The Homework tasks are this way

Hey!....Mums, Dads and Teachers: this page is just for you to read. The tasks for the kids to do can be acccessed from the links on the right, or down below.

So, what is Homework for success and what is Green Planet?

Well, Green Planet is a web-based FREE homework centre for students, teachers and parents, that has a sustainability-centred conscience and isnt overly concerned with the need for political correctness. Initially, it was only set up for a specific class for term 3 of 2009, but the whole concept of Homework for success has really taken off and we are receiving consistent feedback about this concept and oodles of submissions from kids with ideas for future homework tasks. The name of Green-Planet was chosen because....., well, why not? More Green Planet FAQs here>>>>

Actually, my class is studying the Living World in term 3 of this year and it seems that a good goal for all of us would be to aim for a cleaner and greener planet. In fact, we'd like to see the whole planet turn green!

All tasks have to be green-friendly, and each task must have an ICT component to recognise the dynamic nature of learning. Green-planet homework for success learning tasks should encourage inclusiveness, bi-culturalism and sustainability.

So do we need another homework website in New Zealand?

NO! (Next question?)

Just kidding.

What we do need is a site that takes away the unfairness of generic homework tasks and sheets and this site is it.

Traditionally, teachers set homework tasks, either by spending their valuable time creating a sheet that is meaningful to classroom learning, or by photocopying some from the plethora of homework systems that are readily available out there for a cost. The students then take these home and slave away at them all week and hand the completed work in on Friday. The teacher then marks this work over the weekend, using up further free time and the student gets a nice (and pointless) mark or sticker in their book on Monday. Only half of the class have actually done their homework, Fred lost his book, the cat ate Robert's book and John's mother refuses to let him do homework at all. Of those "good" students that have completed their homework to an acceptable standard, 3 havent actually understood the questions, 1 couldnt get access to the internet and 4 have only done half of the questions because, "why should we do all of that work, when John, Robert and Fred dont have to do any?

Joanne, who has some major learning needs, cant read the homework sheets and who struggles with regular classwork, is doomed for more failure. Allen, who is a 'high-flyer' in class will race through his homework and get the highest scores, again! The teacher will get mad with those who don't get high scores.

The point is, is that traditional homework is unfair. It's unfair on the kids and it is unfair on the parents and it is unfair on the teachers. The answer is to put the problem and the solution back in the hands of those who own the problem.

Using Homework for success;

• the kids that will actually be doing the homework can have input into what they are learning about.
• the parents can decide if their children do homework, or not, or how much they do.
• the parents cand decide how much assistance they give to kids doing homework
• kids choose which tasks they do
• kids/parents decide how many tasks they do
• kids/parents decide when they do them
• kids/parents decide how much effort that they put in

How does it work?

Students (a.k.a.... "kids") choose a task from the homework tasks, which are arranged in subject areas. Kids complete the task using whatever resources they have access to and then they either deliver the completed item to their teacher or they photograph or video it and submit that, via email, as evidence. Kids are not rewarded with prizes or stickers, but, at the final assembly each term, they will be acknowledged and issued with a certificate that recognises the effort that they have made. Homework isnt about being a performing dog, begging for a biscuit. If kids are going to do the work, they need to be doing it for the learning, not the reward.

While this site is experimental, the concepts for learning and homework are not. This is a tried and true approach, in use at more than thirty schools across New Zealand. Homework For Success is a new approach to an age old problem for both educators and parents, and of course, for the kids who have to do the work.

Some students love doing homework and pour heaps of time and energy into it and others avoid it at all costs, which makes it unfair on those that do it.

This method is a much fairer way of providing homework as all tasks are voluntary. Thats right! Students choose which tasks they do and how and when they do them. Of course, in our school we still have the compulsory spelling, basic facts and goal setting tasks to do each day, but completing these curriculum-focused tasks is your choice.

We don't want kids to do too many tasks in one term, as it is unlikely that they could do the tasks properly if they chose to do more than 1 or 2. Remember that the focus is on effort, quality and presentation and not on the amount that they do. Some may want to do more, but it is advisable to finish off one task before another is started. The time frame for completion of tasks is quite tight as all tasks must be submitted by the end of week 9. Marks will be shared with all students at the final assemby for the term in week 10. This is a new way of approaching the issue of homework and it is a radical approach to how we see ourselves and our roles with homework.

Check out the tasks here >>>>>

Homework is one of those annoying subjects that can drive parents and teachers crazy as we struggle to find a balance between the expectations of various parents, the requirements and policies of the school, and the needs of the students. Some parents want their children to do more homework. Some want less. Some want harder homework and some want it easier and quicker to complete. (Some parents even want the homework for themselves to do.) Those teachers that use photocopied homework worksheets are often accused of not synchronising student's homework with class work and those that create their own homework sheets end up doing a lot more work than their students and creating extra marking for themselves that eats into their rapidly diminishing 'own time'.

Secondly, homework is one of those things that is often done because schools or parents expect it, but there is absolutely no research available to support the position that doing homework will increase learning outcomes for students. Thats right,.... there is none!

So why then do we dole out the weekly homework sheets, ... the daily tasks, home-based research projects... any of it? Because we always have done? Because parents expect it? Because students want it? Because ..... well because. Thats why.

So open your minds and try this.

We set the broader homework tasks. The tasks dont have any definitive or "one word" answers but are usually open-ended tasks that are subject to the interpretation of the students.

The students choose which of the tasks they do and they choose how many they do.

They choose when they do the tasks and they choose how well they do them.

The students choose whether they do all of them or just some of them, or none of them.

None of this is compulsory. If students do not want to participate, then thats ok. If parents want to pursuade their children to do the homework, thats fine and that is parental choice. We are not bothered by those who choose not to participate, as they never did do their homework anyway. We are targeting those students that want to learn and that want to extend themselves.

Oddly enough, this approach to homework has been proven to have a greater participation rate than those "systems" that use consequences, punishments or rewards. Once children realise that they are doing meaningful learning tasks and they are making progress, they tell their peers and they actively increase the buy-in from their class mates.

Its got you thinking, hasn't it?

The Key Competencies and Habits of Mind are inherent in each of the activities and each task has been designed for maximum buy-in from students and parents. Tasks have been created with a background in Blooms Taxonomy, Six Hats thinking and Multiple Intelligences.

All tasks, activities and resources are available to any student or parent (c'mon, give it a go and show those kids how to do it!) and can only be displayed on the site by the webmaster. (email the webmaster) Homework that is submitted for marking CAN and MAY be placed on the website for the world to see.

Choose the tasks from the learning areas below ....