consequences and Sanctions – 21/31 schools have at least one reference that is specific to homework. Only 1/31 schools were found to have a general ‘consequences and sanctions’ statement under their “Behaviour” policies, and it was not specific on rewards available for homework. 9/31 schools were found to not have any references to consequences/sanctions in their policies.

📚Reading intervention – All 31/31 schools that met the criteria have Reading Intervention programs. These are wide-ranging; from DEAR (Drop-Everything-And-Read, morning/lunchtime/after-school clubs and targeted intervention with teaching staff and LSAs. Most schools use Accelerated Reader.

If you want to know how they implemented them, how they resourced supportive working environments and how they linked to wider curriculum…

Read the full analysis

📚🧠 Curriculum Thinking Week 2023 - window for nominations closing.

Nominations for brilliant colleagues to celebrate their subject specific curriculum work and resources have been rolling in from members’ schools this week 🙌.

Whether you want to join the line up to share your thinking or just soak up others’… here are some key dates for your diaries. Not to be missed.

(Ideally) by 16th Dec - tell us who you are nominating (so they can get everything they need from us by the end of term)

By 6th Jan – choose your focus and tell us about your session

By 18th Jan – create and upload your session, supported by your SLT

w/c 30th Jan – conference goes live! Jump in to meet fellow speakers, discuss sessions and learn from a wealth of ideas and resources on offer.

Want to know more?

Curriculum Thinking Week 2023

💼 Jobs with We Are In Beta community members.

Want the 14.5k+ people reading this newsletter to see your roles?

System leadership.

Director of Growth and Development - Greenshaw Learning Trust (Multiple Locations). Message Nicola Borrow.

Middle leadership.

Head of Maths - Queensbury (Dunstable). Message School Improvement Lead, Carleen Masson.

2i/c English - Robert Napier School (Medway). Message DHT, Jane Dunnett.

2i/c Maths - Oakbank (Reading). Message School Improvement Lead, Carleen Masson.

Heads of Year - Ark John Keats (North London). Message Headteacher, Katie Marshall.

Science - Ashton Park (Bristol). Message Headteacher, Richard Uffendell.

Spanish and French - The Priory Learning Trust (Somerset). Message HR School Partner, Alex Tedford.

English, Science, Geography - Queensbury (Dunstable). Message School Improvement Lead, Carleen Masson.

Maths, ICT/Business - Robert Napier School (Medway). Message DHT, Jane Dunnett.

Interested in these roles?

Send the people who posted them a message to find out more. But first…

On a personal note.

I’ve had to write a few school policies. Essential work but a real pain. Especially knowing where to start or what good looks like.

Like most people, I spent some time playing around with Open AI’s ChatGPT this week. Mainly to find some reassurance that the last few weeks’ of researching effective schools’ homework policies wasn’t a complete waste of time.😂

Here’s what I learned about whether it could help write a school policy or not:

It can tell you what a homework policy is and what it should aim to do BUT it can’t write one.

It does suggest that retrieval practice might be useful strategy to boost student grades BUT it can’t tell you what tasks to set or what platforms to use.

It correctly said it would take several days to find 31 exemplar policies and that “ the process of writing a homework policy from scratch can be a complex and time-consuming endeavour”.

So, the bad news is, your leadership’s too complex to farm out to a robot. So you’re still going to have to do it yourself. No time saving short cuts here. Sorry.

The good news is, your job’s safe. Plus you’re a member of the We Are In Beta community, which means you can save yourself days of work by accessing ours .

Why not save your colleagues a bunch of time by sending them this?

Thanks for reading.

@NiallAlcock and the We Are In Beta team.

📱 Get 15,318 school leaders and teachers in your pocket - download We Are In Beta app

🆕 New here? Catch up with previous editions, podcasts and webinars via the archive .

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A Strategic Homework Policy in 3 Steps

On Tuesday, February 16, we talked to a group of HR professionals about working from home and how to set up a strategic policy for it. During this webinar, we discussed the three steps you need to take to design a strategic policy, but we also learned from each other's experiences with this. In this summary, we discuss the three steps and the tips that were discussed.

Just under 20% already have a home office policy

Just under 20% of the participants already have a home office policy and 25.8% are in the process of setting up one. This means that just under 55% have not yet taken any steps at all in drafting a homework policy. We recognize this picture in the market. With the first lockdown, working from home was arranged ad hoc. When everyone was obliged to work from home overnight, being able to work from home was arranged immediately. So, facilitating working from home in a practical way was, understandably, paramount. Employees were mainly given temporary items to take home from the office. Things like a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and office chair were no longer used there for the time being anyway.

However, working from home appears to be here to stay. Research by TNO 1 shows that almost 1 in 4 employees wants to continue working at home after the pandemic and 43% wants to combine working at home with working at the office. A hybrid system is therefore the most obvious choice. But how do you approach this in a structured way? And how do you consider both the facilities and the mental and physical well-being of employees? It is precisely that well-being that received little attention during the rapid implementation. So now is the time to go back to basics and shape the home working policy from step 1.

Step 1: Every strategic policy starts with insight and overview

When drawing up a strategic policy plan, it is important to first create an overview and gain insight into the needs of both your employees and your company itself. So, it's not just about the wishes, needs, and vision of HR alone, the management, or a group of articulate employees, but about everyone in the company. This insight can be solved in different ways, depending on the size of your company.

When asking about the needs and wants of your employees, you don't just look at the design of the workplace. You also take well-being into account. How can you ensure together that the employee works in a healthy posture? How can the social aspect be best fulfilled? Consider the different stages of life of people. Someone with small children at home has different needs than a single person or someone who is also an informal caregiver.

Step 2: Set goals and write down the policy

Once you have insight and an overview, you start to shape and write down the policy. In doing so, you start by formulating the goal of the policy: what do you want to achieve with working from home? Do you purely want to facilitate working from home? Is it also important to provide a better work-life balance? Or are you (also) concerned with the environmental impact of reducing emissions due to less travel? Having a clear goal gives your policy focus and direction.

To make a whole from all the separate parts, it is important to determine which parts are the most urgent and which parts yield the most. By testing these items within the budget, you create a prioritization. With this prioritization, you create a timeline of when you will pick up what.

When rolling out the policy, communication largely determines the degree of success. By communicating clearly and transparently about how the goals and choices have been reached. If you show how the wishes and needs of the employees are met, they will feel heard.

"What is the most important part of your policy?"

Tip from the participants: Go back to the 'purpose' at each separate step, so you keep focus per part and the total remains correct.

Step 3: Evaluate and adjust

The last step is at least as important as the first two steps. A nice document is not enough. The policy must actually work. The structure is the magic word here. By paying attention to the elaboration of the homework policy systematically and for a longer period, you ensure a lasting effect. As we mentioned earlier in the difference between the first and second lockdown, the sentiment towards working from home can change over time. New insights and desires may also arise. This is precisely why evaluation is so important. You need to take step 1 again occasionally: make sure you check the insight into the wishes and needs and the vision. Does it need to be adjusted? Then adjust the policy using step 2 and communicate this clearly to the employees.

"How do you measure the success of your policy?"

To evaluate properly, a baseline measurement is needed in the first place. With this, you establish the starting point. With the baseline measurement, you can test the effect on, for example, productivity or absenteeism, but also of involvement and cooperation. Step 3 also starts with the beginning: insight and overview.

Tip from the participants: Ensure continuous contact with employees. This can be done through surveys, but especially through personal contact. A personal conversation has the advantage of being able to ask questions tailored to your needs.

Would you like to know more about this? We are happy to think along with you.

Linked-in community working from home: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9026843/

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Effective Classroom Policies and Procedures

Policies and Procedures to Add to Your Classroom Handbook

Becoming A Teacher
Assessments & Tests
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
Special Education
Homeschooling
M.S., Education, Buffalo State College
B.S., Education, Buffalo State College

In order for your classroom to run smoothly you will need to write your own policies and procedures handbook. This handy guide will help you and your students (and parents) know exactly what you expect of them. Here are a few examples of the types of things that you can put into your classroom policies and procedures handbook.

Birthdays will be celebrated in the classroom. However, in order to ensure the safety of all students in the classroom and throughout the school with life-treating allergies, no food products may be sent in that include peanuts or tree nuts. You may send in non-food items as well such as stickers, pencils, erasers, small grab bags, etc.

Book Orders

A Scholastic book order flyer will be sent home each month and payments must be received by the date attached to the flyer in order to ensure the order will get out on time. If you wish to place an order online, you will be given a class code to do so.

Class DoJo is an online behavior management/classroom communication website. Students will have the opportunity to earn points throughout the day for modeling positive behavior. Each month students can redeem the points earned for various rewards. Parents have the option to download the app which will allow you to receive instant notifications and messages throughout the school day.

Communication

Building and maintaining a partnership between home and school is essential. Parent communication will be weekly through notes home, emails, a weekly newsletter, on Class Dojo, or on the class website .

Each Friday, students who have turned in all their work will earn the chance to participate in “Fun Friday” activities in our classroom. A student who has not completed all homework or classwork will not participate, and will go to another classroom to catch up on incomplete assignments.

All assigned homework will be sent home in a take-home folder each night. A list of spelling words will be sent home each Monday and will be tested on Friday. Students will also receive a math, language arts, or other homework sheet each night as well. All homework must be turned in the following day unless stated otherwise. There will be no homework on the weekends, only Monday-Thursday.

Our newsletter will be sent home every Friday. This newsletter will keep you updated on what is happening at school. You can also find a copy of this newsletter on the class website. Please refer to this newsletter for any weekly and monthly classroom and school-wide information.

Parent Volunteers

Parent volunteers are always welcome in the classroom, regardless of the age of the students. If parents or family members are interested in helping out on special occasions or would like to donate any school supplies or classroom items, then there will be a sign-up sheet in the classroom, as well as on the classroom website.

Reading Logs

Reading is an essential and necessary skill to practice each night in order to achieve success in all content areas. Students are expected to read on a daily basis. Each month students will receive a reading log to track the amount of time spent at home reading. Please sign the log each week and it will be collected at the end of the month. You can find this reading log attached to your child's take home folder.

Please send in a healthy snack each day with your child. This peanut/tree nut free snack can be anything from goldfish, animal crackers, fruit, or pretzels, to vegetables, veggie sticks, or anything else that you can think of that is healthy and quick.

Water Bottles

Students are encouraged to bring in a water bottle (filled with only water, not anything else) and keep it at their desk. Students need to be well hydrated in order to remain focused throughout the school day.

Our class has a website. Many forms can be downloaded from it, and there is much classroom information to be found on it. Please refer to this website for any missed homework assignments, classroom pictures, or any further information.

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Back to School Checklist for Teachers
Free Christmas Math Worksheets
Half Price Books Summer Reading Program for Kids
Homework Guidelines for Elementary and Middle School Teachers
Why Daily School Attendance Matters
Creating a Homework Policy With Meaning and Purpose
Weekly Newsletter for Parent Communication
Back to School Night Agenda
School Communication Policy
5 Tips to Help the Disorganized Student
12 New Teacher Start-of-School Strategies
Fun Ideas for Celebrating Student Birthdays in School
Classroom Procedures and Routines
Classroom Essentials for the New Special Educator
Student Welcome Letter

Eberly Center

Teaching excellence & educational innovation, course policies and statements.

We encourage you to add the policies below to your syllabus (many of which are recommended by the CMU Faculty Senate ). Under each policy, you will find a paragraph with prompts and suggestions, followed by one or more samples.

Academic integrity

Accommodations for students with disabilities

Support for Students Well-Being

Use of Laptops in Classroom

Grading Policies

Student recording of class.

Attendance Policy

Statement about Units

Diversity Statement

One of the most important things you can do to promote your students’ academic integrity is to make it clear in your syllabus that you value academic honesty (and why). This naturally conveys that you take cheating and plagiarism seriously but does so from a positive perspective. In addition, it is important to explicitly define what behavior is and is not permissible in your class because these details often change from class to class and from instructor to instructor.

As you write your course policy, make sure to:

Motivate the policy in terms of the positive dimensions of academic integrity (i.e. this is about enhancing your education and being a trusted member of the CMU community).
Provide links to the University Policy on Academic Integrity and to the general student resource .
Explain what is and is not permitted with respect to collaboration and/or outside assistance for each type of graded work in your course. Note that university policy is that no collaboration is allowed unless specifically permitted by a course instructor, so be sure to highlight where and how your policy departs from the default.
Explain procedures for student acknowledgement of collaboration and/or assistance, when they submit graded work. Note that university policy states that assistance from campus resources (Academic Development, the Global Communication Center, and the Academic Resource Center at CMU-Q) is permitted and nothing else; as course instructor, you can choose to specify alternative boundaries for acceptable and unacceptable assistance. Just be sure to give students a method for reporting collaboration and assistance.

Sample 1: Academic Integrity

Any work that you submit should be your own work (i.e., not borrowed/copied from any other source, including our assigned readings and your classmates). When using other people’s ideas to substantiate your own, please properly cite the original source. We will review proper citation procedures in class, and you should ask for clarification whenever needed. I encourage you to rely on your classmates’ online posts posts – especially their primary sources – when writing your final paper, but you should be expressing your own ideas and not theirs.

Any act of cheating or plagiarism will be treated in accordance with Carnegie Mellon’s Policy on Academic Integrity, which can be found here: http://www.cmu.edu/policies/student-and-student-life/academic-integrity.html . Depending upon the individual violation, students could face penalties ranging from failing the assignment to failing the class.

Sample 2: Academic Integrity

Honesty and transparency are important features of good scholarship. On the flip side, plagiarism and cheating are serious academic offenses with serious consequences. If you are discovered engaging in either behavior in this course, you will earn a failing grade on the assignment in question, and further disciplinary action may be taken.

For a clear description of what counts as plagiarism, cheating, and/or the use of unauthorized sources, please see the University’s Policy on Academic Integrity (revised in April 2013): http://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/Academic Integrity.htm

I encourage you to work together on homework assignments and to make use of campus resources like Academic Development, the Global Communication Center, and the Intercultural Communication Center to assist you in your pursuit of academic excellence. However, please note that in accord with the university’s policy you must acknowledge any collaboration or assistance that you receive on work that is to be graded: so when you turn in a homework assignments, please include a sentence at the end that says either:

“I worked alone on this assignment.”, or
____ on this assignment.” and/or
____ on this assignment.”

Sample 3: Academic Integrity

[Adapted from a Modern Language class]

http://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/Academic Integrity.htm

Sample 4: Academic Honesty & Rules of Collaboration

Homework Assignments: You are welcome to work with other students in this class on your homework assignments, but you must (a) list the names of anyone you work with on your assignment, and (b) write up your own solutions to homework problems, based on your own understanding of the material. Some students find it helps to take a half hour break between any work you do with other students, and the time you spend actually writing up your own solutions.
Crib Sheets for Exams: You may work with others to develop your crib sheets, and you may use the same crib sheet as others in the class. Note, however, that it is in your best interest to be actively involved in the creation of any crib sheet that you use, as this process will help you learn and recall the right sort of material, and is therefore likely to contribute to a higher test score.
In addition, you are required to cite all sources you use in your paper. This includes both direct quotations and cases where you use someone else’s ideas. “Sources” include papers, journals, conversations, anything found on the internet, and so on. Basically, if the thought did not originate with you, you should provide a source. If you need some guidance on the mechanics of citing your sources, please see the “Citing Your Sources” document on our Blackboard site.
If you have any questions about what is expected of you in this class, come see me during my office hours, or ask me after class.

Sample 5: Acceptable/Unacceptable Collaboration

[Excerpted from Fundamental Data Structures and Algorithms]

Clarifying ambiguities or vague points in class handouts, textbooks, or lectures.
Discussing or explaining the general class material.
Providing assistance with Java, in using the system facilities, or with editing, debugging, and Java tools.
Discussing the code that we give out on the assignment.
Discussing the assignments to better understand them.
Getting help from anyone concerning programming issues which are clearly more general than the specific assignment (e.g., what does a particular error message mean?).
Copying (program or assignment) files from another person or source, including retyping their files, changing variable names, copying code without explicit citation from previously published works (except the textbook), etc.
Allowing someone else to copy your code or written assignment, either in draft or final form.
Getting help from someone whom you do not acknowledge on your solution.
Copying from another student during an exam, quiz, or midterm. This includes receiving exam-related information from a student who has already taken the exam.
Writing, using, or submitting a program that attempts to alter or erase grading information or otherwise compromise security.
Inappropriately obtaining course information from instructors and TAs.
Looking at someone else’s files containing draft solutions, even if the file permissions are incorrectly set to allow it.
Receiving help from students who have taken the course in previous years.
Lying to course staff.
Copying on quizzes or exams.
Reviewing any course materials (or software) from previous years.
Reading the current solution (handed out) if you will be handing in the current assignment late.

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Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Providing appropriate accommodations to students with documented disabilities is a requirement of federal law. Using our sample policy verbatim is a safe and easy approach. If you want to write your own policy on accommodations for students with disabilities, please be sure to include Catherine Getchell’s contact information and an assurance that you will work with students to accommodate their needs.

Sample 1: Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

If you have a disability and have an accommodations letter from the Disability Resources office, I encourage you to discuss your accommodations and needs with me as early in the semester as possible. I will work with you to ensure that accommodations are provided as appropriate. If you suspect that you may have a disability and would benefit from accommodations but are not yet registered with the Office of Disability Resources, I encourage you to contact them at [email protected] .

Sample 2: Statement of Support for Students’ Health & Well-being

Take care of yourself. Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep and taking some time to relax. This will help you achieve your goals and cope with stress.

All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. You are not alone. There are many helpful resources available on campus and an important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Asking for support sooner rather than later is often helpful.

If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here to help: call 412-268-2922 and visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/ . Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for help getting connected to the support that can help.

[Optional additional language] If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal or in danger of self-harm, call someone immediately, day or night:

CaPS: 412-268-2922 Re:solve Crisis Network: 888-796-8226 If the situation is life threatening, call the police On campus: CMU Police: 412-268-2323 Off campus: 911

If you have questions about this or your coursework, please let me know. Thank you, and have a great semester.

Support for Students' Well-Being

Your syllabus can send a positive signal of your support for students' learning and well-being by including a section with recommendations and encouragement for students to take care of themselves and seek help when they need it. This section can also provide students with important information for getting help, including direct links and contact information for support services. And, if you feel so inclined, this section is also a place to directly invite students to reach out to you when they have questions or need help.

Sample 1: Take care of yourself

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE:

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal or in danger of self-harm, call someone immediately, day or night:

CaPS : 412-268-2922

Re:solve Crisis Network : 888-796-8226

If the situation is life threatening, call the Police :

On campus: CMU Police : 412-268-2323

Off campus: 911

If you have questions about this or your coursework, please let me know.

Sample 2: Take Care of Yourself

Take care of yourself. Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep, and taking time to relax. Despite what you might hear, using your time to take care of yourself will actually help you achieve your academic goals more than spending too much time studying.

All of us benefit from support and guidance during times of struggle. There are many helpful resources available on campus. An important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Take the time to learn about all that’s available and take advantage of it. Ask for support sooner rather than later – this always helps.

If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or difficult feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for assistance connecting to the support that can help. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here for you: call 412-268-2922 and visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/ . Over 25% of students reach out to CaPS some time during their time at CMU.

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, call someone immediately, day or night:

CaPS: 412-268-2922

Re:solve Crisis Network: 888-796-8226

If the situation is life threatening, call the Police:

On campus: CMU Police: 412-268-2323

Sample 3: Healthy Balance

Universities are in general vibrant communities, places of tremendous vitality and richness that offer abundant opportunities for meaningful work and play. This abundance brings with it the challenge of maintaining a healthy, balanced life – a life characterized by productive tension among such competing needs as work and play, sleep and wakefulness, solitude and sociability. All members of university communities – students, staff, and faculty – have the responsibility to promote balance in their lives by making thoughtful choices.

Balanced choices flow from an understanding that human flourishing requires the fulfillment of very real physical, emotional, spiritual, and social needs.

Balanced choices flow from an understanding that failure is part of the road to success in all endeavors, whether academic, extracurricular, or social. The diligent pursuit of success in the long term will not preclude failures in the short term. Conversely, unrealistic expectations of success in the short term can compromise both health and long-term success if basic human needs are neglected.

Balanced decision-making flows from an understanding that short-term imbalances are inevitable. Short-term decisions must respond to immediate context, but those decisions are forming longer-term patterns of healthfulness. Balance requires an ability to discern how long an imbalance may safely persist.

Balance results from two skills: avoiding imbalance through careful planning, and managing and containing imbalance when it occurs.

Sample 4: Basic Mental Health

As a student, you may experience a range of challenges that can interfere with learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, substance use, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may diminish your academic performance and/or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. CMU services are available, and treatment does work. You can learn more about confidential mental health services available on campus at: http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/ . Support is always available (24/7) from Counseling and Psychological Services: 412-268-2922.

Sample 5: Signs and Resources

The CMU community is committed to and cares about all students. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental health problems can help you or others to consider seeking care that can help. These are some signs that may be reason for concern:

Feeling hopelessness, worthlessness, depressed, angry or guilt
Withdrawal from friends, family and activities that used to be fun
Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
Feeling tired or exhausted all of the time
Trouble concentrating, thinking, remembering or making decisions
Restlessness, irritability, agitation or anxious movements or behaviors
Neglect of personal care
Reckless or impulsive behaviors (e.g., drinking or using drugs excessively or being unsafe in other ways)
Persistent physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, digestive problems or chronic pain) that do not respond to routine treatment
Thoughts about death or suicide*

Treatment for mental health problems is effective. More information and resources are located at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/ . Immediate support is always available (24/7): 412-268-2922.

* CaPS : 412-268-2922

On campus: CMU Police: 412-268-2323
Off campus: 911

Sample 6: Personal Investment

Diminished mental health, including significant stress, mood changes, excessive worry, or problems with eating and/or sleeping can interfere with optimal academic performance. The source of symptoms might be strictly related to your course work; if so, please speak with me. However, problems with relationships, family worries, loss, or a personal struggle or crisis can also contribute to decreased academic performance. CMU provides mental health services to support the academic success of students. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) offers free, confidential services to help you manage personal challenges. In the event I suspect you need additional support, I will express my concerns and the reasons for them, and remind you of campus resources (e.g., CaPS, Dean of Students, etc.) that might be helpful to you. It is not my intention to know the details of what might be bothering you, but simply to let you know I am concerned and that help, if needed, is available. Getting help is a smart and courageous thing to do --for yourself and for those who care about you.

Use of Laptops and Mobile Devices in Class

Different instructors have different comfort levels regarding students’ use of electronics in class. A policy on laptops and mobile devices should communicate clearly to students what your expectations are and motivate those choices in terms of students’ learning.

As research on learning shows, unexpected noises and movement automatically divert and capture people's attention, which means you are affecting everyone’s learning experience if your cell phone, pager, laptop, etc. makes noise or is visually distracting during class.

For this reason, I [insert the language that aligns with your sentiments]

ask you to turn off your mobile devices and close your laptops during class.
allow you to take notes on your laptop, but you must turn the sound off so that you do not disrupt other students' learning. If you are doing anything other than taking notes on your laptop, please sit in the back row so that other students are not distracted by your screen.

Describe to your students your grading and re-grading policies. How many points are they eligible to earn if their work is late? What is the process to ask for an assessment to be re-graded? How will group work be assessed?

Sample 1: Flexible Grading policy

[George Duncan, Heinz School]

Evaluation of Student Performance

Students are expected to attend lectures and workshops, participate in class, complete memorandum reports on time, and take the examinations. There will be one term examination and one final examination for each mini semester course. There will be weekly assignments due. These evaluative requirements allow the student to perform data analysis in two different circumstances; memorandum reports provide less structured problems with lax (1 week) time constraints.

All scores on exams and assignments will be based on 100 points. The final grade for each term will be determined by a formula chosen at the beginning of each mini semester by each student subject to the following constraints.

Class Participation 5% - 15%
(lowest grade dropped)
Midterm Exam 15% - 30%
Total Percentage Must Be 100

Final grades will be balanced between prior criteria and the Heinz School guideline grade distribution. The following table specifies both the prior criteria, by the relationships between the numeric score resulting from the formula and the letter grade assigned, and the guideline grade distribution. Discretion in balancing prior criteria and the grade distribution remains the prerogative of the instructor. (Quality points refer to the Heinz School nine point grading scale.)

Sample 2: Group Assessment

[Frenkel Terhofstede, Tepper School of Business]

A Model for Group Assessment

“Free Rider” Problem. In the business world you live and die by the results of your team as a whole. We prefer to give a single grade to all members of a group, but understand they there may be substantial “outlier” behavior by particular group members. Within 4 days after handing in the final report, hand in a peer evaluation form rating the contribution of each team member. I expect that 90 percent of these memos will not lead to major changes in grades. However, if there appears to be consensus that one group member did not pull his or her weight (or alternatively, that one member was crucial to the team’s success) I will adjust an individual’s project grade up or down according to the peer evaluation from. Please be fair in rating others. A copy of the peer evaluation form is attached to the course packet (see Appendix 1) and can be downloaded from the course website.

Sample 3: Late work and re-grading

[Example from History Class]

Flex Days/Late Work

Due dates for every assignment are provided on the course syllabus and course schedule (and posted in Canvas). Unless otherwise stated, assignments are due on those days. However, I recognize that sometimes “life happens.” In these instances, you may use your allotted two flex days. These days allow you to submit an assignment up to two days late without penalty. You can use these days for any assignment and for any reason. You do not need to provide me with the reason: simply email me and tell me how many of your flex days you would like to use.

Once you’ve exhausted your flex days, then point deductions will occur for any assignment submitted after the deadline. An assignment submitted 24 hours of the due date will only be eligible for 80% of the maximum number of point allotted. Assignments submitted more than 24 hours after the due date will not be accepted. If you experience extenuating circumstances (e.g., you are hospitalized) that prohibit you from submitting your assignments on time, please let me know. I will evaluate these instances on a case-by-case basis.

Re-grade Policy

If you would like me to review a graded assignment, I am more than willing to do so. All requests for re-grades must be submitted within one week of the graded assignments being returned. After requesting a re-grade, please schedule an appointment with me to discuss your assignment and grade. Please allow me a minimum of 48 hours between your request for a re-grade and our meeting. Exceptions to this policy may apply in the case of the final perspective paper due to deadlines for CMU grade submissions.

If you do not want your classroom activities recorded, you should explicitly include this policy in your course syllabus with a reminder for students with disabilities that they may request accommodations with the Office of Disability Resources. If you want to allow students to record classroom activities for their personal educational use, you may still restrict further dissemination beyond members of the class.

Sample 1: No Recording

No student may record any classroom activity without express written consent from me. If you have (or think you may have) a disability such that you need to record or tape classroom activities, you should contact the Office of Disability Resources to request an appropriate accommodation.

Sample 2: Recording Allowed for Personal Educational Use

Classroom activities may be recorded by a student for the personal, educational use of that student or for all students presently enrolled in the class only, and may not be further copied, distributed, published or otherwise used for any other purpose without the express written consent of [insert name of faculty member]. All students are advised that classroom activities may be taped by students for this purpose.

Attendance and Participation Policy

To convey the importance of attendance and how attendance/participation contributes to the final grade, include this policy in your syllabus.

A statement regarding how many class sessions a student is permitted to miss, including information regarding point deduction for absences (if applicable).

Frame your policy in a positive way, highlighting the value of attendance and participation for student learning
Outline the circumstances in which an absence would be excused (e.g., religious holiday, college team event, medical or family emergency, etc.), and how unexcused absences will affect the final grade
Explain how and when students should notify you of an absence.
Clearly articulate your expectations around class participation and explain how participation will be assessed as well as how it will contribute to the final grade. A useful rule of thumb: Whenever class participation is worth more than 10% of the final grade, use a rubric for grading and feedback, and share it with students in advance.

Sample 1: Attendance and Participation

[Adapted from Frenkel Terhofstede, Tepper School of Business]

Class Presence and Participation. Class presence and participation points are given to encourage your active class participation and discussion. You will be rewarded with a perfect score as long as you frequently come to class and actively contribute to the class discussion during recitations and lectures.

Presence: Although it is not required, most students send their professor a brief e-mail to explain their absence in advance. Students who repeatedly arrive late to the lecture or recitation will be eligible for 80% of the participation grade. Please sign the attendance sheet when you come to the class. Any false signatures will result in zero participation grades for all parties involved.

Participation: We will devote one entire session to the case discussion. The instructor’s role during a case discussion is that of a moderator. When the cases are discussed, we are less concerned with “right” or “wrong” answers than we are with thoughtful contributions which follow the discussion and either add to the debate or move it in a new direction. If you find it uncomfortable to speak up in class, we encourage you to visit your professor in office hours and work on this skill.

Sample 2: Attendance and Participation

[Example from a history class]

Within the first week of our course, please look ahead and see if you need to miss class for any excusable reason (religious observance, job interview, university-sanctioned event, etc.) and notify me as soon as possible. We may be able to make alternative arrangements for completing assignments. Everyone is permitted one absence without the deduction of points. If you do not use this absence, then the extra points you earn will be added to your lowest score when computing your final grade (i.e., extra credit). If there are extenuating circumstances that require you to miss more than one class session, please come and discuss this issue with me in advance of your absence(s).

Sample 3: General Course Expectations

[Example from Mathematical Sciences]

Finally, the following guidelines will create a comfortable and productive learning environment throughout the semester.

You can expect me:

To start and end class on time.
To reply to e-mails within 24 hours on weekdays and 48 hours on weekends.
To assign homework that adequately covers the material and meets the learning objectives of the course while adhering to the time expectations for a 9 unit course.
To give exams that accurately reflect the material covered in class and assigned in homework.

I can expect you:

To come to class on time.
To be attentive and engaged in class.
To refrain from using laptops, cell phones and other electronic devices during class.
To spend an adequate amount of time on the homework each week, making an effort to solve and understand each problem.
To engage with both the abstract and computational sides of the material.
To seek help when appropriate.

We encourage you to share a set of study tips with your class. Consider addressing questions such as:

What should students do to succeed in class?
What help can they expect to get during office hours or by email?
Can you provide a rationale (potentially even backed by research) for why your advice should work?

In addition, at the end of the semester you can ask your students what study strategies helped them and then incorporate this input into your next set of study tips, explicitly stating that some tips came from former students of this class.

Sample 1: Study Tips

[From Joel Greenhouse, Statistics]

Study Tips for Stats 201 or How to Use Your Study Time More Efficiently

Highlight or make marginal notes for important words or concepts. This will help fix ideas and will help you to actively learn the material. This review takes about 20-30 minutes and really yields a large return.
Re-do examples yourself, step by step, with pencil and paper. Examples often look easy when explained in class, but often turn out to be much harder when you do them yourself.
Write down questions about things you do not understand. Bring these questions to lecture, lab, and to office hours and ask them.
Readings are assigned for each class. Read them - if not before the class for which they are assigned then certainly after that class and before the next. Also, as you read, highlight, re-work examples yourself, and write down questions, as suggested above.
Start early. Do not leave assignments until the night before they are due.
Try doing the problems yourself before discussing them with other people.
Use office hours productively. Ask thoughtful questions about things that you do not understand. In other words, if you do (1)-(3) above, it will be much easier to isolate what is giving you trouble. Please take advantage of the availability of office hours.
Review solutions to assignments and exams. Just because you do not lose points on a homework question does not necessarily mean you fully understand the question and answer. Also, the solutions should serve as a model for how to write, using proper sentences and paragraphs, discussions and interpretations of data analyses.
We will make every effort to help you learn the course material, but you must also make an effort to utilize the resources that are made available to help you. Please come talk to us – not only when you are having trouble but also when things are going well.

Sample 2: Where to get Course help

[Used in Computer Science]

How to Get Help

Since the teaching staff for this class is large, you might wonder who you should see about what. Here are some general guidelines.

Clarifications on the homework : If the question does not give away any of the solution, you should post the question on the course discussion bulletin board. Simply click on the Communication button and follow the link to the Discussion Board . If you have the question, probably someone else in the class does too, so posting to the bboard will help everybody. The course staff reads the bulletin board regularly and will try to answer your question as soon as possible. It is also possible that a fellow student will have the answer and can respond. If the question requires giving away part of the solution, send one of the TA’s email or see one of the course staff during office hours.
You need help on the homework or class material : Talk with the member of the course staff in the cluster, send one of the TAs or instructors email, or see any of the TAs or instructors during their office hours. Please don’t feel intimidated about going to office hours. We are all here to help you.
Questions about your grade on a homework : See (or send email to) the TA in charge of the assignment. Your recitation instructor will know which TA is in charge of which assignment.
Questions about your grade on a quiz or test : See your recitation instructor. You can send email or come by during office hours.
The course is taking too much of your time : This course is supposed to take, on average, 12 hours per week. If on average you are spending significantly more than this, we want to know. Please send one of the instructors an email message telling them. Sometimes it is hard for us to judge the difficulty of an assignment and your message lets us know when there is a problem.
General academic questions : The course staff is happy to answer general academic questions, such as “is it worth it for me to take 15-212?” You should catch one of us after class or recitation, or see us during office hours.

You may want to include a statement explaining to students how many total hours of work you expect them to do per week in your course. If applicable, include lab and recitation sections in your calculations. (For full semester courses, the number of units should, on average, equal the total number of hours students spend on your course – both in and out of class. For mini-semester courses, the conversion from units to number of hours per week involves multiplying by 2, i.e., a 6-unit mini should take, on average, 12 hours of work per week in the mini.)

Sample 1: Mini-Class in History

Units and Quality Points

Carnegie Mellon has adopted the method of assigning a number of “units” for each course to represent the quantity of work required of students. For the average student, one unit represents one work-hour of time per week throughout the semester. The number of units in each course is fixed by the faculty member in consultation with the college offering the course. Three units are the equivalent of one traditional semester credit hour.

Hence, a 9 unit semester-long course should require 9 hours of student engagement, on average, including class time; if the instructor requires 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of recitation, they can expect students to spend 5 hours outside of class engaging in class work. For mini courses that run for only seven weeks, the conversion from units to number of hours per week during the mini involves multiplying by 2. For example, a 6 unit mini course should on average involve 12 hours of student engagement ; if the instructor requires 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of lab, they can expect the students to spend 6 hours outside of class.

Diversity Statement on a Syllabus

Including a diversity statement on your syllabus can signal to your students your commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive climate for all students (see a review of research and strategies on teaching inclusively ). Because a diversity statement is specific to your teaching and course, we encourage you to write your own. When creating a diversity statement for your syllabus, please consider the following questions:

How do you, concretely, recognize and value diversity in your classroom? (For instance, do you have systems in place to ensure everyone's voice will be heard? Do you use a variety of examples to illustrate concepts? Do you have guidelines for respectful discussions?)

How can diversity – as represented in your discipline, course content, and classroom – be an asset for learning?

How will issues related to diversity arise in your course and classroom? And, how will you handle them (ideally) when they do? (For instance, does your discipline or course content explicitly or implicitly raise sensitive or controversial topics related to diversity and inclusion? How might students from different social and cultural backgrounds respond to disciplinary norms?)

Do you seek input from your students on classroom climate (i.e., to what extent they they feel included and how)?

What relevant resources exist on campus that could be useful to your students (e.g., Center for Diversity and Inclusion , Intercultural Communication Center , Office of Title IX Initiatives )?

A few suggestions to consider about your diversity statement:

Although we provide samples below, they are intended to be illustrative of one or more of the principles above, rather than to function as “boilerplate” language.

Your statement should articulate to your students why being inclusive matters to you, specifically, and how that relates to your discipline, course, and desired classroom climate.

It can be helpful to consider your discipline's history with underrepresented groups, and how disciplinary conventions might work to facilitate or become obstacles to inclusion.

After drafting your statement, check whether the rest of your syllabus and course design matches your diversity statement in tone and spirit, that is to say, is also positive and inclusive (see additional resources on creating an inclusive learning environment ):

Be inclusive by recognizing different types of diversity in your statement.

If you would like to get feedback on the statement you crafted, please don't hesitate to contact us for a 1-on-1 consultation ( [email protected] ).

Sample syllabus diversity statements:

“Respect for Diversity: It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups. In addition, if any of our class meetings conflict with your religious events, please let me know so that we can make arrangements for you.”

Source: University of Iowa College of Education

“The topics that we’re covering in this class are often difficult, not just intellectually but emotionally. While I expect there to be rigorous discussion and even disagreement in the course of our class discussions, I ask that you engage in discussion with care and empathy for the other members in the classroom. Aim to disagree without becoming disagreeable. In this class we will not shy away from the uncomfortable. Critically examining and assessing our most basic assumptions and values is not just one of the tasks of philosophy but is an activity vital to living an authentic life. I urge you to have the courage to the uncomfortable in this class. In exchange for your courage, I will work to ensure a classroom environment that supports your taking these intellectual and emotional risks.”

Source: Whitman College

"All people have the right to be addressed and referred to in accordance with their personal identity. In this class, we will have the chance to indicate the name that we prefer to be called and, if we choose, to identify pronouns with which we would like to be addressed...I will do my best to address and refer to all students accordingly and support classmates in doing so as well."

Source: University of Michigan, Center for Research on Learning and Teaching

“‘A university is a place where the universality of the human experience manifests itself.’ -Albert Einstein In keeping with the spirit of Einstein’s viewpoint, the Department of Communication Studies is committed to providing an atmosphere of learning that is representative of a variety of perspectives. In this class, you will have the opportunity to express and experience cultural diversity as we focus on issues such as: gender and communication in small groups, communication in the multicultural group, and cross-cultural and intercultural work group communication. In addition, writing assignments and daily activities have been designed to encourage individuality and creative expression. You are encouraged to not only take advantage of these opportunities in your own work, but also, learn from the information and ideas shared by other students.”

Source: University of Alabama, Department of Communication Studies

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No Homework Policy: One Year Later

By Mary Montero

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.Last school year was a really big year in my classroom. We started flexible seating (you can read more about that adventure HERE ), we implemented a Bring Your Own Device program, and we did away with homework. Like I said– BIG year!

While each of those three changes contributed to a very different feel in my classroom than years prior, I was particularly nervous about doing away with homework. I know that homework has its place, and I know there are concepts and skills (especially in 4th grade!) that require repetition to really grasp. Yet, I still felt like the reasons to do away with homework were more important than the benefits of homework itself.

Throughout the school year, I had many colleagues pop in and ask how our no-homework policy was going. “It’s going well!” I would respond, but I wouldn’t give many details. Now, after a full school year without it, I definitely have some reflections on how it went, what changes I would make, and if I would do it again!

After a Full Year of No Homework

You can see that we didn’t COMPLETELY do away with homework, but we did do away with 99% of it. We still STRONGLY encouraged students to be reading each night, and they were required to have a novel in progress at all times. We also continued our weekly letter writing, where students had to respond to us in letter form by the end of the week. You can read more about that idea HERE . I’ll never have a classroom where I don’t do it!

We also had a disclaimer that if students did not complete their classwork in a reasonable period of time or were excessively off task during an assignment, they would need to bring it home to complete it.

How I Broke The News To My Students

Of course, when we first told students about this change, there was hooting and hollering and cheers galore! I let them have their moment and then gently pulled them back together. I reassured them that it was totally possible that they wouldn’t have homework, but that it would mean they had to give me their all every. single. minute of every. single. day. Their eyes got big, they sat up taller, and an air of confidence washed over them. “We’ve got this, Mrs. M.!” I remember one kiddo saying. In the beginning, it was as if they would do anything to keep this privilege. We floated on clouds of no-homework bliss for a solid week…

And then here’s what really happened when I did away with homework…

Eliminating2Bhomework2Bno2Bhomework2Bpolicy

I expected more from my students than ever before.

When I was planning my lessons this year, I packed in more than I ever had before. While that might send like a negative effect of this little experiment, it was actually one of the best parts for me.

The Monster That Is Math

In math, in particular, this was a game changer for me. I knew that my students needed to deeply and fully understand these concepts and be able to compute with automaticity. I also knew they wouldn’t be going home and doing 20 extra problems each night like they had in the past. This meant that 1) I had to make sure they understood the concept like the back of their hand and 2) They could apply that understanding to a wide variety of problems…. Of course, these are two non-negotiables that any math classroom should have, but I was going to be doing it with less practice and repetition than before.

Therefore, when I was planning, I ended up with FAR more inquiry-based lessons and practice (so that they would really get the meat of the concept), and far less direct teacher instruction. I jammed as much as I could into my whole group time (10-15 minutes a day) and then jammed even more into their workshop time. Kids were collaborating, practicing, and learning more than ever… Simply because I had this sense of urgency that I was missing before.

But What About Spelling

A few people have asked about spelling and how this worked without homework and studying at home. We use a word study philosophy, similar to Words Their Way , which means that students are studying patterns in words rather than the words themselves. I incorporated this into my reading rotations and would occasionally devote some of our writing to it, and I would highly recommend it!

Another option to fit in what would have previously been homework is to rethink your morning routine. I usually use my Think It Through critical thinking packet as morning work, and when I did away with homework this year and had to give them some more “intense” morning work, I started using the packet during Morning Meeting instead. I used our morning work time this year to review and reteach grammar concepts some days and math skills other days. It was the perfect balance!

This brought out the best in some kids

When I say it brought out the best in them, I mean it changed their study habits permanently. They created habits that I hope will continue on with them for years and years to come. They knew that in order to continue having no homework, they truly had to give me their all during the day. It wasn’t easy. They had to not only complete their assignments, but complete them well. We had very, very little down time, and I expected more from this group of kids than ever before. Some rose to the challenge and THRIVED under the challenge…

…and some kids didn’t care.

I did have a handful of students who were not at all motivated by a lack of homework. These were the kids who repeatedly ended up taking work home because they weren’t completing it in class. Usually due to them being distracted and not on-task. Some kids learned quickly that this isn’t what they wanted, and a few kids never did quite learn.

Some parents loved it. Others hated it.

On Back to School Night, when we handed out this homework policy, the general consensus was all the praise hands in the world! Parents thanked us for giving them FREEDOM in the evenings to take their kids to gymnastics without worrying about homework and some parents thanked us for eliminating the nightly homework battle they had fought for the past few years.

We also had a small number of parents who wanted their kids to have homework. They worried that they would become accustomed to not having homework and have a difficult time next year when their teacher required it again. They worried they wouldn’t get enough skill practice. These were valid concerns, and we reassured parents that, if they requested it, we would send home supplemental practice. Not one of the parents who initially expressed concern over the policy ever ended up asking for homework.

…but some KIDS asked for homework!

I’ll never forget the first time one of my kids ASKED for homework! It was about a month into the school year, and we were working on Error Analysis in small groups. One of my students looked up and said, “I LOVE this. Can you PLEASE give us some more to do at home!?” How could I deny them that opportunity!? 🙂 The rest of the kids in the small group chimed in that they wanted to bring some home too. During my lunch break, I printed a few more tasks out for those kids, and guess what? Every single student in that group brought it home and returned it the next day– BY CHOICE!

This happened multiple times throughout the year, primarily with my math projects and error analysis tasks. I never, ever denied them when they asked to bring something home for homework.

Some kids NEED homework.

Usually, these aren’t the kids who were requesting the extra homework, but I had another handful of students who needed homework. They needed skill practice, they needed reading fluency practice, and they needed fact practice. I talked to each of those students individually and contacted those parents privately. They (both students and parents) understood why I needed to send supplemental work home. Once a quarter, I put together packets based on those kids’ needs. I gave them free reign to complete it at any time throughout the quarter, and every single packet came back completed by the end of the quarter.

I would do it all over again.

At the end of the year, I had parents come up to me and thank me for this policy, telling me how they had enjoyed a better relationship with their student this year without the nightly homework battle. They had taken more walks, participated in more after school activities, and were generally so thankful for the reprieve.

As a teacher, I saw happy kids coming in every day and relaxed kids leaving every afternoon. There were no battles over missing homework, and kids worked hard to keep the privilege. I had no noticeable (anecdotally or with data) drop in achievement or growth over the course of the year. I felt like a better teacher because I worked even harder during the school day to make sure they were getting exactly what they needed while they were with me.

…Oh, and I had a lot less grading to do, too! 🙂 🙂

I would do it again a heartbeat!

Homework Policy

We strongly believe in the power of play and the importance of letting children be children. Further, research does not indicate significant benefits of homework at the elementary level. We believe that when students give us all of their day, they deserve to have all of their night. Therefore, we have eliminated the majority of our standing homework assignments. Eat dinner as a family and ask them how their day was, enjoy your child’s extracurricular activities without worrying about homework, and know that your child is working hard at school each day and has earned their evening playtime!

To foster community and self-reflection, your student will have a weekly letter from their teacher (more about that below!) to respond to, and we highly encourage you to read a book of choice with your child each evening. Please Note: If a student exhibits off-task behaviors during the school day and fails to complete an assignment, the assignment will be sent home for completion.

Mary Montero

I’m so glad you are here. I’m a current gifted and talented teacher in a small town in Colorado, and I’ve been in education since 2009. My passion (other than my family and cookies) is for making teachers’ lives easier and classrooms more engaging.

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What Should We Include In Our Homeschool Co-op Handbook?

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Last Updated on August 19, 2023 by Sarah McCubbin

If you are starting a new homeschool co-op, you are probably wondering what you should include in your homeschool co-op handbook. Below I will outline the purpose and different parts of a handbook. There is also a sample handbook you can download to give you an idea of what you might include.

When I took over leading a homeschool co-op, I quickly realized that the handbook was going to save me. When people would come up to me with questions, it removed so much stress that I could simply pick up the handbook and answer questions right from the book. It eliminated giving subjective answers and prevented me from making emotional decisions on the spot. The handbook was written before I became a leader and I’m so thankful for the women who took the time to do it well.

When you write your handbook well, you will save yourself time and energy and you will be helping everyone in the group and future leaders communicate clearly. Find a free sample handbook and other resources in our Resource Library.

When families are looking for a new co-op to join, I point them to my Homeschool Co-op Checklist as way to determine if it is the group for them. Many of those checklist items could also be used in a homeschool co-op handbook.

Table of Contents

Purpose of the Handbook

The purpose of a well-written homeschool co-op handbook is two-fold. First, it helps new and existing members know what to expect when they join your co-op. It lets them know whether their values are the same as your values and it lets them know how different issues will be handled.

Second, the homeschool co-op handbook will help your leadership when people have questions. The default answer to most questions should be, “Let me look in the handbook.” When that becomes the default answer, people in your group will begin to rely on the handbook for most answers and you will not need to answer the same questions over and over.

A well-written homeschool co-op handbook also prevents a lot of miscommunication. If leaders have a book to default to, they won’t feel the pressure to make up answers to problems on the spot. The handbook becomes the “bad guy,” which is so helpful when you are trying to navigate people problems.

Recommended Sections in the Homeschool Co-op Handbook

Your homeschool co-op handbook will have many different sections. As you write each section, consider what you would want to know as a prospective family, a current family and as a co-op leader. You are creating a resource now that will prevent many problems in the future and will help you solve other problems very quickly. The sections below are recommended because they deal with the BIG issues that families want to know coming to your group. I would start with these areas and then build out the other policy areas when your core book is written.

Leadership Contact info: This is a helpful section where you can list each of your leaders names, positions, and contact information so that people can easily reach out if they have questions.
Mission Statement : When you organize your group, you should create a mission statement that might include your core values or vision statement so that families who are considering joining have an idea of whether their values and your values are in alignment.
Membership Process : Do you have specific steps that people must take in order to join your group? This is a great place to spell out those steps in a very clear table-like fashion so that they make sure they complete all the steps by the due dates that you specify.
Fees & Payment/ Refund Policy : obviously money is important so you want to spell out all the fees that you have as well as payment due dates and any refund policies you have so that there are no misunderstandings later.
General Policies : I have a list of general policies listed in the section below that you may want to include. You should include all your general policies in your handbook again just to make sure everyone stays on the same page.
Parent Responsibilities : each group is different and the parent responsibilities in each group will be different. If your group is a volunteer-based co-op, then you will need to list out the expectations for your volunteers. Or if your group operates differently, you still want to spell out the expectations for parents whether they can leave the building whether they stay on site, what their expectations are during the co-op day, and if they have any outside responsibilities you want to spell that out as well.
Student Responsibilities This helpful to include the expectations for student behavior and participation in class in your handbook. By making a list of expectations, you can then review that with the students and make sure all students agree & off before joining your co-op. Having this list is very helpful because when you need to deal with discipline problems, you can refer back to this list and remind students of what they agreed to when they joined co-op.
Conflict Resolution Policy : homeschool families can have conflict just like anyone else and it is important to have the steps that people should take if they have a conflict they need to handle. I’ve included a link to a sample conflict resolution policy for you to see. I would say that when you create your conflict resolution policy, it is important to write your policy in a way that you let people know what to do if they’re conflict is with your leadership team. If your leadership team is one part of the conflict or one side, how should people go about resolving that as well as conflicts between individuals.
Discipline Policy : hopefully our group will not have very many discipline issues. However, if you do have a discipline problem that requires no more attention, it is helpful to have a discipline policy, spelling out the steps people need to take or the steps that will be taken. If if the situation is not remedied, what happens after the first offense, second offense, their defense, etc. This is helpful. If you have a situation where it looks like a child’s behavior is dangerous for everyone else or where it could become dangerous and you’re trying to make take impartial steps to solve the problem in a way that is also not very personal and completely directed at the person making the bad choices.
Facility & Storage Guidelines : Whether your group is meeting in a church, a community center or any other space, they will have expectations about how their building is used. It is important to ask the facility what their expectations are and relay them to the members.
Code of Conduct : Similar to the facility guidelines, the code of conduct relays any behavior expectations the facility may have. This might be things like, “No running in the sanctuary or food is only allowed in the fellowship hall.”
Job Descriptions : If you have descriptions of the roles of each of your volunteers, this is the place to include that. You might include a description of expectations for your teachers, helpers, cleaning crew, field trip coordinator, party coordinator etc. Any details you include here will make it easier for those individuals to do their job well.

In your homeschool co-op handbook, you will have many policies. These can be reviewed and updated every year. On our leadership team, we would update our policies annually to make any clarifications or add new policies to deal with new problems.

Ideas for General Policies

Visitor Policy : When people want to visit your co-op, what are the rules for them to come? Do they need to let you know ahead of time? Do they come only on special days? Visitor days are often a good idea and prevent visitors from regularly disrupting your classes.
Adult / Child Safety & Background Checks : many insurance policies will want you to have your safety guidelines in place for your co-op. This may mean spelling out how children and adults interact. It may also mean that you require background checks for all adults. You should check with your insurance company to see what their requirements are and be sure to include it in your handbook.
Special Circumstances : well, you may have standard requirements for all families to participate, you will find that there are some families who have special circumstances which prevent them from meeting the volunteer or financial requirements. How does your group want to handle people making special requests so that they can still participate.
Maintaining Membership : You may want to spell out the terms of continued participation in your group. If a family joins and then is repeatedly absent, this policy will give you parameters for letting them continue to come or letting them rejoin the next year. For example, if someone misses more than 5 days, maybe they do not get to come back the next year. Or maybe they do not qualify for priority registration or whatever guideline you are comfortable with in your group. Offering this policy up front prevents a lot of hard feelings later.
Leave of Absence : If your group offers something like priority registration for current members, people who need to take a year off co-op may wonder how they can still maintain that priority status. Or if someone needs to take an absence mid-year and still be a member in good standing, this policy will spell out the terms of that arrangement.
Resignation Policy : This policy spells out what should happen if a member decides to resign from co-op and stop coming. Do you want them to notify verbally or would you like them to write you a letter so that that can be entered into your records.
Termination Policy : This policy is one you will not use very often. Hopefully, however, it is the terms whereby someone may be terminated or removed from your co-op.
Homework Policy : how you handle homework and a homeschool co-op should be clearly defined. Some groups want a very academic experience and therefore require that students do homework and turn it in on time to maintain that academic experience for everyone. However, not all groups are the same and not all teachers are the same. You may have different requirements for different age groups and having a homework policy will prevent a lot of misunderstanding and keep everyone on the same page.
Grading Policy : similar to the homework policy is your grading policy. Homeschool parents are ultimately responsible for the grades they give their children. But if your group is offering grading as part of the homeschool co-op experience, then you want to spell out the terms of that grading. Do grade tests only degrade homework? Where are these grades posted? Those kinds of things. Putting these in the handbook ahead of time is very helpful because often new families will peruse your handbook to get an idea of whether this is a good group for them.
Dress Code : address code is important if you want to maintain certain standards. It doesn’t need to be anything very complicated or super detailed, but it should spell out the basic clothing guidelines that you or possibly your church are requiring.
Cell Phone Policy: technology is obviously something we all have to deal with and spelling out. Your cell phone policy in advance is important. You will need to clarify this policy with the teachers and the parents and the students and you may find that you need to adjust slightly from year to year to work out implementation of this policy.
Absences & Illness Policy: This policy is one that should spell out what family should do if they have an absence or illness. Additionally, it should also spell out when you absolutely do not want someone to come to your group. For example, during COVID We had very specific guidelines about fevers and coughs and aches and chills and things like that. You may want to have a specific list of things and whether the rest of the family can come or whether the whole family needs to stay home if someone is ill.
Announcement Policy : This is a good place to list where you will make your announcements for co-op. This should be a place that people regularly check. If you have an emergency or last minute announcement. Are you going to email it to them? Do you have a remind text type app? Are you using your forum post where the announcements for your group will be made so people can check that on their co-op days.
Snacks & Allergy: If your group will be providing snacks or any kind of food you need to have this policy clearly spelled out. How do you handle snacks? What about kids with allergies? What should those families expect to do? Do they need to provide an alternative snack? Those kinds of questions are helpful for families making these decisions.
Snow/Bad Weather If you live in an area where there is bad weather or you might have snow days, it is important to list how you make the decision to call off co-op. Do you rely on the local school districts calling off or do you have other ways of deciding whether you will call off school for the day.

Optional Sections in Handbook

In addition to the policy sections listed above, you may want to include in your homeschool co-op handbook these additional sections:

Important dates for the year
Registration forms
Photo waivers
Field trip waivers
Any other important forms

Designing Your Homeschool Co-op Handbook

As you begin the process of writing and designing your homeschool co-op handbook, I recommend keeping it simple and functional. A beautifully designed handbook is wonderful but if it requires special software or special skill to update then it will be unnecessarily difficult to update.

The handbook below is a modified version of one from the group I was in. I have permission to share it with you. It was written in Microsoft Word with beautiful formatting. However, the formatting made it so difficult to edit that only the original author could edit it every year. When she moved, the group could not easily edit the handbook!!

One simple free option is to write your handbook in Google Docs. It is easy to write in, easy to edit and easy to share. Several authors can collaborate together. Different settings will let members be editors, commenters or just viewers.

Sample Homeschool Co-op Handbook

Your Handbook Is A Gift To You & Your Members

Before I sign off here, I just want to encourage you with this thought…your handbook is a gift. It really is. Most of us hate rules…at least I do. However, a carefully written handbook isn’t just a bunch of rules. It is guidelines…and you have the chance to explain the policy right there in the handbook. “This policy exists to accomplish XYZ….” I have found that when people know why a policy exists, they are much more likely to embrace it and go along with it even if its not their favorite.

Happy Homeschool Co-op Handbook writing!

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Homework Policy ~ St. Bernadette's Senior National School
10+ Homework Policy Templates in PDF
Homework Policy
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10+ Homework Policy Templates in PDF

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don't want to write homework
I didn't know how to write homework, but see what happens🧐🫣 #funnyvideo #laugh
How to Write Holiday Homework in Beautiful Calligraphy
MPS Homework Policy
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Homework policy cautions Williamsville teachers to avoid overloading students

COMMENTS

How to Write the Perfect Homework Policy
3‭. ‬The purpose of homework‭ ‬. The school regards the purpose of homework as being to‭:‬. As a school‭, ‬we encourage children to pursue out-of-school activities‭. ‬Homework should be used to effectively reinforce and/or extend what is learned in school‭. ‬We hope that children will feel a sense of personal ...
Creating a Homework Policy With Meaning and Purpose
Assigning homework with a purpose means that through completing the assignment, the student will be able to obtain new knowledge, a new skill, or have a new experience that they may not otherwise have. Homework should not consist of a rudimentary task that is being assigned simply for the sake of assigning something. Homework should be meaningful.
The four planks of an effective homework policy
A good homework policy therefore needs to be able to easily pick up students who have not completed the work. It then needs to feed into the general classroom culture of accountability and school-wide policies. 4. Value.
Advice on Creating Homework Policies
As students get into higher grades, the type of assignments will focus on writing with a pen or pencil. The age of the student must be considered and the goal is to create a strong foundation for the future. Involve the parents. Getting parents involved in the homework policy will encourage students to study and complete the assigned tasks.
Homework Policy
Step 1: Conduct a Survey. In general, conducting a survey is the first step in formulating policies. In this case, you need to survey the students regarding their homework duties. Your survey form must ask the right questions, such as how homework affects them mentally and how useful it is in the lesson plan.
PDF Homework Policy Guidelines
Introduction. The Homework Policy Guidelines contains information for schools that would like to review, update or newly develop a Homework Policy. These guidelines are not prescriptive and schools may choose to follow their own processes to meet the requirements of the NSW Department of Education and Communities' Homework Policy.
How to Write the Perfect Homework Policy
Write. Team Satchel. ... We've created our own Homework Policy that you can adapt for use in your school or use as an outline when creating your own policy: 1‭. ‬Introduction.
Homework policy: examples
Primary school. Shadwell Primary School in Leeds has a homework policy that covers: When pupils take books home for reading. How long they should spend reading at home. English and maths homework. Spelling and times tables expectations. Additional half-termly homework tasks, such as a learning log and key instant recall facts.
Homework Policies: Loosen Up a Little
Here are some of the policies other teachers have shared with me. Try using these strategies to build flexibility into your homework policies and avoid having to ask for (or deal with) excuses: Requesting that a certain percentage of assignments be turned in on time: "You are responsible for 37 out of 40 of the assignments you'll be getting ...
The power of a good homework policy
A good homework policy creates transparency for parents. It helps them to understand the value the school places on homework and what the learning objectives are. If parents understand this, it will help set a foundation for them to be engaged in their child's education. #4 Gives students a routine and creates good habits.
PDF Assigning Effective Homework
homework effort. Do not assign homework that is so difficult and unfamiliar to students that their parents are tempted to: Do the work for them; Accuse their children of being inattentive in class; or Accuse their children of failing. 8. Do consider reasonable time frames for homework assign-ments, based on the intent of the lesson.
The Do's and Don'ts of Good Homework Policy
When there is going to be some homework, I want them to begin it in class so that I can help answer any questions or clarify directions. Do's. Students are more likely to complete assignments if they have an audience. Much of the work done in my class is shared and/or displayed.
A Simple, Effective Homework Plan For Teachers: Part 1
Here is how to do it. 1. Assign what students already know. Most teachers struggle with homework because they misunderstand the narrow purpose of homework, which is to practice what has already been learned. Meaning, you should only assign homework your students fully understand and are able to do by themselves.
How To Create An Effective Homework Policy In School?
It encourages time management and responsibility while reinforcing the importance of daily practice. 3. Feedback and Assessment: Use homework for formative assessment, providing constructive feedback to guide students' progress. This feedback loop helps identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement.
Establishing a Homework Policy
Free math worksheets, charts and calculators. When establishing a homework policy. it is important to create one that is fair and consistent for the students, and, at the same time, realistic for the busy teacher. Student lateness and absence can make it difficult to enforce a homework policy, especially in a class period of 35 to 40 minutes.
Homework policies
Here, under 'homework resources' we include Knowledge Organisers, homework booklets and general revision guidance. 🏆Rewards and Praise - 10/31 schools have at least one reference that is specific to homework. 20/31 schools have general 'rewards and praise' statements under their "Behaviour" policies, and these are not specific ...
A Strategic Homework Policy in 3 Steps
Step 3: Evaluate and adjust. The last step is at least as important as the first two steps. A nice document is not enough. The policy must actually work. The structure is the magic word here. By paying attention to the elaboration of the homework policy systematically and for a longer period, you ensure a lasting effect.
Effective Classroom Policies and Procedures
Homework. All assigned homework will be sent home in a take-home folder each night. A list of spelling words will be sent home each Monday and will be tested on Friday. Students will also receive a math, language arts, or other homework sheet each night as well. All homework must be turned in the following day unless stated otherwise.
Examples: Course Policies/Expectations
Policies concerning attendance, participation, tardiness, academic integrity, missing homework, missed exams, recording classroom activities, food in class, laptop use, etc. Describe your expectations for student behavior (e.g., respectful consideration of one another's perspectives, open-mindedness, creative risk-taking). Let students know ...
(PDF) HOW DOES A SCHOOL HOMEWORK POLICY IMPACT UPON ...
The school's homework policy is posted home to all students at the beginning of the academic year, outlining expectation, homework's purpose and sanctions for not completing homework. The policy ...
Course Policies & Statements
Using our sample policy verbatim is a safe and easy approach. If you want to write your own policy on accommodations for students with disabilities, please be sure to include Catherine Getchell's contact information and an assurance that you will work with students to accommodate their needs. Sample 1: Accommodations for Students with ...
No Homework Policy: One Year Later
First of all, here is the homework philosophy that we presented to parents and students at the beginning of the school year. (If you'd like to use it, I've added the full text at the end of the post so that you can copy, paste, and edit as you wish.) You can see that we didn't COMPLETELY do away with homework, but we did do away with 99% ...
What Should We Include In Our Homeschool Co-op Handbook?
Second, the homeschool co-op handbook will help your leadership when people have questions. The default answer to most questions should be, "Let me look in the handbook.". When that becomes the default answer, people in your group will begin to rely on the handbook for most answers and you will not need to answer the same questions over and ...
Teachers are using AI to grade essays. Students are using AI to write
teaching ChatGPT best practices in her writing workshop class at the University of Lynchburg in Virginia, said she sees the advantages for teachers using AI tools but takes issue with how it can ...

How to Write the Perfect Homework Policy

1‭. ‬Introduction

2‭. ‬Homework‭ - ‬A definition

3‭. ‬The purpose of homework‭ ‬

4‭. ‬Current practice‭ ‬

5‭. ‬Time to be spent completing homework

6‭. ‬Pupil feedback

7‭. ‬Where to access the school homework policy

8‭. ‬Reviewing the policy

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Step 2: Communicate with Faculty

Step 3: Write Down the Regulations

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