Homework! Motivating Low-Achieving Students

Miss Jill FuhrmanNovember 20, 2009

To know is far more important than achievement and/or performance measures.

Caine & CaineTrue, but often in school it is not good enough

just to know. Knowledge must be demonstrated and documented.

As educators our goal is to create assessments that will best represent and showcase students’ knowledge.

Ultimately, there is paperwork that shows a student’s achievement and performance.

How many of your are observing or teaching in a classroom?

Students are required to complete work

Students are required to complete homework

Every class has both high achievers and low achievers

Every student is motivated differently

Initial Observations

• Gifted and Talented• Loves to read• Follow rules very closely• Only answers questions aloud• Very knowledgeable• Little to no homework turned in• E’s in each of his classes• A very disorganized pile of papers• Socially awkward • Needy

I knew I wanted to work with one student.

Research Question

• How do I motivate an intelligent, low-achieving student to complete work and homework?

Pretend you are me…

• I know my question• I know my little about my student

• Where can I find some resources within or around my school to help me help this student?

Interventions Hawthorne Educational Services (2005)

1. Chart Homework2. Speak to student and explain what the student is

doing “wrong” (e.g. not turning in homework assignments) and what should the students be doing (i.e., completing homework assignments and return them to school).

3. Reinforce the student for completing homework assignments and returning them to school:

i. Give the student a tangible reward (room privileges, five minutes free time, etc.)

ii. Give the student an intangible reward (praise, handshake, smile, etc.)

Analysis of Data

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 40

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Student’s Work of Four Week Period to the Total Percentage Points Earned

Reading %Writing%Spelling %Math %Science %Social Studies %

Gra

de in

%

Since Action Research

• Gained confidence • Classroom- work loud, quality• Outside of the classroom-

friendships gained• Less Dependence on the teacher

References

• Corno, L. (1992). Encouraging students to take responsibility for learning and performance. The Elementary School Journal, 93(1), pp. 69-83.

• Fuchs, L. S., et al. (1997). Effects of task-focused goals on low-achieving students with and without learning disabilities. American Education Research Journal, 34(3), pp. 513-543.

• House, S. (2002). Behavior intervention manual: Goals, objectives, and intervention strategies. Columbian, MO: Hawthorne Educational Services Inc.

• Siegle, D., & McCoach, B. (2005). Making a difference: Motivating gifted students who are not achieving. Teaching Exceptional Children, 38(1), pp. 22-27.

• Winebrenner, S. (1992). Teaching gifted kids in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing Inc.

Any Questions

Thank you for coming this evening! I hope you will be able to take something from this presentation

to use in your future classrooms..