Homework+&+Practice

= __Homework & Practice  __ =  **Technology 1: Website for teachers at ** [|**www.schoolandteacher.com**]



Rationale:

Homework helps establish appropriate work and study habits for students. By assigning homework and practice, teachers can help students learn to work independently and it helps to achieve mastery in content areas as well as math and English/language arts. Teachers are able to communicate with students outside the classroom with the use of a website, which students can visit at home or in the library. This helps students as well as parents to communicate via e-mail with the teacher if there is difficulty or questions about assignments or grades. Teachers can also post classroom information, news, due dates for projects, as well as homework assignments. This also makes the student more accountable because if they do “forget” their assignment at school, they can access it through the teacher’s website. The website is also available 24/7, allowing for increased access. Parents also can communicate freely and be updated instantly on events in the classroom with the teacher using the website, increasing parent involvement in their child’s learning.

The website [|www.schoolandteacher.com] is designed especially for teachers in that it already is set-up with pages (no HTML required) for homework links, classroom news, and other educational topics that teachers are looking for in a classroom website. Teachers can also post information about themselves and send email to parents and students reminders about large projects and class events.

Resources Needed:  ·  Computer with Internet access · Cost:  The first year is free, after the first year the cost is $19.95 per year and there is no contract, teachers can delete their site anytime.

**Technology 2: //Math Stories //~Word Problems for Students at **<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> [|**www.mathstories.com**]



<span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Rationale:

<span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Many students struggle with math homework and this causes much stress at home with parents. Standardized testing places a large focus on math and specifically critical-thinking word problems. It is crucial that students practice their math skills as much as possible in order to succeed in this content area. This resource would be a district-wide license subscription in which students could log into this resource at home with a user name and password (as part of their evening homework) and complete a set number of word problems. <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> //  Math Storie s //<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">is a great resource because it bases the problems on the grade level of the student and also aligns with state standards (grades are from one through six). It covers all five major math strands in word problem formats. The problems are interactive and relevant to their daily experiences to keep them motivated and interested. While they may need to work out problems using paper and pencil, students enter the answer into the program and then they are prompted to try again, or to move on to another problem. This program also has a Spanish version as well, for Spanish-speaking students. Students can also print out the word problems and bring them to school, a wonderful way to check for learning and successful completion at home. Teachers can track their students and their progress throughout. The program assesses overall progress and can give updates to parents and teachers when needed. <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Resources needed:


 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The site lists prices for individual classrooms at $50.00 per year. However, for a district site license with home use, a contact e-mail was given in order to contact for price information. The price depends on how many students in the district (grades one through six). There was no exact cost for the district site license on the site.
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Computer with Internet access


 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Technology 3: **<span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> //**<span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Know it Now **//<span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> **<span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">at **<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> [|**http://www.knowitnow.org/**]



<span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Rationale:

Many times students (especially 5th graders) go home to an empty house after school and work on their homework. Many times they have specific questions based on their assignments and either parents are not present, or cannot answer the question successfully. By using the free resource for Ohio residents, //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Know it Now // <span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">is a great resource for students to interact live with a librarian in the state of Ohio using an instant-messaging program on the Internet. Know it Now pairs students with someone that specializes in the content area they have a question about, and they do their best to “show” them the correct answer by using websites and data from credible resources. There is a live conversation with the student in order to help them find their answer and help them successfully complete their homework.

Resources needed:

· Computer with Internet access · No cost-free to anyone living in Ohio-only information needed is first name and zip code (for statistical purposes only).

<span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">The educational challenge for this strategy would be the school-family connection because the relationship between teacher and parents needs to be like a team, in that they support one another and work toward to common goal of student success. Effective communication between home and school is vital in order for overall student learning and progress. The teacher's websites would be a great way to help meet the challenges of the school-family connection because teachers are able to communicate with parents and post information that is important for the classroom and home activities. Parents are also able to communicate concerns or comments with the teacher through the website at www.schoolandteacher.com and feel as if there is closer relationship with their child's teacher. The ability to visit the site any hour of the day and know what their child is to do at home and what they are learning in school is a wonderful way to enhance the team-like relationship that is essential between students and parents.
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Education Challenge: **

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