While children and their families are dealing with so much, teachers should be careful to offer only relevant assignments.

How might homework be redesigned in the context of remote or hybrid learning? Why allocate extra screen time when students already spend too much time on their screens? What is the assignment's purpose?

As a middle school instructional coach, I frequently work with teachers who aren't sure how much or what to deliver. They're also likely to be concerned about finding time to grade it.

As a parent, I understand how difficult it can be to juggle your job while simultaneously assisting your children with their schoolwork.

5 KEYS TO MAKING HOMEWORK MORE MEANINGFUL

1. Reading away from the screen: Books, books, books. Whether your pupils are reading books they choose or novels allocated to them, silent reading time (or time listening to audiobooks) is a welcome assignment in most homes—as a parent myself, I can attest to this.

Harkness conversations in class or on Zoom, journal entries (written or in Flipgrid-style video), or old-fashioned sticky-note notes in the book may all be used to hold students accountable for their reading.

2. Less is more: Math professors have a bad reputation for assigning "problems 1 through 45" (OK, maybe I'm exaggerating). Do students need to practice the same skill several times?

Consider how much time you will have in class the next day to go through many difficulties. Can you instead select four or five rich multi-step challenges that allow for practice and application of the skills?

Alternatively, give students a choice: "Choose five of these ten tasks." Can students in humanity or science class answer one long compare-and-contrast question instead of the chapter review in the textbook?

3. Individualized homework: Many pupils (and adults) like talking about themselves. Students may be more motivated to finish an assignment if they can make it personal to them. A Venn diagram might be used to relate the protagonist of the required reading to oneself.

They may describe a fictional superhero in a language lesson using descriptive vocabulary from the language they're learning. Alternatively, ask students to create a Flipgrid-style dance or song describing the scientific method (this example was inspired by TikTok).

4. Family involvement: Use this option with caution, especially now, when many parents and guardians are overburdened.

To prevent placing anybody at a disadvantage, obtain a sense of your pupils' family conditions before issuing family homework. Give families plenty of notice and time for such responsibilities.

If you believe it is suitable, invite students to record themselves teaching a new topic to a family member. Students might bring in a favorite family meal with the measurements altered for fewer or numerous servings to learn operations with fractions.

Assign a riddle or arithmetic conundrum for students to discuss with their families, and instruct them to record their varied responses.

Keep your assignments small, low-stakes, and infrequent.

5. Flipped homework: In my experience, students become bored of viewing instructional films, but a few short, well-planned movies assigned the night before might be beneficial to start a discussion in class the next day.

Following the film, use a quick Google Form to prompt the student to reflect and/or ask preliminary questions about what they saw. To keep flipped learning fresh and interesting, use it selectively.

What about the evaluation? Older students may simply share their work with their peers for review via shared documents. Spend some time teaching pupils how to positively remark on one another's work.

If a student's homework is missing, their partner will notify them, relieving the instructor of some of the burden.

This approach should not be utilized for graded summative evaluations and should be under the supervision of the teacher. When appropriate, peer review may also be used as a differentiation tool by separating pupils by preparedness and aptitude.

Be inventive with your homework assignments if your school's homework regulations allow it. Consider the following when you build your assignments:

• What will a student acquire or learn from this assignment?

• Is it worthwhile for them to invest their time?

• Is it increasing domestic stress?

If we reinvent homework, children could applaud rather than grumble when they are handed it. That may be wishful thinking, but kids should get more out of their assignments.