Alternatives To Homework: A Chart For Teachers
by TeachThought Staff
Part of rethinking learning means rethinking the bits and pieces of the learning process–teaching strategies, writing pieces, etc.
Which is what makes the following chart from Kathleen Cushman’s Fires in the Mind compelling. Rather than simply a list of alternatives to homework, it instead contextualizes the need for work at home (or, “homework”). It does this by taking typical classroom situations–the introduction of new material, demonstrating a procedure, etc.), and offering alternatives to traditional homework assignments.
In fact, most of them are alternatives to homework altogether, including group brainstorming, modeling/think-alouds, or even the iconic pop-quiz. Food for thought, yes?
This lesson idea is probably the most popular among teachers. That’s why I’ve put it first on this list.
Let your students ask questions during the lesson. It’s very handy when students don’t understand something or need a better explanation. Stop your lesson 10 minutes early and go over the questions.
Use Padlet to gather student work, all in one place. Don’t use it for ordinary homework, because all the other students can see what the others have done. Use it for articles and research on a topic.
Use Padlet as a student portfolio tool. Create boards for every student and let them post assignments, articles and projects on it. As a teacher, you can comment on each one and give meaningful feedback.
Let your students answer some important exit ticket questions like “what did you learn today?”, “What didn’t you understand?” or “What questions do you still have?”.
Let your students post a selfie and add 2 truths and 1 lie about themselves. It’s up to the other students to find out which one is a lie. You’ll be surprised by how well students can lie!
Add al the headshots of your students on the Padlet board or let them add a picture. Then, everyone has to write at least one compliment as a comment beneath everbody’s picture.
When students graduate, you would like something to remember them. What better way to let them fill in their best times as a student in your school.
When its open house in your school, you could leave a tablet at the exit point, so parents could add a post on your Padlet wall. Ask for a comment on your “guest wall”, or for their first impression of the school. You could even ask for some innovative new ideas that would make the school a better place.
Use a Padlet wall for students to create various thinking maps or mind maps. You can upload a custom background to help them with the layout and they can start adding Post-it notes to a flow map, tree map, or even a circle map format.
Familiar with the Google Classroom stream? Well, you can do the same with Padlet. Use the Padlet stream layout and communicate assignments and important lesson material to your students by adding posts to the communication stream.
Use the same stream layout like in the classroom communication idea to communicate with parents. Enable email notifications so you receive an email whenever parents post on the Padlet wall. This way you stay on top of all the posts and potential questions.
When the complete class has to read the same book, it’s fun to create a discussion about the characters, things people do in the book, hidden meanings, plot twists, etc. You can even let them invent a sequel to the book.
Try to figure out what students already know about the topic you’re about to teach. What prior knowledge do your students have about that particular topic and what don’t they know? Students just post their knowledge on Padlet, so you can see how to build your lesson.
Start the lesson with a quote that concerns the lesson topic. Let your students brainstorm on what the quote is about and if it has a hidden meaning or not.
To speak about current events, you could let a student add an article on the Padlet board for the next day. Every day a different student has to add another article. A fun way to go through the current events of the week.
When its a student’s birthday you could create a Padlet wall on which every student has to write some nice birthday wishes.
Let your students be the reporters of the classroom newsletter. Gather all the articles and games on a Padlet board, and when it’s finished, share the link with their parents or the complete school.
Once in a while, you should ask your students for feedback. Create a Padlet wall just for that and make sure to let students comment anonymoulsy. This way they will be more honest. Don’t foget to really do something with the feedback they gave you.
Students may not always choose their own book to read for a book review because the teacher hasn’t read them yet. That’s a pity, because students won’t be eager to read that way.
Just like with the book wishlist above, students can make some suggestions of books they want to read. The library will look into the books and purchase them if it are some good suggestions.
Use Padlet for peer assessment. Let students add two ‘tops’ and one ‘tip’ on the Padlet wall of their fellow student who just finished his presentation.
For physical exercises, students have to go walking more. Let you students do some geocaching and let them post pictures of themselves and the treasure to the Padlet board. It will encourage the others to find the treasures as well.
While listening to the teacher, students can work together and add notes to a Padlet wall to create a wall with resources they can use later on.
Use a Padlet board to share every important date with your students so they have something to look forward to. These can be holidays and free days, field trips, school events and students’ birthdays.
Having fun between two lessons should be allowed from time to time. Let your students add funny videos to a Padlet board. So every student can have some fun during the lesson breaks. Make sure to put in some rules and to check the videos on the wall.
Create a story and ask students how it should continue. Students can post their ideas on the Padlet. Finally, take some of your students’ ideas and complete the story. You’ll have some funny stories!
When you’re planning a field trip or a class party, you can post everything you need to think about and to arrange on a Padlet board. This can include pictures of the destination, a list of who’s bringing what, links to important websites and more.
Share a Padlet wall with your teacher colleagues and let them post crafty ideas for father’s day, mother’s day, valentine’s day or just for the weekly craft class. This way you get inspired by other teachers and try out new things.
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