A Peek Into Contrasting Homework Assignments

Homework, Option 1

• In your algebra book, in chapter 7, section 4, do the odd problems. Be sure to show your work. If the assignment takes you longer than 45 minutes of singularly concentrated effort, stop where you are at three-quarters of an hour of working.
• For social studies, read chapter 12, section 3, and respond to the three “Thought Questions” on page 192.
• [more like this from your subject-organized classes]

Homework, option 2

[Underlying assumption: the below example is more scaffolded due to the type of academic and school environment that the student learners are used to, and because of the timing of where we are (in the hypothetical scenario) in the traditional school year – early in the cycle. As capacity builds, learners would be less directed and more self-sufficient.]

• EQ: What is beauty?
• Observe: As you go through the next 10 days, record in your observation journal instances of your thinking related to our current priority essential question. If appropriate and responsible, take pictures of things you find beautiful and make some notes about why. Ask others what they think, too. Because we are near the beginning of this experience together, I can suggest that the VTR (visible thinking routine) “See, Think, Wonder” might be one way to frame your ethnography notes. Of course, you can devise your own strategy (and you’ll be asked to do this more and more as you practice your Innovators DNA skills); if I, or some other mentor/peer, can help with your observation-strategy plan, let me/them know. Ask questions. We’ll share and review our “Game Plans” and “Gantt Charts” in two days, so we can see various strategies and plans.
• Question:
  • Record the questions that arise for you as you detail your observations. I don’t want to overly constrain your thinking by suggesting specifics now, but let someone know if you feel yourself in some unresolved struggle about “What kinds of questions should be arising for me?”
  • In relation to your subject-organized classes, tag at least some of your questions by the department name(s) for which those questions seem particularly connected. For example, “What percentage of the population finds this painting beautiful?” might suggest a “Math” tag for a statistics portion of your emerging project.
• Experiment:
  • Of course, you’ll be experimenting with your observation-strategy plan.
  • Also, use your observation notes to scan for trends and patterns. What hypotheses on beauty seem to emerge for you? Begin to outline – in big-picture terms – the experimental methods you might use to test your hypotheses. If it helps, pretend you are on staff with Myth Busters, like we’ve talked about during our f2f time together.
• Network & Associate:
  • Suggestion 1 (if needed) – read and comment on the observation-journal entries posted by some of the others in this learning cohort.
  • Suggestion 2 (if needed) – find connections in your independent reading and link to nodes in your learning web on this EQ.
  • Suggestion 3 (if needed) – explore the playlist “6 TED Talks on beauty” and/or listen to the TED Radio Hour episode “What is beauty?“
  • What are your suggestions regarding networking and associating with this EQ?

What are your thoughts, reader?

#PuttingOurPracticeWhereOurPurposeIs

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Related Posts in This Thinking Path:

• Dec. 29, 2013. PROCESS POST: Contemplating innovation, homework, practice…and their intersections. +Awe. Iteration Two.
• Dec. 29, 2013. (related #MustRead articles, as I read week of Dec. 22-28.)  https://itsaboutlearning.wordpress.com/2013/12/29/mustread-shares-weekly-75/
• Dec. 26, 2013. PROCESS POST: Contemplating innovation, homework, practice…and their intersections. Iteration One.
• Dec. 12 – 19, 2013 [5 posts]. What’s your school balance in terms of teaching subjects vs engaging purposes? [see links to other posts in this “Balance Series” at bottom. See Bob Ryshke riff on this series here.]
• Mar. 21, 2013. Could there actually be one “C” to rule them all?!