Caroline Peters posts…
This term I tried something different for my Year 7’s homework. I designed a takeaway menu, with an array of different tasks and categorised them into starters, main courses, desserts and side orders. Each course has a different value: 5 points for a starter, 25 points for a main, 10 points for a dessert and 15 points for a side order.
The tasks covered the different topics I planned to teach during the term, along with a few extra good practice tasks. Pupils were told they had to amass a minimum of 60 points over the half term, but were free to do much more than this if they chose to.
At first I requested to see a task at the end of each week, just to check everyone was completing and understanding what was expected of them. I soon realised that the class were putting lots of effort into their tasks and so as they were completed, I would collect them in and mark them, returning them with time for the pupils to address any comments I’d made. Collecting the tasks in bit by bit helps to keep on top of the marking with this kind of activity and also allows you to start a record of how many points each pupil had scored.
I was so impressed by the quality of the work that I got in from pupils, from their IT skills to their maths skills; many students stretched themselves well beyond what I probably would have dared ask of them. The tasks were also open enough for the pupils to extend and stretch themselves and it has been a pleasure rather than a chore to mark what they have completed.
I have decided to display the best homework tasks on the wall in the room I teach the class, so we can celebrate the effort they have made. Below is a picture of the best bits produced.
If you are inspired enough to try this with any of your classes, I would highly recommend setting yourself up a spreadsheet with the names of each pupil and the different tasks and keeping a running record of what is completed. This acts as a good check for both yourself and the students and allowed pupils wanting to do more see which tasks they haven’t yet done.
I am so pleased with the results of this task, that I will be rolling it out to my Year 8 class after half term and designing a new more project-based menu for my year 7 class, to keep them suitably challenged and engaged.
TALK Bridgewater 