HOMEWORK HACKS: SIMPLE TIPS TO SPEED UP CHECKING ASSIGNMENTS

​When I first started teaching, I was given a textbook that included homework problems and an answer key. I thought, this will be so easy! Little did I know the challenges that awaited me when it came to checking homework assignments.

What Didn't Work:
I'd teach a lesson, assign homework, and then spend the next day reading off the answers to my students so they could mark which were incorrect. However, two major roadblocks stood in the way of this seemingly straightforward process:

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1. Repeating Answers: Have you ever had to repeat yourself over and over because students just weren't paying attention? Or maybe they were a bit lost in the sea of numbers and equations? It's like a broken record on repeat!
2. Immediate Feedback Needed: Students crave that instant gratification of knowing where they went wrong. And who can blame them? But providing detailed feedback on every single homework problem was turning into a time-consuming affair, especially for students that understood the assignment and didn’t need to go review problems.

​The biggest pain point, was this approach was a time suck, stealing precious moments from our daily lesson plans. Of course, I could always collect all the homework and grade it myself, but with four different classes to prep for, there was just no way I'd get it all done in order to give timely feedback. To address these issues, I had to find a more efficient way to work with my students.

What Does Work:
The first thing I realized was that my students need to SEE step-by-step how each problem was solved. This simple shift had several benefits:
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1. Enhanced Understanding: Suddenly, the light bulbs were switching on above their heads as they grasped the process better.
2. Spotting Mistakes: Errors were no longer elusive creatures hiding in the shadows; they were glaringly obvious, waiting to be corrected.
3. Time-Saving Magic: What used to take us a solid 30 minutes was now a quick 10-minute breeze or less!

How to Make this Happen:
Projecting complete solutions on the board is key. Here are some effective methods:
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• Project the Solutions: Bring those textbook solutions to life on the board with the help of a document camera.
• Personal Work: Roll up your sleeves, solve the problems yourself, scan them, and save for future reference.

• Team Up: Collaboration is key! Share assignments and solutions with your fellow teachers to lighten the load.
• Student Work: Scan and save your students' work (with permission).

Implementing the Method:
​To streamline this process, I introduced a rule: no red pens or markers during homework. This way, when it's time to check assignments, students can grab a red pen or marker, strike through wrong answers, and jot down their missteps. I grade based on completion because learning from mistakes is all part of the math process.

Checking for Homework Completion:
To avoid taking up instructional time, consider these options:

• Individual Checking: Review assignments as students leave or during class activities.
• Batch Checking: Have students show completed assignments when they turn in a quiz, to show they are on track throughout the unit.
• Unit Checks: Collect all assignments the day of a summative assessment, to ensure everyone did the prep work.

​In Conclusion:
By embracing these changes, the classroom dynamic shifted. Valuable time was saved, immediate feedback was provided, and mistakes became stepping stones to success. Projecting solutions on the board transformed the learning experience, making it engaging and interactive. This method has also made it easier for me to manage grading, ensuring timely feedback and a more productive use of class time. Give these tips a try, and watch how your classroom efficiency improves!