5Hallmarks of
Good Homework
Homework shouldn’t be about rote learning. The best kind deepens student understanding and builds essential skills.
Cathy Vatterott
For tonight’s homework, Write the 10 spelling words 3 times each. Write definitions of the 15 science vocabulary words. Do the math problems on page 27, problems 1–20
on dividing fractions.
Check any homework hotline, and you’re likely to find
similar homework assignments, which look an awful lot like
those we remember from school. But do these tasks really
reinforce learning? Do they focus on rote learning—or on
deeper understandings?
The Fundamental Five
The best homework tasks exhibit five characteristics. First,
the task has a clear academic purpose, such as practice,
checking for understanding, or applying knowledge or
10 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP / SEPTEMBER 2010
skills. Second, the task efficiently demonstrates student
learning. Third, the task promotes ownership by offering
choices and being personally relevant. Fourth, the
task instills a sense of competence—the student can
successfully complete it without help. Last, the task is
aesthetically pleasing—it appears enjoyable and interesting
(Vatterott, 2009).
Hallmark 1: Purpose
Let’s start by examining how purposeful tonight’s homework
assignments are and whether there are better alternatives.
The purpose of the spelling homework—“Write the 10
spelling words 3 times each”—might be to practice spelling
words correctly—a rote memory task. Many teachers believe
that writing is a good method, especially if they learned
well that way when they were students. But not all students
