Monday, April 30, 2012

Individualized Homework (Goal Folders)

Does this sound familiar?  Every kid brings home the same math homework on a pre-determined skill (possibly even one that has just been taught that day).  Not only is it unrealistic to think that every child will be able to be independently successful on a newly introduced skill, some children just do not have the parental support at home to utilize for homework help.  The Kindergarten team at my school started something that lead to the whole school adopting a new mindset and strategy for homework that is individualized.  Different students work on different goals at home based on what they need!  I helped develop "Goal Folders" for the 4th and 5th grades.  Take a peek at what it looks like inside one of our goal folders. 
 We sat down and decided on all of the math skills a 5th grader should have mastered by the end of the year.  We created these charts with the goal on the left, then examples on how to practice it, a spot for dates practiced at home, and a column for mastery date.  Each night, students take their goal folder home and decided on one math goal to work on for that night- something they have not yet mastered.  They create their own problems to practice the skill for 20 minutes and write the date. They have to show me their work the next morning (and I have a reward system for reinforcing this).  I continuously assess them on their goals to see if we can mark any more mastered.  Students get pumped up and excited to "master another goal" and beg for specific goal quizzes each week.  One might say "I'm ready to pass metric conversions, can I PLEASE take the quiz?"  They take pride in themselves as they master each of their goals.  Students can even set their own specific goal for themselves.  We may highlight 3 goals together to focus on until they are mastered. 

Parents like knowing exactly what is expected of their child within the year. And they LOVE seeing their child master goal after goal.  I usually launch these at the first parent teacher conferences so I can explain it in person to them. 

Here are the reading goals.  These goals need to be practiced over and over, and you never really master a skill.  You might be having wonderful connections in one book, but you have to keep working on that in your next book too.Once you master determine importance in one book, and move to a harder book, you may need to work on it again.  Therefore, I do not require my students to put dates on the reading goals.  They just need to show me their reading log each morning. 

This system has worked extremely well for us.  One student may be practicing multiplication at home, where another is working on exponents and fraction division.  Each of them is right where they need to be.  How much better does that sound than everyone doing the same thing?!  MUCH.

9 comments:

  1. I love this. I was wondering if you could email me your fourth grade homework goal folder inserts. I would love to convince my coworkers to do this and would love to have yours to look at for an example. My email is whitej13@k12tn.net

    thanks so much

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  2. I think this is absolutely great! I definitely would love to use this. Is it possible that you can upload a copy of the document? If not, my email is kiaaishadessaure@gmail.com. this is wonderful.

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  3. I think this is a great idea! I would love to incorporate this into my classroom. Is it possible that you can upload a copy of the document to me as well.

    Thanks

    adoremoi7993@gmail.com

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  4. I love this too! If you're sharing, I'd love to see the document. My email is debui13@gmail.com.

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  5. This is fantastic! If you are sharing, and I pray you are, I would love to see a copy. I teach 4/5 math and am looking for a tool like this for next year. My email is abrierthorn@gmail.com. Thanks!

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  6. Hi, I just love your individualized homework! Can I purchase it somewhere?

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  7. I was pinteresting when I found your blog. I am in love with your individualized homework. I teach 4th/5th grade special education. This is the perfect idea. I will tell my co-teacher about your idea tomorrow and hopefully implement it very soon. If you are sharing, I would love a copy of both your 4th and 5th grade homework sheets. My email is bridgetjeanadams@gmail.com. Thank you!!!

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  8. I just got moved from 2nd to 5th last week, of course after I already started setting up for 2nd. Anyway, I need all the ideas that I can get. Please and hank you! Would you mind emailing this to me at cheerfulcherrita@gmail.com? I would greatly appreciated

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