Homework — Why do I assign homework?

You are a high school student. You are taking a chemistry course. If you are really honest with yourself, you already know the answer to this question.  It is the only way you are going to master the material and enjoy the success you are capable of.

There are three basic types of homework assignments in my classes.

• Introductory
  I will sometimes ask you to read a few pages in your textbook that give you some basic information on a topic that I am going to cover in class the following day.  Can you function in my class the next day without having read the material?  Sure.  Will you get as much out of the class as if you had done the reading?  Absolutely not.  Plus, you will probably have to work harder on that night's follow-up homework assignment.  You don't want to put yourself in that position, do you?  Stay on top of things, and the whole course will be easier.
   

• Review and Reinforcement  (a.k.a., Practice)
  In addition to our class lectures and discussions, this is the "meat" of the course.  Brain research has shown that  revisiting new material a few hours after we have been exposed to it helps our brains put it into long term memory each night when we go to sleep.  In other words, if you don't study and do the homework on the night of the same day that you were originally exposed to the material, you will not master it as well as if you do.  This is especially important with Friday homework assignments.  It is a proven fact that you will be a more successful if you do your homework on Friday than if you put it off the Saturday or Sunday.
   

• Extension
  These are the long-term assignments (projects) that require you to know the material well enough to apply it.  These kinds of assignments also give you a chance to personalize your learning.

I never give "filler" types of assignments. Your time is valuable, as is mine.  I do not want to waste your time any more than I want to waste mine.  I spend a lot of time thinking about and planning for the assignments I ask you to do.  If you spend your homework time well, and put in the appropriate amount of effort on your work, you should be able to walk into class the following day ready to be a good participant in that day's lesson.  If you walk in unprepared, you may still learn something, but you will not benefit from the lesson as much as if you had prepared properly.  I promise to always do my best to design lessons and homework assignments that are worthy of the effort you need to put in.  The choice to take advantage of them is yours.

One more thing: I do not accept late homework. Ever. Period. Case closed. Don’t beg.
 

Do you want to be successful in my class? Here’s how…

Get enough sleep…

Brain research has shown that most American teenagers are sleep deprived. Did you have any days over summer vacation where you could sleep (not just lie in bed) for as long as you wanted to? How many hours did you sleep? If you clocked it, you’d probably find that it was pretty consistent. Do you get as many hours of sleep each night during the school year? If not, you are sleep deprived, and you will not do as well with your studies as if you sufficient sleep. Trust me on this one. Research bears this out.

Let me start class on time…

Every minute is precious in this course. We absolutely cannot make-up tomorrow what we lose today in a course like this. So, for me to be able to do my job, you have to do yours. Get to class on time. Get to your seat. Open your notebook. Take out your homework, and have it ready to be checked in and recorded in my grade book. Be ready to start as soon as I finish taking attendance.

Be nice…

I don’t necessarily expect you to become best friends with every single student in the class, but I do expect you to remember that they are part of your “community” while you are in my room. Every single one of us brings something special to this community. Let’s try to discover what that is. I promise to be a nice teacher as long as you are a nice student. If we’re all respectful of each other, we will be able to accomplish a lot more by June than if all we care about is ourselves.

Participate…

You don’t have to raise your hand to answer every single question. That would get pretty boring, but let me learn what your voice sounds like earlier rather than later, O.K.? When you don’t understand something, ask questions. I do not have a crystal ball, and I do not read minds. I need clues. If you are absolutely so shy that even reading about asking a question is making your nervous, then you need to know that I am available for you after school.

Stay on top of your work…

If you find yourself totally confused, do not put off getting help from me. The course moves quickly, and the longer you wait and “hope” that all will get better, the more lost you will become. My first signal that you are in trouble should not be a low test score. I may be able to still clear things up for you, but you will still be stuck with the poor grade. See me quickly, and see me often.

Come in for a little TLC…

Eventually, everyone stumbles a little. One key to success is recognizing when it is time to stop struggling on your own, and to seek assistance. I am available most days after school, and this is the best time for me. However, if you have to ask just a quick little question, or if you need to make up a short quiz, it may be possible to do so during the lunch period. I have a lab everyday, but I also have a lab prep everyday. You may be able to see me during the lab prep. See my schedule hanging up in the classroom.

Be fair… Be honest…

If you need clarification, and you do not participate in class, and you do not come to see me for help, and, maybe, just maybe, you don’t do much studying at home, then is it really my fault that you don’t do well? Take the responsibility to forge the path of your success.

Work safely in the lab…

Here’s the bottom line. I have a legal and moral responsibility to keep my students safe. By the time you are working in the lab, you will have signed the safety contract, watched a safety video, learned about MSDS, and heard me talk about safety. If you do anything in lab that I consider unsafe, you will be asked to leave the lab, and you will receive a permanent grade of zero on that lab.

Do your homework (on time)…

See section at top of this page.

Get back on track quickly after you’ve been absent...

Being absent even one day can leave you feeling like you are hopelessly behind, and I won’t kid you. Depending on the topic, it may be challenging for you to get caught up, but you can, if you get to it right away. If you miss a lab, you must make it up within one four-day cycle. It is very likely that I will not have the chemicals and laboratory materials available after that time, because we will have moved on to another lab. As soon as you return to school, see me to make an appointment to miss up the missing lab. I may be able to accommodate a request for an extension, but not if you don’t ask me in time. I will not chase after you. I adhere to the district policy regarding other types of missing assignments (e.g., tests, quizzes, and homework). It is very hard to bring your grade back up if you receive a default grade of zero on a test, because you waited to long to come in to make it up.