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HOMEWORK AND BHS

Homework and BHS

EDU 715: Organizational Theory and Strategic Planning
June 27, 2014
Toni Taylor
University of New England

HOMEWORK AND BHS

The Bedford School Districts policy on homework is that homework is essential to

student learning, teachers should provide timely feed back on the homework, but that it should
not be tied to academic scores. For grades K-8, there are guidelines about quantity and duration
(roughly 10 minutes per grade per night) and descriptions of how homework completion
translates into readiness/effort grades. No such guidelines exist for the high school.
The high school uses a competency based grading system that is different from all the
other schools in the district. Students do not get completion/effort grades. Anything that gets
put in the rank book must be tied directly to a competency. There is an unwritten but commonly
understood distinction between homework (ungraded, student interpretation of not mandatory)
and an assignment (graded, student interpretation of mandatory). A survey was sent to all staff
to gauge whether teachers at the high school felt that the current homework policy was an issue.
Of the 57 responses 38% either strongly agreed or agreed that HW is an issue in their class, but
65% thought it was an issue in our school. Only 18% of the respondents agreed that the current
HW policy helped their students to succeed with no one strongly agreeing. The results of the
survey indicate that there is a need to reexamine our current HW policy and practices to ensure
that they support our mission, goals and meet the needs of both students and staff.
Students, teachers, parents and the community all have various mental models regarding
HW. Among the common known models at BHS are: teachers must prepare their students for
the rigors of college, so lots of work now will help them in the future; teachers feel that students
are lazy and ambivalent when they dont complete their HW; homework is necessary for skill
development. Some students find the HW boring, a poor use of their time (since it isnt graded),
and unrelated to their goals. Parents and members of the community think that if a student isnt
coming home with lots of HW then the curriculum must not be rigorous. These varying models,

HOMEWORK AND BHS

if left unexamined will limit peoples ability to change (Senge, 2012, p.100). But it is the very
process of examining these models that will allow us to identify the misconceptions, the
underlying assumptions and allow us to develop a HW model that is better than what we
currently have.
Personal mastery is another discipline that is fundamental to the heart of the debate over
homework because learning does not occur in any enduring fashion unless it is sparked by the
learners own intrinsic interest and curiosity (Senge, 2012, p.76). Differentiated instruction can
be a powerful tool to facilitate enduring learning. Homework can be a vehicle for helping
students to practice, connect and reflect upon their learning as well as a mechanism to help
students define what their goals and aspirations are and to assess their current reality. When
young people dont know what they want to create in life, their education can seem arbitrary to
them (Senge, 2012, p. 212).
Determining our position on HW cannot be a one-time decision. As a school community
engaging in team learning, we will have to deliberately continue the conversation, to evaluate
where our current reality is and what needs to change or stay the same and then act on it.
Though there will be many perspectives on HW, it is important for the team (teachers, students,
parents) to be aligned, to have a common awareness and to naturally move in a common
direction (Senge, 2012, p.116). Structures are already in place to help facilitate team learning at
BHS. Student Advisory, PLCs, critical friends groups, mentors and professional development
opportunities can be utilized to increase, enhance, and continue our dialogue.
Table One identifies the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that
Bedford High School will need to recognize and address as it begins the process of revising the
existing HW policy.

HOMEWORK AND BHS

Table 1.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths

Structures already exist that will help to

facilitate discussions (CFG, PLC,
Advisory, Principals advisory group,
Community Senate, Bedford
Curriculum Committee)
Faculty and staff want to be active
participants in the decision making
process and this is generally supported
by administration
Student performance on standardized
assessments consistently place us in the
top three schools in the state
Competency based grading system
Highly qualified and talented staff

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Self management competency can be

utilized as a feedback mechanism to
students and parents
Increased use of differentiated
instruction to enhance engagement
Advisory program is supported by the
community and the curriculum could be
enhanced to include goal setting in
support of a shift toward increased
personal mastery on the part of students
Invite post-secondary institutions to be
part of the discussion in order
determine how secondary school
practices impact their students
Strong parental support
Highly educated community with high
expectations for student performance

Lack of shared vision for HW at the

high school level HW issues seem to
be more pronounced in different
subjects
Inconsistency with mental models of
purpose of HW by staff and students
Lack of professional development
regarding research based HW best
practices
Lack of professional development in
differentiated instruction techniques at
the secondary level
Self management competency exists,
but is not consistently assessed
Self management competency carries
no weight
Students go from very structured
consistent HW expectations in the K-8
system, to no structure/inconsistent
expectations when they enter BHS
Threats

Differing mental models in the

community about purpose, amount and
effectiveness of HW
Professional development funds are
limited and controlled by a PD
Committee
Competing for time with other
initiatives such as NEASC self-study
and Common Core implementation that
may be viewed as higher priority
Small but influential group of residents
who rally against any shift that may be
viewed as non-traditional.

HOMEWORK AND BHS

SMART (strategic, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely) goals offer a framework
through which the Bedford High School community can begin the process of developing the
skills needed to create a HW policy that supports and enhances the mission of the school. These
goals are designed to scaffold the process over a two year period with the end results being a
more informed, unified faculty who utilize common vocabulary and strategies with regard to
HW; a student body who receive instruction and practice in skills necessary to enhance the
development of personal mastery; and a HW policy that represents a shared vision and involves
all stake holders.
1. By June of 2015, 100% of the teachers at BHS will have received a minimum of 6 hours
of professional development in research based HW best practices and differentiated
instruction techniques appropriate for the secondary level. Teachers will provide
evidence of implementation/reflection though the use of their PLC logs.

Identify district personnel who are willing to share techniques and knowledge by
developing PD training for staff.

Offer on workshop days and document in the PD system

If necessary, provide train-the-trainers PD opportunities from resources

available outside the district if there is a shortage of qualified interested in-district
personnel.

2. By August 2015, the curriculum for the Advisory program will be revised to reflect skills
necessary to enhance personal mastery.

The advisory curriculum team will receive training in the five disciplines

The curriculum will be written during the Summer Curriculum Institute

The updated curriculum will be implemented in 2015-2016 school year

HOMEWORK AND BHS

3. By June of 2016, the BHS community (administration, school board, faculty, staff,
students, parents and community members) will have created and written a HW policy
that supports the district and schools mission.

August/September/October 2015 initial discussions, information gathering

utilizing existing formats (PLCs, CFGs, Advisory, Surveys, Coffee Groups)

November/December larger group discussions to develop common ideas that

will act as framework for the policy writing committee

Jan/Feb/March 2016 committee with representatives of all stakeholders chosen

to draft HW policy based on results of the discussion

April/May -Feedback and revision of HW policy

June Proposed policy sent to school board to begin approval process for
implementation in the 2016-2017 school year

Once approved and implemented, place policy on a five year review schedule

Some of the goals will require the Superintendent of Schools and the School Board, in
conjunction with the Professional Development Committee, to set aside a portion of funds from
existing budget accounts to support this initiative. Table Two on the following pages provides an
estimate of the associated costs.

HOMEWORK AND BHS

Table 2.
Estimated Cost Worksheet: BHS Homework Policy
SMART Goals
Initiatives
By June of 2015, 100% of the Identify district
teachers at BHS will have
personnel who are
received a minimum of 6
willing to share
hours of professional
techniques and
development in research
knowledge by
based HW best practices and
developing PD training
differentiated instruction
for staff.
techniques appropriate for the
secondary level.
Offer the training on
district workshop days
and document in the PD
system
*Contingency Plan:
provide out of district
training for core group of
staff who will then act as
in-house trainers

Item/Resource/Expenditure
Activity development stipend of
$120 per presenter as
determined by existing contract.
Estimate that 10 will be needed.

Workshop presentations

*Out of district training (only

needed if insufficient number of
district personnel available to
provide PD) Max of 10 @ $299
ea.
($249 activity cost and $50
travel expenses)

Documentation of
reflection/implementation in
PLC logs

By August 2015, the

curriculum for the Advisory
program will be revised to
reflect skills necessary to
enhance personal mastery.

Training and study in the

five disciplines

Purchase of 5 copies of Senges

book @ $40 ea

Summer Curriculum
Institute

Team of 4 teachers
@ $540 pp

Implementation in 20152016 school year

Cost
$1200

No additional
cost incurred

*$2990

No additional
cost incurred

$200

$2200

HOMEWORK AND BHS

By June of 2016, the BHS
community (administration,
school board, faculty, staff,
students, parents and
community members) will
have created and written a
HW policy that supports the
district and schools mission.

August/September/
October initial
discussions, information
gathering utilizing
existing formats (PLCs,
CFGs, Advisory,
Surveys, Coffee Groups)
November/December
larger group discussions
to develop consensus

No additional
cost incurred

Jan/Feb/March
committee with
representatives of all
stakeholders chosen to
draft HW policy based
on results of the
discussion
April/May -Feedback
and revision of HW
policy
June Proposed policy
sent to school board to
begin approval process
for implementation in the
2016-2017 school year
Once approved and
implemented, place
policy on 5 year review
schedule

Total Cost of Strategic Plan

Minimum $3600 *Maximum $4190

HOMEWORK AND BHS

References

Senge, P., Cambron-McCabe, N., Lucas, T., Smith, B., Dutton, J., & Kleiner, A. (2012). Schools
that learn. New York: Crown Business.

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HOMEWORK AND BHS

Reference
Senge, P., Cambron-McCabe, N., Lucas, T., Smith, B., Dutton, J., & Kleiner, A. (2012). Schools
that learn. New York: Crown Business.