Educators expect students to perform at their best effort level to receive the best grade. Because we hand back papers with a grade, we expect our students to understand how their effort is paying off. We frequently say you need to try hard, or put more effort in which falls upon death ears. Have we trained students about the effect effort will have on their learning or do we just assume they know?

The authors Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. of Using technology with classroom instruction that works .contends that many students do not understand the connection between effort and achievement. It is believed that students need to see what effort looks like. Using a spreadsheet program is one way students can keep an account of their progress.

My students create on Excel Sheet to keep take of their assignments and the grades. A color code is used to help students keep track of their work. The colors represent: Blue is cool-turned in and waiting for a grade, yellow is no time to be mellow, I am working on it and red is Warning, get going! Students are to use their grade sheet, to monitor what work is turned in, corrected and needs to be done. I give constant reminders to check the grade sheet to see what assignments are missing. I have found this has not been effective. The handful of students that put in effort will diligently look and monitor their progress, but the majority of students are happy just to pass classes which can be as low as D-.

Perhaps combining a rubric similar to the one in the book with the one being used may help students to make the connection between effort and achievement. The students will need to reflect upon their effort by using the rubric. I am eager to try this next school year.

I am not a highly competitive person but I have witnessed how powerful competition can be in the classroom. Every year the class competition is between classes to determine which class can pass the most certification tests. This competition creates many positive interacts amongst the class members: motivation, students helping, encouraging and comforting each other.

Homework should provide practice, review and most importantly application of the content. According to Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. “Having students practice a skill or concept enhances their a ability to reach the expected level of proficiency. Multiple exposures to materials help students deepen their understanding of content and become proficient with skills”
I was amazed to learn that it takes 24 practice session for mastery of a skill. Before
reading this I believed the number was 7 ( West Ed-Teach 4 Success Workshop). So how do you have students practice 24 times without being boringly, repetitive?

My subject area is basic computer skills and not all of my students have access to a computer. The homework I give is to gather data to use in an assignment. This year I have given homework 4 times. Overall 20% of the students returned the work. I think part of this is because the students are not in a routine of doing homework in my class.

Technology is a great resource to aid students with reinforcement, review, practices and application. I enjoyed viewing all this week’s resources. Many wonderful resources are at our fingertips, some do not require being online or using a computer.

I know many of you only have one computer in your classroom. What are some of the ways you use or could use technolgy in your classroom?

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.