Check out our list of tips for assigning homework.

Set up a homework policy that is clear to both learners and parents.

Send out the policy and expectations to parents/ guardians and learners, hand them the policy when they attend an open house, post it in the room, and reiterate it until the learners internalize it. In the policy, say the following: 1. Reasons why you believe homework to be crucial. 2. How much to expect. 3. The standard for acceptance. 4. Expectations for completing homework when learners are absent. 5. Consequences of late homework assignments

Discover how long your homework assignments are taking learners to finish. Consider your learners’ schedules and lives when assigning homework. Two hours for elementary and middle school learners is too much for one class. If every high school educator gave two hours of homework, learners taking four subjects could have eight hours of homework a night. Stu- dents would work from 5:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. Be reasonable in your expectations. Some assignments will take more time, but be cognizant of that and tell learners what work will take longer.

Gathering and grading homework can be overwhelming in some content areas. If you have five classes, you may feel buried by assignments. Don’t procrastinate. Start correcting work as soon as possible to avoid stress.

Set up a system to gather learners’ work. You may be besieged with late assignments and learner absenteeism. Ask students to put a sticky note on the assignment and the date that they submitted the work. Get this process as simple as possible for you and for the learners.