The discussion about homework in education highlights its benefits and drawbacks. On one hand, homework provides an opportunity for students to delve deeper into subjects, reinforces daily lessons, and teaches time management skills.
Homework teaches students to be responsible with time management outside of school.
Homework allows students to explore an issue more deeply than they had time for in school.
Homework reinforces topics learned that day or week in class
Homework does not have to be busy work. A short assignment can enhance knowledge of the topics we are studying in class. In my opinion a homework assignment should not need to take longer than fifteen minutes to complete.
If an art project is turned in I will always give students the opportunity to work on it to improve their grade. My rationale for this is work is always critiqued on the day students turn it in and they can use this feedback to make their project more successful. However, this extra work must be done outside of class in order for me to have time to move onto the next lesson.
If I wanted to have an in-class activity discussing an artist it would be beneficial if the students did some reading on the assignment before class so we could get started right away on the group activity.
Homework may add another level of anxiety towards school for students who are academically challenged.
Students who live in a stressful home environment may face obstacles to completing homework such as lack of supplies, lack of a quiet space to work and have a parent or guardian available to help them.
Too much homework is harmful for students if it affects their sleep schedule and ability to participate in extra curricular activities.
PARTICIPATION POINTS
Students who make an effort to participate in class activities are rewarded with points.
Students are more likely to help with studio cleanup because they know cleanup is part of the class participation grade.
Students are encouraged to actively participate in group activities to get a higher participation score.
Participation doesn't have to take the form of speaking in front of the class. Students can write a reflection on an assignment that could also count towards the classroom participation grade. Or they could make a video or a screencast.
Participation points can be used to grade the class as a whole to encourage peer discipline. For example, if the entire class is graded on how clean the studio is each day the students will encourage each other to help clean up and do their fair share.
Participation points may work well as an incentive for elementary school children. For example, younger students like to see feedback in a physical form such as a sticker chart,
Student behavior should be part of classroom management. Behavior issues are not always black and white so how would a teacher assign a grade to something that is not quantitative.
Students are getting extra points for doing tasks they should be doing anyway, such as studio cleanup.
Introverted students may be at a disadvantage if class participation is graded.
Cell Phones in the Classroom
PROS
Students can contact parents in an emergency.
Students can listen to music to tune out classroom distractions.
Students can quickly do research to look something up.
CONS
Students depend too much on the Internet to look up sources rather than going to the library.
Students do not interact with each other as much because they are constantly on their phones.
Students get distracted by text messages during class.
CLASSROOM USE/RATIONALE
Cell phones make it easy for students to access a reference photo to help with their art assignment.
Some students work better when they can tune out the classroom noise and listen to their own music.
In the art classroom phones can be used as cameras to take pictures for a project.
