Differentiating math homework

Homework woes? Let students access differentiated practice by giving them a set of problems with each item assigned points based on level of difficulty. Then tell them how many points they need to complete to get 100% on homework. Elainaan at The Classy Teacher tried this with her students and had great success both in student learning and in motivation.

The problems ranged from 1 to 5 points each and learners were told that they each needed 35 points. She found that most students went over 35 points to ensure that they would get 100% even if they got some answer wrong.

By giving students choice with this homework strategy, practice can be personalized; students who need more of a challenge can choose the harder problems worth more points, while students at a lower level can choose to do a greater number of simple problems that add up to the total point goal, giving them extra practice in key concepts.

How do you individual homework?

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