homework review strategies

K-12 Resources By Teachers, For Teachers Provided by the K-12 Teachers Alliance

• Teaching Strategies
• Classroom Activities
• Classroom Management
• Technology in the Classroom
• Professional Development
• Lesson Plans
• Writing Prompts
• Graduate Programs

Top 12 Ways to Rev Up Classroom Review Strategies

The teachhub team.

• April 23, 2012

In my district, returning from spring break marks the beginning of the fourth marking period, the final countdown to summer vacation. Teachers and students alike look forward to school’s off season.  Yet, before we can cross the finish line, there is one final obstacle to hurdle: testing season.

There is no question that the academic endurance of both teachers and students is challenged by the onslaught of final tests, state assessments, and exit exams at this time of the school year. The pressure for students to perform well has surely increased with the decision of many states to include students’ test scores on the “report cards” of teachers.

As we approach the end of the year, the following classroom review strategies and games should prove helpful, and even fun and engaging , no matter the grade level or content area in which you teach.

Review with Flash Cards

Flash cards are a simple and effective way to study. Students can use them to self-quiz or to challenge a partner. Flashcards can be created for any important vocabulary, terms, or topics.

Get creative and ask students to devise pictures or symbols to help them remember the given term or topic. Throughout the year, ask students to take notes on note cards so that the flashcards are ready to use.

Game Show Review

Students love games and competition. Jeopardy! games can be created in PowerPoint, as a Google presentation, or by just simply using flashcards. In fact, there are several templates in Google docs for Jeopardy!. The same concept can be used to create an “Are you smarter than…” game or a contest of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

Student-Generated “Quiz” Questions

Allow students to create questions and answers to challenge classmates. One variation of this activity is to assign a certain number of questions on a given topic to be added to a collaborative project. Use a Google doc template to go paperless and provide an opportunity for collaboration.

Topic or Question of the Day

Post one review question or problem every day for the last few weeks of school. Encourage students to keep track of the questions and answers in their notebooks.

Another idea is for students to submit their answers in a secret ballot style. Reveal the correct answer at the next class meeting.

Review Organizers

Create interesting graphic organizers to help students organize important information with more aesthetic appeal. Sometimes all it takes is a simple stray-from-the-norm approach to help engage students.

Pictionary Review Game

Just like students love the game show concept, they never seem to turn down a chance to write on the board. Write a topic, concept, or vocabulary word on an index card. Students work as teams to draw hints on the board without the use of spoken or written words.

Students as Teachers

Allow students to do the instructing. Assign one topic to a single student, pair, or group. Set the standards for the presentation such as the requirement of a visual or a certain time limit for presenting. As the audience, students can take notes on the lesson so they receive information on all of the assigned topics.

Students as Graders

Copy anonymous student essays or sampler essays and rubrics and put students to work. Allowing students an opportunity to assess others’ work can give them an idea of what works and what doesn’t work, especially in writing.

Scavenger Hunt

Give students a list of review topics and send them to their notebooks to seek the answers. This allows for review and also helps to teach the value of keeping good notes. An alternative would be to allow students to partner up or work in teams.

Review with Foldables

The graphic organizer meets origami. Foldables are a hands-on way for students to organize information, and there are endless ways to manipulate paper. In a basic sense, foldables require students to put a general topic on the outside and more detailed information on the inside. They are great with any subject.

Review Stations

Break review into sections such as time periods, chapters, or units. Provide review questions and allow students a certain amount of time at each station. Stations could include helpful materials such as notes, books, articles, etc.

Tic-Tac-Toe Review Game

This activity can be used with the whole class but probably works better with small groups. In any case, you need two groups, and each group is assigned either X or O. Draw a tic-tac-toe board on paper or the board. Students earn the ability to place their X or O marker on the game board if they answer a teacher-read question correctly.

Any of the above ideas can be manipulated to work with different class sizes, content areas, and grade levels. You may choose to use a review activity for fun or give students credit for correct answers and participation. And remember, review for a tests doesn’t have to be boring.

• #ClassroomStrategies , #ReviewGames , #ReviewStrategies

More in Teaching Strategies

A Guide to Supporting Students with Bad Grades

Supporting students who are struggling academically as an educator can be challenging. Poor grades often…

Learning Where You Live: The Power of Place-Based Education

Place-based learning is an innovative approach that engages students in their community. By…

Write On! Fun Ways to Help Kids Master Pencil Grip

Teaching children proper pencil grip will lay the foundation for successful writing. Holding…

Practical Strategies for Supporting Executive Function in the Classroom

Executive functions are self-regulating skills that we use every single day. Imagine a…

How it works

For Business

Join Mind Tools

Article • 10 min read

Review Strategies

Boosting long-term learning.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Have you ever taken a training course, read a business book, or been shown how to use a new system, only to find that just a few weeks later you can't remember any of it?

If so, chances are you didn't do anything with your new knowledge for a while, so it faded fast. Most learning needs to be repeated several times before it sticks. So, it's important that you review what you've learned regularly and strengthen your memory if you want your new knowledge to really sink in.

In this article, we'll explore a variety of strategies for reviewing and reengaging with information, to ensure long-term learning.

Why Review Information?

We remember things best immediately after we've read, heard or watched them. But, as time passes, our memories begin to fade.

That's why reviewing information regularly is so important. It allows us to transfer new knowledge and skills from short-term to long-term memory, and then keep it there. The more valuable or complex the information is, the more effort we need to put in.

Reviewing information is the final step of the SQ3R process (which stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recall, and Review). This is a powerful technique for helping you to remember key details of what you learn, and for engaging with information more efficiently and effectively.

What Is a Review Strategy?

Review strategies are techniques for reengaging with information that you have already learned, so that it stays fresh in your mind. They're particularly valuable when you're learning for a specific purpose – for instance, revising for an assessment or exam.

They can also be helpful for remembering information in general. For example, when you want to remember people's names or when you need to learn a new system or process.

The review strategies that you choose from the section below will depend on the importance of the information, and how hard it is to learn. You'll also need to take into account your own skills and preferences as a learner, so that you can plan the best approach for you.

How to Review Effectively

Use these seven strategies to review and remember information more effectively:

1. Review Your Information Immediately

Spend a few minutes reviewing new information as soon as you've learned it. Look through the material again and add to any notes that you've already made. It can also help to explain any key points out loud.

This first review is a good way of checking that you've got everything you need, and that you've understood it. It will also avoid you having to "relearn" it completely when you review it again later.

When you reread material, try using a reading strategy to make the process more effective. For example, if you've just finished reading a chapter in a business book, take some time to review the section headings and the conclusion. This will help you to fix what you've learned in your mind.

2. Schedule Further Reviews

Remember, it takes repeated effort to move information into your long-term memory. So it's vital to review material frequently. Otherwise, key details will inevitably slip away.

Memory expert and psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus' most famous discovery – the "Forgetting Curve" – shows how new information can fade from memory over time, unless you take the time to review it. Ebbinghaus' research also revealed that each time you review information, you can wait a little longer before doing so again.

Try to revisit your learning at regular intervals. For example, after your initial review, schedule another one after a day or two, then after a week, two weeks, a month – and at increasing intervals after that.

Organization is crucial here. Try scheduling time for your reviews by adding them to your To-Do List or Action Program . Alternatively, create calendar reminders or set your mobile device to notify you when it's time for your next review.

3. Test Yourself

Every time you review something, include an element of testing. This will uncover any gaps in your knowledge, highlight key areas that you need to focus on, and reinforce your learning.

For example, you could cover up the original material and see how much of it you can write or speak about from memory. Even better, get a friend or colleague to test you on your knowledge!

Alternatively, use a review app for testing yourself. Quizlet , for instance, allows you to take quizzes on various subjects or create your own quizzes, while FlashCards+ enables you to add images to your quiz cards, increasing the range of information you can review. Another app, Studystack, lets you play games with your review notes.

4. Rewrite Your Notes

Rather than simply making notes once and hoping that they sink in, review them regularly – and improve or add to them each time. This is a great way to keep information fresh and clear.

You can do this quickly with keywords and bullet points. Or, if you want to explore the material in more depth, try transferring it into a flow chart or a labeled diagram, such as a Mind Map® . This will provide you with a colorful representation of your notes, which can help to give you an overview of the subject and the key areas within it.

5. Teach Someone Else

One of the most powerful ways to embed learning is to teach it to someone else. Find a willing "pupil," and explain to him or her what you've been learning.

This has several benefits:

• It quickly reveals any aspects that you don't understand or can't remember, pinpointing where your knowledge is weakest.
• It can boost your confidence to use and apply your knowledge.
• Your "pupil" may ask you questions, which will test your knowledge even more deeply – and, in the process, strengthen your grasp of the subject.

6. Put Your Learning Into Action

Simply rereading your notes is unlikely to help you to remember them in the long term. Instead, try to apply what you've learned.

In some instances, this will happen naturally. For example, if you're trying to master a new software application, you'll likely need to go through it a few times before it's fixed in your mind.

Other material might be harder to apply practically. If this is the case, the following tips can reinforce what you've learned:

• Make an infographic to summarize a chapter from a textbook.
• If you want to remember people's names, try doing a quick sketch of their faces, with their names written below each one.
• After a presentation, use your cell phone to record a brief account of what was said.
• If you're preparing for an exam, write yourself a quiz (with answers!) to test your knowledge later.

7. Know When to Take a Break

Finally, make sure that you don't overdo it! It can be tempting to "cram" when revising for an exam, but unless you take regular breaks, you may risk burnout .

Research shows that sleep plays an important role in creating long-term memories. [1] And it's not just because you concentrate better when you feel fresh. Sleep is an active part of the learning process, helping to sort and transfer information from short-term to long-term memory.

For more advice about how to develop sleeping habits that benefit learning, see our article on Getting a Good Night's Sleep . You can also listen to our interview with sleep expert Matthew Walker.

How to Encourage Others to Review and Retain Knowledge

If you are the one passing on information to others – for instance, if you're hosting a workshop or giving a presentation – there are several things that you can do to help them to retain that knowledge:

• Provide a clear summary of what you've told them at the end of the workshop or presentation. This will prompt people to review the information immediately.
• Encourage people to ask questions to reinforce their understanding and encourage engagement with your ideas.
• Don't relay information only once. Instead, return to it – even if only briefly – in future communications, such as emails or subsequent presentations. Try to present it in a slightly different way each time, to keep people interested and engaged.
• When the information is particularly important or complex, encourage people to review it regularly, particularly at key moments – before a meeting, for example, or while doing prep work for an upcoming project.
• Encourage your people to discuss the things that they've learned, and help them to find ways to put their new knowledge and skills into practice.

If we want to remember and retain information in the long term, then we need to review it regularly. Otherwise, our memory will begin to fade and the things that we've learned will be lost.

Review strategies are a great way of helping us to move information from our short-term to our long-term memory. There are several strategies you can use to do this:

• Review your information immediately.
• Schedule further reviews.
• Test yourself.
• Rewrite your notes.
• Teach someone else.
• Put your learning into action.
• Know when to take a break.

You can also help others to review and retain information by summarizing it effectively, encouraging people to question and discuss it, and circling back to it at regular intervals.

[1] Rasch, B. and Born, J. (2013). 'About Sleep’s Role in Memory,' Physiological Reviews , 93(2), 681–766. Available here .

You've accessed 1 of your 2 free resources.

Get unlimited access

Discover more content

Reading strategies.

Reading Efficiently by Reading Intelligently

Delivering Instruction That Everyone Can Understand

Add comment

Comments (6)

Jakob Heilmann

After what seemed like a lifetime in one career, I decided to start exploring new areas of financial growth as part of my retirement plan. At the time I considered several options but the age barrier wasn’t really going to allow for some certain new ventures although I had a few options in the table, I decided to try the crypto market. That was a very audacious decision for me but I thought I had it all figured out with my aid who was tasked with the duty of managing my investments and trades upon my registration with the trading platform. I started out with a small amount before eventually going on to invest more than I had originally intended courtesy of the high profits generated during the trading period. All the funds will be of no use to me if I couldn’t access them, this led me to destroy myself financially trying to keep up with the incessant payments they requested of me before I could withdraw funds. This went on for months before I finally summoned up enough courage and decided to seek for external support which brings me here today for I believe there’re many others in this unpleasant similar situations because of these scammers and with little to no help while the real culprits are still out there. it’s just like they say ‘’Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.’’… so with the right help, the chances of retrieving your lost funds to scam investments is still very much alive. I got adequate support from J E T H A C K S R E C O V E R Y C E N T R E in getting my funds recovered after I found myself in what proved to be a pig slaughter scam . I lost everything I had in my name to the fake trading company but all thanks to J E T H A C K S R E C O V E R Y C E N T R E in recovering my funds back to me and in doing so, they brought happiness back into my family. I can only share this on here so that whoever may find themselves in situations like this or have been victim of scam in the past can hurriedly reach out to them for help. They are active on Telegram with the username @ J e t h a c k s s and Email : J e t h a c k s 7 @ g m a i l . c o m

about 2 months

Carter Turner

Amidst the burgeoning cryptocurrency industry, the demand for reliable coin recovery services is on the rise. Positioned as leaders in this emerging sector, Wizard Asset Recovery possesses the intricate knowledge and expertise required to navigate the complexities of retrieving lost cryptocurrency assets. Central to cryptocurrencies is blockchain technology, a realm Wizard Asset Recovery has extensively explored, allowing them to adeptly traverse the blockchain landscape and reclaim misplaced crypto assets with precision. Their formidable track record underscores their efficacy, as they boast a history of successfully recovering lost crypto assets, a testament to their mastery in the field. The recovery process commences with an initial evaluation and consultation, where Wizard Asset Recovery meticulously assesses the specifics of each case. Subsequent to identifying the issue, they employ their expertise in blockchain transaction tracking and analysis to uncover potential leads. In cases necessitating legal intervention, Wizard Asset Recovery collaborates with law enforcement agencies to secure optimal outcomes for clients. Employing tailored techniques and strategies derived from their investigations, they craft unique recovery plans designed to increase the likelihood of success. Emphasizing client protection, Wizard Asset Recovery utilizes modern encryption and security measures to safeguard recovered crypto assets. For those facing wallet misplacement, Wizard Asset Recovery offers an array of wallet recovery techniques, adeptly managing diverse wallets and employing various tactics to facilitate asset retrieval. For inquiries, reach out to Wizard Asset Recovery via email at [email protected] or WhatsApp at +13157561228.

Charlie Graham

Too many founders start a startup to raise money not to solve real problems for users. Many startup founders get caught up in the fundraising frenzy rather than focusing on solving real problems for users which is the basic foundation to any successful startup. While raising money is truly part of the journey, the primary goal should be creating solutions that truly matter to people's lives and in cases where this kind of fraudulent activity becomes the other of business, well I believe everyone reading this has seen or is currently facing similar outcomes in their respective investment ventures. With that being said, there’s an urgent need to create an extensive awareness regarding this issue that is fast infesting our society so as to ensure more prospective investors don’t fall prey to anymore of these fraudulent investment companies out there. I recently had the pleasure of working with J E T H A C K S R E C O V E R Y C E N T R E, and I couldn’t have asked for a better result. I was a true doubter at first , but then I thought, what’s the worst that could possibly happen? So I decided to give them a trial, Anyway 2 days into the process my Bitcoin funds of $ 209,640 was recovered by the team to my greatest surprise, I checked my wallet and the funds were all there. For the past 4 months, I struggled with anxiety and depression as a result of my choices which subsequently led to almost losing my entire life savings and also prevented me from going through with the process first time I enquired for their help but this time, with a bit of believe I changed the course of my near future and am so thankful for that. Many thanks to J E T H A C K S R E C O V E R Y C E N T R E for the exceptional service. I highly recommend their services to anyone in need of recovery assistance, you can contact the team on Telegram @ J E T H A C K S S or Email ; J E T H A C K S 7 @ g m a i l . c o m

Victoria C. Forman

I'll try not to cry as I write this amazing review!! This team overall is super professional, clear communication, technical proficiency, well experienced and very informative; you name it, they’ve got it. From the beginning I didn't know how to resolve my withdrawal issues, nor did I know such a thing like recovery companies actually existed! J E T H A C K S R E C O V E R Y C E N T R E gave me the motivation to do my part FIRST and have faith and of course I still panicked and was quite very anxious through the whole process because it was a first time for me working with hackers and everything depended on this working out!. Having to face all the accumulated debt that I’ve somehow amassed was exhausting as a single parent and I was on the verge of loosing everything I’ve worked my entire life. J E T H A C K S R E C O V E R Y C E N T R E upon taking up my case did not only stop there like most other recovery Firm/companies out there, they kept me informed and routinely gave updates every step of the process. Knowing a company has true intentions to help you instead of taking advantage of you makes all the difference. Figuring out which company to consult has been something i’ve dreaded since out of not knowing who to trust but now It feels like Christmas came early and am more in control of my life with all of my invested assets back in my possession thanks to their team. They are always available on Email : J E T H A C K S 7 @ G MAIL DOT COM or Telegram: J E T H A C K S S and timely with responses. Highly recommend !

Renee Bradford

I don’t usually write reviews but this occasion i just had to do it, i want to start by saying that JETHACKS RECOVERY CENTRE is one of the most professional and efficient company I’ve met. They’re very helpful and i would highly recommend anyone to them with their recovery case and future because their process really does help out one hundred percent. At first, I was very cynical and didn’t want to be into another pyramid scheme but what did I have to lose that I haven’t lost already so I trusted my gut and I tried it. I enlisted their help and I told the Team explicitly what my goals were, I thought It may be a challenge because the investment company locked me out of my account holding a balance of $2 million dollars worth of USDT assets due to a pyramid scheme that went horribly wrong; A friend of mine went through a similar experience with a certain company and forewarned me about it, this got me apprehensive about mine as well so I thought to withdraw the funds before it became too late but all initial attempts at withdrawal was declined and each time they’d come up with an excuse to request for a certain fee to be cleared before withdrawal request will be passed. The financial mishaps put my family in a bit of a rut and even caused my husband to file bankruptcy!. Coming across JETHACKS changed everything for us, I contacted the team through one of their active channels via Telegram @ JETHACKSS ‘’ after much initial deliberations with my husband, we went ahead and trusted the team with our case . Less than 48 hours into the process our funds that had been frozen for over 3months got extracted by the team and into our wallet safely!.. we couldn’t have been more fulfilled with our decision to enlist the Top help of JETHACKS RECOVERY CENTRE, You can also reach out to them on email: Jethacks 7 @ gmail.com

Julian Sidaway

A lot of people may believe they’re above scam while majority believe those who fell victim weren’t smart enough or were just flat out dumb but regardless of the numerous narratives out there, the many judgements and generalizations from others, the truth remains that it could have easily been any other person out there. There’s no digital financial market that can ever be accurately predicted continuously, not the stock market and most definitely not the crypto market due to its high volatility in nature bearing in mind that news play a huge role in fluctuating both markets thereby exposing it to all forms of exploitations. This has so far caused a lot of damage to investors most especially those who have very little knowledge of the market and as such are very likely to fall into the wrong hands in a bid to avoid loosing their investments while aiming for profits. This has been the case for many out there including myself. Few months ago, I lost a substantial amount of my life savings to an investment corporation that led me to believe the funds were actually being traded on the stock exchange market but little did I know that I was dealing with scammers, I caught wind of their gameplay when I started noticing a pattern in what was told versus what’s being done and despite paying some fees that I wasn’t aware of in the beginning, they still kept stringing me along till it became pretty much obvious to me what was going on. Early on, I had come across warnings from people that’ve been in similar situations in the past but I didn’t think it could happen to me, there upon I knew I had to contact a recovery hacking Team to help my situation and with help from friends online, I reached on to J E T H A C K S R E C O V E R Y C E N T R E ( J E T H A C K S 7 @ G M A I L . C O M ) on one of the Team active contacts via Telegram @ J E T H A C K S S to which they responded promptly to my complaint and rendered an invaluable help to save me from the shambles I put myself in. I suggest anyone to work with them if you are on a journey to recover what you have lost to frauds. They have proven themselves to be very competent and I can’t recommend them highly enough!.

Get 30% off your first year of Mind Tools

Great teams begin with empowered leaders. Our tools and resources offer the support to let you flourish into leadership. Join today!

Sign-up to our newsletter

Subscribing to the Mind Tools newsletter will keep you up-to-date with our latest updates and newest resources.

Subscribe now

Business Skills

Personal Development

Leadership and Management

Member Extras

Most Popular

Latest Updates

Negotiating With Confrontational Customers

Managing Your Emotions at Work

Mind Tools Store

About Mind Tools Content

Discover something new today

Coaching for team performance.

Improving Productivity by Improving Relationships

Empathy at Work

Developing Skills to Understand Other People

How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?

Boosting Your People Skills

Self-Assessment

What's Your Leadership Style?

Learn About the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Way You Like to Lead

Recommended for you

The five whys of identifying change.

Investigate the Root Causes of Your Problems

Business Operations and Process Management

Strategy Tools

Customer Service

Business Ethics and Values

Handling Information and Data

Project Management

Knowledge Management

Self-Development and Goal Setting

Time Management

Presentation Skills

Learning Skills

Career Skills

Communication Skills

Negotiation, Persuasion and Influence

Working With Others

Difficult Conversations

Creativity Tools

Self-Management

Work-Life Balance

Stress Management and Wellbeing

Coaching and Mentoring

Change Management

Team Management

Managing Conflict

Delegation and Empowerment

Performance Management

Leadership Skills

Developing Your Team

Talent Management

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Member Podcast

Our websites may use cookies to personalize and enhance your experience. By continuing without changing your cookie settings, you agree to this collection. For more information, please see our University Websites Privacy Notice .

Neag School of Education

How to use homework to support student success.

• by: Sandra Chafouleas
• January 13, 2022
• Community Engagement

Editor’s Note: Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Sandra Chafouleas shares insights on supporting students’ homework during the pandemic in the following piece, which originally appeared  in Psychology Today , where she publishes a blog.

COVID has brought many changes in education. What does it mean for homework?

School assignments that a student is expected to do outside of the regular school day—that’s homework. The general guideline is 10 minutes of nightly homework per grade level beginning after kindergarten. This amounts to just a few minutes for younger elementary students to up to 2 hours for high school students.

The guidance seems straightforward enough, so why is homework such a controversial topic? School disruptions, including extended periods of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, have magnified the controversies yet also have provided an opportunity to rethink the purpose and value of homework.

Debates about the value of homework center around two primary issues: amount and inequity.

First, the amount of assigned homework may be much more than the recommended guidelines. Families report their children are stressed out over the time spent doing homework. Too much homework can challenge well-being given the restricted time available for sleep, exercise, and social connection. In a 2015 study , for example, parents reported their early elementary children received almost three times the recommended guidelines. In high school, researchers found an average of three hours of homework per night for students living in economically privileged communities.

“ Debates about the value of homework center around two primary issues: amount and inequity.”

Second, homework can perpetuate inequities. Students attending school in less economically privileged communities may receive little to no homework, or have difficulty completing it due to limited access to needed technology. This can translate into fewer opportunities to learn and may contribute to gaps in achievement.

There isn’t a ton of research on the effects of homework, and available studies certainly do not provide a simple answer. For example, a 2006 synthesis of studies suggested a positive influence between homework completion and academic achievement for middle and high school students. Supporters also point out that homework offers additional opportunities to engage in learning and that it can foster independent learning habits such as planning and a sense of responsibility. A more recent study involving 13-year-old students in Spain found higher test scores for those who were regularly assigned homework in math and science, with an optimal time around one hour—which is roughly aligned with recommendations. However, the researchers noted that ability to independently do the work, student effort, and prior achievement were more important contributors than time spent.

Opponents of homework maintain that the academic benefit does not outweigh the toll on well-being. Researchers have observed student stress, physical health problems, and lack of life balance, especially when the time spent goes over the recommended guidelines. In a survey of adolescents , over half reported the amount and type of homework they received to be a primary source of stress in their lives. In addition, vast differences exist in access and availability of supports, such as internet connection, adult assistance, or even a place to call home, as 1.5 million children experience homelessness in the United States

The COVID-19 pandemic has re-energized discussion about homework practices, with the goal to advance recommendations about how, when, and with whom it can be best used. Here’s a summary of key strategies:

Strategies for Educators

Make sure the tasks are meaningful and matched..

First, the motto “ quality over quantity ” can guide decisions about homework. Homework is not busy-work, and instead should get students excited about learning. Emphasize activities that facilitate choice and interest to extend learning, like choose your own reading adventure or math games. Second, each student should be able to complete homework independently with success. Think about Goldilocks: To be effective, assignments should be just right for each learner. One example of how do this efficiently is through online learning platforms that can efficiently adjust to skill level and can be completed in a reasonable amount of time.

Ensure access to resources for task completion.

One step toward equity is to ensure access to necessary resources such as time, space, and materials. Teach students about preparing for homework success, allocating classroom time to model and practice good study habits such as setting up their physical environment, time management, and chunking tasks. Engage in conversations with students and families to problem-solve challenges When needed, connect students with homework supports available through after-school clubs, other community supports, or even within a dedicated block during the school day.

Be open to revisiting homework policies and practices.

The days of penalizing students for not completing homework should be long gone. Homework is a tool for practicing content and learning self-management. With that in mind, provide opportunities for students to communicate needs, and respond by revising assignments or allowing them to turn in on alternative dates. Engage in adult professional learning about high-quality homework , from value (Should I assign this task?) to evaluation (How should this be graded? Did that homework assignment result in expected outcomes?). Monitor how things are going by looking at completion rates and by asking students for their feedback. Be willing to adapt the homework schedule or expectations based on what is learned.

Strategies for Families

Understand how to be a good helper..

When designed appropriately, students should be able to complete homework with independence. Limit homework wars by working to be a good helper. Hovering, micromanaging, or doing homework for them may be easiest in the moment but does not help build their independence. Be a good helper by asking guiding questions, providing hints, or checking for understanding. Focus your assistance on setting up structures for homework success, like space and time.

Use homework as a tool for communication.

Use homework as a vehicle to foster family-school communication. Families can use homework as an opportunity to open conversations about specific assignments or classes, peer relationships, or even sleep quality that may be impacting student success. For younger students, using a daily or weekly home-school notebook or planner can be one way to share information. For older students, help them practice communicating their needs and provide support as needed.

Make sure to balance wellness.

Like adults, children need a healthy work-life balance. Positive social connection and engagement in pleasurable activities are important core principles to foster well-being . Monitor the load of homework and other structured activities to make sure there is time in the daily routine for play. Play can mean different things to different children: getting outside, reading for pleasure, and yes, even gaming. Just try to ensure that activities include a mix of health-focused activities such as physical movement or mindfulness downtime.

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredits the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. Read more about CAEP Accreditation, including the programs covered and the accountability measures .

Some content on this website may require the use of a plug-in, such as  Adobe Acrobat Viewer .

• Support the Neag School

Neag School of Education 249 Glenbrook Road, Unit 3064 Charles B. Gentry Building Storrs, CT 06269-3064

860-486-3815 [email protected]

• Our Mission

Rethinking Homework for This Year—and Beyond

A schoolwide effort to reduce homework has led to a renewed focus on ensuring that all work assigned really aids students’ learning.

I used to pride myself on my high expectations, including my firm commitment to accountability for regular homework completion among my students. But the trauma of Covid-19 has prompted me to both reflect and adapt. Now when I think about the purpose and practice of homework, two key concepts guide me: depth over breadth, and student well-being.

Homework has long been the subject of intense debate, and there’s no easy answer with respect to its value. Teachers assign homework for any number of reasons: It’s traditional to do so, it makes students practice their skills and solidify learning, it offers the opportunity for formative assessment, and it creates good study habits and discipline. Then there’s the issue of pace. Throughout my career, I’ve assigned homework largely because there just isn’t enough time to get everything done in class.

A Different Approach

Since classes have gone online, the school where I teach has made a conscious effort as a teaching community to reduce, refine, and distill our curriculum. We have applied guiding questions like: What is most important? What is most transferable? What is most relevant? Refocusing on what matters most has inevitably made us rethink homework.

We have approached both asking and answering these questions through a science of learning lens. In Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning , the authors maintain that deep learning is slow learning. Deep learning requires time for retrieval, practice, feedback, reflection, and revisiting content; ultimately it requires struggle, and there is no struggle without time.

As someone who has mastered the curriculum mapping style of “get it done to move on to get that next thing done,” using an approach of “slow down and reduce” has been quite a shift for me. However, the shift has been necessary: What matters most is what’s best for my students, as opposed to my own plans or mandates imposed by others.

Listening to Students

To implement this shift, my high school English department has reduced content and texts both in terms of the amount of units and the content within each unit. We’re more flexible with dates and deadlines. We spend our energy planning the current unit instead of the year’s units. In true partnership with my students, I’m constantly checking in with them via Google forms, Zoom chats, conferences, and Padlet activities. In these check-ins, I specifically ask students how they’re managing the workload for my class and their other classes. I ask them how much homework they’re doing. And I adjust what I do and expect based on what they tell me. For example, when I find out a week is heavy with work in other classes, I make sure to allot more time during class for my tasks. At times I have even delayed or altered one of my assignments.

To be completely transparent, the “old” me is sheepish in admitting that I’ve so dramatically changed my thinking with respect to homework. However, both my students and I have reaped numerous benefits. I’m now laser-focused when designing every minute of my lessons to maximize teaching and learning. Every decision I make is now scrutinized through the lens of absolute worth for my students’ growth: If it doesn’t make the cut, it’s cut. I also take into account what is most relevant to my students.

For example, our 10th-grade English team has redesigned a unit that explores current manifestations of systemic oppression. This unit is new in approach and longer in duration than it was pre-Covid, and it has resulted in some of the deepest and hardest learning, as well as the richest conversations, that I have seen among students in my career. Part of this improved quality comes from the frequent and intentional pauses that I instruct students to take in order to reflect on the content and on the arc of their own learning. The reduction in content that we need to get through in online learning has given me more time to assign reflective prompts, and to let students process their thoughts, whether that’s at the end of a lesson as an exit slip or as an assignment.

Joining Forces to Be Consistent

There’s no doubt this reduction in homework has been a team effort. Within the English department, we have all agreed to allot reading time during class; across each grade level, we’re monitoring the amount of homework our students have collectively; and across the whole high school, we have adopted a framework to help us think through assigning homework.

Within that framework, teachers at the school agree that the best option is for students to complete all work during class. The next best option is for students to finish uncompleted class work at home as a homework assignment of less than 30 minutes. The last option—the one we try to avoid as much as possible—is for students to be assigned and complete new work at home (still less than 30 minutes). I set a maximum time limit for students’ homework tasks (e.g., 30 minutes) and make that clear at the top of every assignment.

This schoolwide approach has increased my humility as a teacher. In the past, I tended to think my subject was more important than everyone else’s, which gave me license to assign more homework. But now I view my students’ experience more holistically: All of their classes and the associated work must be considered, and respected.

As always, I ground this new pedagogical approach not just in what’s best for students’ academic learning, but also what’s best for them socially and emotionally. 2020 has been traumatic for educators, parents, and students. There is no doubt the level of trauma varies greatly ; however, one can’t argue with the fact that homework typically means more screen time when students are already spending most of the day on their devices. They need to rest their eyes. They need to not be sitting at their desks. They need physical activity. They need time to do nothing at all.

Eliminating or reducing homework is a social and emotional intervention, which brings me to the greatest benefit of reducing the homework load: Students are more invested in their relationship with me now that they have less homework. When students trust me to take their time seriously, when they trust me to listen to them and adjust accordingly, when they trust me to care for them... they trust more in general.

And what a beautiful world of learning can be built on trust.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to do homework: 15 expert tips and tricks.

Coursework/GPA

Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

• Skip to main content

Join All-Access Reading…Doors Are Open! Click Here

• All-Access Login
• Freebie Library
• Search this website

Teaching with Jennifer Findley

Upper Elementary Teaching Blog

Engaging Ways to Review

One of my biggest struggles as a teacher has always been students helping students all the skills they are learning in all the subjects. I have to be very purposeful about spiraling skills consistently so the students don’t forget what was learned at the beginning of the year. Read more details about how I use spiral review in all subjects (and not just morning work) here.

In addition to the spiral review , I also like to add whole class and small group review in on a regular basis. This post is a round up of  some of my favorite engaging ways to review that are student approved. These are also pretty low prep (depending on the activity) and easy to implement. They are perfect for quick or in-depth reviews before assessments, after long breaks from school, or as test prep.

Jenga Review

My students absolutely love playing Jenga while reviewing. I spent an entire year creating a bunch of easy to implement and prep FREE Jenga review games for my students, reviewing skills from decimals to parts of speech. Click here to see the collection of all of my Jenga review activities and grab all of the downloads for free.

Mini-Review Booklets

If worksheets and task cards had a baby, it would be mini-review booklets. My students surprisingly really love these, and I love all the skill and practice they provide the students. I use these throughout the year to review large chunks of content before assessments or after long breaks from school.

After teaching a large unit or chunk of skills (fraction and decimals, for example) I will have my students complete mini review booklets to review all the skills before a test. About a week before the test, we will work through the mini-booklets and I will pull re-teaching groups or plan mini-lessons based on student mastery on the booklets. Click here to see all the mini-review booklets in my TeachersPayTeachers store.

Collaborative Review

Collaborative review has always been really engaging for my students. To use a “peer review and teach” approach to reviewing, I put my students in groups (I prefer groups of 3 for this activity) and assign them a topic or skill. I give them a set amount of time to create a poster that reviews the skill. They can even come up with a few questions that assess the skill.

When the groups have finished their posters, I have them present the skills to the class for some great review and reteaching. They use their posters to teach the skill to the class, and then they ask questions about the skill to have the class review the skill with them. After the students present their posters to the class, we hang these up in the hall for an excellent student work display.

Amazing Race Review

I just blogged about this earlier this month, but I definitely want to include this engaging review in my roundup. Using any topic that you want to review, assign students academic tasks to complete. Once they have finished their tasks, they have to complete a collaborative challenge to move through the review. Click here to read more about this review and how you can use this in a couple of different ways to review.

Minute-To-Win-It Games

Another highly engaging way to review is to use minute to win it games. I follow these basic steps:

• Group my students into groups of 4-5.
• Plan minute to win it games (sometimes I plan just one main game that all the students play and sometimes I have 4-5 different ones).
• Present a task for the group to solve.
• After checking the groups off, have the students send one representative to “play” the minute to win it game. Depending on the number of supplies, you can have one person play it at a time or have each group playing the game simultaneously (this option is better for time and classroom management).
• Repeat steps 3-4 until each student has had the opportunity to participate.

This is a high engagement review so it is perfect for lengthy reading tasks or complicated math tasks.

Want more detailed information about using Minute to Win It games in the classroom for other purposes? Click here to check out a separate post on the topic.

Scoot Review

This is an oldie but a goodie. My students love playing Scoot, and I love how I can easily assess and provide assistance while the students are moving through the room, scooting and solving problems. Read more about Scoot and how I use it to assess here.

Test Prep Dress Up

I have a collection of “Dress Up” items that we use for this fun review. In groups, the students answer questions. When a group gets the correct answer (they all answer every question but each group takes a “turn”), they get to choose an item from the dress up box to make another classmate wear for the rest of the game. They love this! Read more about this here by clicking here.

Gallery Walk

This one is probably one of the easiest to implement and put in place pretty quickly. Write tasks or problems on chart paper (one chart paper per group) and place around the room. Place your students in groups and have them rotate around (at your signal), answering the questions or tasks on the chart paper. Have them record their answers on a separate piece of paper. If time allows, you can assign each group to a chart after all the groups have rotated through. Have the group show all of their work and justification on the chart. Then have the groups make one final walk through to analyze and add to the students’ work on the chart. Click here to read more about Gallery Walks and see some pictures of it in action.

Targeted Skills Centers

Centers are a huge part of my instruction, so it is no surprise that I would include them in my post of favorite ways to review. My favorite way to use centers to review several skills is to have “targeted skills” centers. This is ideal for reviewing a large chunk of standards after a long break form school or for reviewing before a state test. Have each center focus on a different skill. The students rotate through each center reviewing and practicing all the skills you need them to review. Click here to see some of the “targeted skills” centers I use to review before my state assessments.

Graffiti Review

This is one of the reviews that works really well with literacy. Place a butcher paper with a passage or set of literacy questions taped to the center of the paper. Place your students into groups. I recommend four students per group for this activity. Section the butcher paper into as many sections are there are students in the group. Then have the students section their section into the number of questions or tasks are on the paper. The students answer the questions in their section and discuss it with their elbow partner (the student whose section is beside them). You could have each group have the same questions or different questions and have the groups rotate to them all. If each group could have a different set of questions, they could present their questions and answers to the class. You could also do a gallery walk type activity with this as well and have the groups rotate and analyze other groups’ answers and explanations. Click here to read more about how I used this review  in my classroom.

Share the Knowledge!

Reader interactions.

December 30, 2015 at 3:16 pm

These are great activities. After two weeks off my students and I will need a review. Thank you!

December 30, 2015 at 4:48 pm

Doris, you are so right! The review is important for the teacher as well. I like evaluating my teaching during reviews to see if it has led to long term retention.

December 30, 2015 at 4:07 pm

Great post and ideas! I never gave much thought about reviewing after a break. My mind and plans are moving on to the next unit, but it’s true…there is validity in the review. Thanks for sharing!

December 30, 2015 at 4:49 pm

Thank you! I know it is so hard to take those days off from the pacing guide, but my students always benefit immensely from strategic review.

May 31, 2021 at 1:56 pm

Thank you for sharing these useful math activities. The more online resources for students the better they can learn. No parents would reject these websites that provide learning materials to their kids. As a parent, I search lots of free worksheets online for my son, especially Beestar, and I believe those worksheets would help my son to learn faster.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

You may also love these freebies!

Math Posters

Reading Posters

Morphology Posters

Grammar Posters

Welcome Friends!

I’m Jennifer Findley: a teacher, mother, and avid reader. I believe that with the right resources, mindset, and strategies, all students can achieve at high levels and learn to love learning. My goal is to provide resources and strategies to inspire you and help make this belief a reality for your students.

Your browser is not supported

Sorry but it looks as if your browser is out of date. To get the best experience using our site we recommend that you upgrade or switch browsers.

Find a solution

• Skip to main content
• Skip to navigation

• Back to parent navigation item
• Collections
• Sustainability in chemistry
• Simple rules
• Teacher well-being hub
• Women in chemistry
• Global science
• Escape room activities
• Decolonising chemistry teaching
• Teaching science skills
• Post-lockdown teaching support
• Get the print issue
• RSC Education

• More from navigation items

Do your homework

• No comments

Help your students succeed in exams with these targeted and teacher-tested homework strategies

Source: © Natalia Smu/Shutterstock

Targeted homework tasks can be a student’s (and their teacher’s) best friend when it comes to exam performance

Homework plays a vital role in consolidating in-class learning. Effective science homework provides the extension to learning that students need to succeed, and gives us vital data to inform our planning. An EEF study on the impact of homework in secondary schools  says that regular homework can have the same positive effect as five additional months in the classroom, as well as ‘enabling pupils to undertake independent learning to practise and consolidate skills and revise for exams’. That said, getting students to complete homework is no mean feat.

There are multiple strategies we can implement to ensure homework has meaning and students appreciate the benefits of homework in their learning. This is especially useful when they’re preparing for exams.

Strategies to engage your students

A few strategies have worked well for me with exam classes.

I deliver the homework in chunks (eg half termly), clearly explaining the rationale. As an example, my year 11 chemistry students performed poorly on electrolysis and titration calculation in their mock exams so, after reteaching, I wanted to ensure they rehearsed the concepts. As part of the homework they had to repeat tasks on these concepts. We then reviewed and adjusted the plan as a class to focus on their weaker areas.

I give praise often. Students love rewards in whatever form. I always discuss what rewards the class prefers. You can use stickers, certificates, etc.

It’s important to be flexible. An exam year can be a stressful time for students and so flexibility is key. I ask my students about the minimum they could manage. They feel valued and part of the decision-making process, making them more likely to complete it.

Identify students/parents/carers who need support. With some of my students, I had the most success in this area by meeting with or emailing their parents/carers and providing strategies for completion, such as doing the homework every Saturday at a specific time. An email every so often to check how they are doing goes a long way.

Using online platforms

When I was a faculty lead, homework was a key focus for our department and so we did some research into online retrieval platforms which were easy to manage, self-marking and provided both students and teachers with information on learning gaps. We found several platforms to fit our criteria, such as quizzing platforms,  Kay Science  – great for missed learning catch up, revision and intervention for small groups – and  Carousel – that helps students embed long-term knowledge. We then took a few key steps to increase buy-in.

Often students struggled with passwords, regardless of ease, so we booked laptops for all classes and the teacher modelled logging in, and checked every student could log in and complete a task. At times students would say they didn’t know the answers, but often this was because they’d not watched the videos. So we reminded them to do that first. There was also a short video of how to log in on the school’s homework platform for extra support.

We mapped homework to the curriculum. Students had to be familiar with the content, so homework tasks supplemented in-class learning.

We did everything we could to minimise barriers. All students who had a record of incomplete homework were encouraged to attend homework club and we allowed extensions in case they just forgot. The barriers to completing homework varied between households and sometimes a conversation to identify them and offer support was all that was needed.

The senior leadership team knew what platform we were using, so they could discuss it with all students, parents and governors. We also presented the chosen retrieval platform to parents and carers to increase buy-in.

Over time we noticed a spike in submissions as students got more familiar with the platform. Teachers praised students who showed the most progress, which meant previously disengaged students felt successful and motivated to complete more tasks.

Thandi Banda

• Developing teaching practice
• Digital skills
• Learning styles
• Lesson planning
• Working independently

Related articles

5 ways to use structure strips effectively

2024-05-08T05:08:00Z By Kristy Turner

Bolster your students’ ability to write independently with these effective strategies 

Escape the classroom: and revise chemistry knowledge

2024-05-03T09:21:00Z By Hayley Russell

Challenge your students to break out of the lab and prepare for exams

Fuel curiosity in science careers

2024-04-17T05:02:00Z By Mustafa Mahmoud

Help foster the next generation of scientists by linking teaching topics to real-world events and career pathways

No comments yet

Only registered users can comment on this article., more from ideas.

Use AI to successfully assess students’ understanding

2024-03-20T05:00:00Z By David Paterson

Discover how to quickly and effectively generate multiple choice questions on key chemistry topics 

5 ways to successfully teach structure and bonding at 14–16

2024-03-06T10:33:00Z By Kristy Turner

Strengthen students’ grasp of the abstract so they master this tricky topic and effectively tackle exam questions

Reduce your workload with ChatGPT

2024-02-07T09:32:00Z By Dan Beech

Use these tried-and-tested tips to save time and boost your teaching practice

• Contributors
• Print issue
• Email alerts

Site powered by Webvision Cloud

No Series: Efficient & Meaningful Homework Review

• Share social media

Efficient & Meaningful Homework Review

Teaching channel requires an active paid subscription to access over 1,600 videos of great teachers at work in their classrooms..

If you are part of a school or university group with a paid subscription to Teaching Channel, please check with your administrator or professor for the necessary login credentials

Save to My Resources

Please create a new account or log in to access this content.

Enjoy your first video for free. Subscribe for unlimited access.

Have questions about subscribing?

Click Here to learn more about individual subscriptions. Click Here to learn more about School and Institution access.

Discussion and Supporting Materials

• Supporting Materials

Thought starters

• What are the advantages of using this homework routine?
• How does this process encourage student accountability?
• Notice how the use of small groups increases both the efficiency and effectiveness of reviewing homework.?

24 Comments

Maria Gonzalez ... Nov 17, 2020 10:51pm

I really enjoyed the video and how you have the student do peer homework. I agree with this video it does teach the students to be accountable and responsible but they also learn new ways that they might find easy or less complex to get the correct answers. although my questions what would you do to prevent from students not doing the homework routine? 

Cheryl Tomlin Jul 5, 2020 5:14pm

This sounds like a great strategy for making homework more meaningful and helpful in learning and retaining the skills practiced. Question: How do you prevent students from not doing their homework, and using the time in class when they are supposed to be reviewing their answers to copy from their classmates? We have a huge cheating problem at my high school, so I'd love to hear some ideas! 

Andre Clark Sep 25, 2017 4:59pm

Bryce Jensen May 5, 2017 1:19am

• Transcript: Efficient & Meaningful Homework Review

Transcripts

Interviewer: Okay, so you have your homework out from last night?

Interviewee: Yeah.

Interviewer: So please take a few moments to go over it at your tables.

Every time they come into my class, they come in the same way. That is, they come in, they write down the homework, and they take out last night’s homework and begin to compare their work. They look over their homework so they’re comparing answers, and if there’s ever a disagreement, then they work together to come to an agreement if there is one right answer. If not, they’re just sharing their strategies. Then, after a few minutes of doing that, I’ll take questions, any outstanding questions that they may have.

Interviewee: You could’ve picked whichever of them make, takes or adds.

Interviewer: Or adds, exactly. That’s how I started by saying that there is more than one answer.

For the most part, they tend to resolve things in their group, but often there are questions at the end, and so I’ll take those as a whole class. It makes the homework meaningful and not just “Something I have to do every night and my teacher collects and does I don’t know what with it.” It keeps them accountable to each other. It also keeps the rest of the class from not having to listen to the one person who has the one question and the other 20 of us have to sit there and listen and watch me go over something they already understand.

[End of Audio 01:21]

School Details

Data Provided By:

Cultivating Independence in a Chemistry ClassroomV1

Picking, Packing, Shipping, and Receiving - Supply Chain Man...

Reviewing for Supply Chain Management Test

November Resource Round-Up: Literacy for Inspiring Young Readers & Writers

English Language Arts

Mindfulness to Calm, Focus, & Learn

Growth Mindset

How Success Criteria Can Motivate Your Students

3 Steps Teachers Can Take to Prioritize Their Mental Health

Professional Learning

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.

What to read next:

• A Powerful Way To Relieve Stress: Part One
• A Simple Exercise Program For Teachers
• The Best Time To Review Your Classroom Management Plan
• Why Your New Classroom Management Plan Isn't Working
• 27 Things That Make Your Classroom Management Plan Work

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

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Privacy Policy

If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser.

Getting Started Teacher Training (U.S.)

Course: getting started teacher training (u.s.)   >   unit 2.

• Celebrate class progress with the LearnStorm Tracker
• Ideas for using Khan Academy in your classroom
• In-class practice
• Review and test prep
• Differentiation and remediation
• Creating Mastery Goals with Khan Academy
• Using Khan Academy for self-paced practice
• Using Khan Academy for lesson-aligned practice
• Using Khan Academy for review

Using Khan Academy for homework

• Strategies to engage and motivate students on Khan Academy
• Humanities with Khan Academy
• Tips for effective distance learning

When is Khan Academy used?

What content is typically assigned:.

• Remediation content
• On-grade level content

What is the cadence for assignments?

How does a teacher choose the topics to assign, what does a teacher do with assignment reports.

• Before class begins on the day a homework assignment is due, the teacher browses completion of video and article assignments.
• Teacher may project the assignment reports for in-class review of the previous night’s homework.
• Is there a group of students who did not meet the performance expectation of 70% correct who may need support during class?
• Are there problems in the exercise item bank with a low success rate that would be worthwhile to discuss during class?

Want to join the conversation?

• Upvote Button navigates to signup page
• Downvote Button navigates to signup page
• Flag Button navigates to signup page

• Book Lists by Age
• Book Lists by Category
• Reading Resources
• Language & Speech
• Raise a Reader Blog
• Back to School
• Success Guides by Grade
• Homework Help
• Social & Emotional Learning
• Activities for Kids

9 Smart Tips for Homework Success

Help kids manage their homework load with these strategies..

Even children who enjoy doing homework can lose their enthusiasm for it over the course of the school year, and find ways to stall or avoid doing it. But after-school study time is important, both for reinforcing the day’s learning and for lending structure to your child’s day.

“Homework isn’t just about academics,” says Karen Burke, SVP of Data Analysis and Academic Planning, Scholastic Education Solutions. “It can help students create routines and build responsible behaviors.”

Playing cop rarely works — micromanaging and nagging only make kids feel incapable or frustrated. Instead, think of yourself as a coach and cheerleader. 

“Generally, the idea of homework should be to help students set goals, build independence, and practice applying the knowledge they are gaining,” says Burke.

To help you get there, we asked teachers and parents to share their strategies for solving the most common homework struggles. These 10 tips will bring harmony back into your homework routine, whether your child is a kindergartner or 5th grader, perfectionist or procrastinator.

1. Do It Early

Give your child a time frame in which to get down to business. In your household, this may be before or after extracurriculars.

Work with your child to identify the time when their energy and focus are at their peak. This gives your child some control over their schedule. (Some kids need a longer break after school, and others need to start right away to keep the momentum going.) 

However, plan on 5 p.m. being the latest they can start their homework.

2. Phone a Friend

From kindergarten onward, kids should have a list of three or four classmates they can call on when they forget an assignment, or even just to ask a question. Study buddies can provide motivation for each other to get the work done. 

3. Collaborate to Build Confidence

When kids don’t understand a concept right away, they may feel like they’re not smart enough and start to shut down, says Sigrid Grace, a 2nd grade teacher in Michigan. 

Short-circuit negative thinking by sitting down with your child and figuring out the first problem in the assignment together. This should help jog their memory to complete the rest. Then, heap on the praise: “You did a great job on that one! Try the next one now.”

4. Change the Scenery

Sometimes something as simple as changing up their workspace can boost a child’s motivation and, in turn, their confidence. If your child has been working alone at a desk or designated study nook, perhaps they’d be more comfortable doing their homework in a public area, like the kitchen table while you’re preparing dinner. 

Conversely, if they’ve been working in a high-traffic part of the house, they might need a more private space in which to focus. 

5. Keep the Positive Feedback Coming

Younger kids need instant feedback, so it’s okay for parents of young grade-schoolers to correct mistakes, says Grace, the 2nd grade teacher. Follow this up with specific praise about what your child has done well.

6. Leave the Room

“Kids who drag things out are often doing so for your attention — they’re enjoying the interaction on some level,” explains Grace. “Avoid joining in.”

If you must stay in the room, have your child work in a spot that’s farther away from whatever you’re doing.

7. Beat the Clock

Sometimes procrastinators just need a jump-start. If that’s true for your child, try this: 

Set a timer for five minutes and have your child work as quickly and steadily as they can until the timer goes off. At that point, they can choose to take a short break or keep going — many kids continue.

“Racing against a timer gives kids an external sense of urgency if they don’t have an internal one,” says Ann Dolin, a former educator. 

However, a timed work session is not an excuse for sloppy work. Make sure your child reviews theirs before submitting it.

8. Plan, Plan, Plan

To get the most out of your days, include every appointment — from sports practice to meals to reading time — on a big calendar or schedule log and stick it in a central place where every member of the household can see it. 

If you know that certain nights present a conflict with your child’s homework schedule, you can ask for the week’s assignments upfront and work with your child to decide the best times to complete them, says Cathy Vatterott, a professor of education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. 

“Teachers will often work with you on this, but most parents are afraid to ask,” she says.

9. Let ’Em Vent 

If your child is resisting doing their homework — or worse, is tearing up over it in frustration — soothe any pent-up worries by letting them complain. Listen, empathize (“Wow, that is a lot of work”), and state their feelings back to them (“You sound upset”). 

Once your child feels understood, they’ll be more likely to accept your suggestions, says Dolin — and better able to focus on what needs to be done.

You can also help by talking to your child about what they remember from class and steering them to the textbook. If they’re still lost, have them write a note to the teacher explaining that they don’t understand.

Get ready for your child to go back to school with our guide — it's full of recommended books, tips to help if your child is struggling with homework , and more resources for starting the year off right . 

Shop workbooks and learning kits to support good homework habits. You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store .

Sign Up and Get 10% Off Books!