homework for top class

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

9 Best Homework Help Websites

July 22, 2023

When I was in high school, resources for extra homework help weren’t exactly abundant. If you were struggling with a Shakespeare sonnet, you could always run to the bookstore and pick up a CliffNotes guide. SparkNotes was also gaining in popularity. But these early homework help resources had limited catalogs and were focused primarily on literature. Today, I imagine students suffer from the opposite problem—having too many choices when it comes to homework help websites. When the options are seemingly endless, knowing what to look out for takes on an added importance. Below, I’ll go through a list of 9 stand-out homework help websites and briefly discuss what makes them worth a visit.

Homework Help Websites – The Basics

The best homework help websites do more than just spit out an answer to that tricky math problem. They actually help students learn the material. Common features of homework help websites are educational videos and lectures, practice tests and quizzes, study tools like flashcards, and Q&As with experts. Many sites offer features that allow students to ask specific questions and get real-time feedback. There are also a number of services that offer one-on-one tutoring. Some homework help sites are free, while others require a paid subscription.

1) Khan Academy

Khan Academy is an amazing resource for students of all ages. It’s free, and it really is an academy—it offers full courses in a wide array of subjects, from pre-K math to high school physics. The courses consist of readings, video lectures, practice exercises, and quizzes. The breadth of material is impressive. In math alone, I see course listings for Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Trigonometry, Precalculus, Statistics, Multivariable calculus—you get the idea. Khan Academy also offers a wide variety of AP courses, state-specific curricula, test-prep programs, and life skill courses, like personal finance.

It’s important to note that Khan Academy isn’t a one-on-one tutoring platform. But because of their extensive library of material, the search function is especially powerful. Try it out. I did a search for argumentative essay help, and found a comprehensive guide to writing argumentative essays that was a part of a larger writing course.

Chegg is a paid homework help service. Unlike Khan Academy, Chegg isn’t built around specific courses. Rather, it offers a variety of homework-support resources. Among those resources are plagiarism and grammar checkers, a proofreading service, and a “math solver”, which allows students to enter a problem and get back both a solution and a detailed step-by-step explanation of how the problem was solved. Perhaps the most powerful tool Chegg offers is its “Expert Q&A” feature. This service allows students to take a picture of their homework problem, upload it to the site, and get a detailed response in return. Chegg’s emphasis on process and explanation make it a valuable educational resource for students—not just a way to get a quick answer.

Best Homework Help Websites (Continued)

Quizlet is a well-known and worthwhile study resource. It offers a variety of courses, and it also has an expert-response feature. But Quizlet’s best feature, in my option, is the flashcards tool. Students can create their own digital decks of cards and practice them on Quizlet—just like an old fashion set of index cards. I had a ton of success using Quizlet’s flash card feature to help me memorize words for my foreign language requirement in college. It’s a simple but powerful tool. Although often maligned as a learning method, rote rehearsal and spaced repetition are effective ways to encode information . Quizlet’s flashcard feature is a great way to put those techniques into practice.

4) Socratic

is an AI-powered homework support app that allows students to type or take pictures of questions and receive solutions right away. Since it works with AI, it relies on the web’s vast stores of accumulated knowledge—you’re not interacting with a human tutor. Nonetheless, I found it to be an extremely helpful tool. I tried it out first using a specific math problem. In just a few seconds I was provided with the solution and an explainer with relevant formulas, plus a graphic to help visualize the underlying logic. There were also suggested links to additional resources. For example, when I asked Socratic to explain how the German genitive case works, it suggested a YouTube video and a number of articles from blogs and other language-learning sites.

Since Socratic doesn’t feature courses or one-on-one tutoring support, I wouldn’t lean on it if I were really struggling in a particular class. But as a tool to check your work, make sure you’re on the right track, and become aware of additional resources, it’s worth a download.

5) Photomath

Photomath is, as you might have guessed, a site for math homework help. Like other homework help websites, Photomath allows students to take a picture of a problem and receive an instant, step-by-step solution. Included along with the solution is an explanation of relevant concepts and formulas, plus videos covering mathematical concepts. Photomath does offer a few basic courses, too. So if in addition to homework-specific help you want to brush up on the basics, they’ve got you covered in arithmetic, algebra, and calculus crash courses.

6) Studypool

Studypool is a paid homework support service that provides solutions to specific questions. Studypool offers support in all the major subjects, with a particular emphasis on science. Students can ask questions on everything from anatomy to physics. Like other services, students upload their exact questions or problems directly to the site. But Studypool’s payment model is a bit different: instead of paying for tutoring time or a monthly subscription, students pay for solutions to each question they submit. When a student submits a question, tutors submit bids to answer them. The student then can select which tutor/price option works best. After students select the price and tutor they want, they’re connected with the tutor and given the solution and explanation via messenger.

The draw of Studypool is that it gives students access to real (i.e., human) tutors who are experts in their field. The downside is that pricing isn’t transparent, and students pay per question.

7) College Info Geek

College Info Geek is the study-support website that I wish I knew about when I was in high school and college (they didn’t pay me to write that, I swear). The site focuses not on specific courses or questions, but on how to become a more effective learner. Here it’s all about “learning how to learn”—study tips, memorization and note-taking techniques, and much more. The articles are well-researched, clearly-communicated, practical, and comprehensive. For example, the article on how to improve your memory includes a breakdown of the different types of memory processes, memorization techniques, and even a discussion of how nutrition affects memory. College Info Geek is a great resource for everyone, not just high school and college students.

8) SparkNotes

Yes, Sparknotes made the list! The site offers lessons in a whole bunch of subjects—biology, chemistry, computer science, history, philosophy, math—but its specialty is literature. SparkNotes provides summaries and analyses of novels, short stories, poetry, and non-fiction, from The Canterbury Tales to Toni Morrison, Saul Bellow, and Junot Diaz. SparkNotes breaks down books into sub-sections and provides synopses and analyses for each section. There are also separate pages for character breakdowns, discussions of themes and motifs, and explanations of important quotes. I’d caution against using SparkNotes if you’re trying to “hack” a novel or poem and get simple answers about what it “means.” But as a way to supplement your own understanding and interpretation, it’s a great resource. Shmoop is also worth checking out for extra support in literature, poetry, mythology, and the history of literary movements.

9) Grammarly

I’m not sure if Grammarly is an obvious or unexpected choice to round out the list. Either way, it deserves a mention here. Grammarly is a writing tool. It checks and suggests corrections for incorrectly spelled words and misused punctuation. But Grammarly also scans and corrects for things like clarity and vocab usage. It flags sentences that are vague, or overly wordy, and alerts you if you’re using that flashy vocab word incorrectly. It even gives suggestions if it thinks your writing is a bit bland. I don’t see Grammarly as a crutch, but rather as a tool. It can help you master those pesky recurring grammar and usage issues. Always mix up effect and affect? Grammarly will continue to course correct until you’ve got it down yourself.

Homework Help Websites – Final Thoughts

None of the above homework help websites should be seen as a panacea. Each has benefits and drawbacks, strengths and weak points. The list is far from exhaustive. And the sites don’t have to be used in isolation. Try a few out, mix and match. College Info Geek is an excellent supplement to any study regimen. Socratic can be used as a tool to check answers for math homework, and at the same time you can use Grammarly to describe your problem to a tutor on Chegg. At their best, these sites are more than quick fixes to stubborn homework problems—they’re aids to genuine learning.

Additional Resources

You should also check out College Transitions’ “ High School Success ” blogs for help with a number of common high school assignments, including:

• Lord of the Flies Summary & Analysis 
• The Great Gatsby and The American Dream
• Analysis of Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” Speech
• Robert Frost’s Road Not Taken Analysis 
• High School Success

Dane Gebauer

Dane Gebauer is a writer and teacher living in Miami, FL. He received his MFA in fiction from Columbia University, and his writing has appeared in Complex Magazine and Sinking City Review .

• 2-Year Colleges
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Data Visualizations
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High Schools
• Homeschool Resources
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Outdoor Adventure
• Private High School Spotlight
• Research Programs
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Teacher Tools
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• Marks and Grades

How to Achieve the First Rank in Your Class & Become a Topper

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 Fact Checked

Participation

Good behavior, expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by Jennifer Kaifesh and by wikiHow staff writer, Bailey Cho . Jennifer Kaifesh is the Founder of Great Expectations College Prep, a tutoring and counseling service based in Southern California. Jennifer has over 15 years of experience managing and facilitating academic tutoring and standardized test prep as it relates to the college application process. She takes a personal approach to her tutoring, and focuses on working with students to find their specific mix of pursuits that they both enjoy and excel at. She is a graduate of Northwestern University. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 704,297 times.

Becoming the first rank of your class, or a class topper, is an incredible academic achievement, but it does require discipline, determination, and effort. Aside from scoring well on exams, class toppers choose their classes strategically and use specific techniques to stay organized and productive. Luckily, we’re here to teach you everything you need to know so you can follow their lead! By the end of this article, you’ll learn how to organize your schedule, work more efficiently, and become the top of your class.

Things You Should Know

• Participate in class discussions to fully understand the lesson and get clarity on confusing topics.
• Create a homework calendar to ensure you complete your assignments on time, and study for exams at least 3 weeks in advance.
• Study for 1-2 hours at a time, and take a short 10-minute break if you feel like you're losing focus.

• Sitting in front will also remove the temptation to pull out your phone, read something that isn’t pertinent to the class, or zone out.
• If you can't move to the front of the class, ask your classmates to let you focus and to not talk to you during class.

• For instance, you might write: "Franz Ferdinand (archduke of Austria) was assassinated on June 28, 1914."
• If your teacher hints that a specific subject might show up on an upcoming exam, put a star next to your notes so you can go back and focus on studying it.
• If you’re a visual learner, create charts, diagrams, or doodles to help you remember things.

• For example, say something like, "I agree with Andrea's point about global warming, and I think even more effort can be put into making a change."
• Try to think of questions that will spark further discussion. For instance, "How do you think Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet might have been different if he had written the play in the age of social media?"

• Most students set aside 1-3 hours for homework each day, but give yourself an extra 1-2 hours if you learn a new topic or your teacher assigns more work than usual.
• To manage your time wisely, use different colored gel pens to prioritize your tasks and keep track of your due dates.

• If possible, read during study periods, breaks in between classes, or lunch time so you can work on other assignments after school.
• If you don’t have enough time to get through your readings, read summaries of your assigned chapters for free on CliffsNotes on SparkNotes , or watch a quick analysis video on YouTube.

• Take a 10-minute break if you really can’t concentrate on your assignments, or watch a YouTube video to learn more information passively.

• If you plan to be absent on a day when a homework assignment is due, hand it in early to avoid losing marks.

• Avoid cramming for your exam the night before, which increases your stress levels and doesn’t give you enough time to fully absorb the information.
• If you want to study in a group, be sure to invite people who actually want to study and succeed. If not, the other students will just distract you and waste your time.

• If you have a textbook for class, answer the practice questions at the end of each chapter.
• Act like you’re a teacher and explain a concept or lesson like you are teaching it to a class.
• Ask yourself the 5 W’s (Who? What? When? Where? Why?) to break down abstract concepts into simpler ones.
• Memorize formulas or equations with mnemonics (i.e. for coordinating conjunctions, use FANBOYS = for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). [9] X Research source
• Solve practice problems, then explain your thought process and how it worked (bonus tip: find out if there are other ways to solve the question and get the same answer).
• Make a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the big ideas for each topic.
• Create flowcharts, tables, graphs, timelines, mind-maps, and/or study guides for each subject.

• Obtain practice exams from online resources like Course Hero or Chegg , or ask your teacher for a copy of a previous year’s exam.
• Tip: Some teachers reuse questions from the same test bank each year, which you can often find on Quizlet . To access potential exam questions, type in a question from one of your homework assignments on Google, then see if any Quizlet flashcards pop up in the results. If nothing shows up, search your course name or the last name of your teacher, followed by the word “Quizlet.”

Joseph Meyer

Become an active learner. Learn from your mistakes in order to confidently tackle new lessons. Before jumping into advanced topics, make sure your skills in basic concepts are up to scratch. Utilize online resources and interactive exercises that provide instant feedback to solidify your understanding.

• If you have to use your computer to study, download third-party extensions that block distracting websites like StayFocusd and BlockSite .
• Wear noise-canceling headphones to remove any distracting noises in your environment.
• If there are too many distractions at home, go to your local library or community college to study in peace, and try to find a spot where you can’t see people moving around.

• Use your break time to eat a healthy snack, watch a short YouTube video, listen to a few songs, take a quick walk outside, play with your pet, or check in with your friends.

• The cost of tutoring centers like Kumon and Sylvan vary by location, but they typically range between $100-200 per month. [13] X Research source
• Alternatively, attend office hours after class, or use free resources like Khan Academy or YouTube videos to learn challenging concepts.

• If you miss class because you’re sick, try to let a classmate know so they can inform the teacher, and ask them if you can borrow their notes. When you return to school, ask your teachers about any missed assignments and be sure to complete them on time.

• When speaking to others, make sure you use polite words like “please” and “thank you,” and do not raise your voice at other students if you feel frustrated.
• Avoid passing notes, talking to your friends, making unnecessary jokes or comments, and moving around too much during lessons (or anytime your teacher seems serious).

• If you find it hard not to look at your phone, ask your friend (or your teacher) if they can hold it for you until the end of class.

• When it’s exam season, consider setting up a study group so you can test each other on the material and work through the study guide more efficiently.
• To avoid trouble in class, distance yourself from distracting students. If you have assigned seating, ask your teacher if you can move seats so you can focus better.

Supercharge Your Studying with this Expert Series

You Might Also Like

Reader Videos

• If you want to become a class topper, familiarize yourself with your school’s policies on class ranking. Most high schools determine class rank by GPA, with higher-level courses (AP, Honors) weighted more than regular courses. In other words, if you scored a B in an AP class, it would be the equivalent of an A in a regular class. [14] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If your school weights AP courses more than regular courses, aim to take 3-4 AP courses per school year. Receiving a poor grade in an AP class may lower your GPA (and overall class ranking), so it’s important not to overload yourself with difficult coursework. [15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you received a low grade in a course, ask your counselor if it’s possible to retake the class in an upcoming semester (or summer school) so you can replace that grade with a better one. [16] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• ↑ https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/10/19/finding-the-perfect-seat-in-class/
• ↑ Jennifer Kaifesh. Founder, Great Expectations College Prep. Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/advising/_students/students_support_tips.php#CharacteristicsofaSuccessfulStudent
• ↑ https://academicaffairs.arizona.edu/l2l-strategy-interleaving
• ↑ https://sls.navitas-professional.edu.au/sites/default/files/resource/exam_preparation_v1.pdf
• ↑ https://www.seattleu.edu/media/learning-assistance-programs/files/9-Types-of-Mnemonics-for-Better-Memorya4b4.pdf
• ↑ https://www.bsmcon.edu/sites/default/files/assets/files/Tips%20for%20Reducing%20Distractions%20at%20Home.pdf
• ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2002/11/29/seeking-tutors-to-get-ahead-and-not-just-to-catch-up/22795568-01b7-44bf-ab3e-042792a90205/
• ↑ https://tutors.com/costs/kumon-cost
• ↑ https://blog.collegevine.com/ap-class-grading-scale
• ↑ https://www.crimsoneducation.org/us/blog/how-many-ap-classes-should-i-take/
• ↑ https://collegemapper.com/2014/05/improve-high-school-gpa/

About This Article

To achieve the first rank in your class, strive to pay attention and participate in class discussions every day. Next, keep your assignments organized, complete your homework for each class, and turn in your assignments on time to keep your grades high. It's also important to study for your exams thoroughly so you can achieve good scores. You may want to ask your teachers what scores you will have to beat, since class-ranking systems can vary from school to school. For tips on studying efficiently, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Did this article help you?

Mar 17, 2020

May 17, 2018

Rosy Fisher

Jul 12, 2017

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

7 Types of Homework for Students

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

There are seven types of homework. These are practice, preparation, extension, integration, research, application, and flipped homework.

Each type of homework has its own role for students learning. The important task for teachers is to select homework that will best provide holistic support to a student.

This doesn’t mean just supporting students for the upcoming exams but also ensuring students are not overwhelmed by homework and that they can still live a balanced life outside of school.

Types of Homework

1. practice.

Practice is the most common task students have when they are given homework. It entails attempting to reinforce information learned in school so that students will commit it to long-term memory.

An example of practice homework is math workbooks. Usually, a teacher will complete the math task in class so students know how to do it, then give them a workbook of 20 – 50 tasks to complete overnight to reinforce the task.

The benefit of practice homework is that it can certainly help students commit what they learned in class to memory. This is especially the case if teachers used spaced repetition. This is a strategy whereby the teacher re-introduces things learned in previous weeks and months during homework revision so the information is not lost over time.

The downside of practice homework is that the child is learning on their own during this period. This means that, if the child hasn’t sufficiently learned the content in class, they don’t have anyone to help them during homework time. This can lead to a great deal of frustration and despair for students staring at a piece of paper feeling lost and confused.

Related: Homework Statistics

2. Preparation

Preparation homework is given to students before a lesson so they have the important information at hand before class.

Commonly, this occurs when teachers provide reading materials for students to look over between class. They then come to class having read the materials so they are ready to discuss and debate the topics.

It’s also commonly used in language learning, where it’s called pre-teaching of vocabulary. The teacher provides vocabulary to learn before class so the students can come to class and practice it together.

The benefit of preparation homework is that it bunches a lot of the didactic (non-interactive) parts of learning into the pre-class time so students can spend most of their time in class interacting with the teacher and peers.

The downside of preparation homework is that it rarely works as expected. Teachers often spend the first 10 to 15 minutes of class re-teaching what was supposed to be done for homework either because students found it too hard or they didn’t do the tasks.

3. Extension

Extension homework involves providing students with tasks that are based upon what was learned in class, but goes over and above those tasks.

It is the equivalent of teaching a student to swim then letting them out into the ocean. The students have to apply their knowledge in a new context without the support or ‘ scaffolding ’ of a teacher hovering over their shoulders.

The benefit of extension homework is it can give students a lot of confidence. They can go home and feel as if they’re excelling at their work when they find that they’re doing it without the support of a teacher.

The downside of extension homework is that it can be risky: by definition, students are extending themselves beyond what was learned in class, meaning they will come across new information and new contexts where they might need help that’s not available at the time.

Related: Homework Pros and Cons

4. Integration

Integration homework requires students to bring together, or ‘integrate’, knowledge from various subjects and knowledge areas into one project.

The homework may involve the integration of history lessons with writing lessons to create a book report, or the integration of math with business studies to create a business plan.

Integration is great for students to draw connections between things they have learned in various different classes at school. However, it also involves a lot of complexity that may make students feel confused or overwhelmed.

5. Research

Research homework involves using your time after school and on weekends to gather data that will be discussed in class.

Often, this can involve interviewing family members, taking photos around your community, or looking up information on the internet.

The benefit of research homework is that students often come to class with exciting things to share. They will also come with questions to help stimulate conversation in class.

However, it’s important for teachers to be aware that not all students have access to high-speed internet and other resources to conduct research. In fact, in my homework statistics article, I discussed how a staggering 24% of low-income American teens regularly fail to complete homework due to lack of access to technology.

6. Application

Application homework involves taking knowledge learned in class and applying it to real-world settings.

This is common in immersive language learning settings, for example, when teachers ask students to go out into the streets and practice new vocabulary when ordering a drink or buying food.

The benefit of application homework is that it gives real-world context to what was learned in class. By applying your knowledge, you can more effectively commit it to memory than simply rote learning it at your kitchen table.

Application in a real-world setting provides a context and a story that you can easily pull from your memory in the future, helping you to retain information long-term.

7. Flipped Homework

The flipped learning movement is a movement that involves making students learn at home on their own then come to class to practice it.

For teachers, this means thinking about school as the space for ‘traditional’ homework and home as the space for instruction.

This is increasingly popular with technology and hybrid learning environments. For example, a teacher might assign a YouTube video to watch as homework before class. Then, the class involves dissecting the video and critiquing it.

The benefit of flipped learning is that it maximizes time for constructivist and hands-on active learning in the classroom. The downside is students can get confused during preparation, they may not complete the preparation work, or technology may fail on them.

What are the Functions of Homework?

Homework serves multiple purposes. These include:

• Getting Ahead: Many schools and parents give their children homework (including private tutoring help so their children can have an advantage in life over other children.
• Keeping Up: On a societal level, many governments encourage homework so that students can keep up with other societies in the ‘education race’ of the 21st Century. Some societies, like South Korea, heavily emphasize homework, and others feel they need to keep up.
• Catching Up: Many students are assigned homework to catch up with the rest of their class. If you find a topic very difficult, you may find you need to spend a lot more time on your own working through the information than your peers.
• Retention: Homework helps you to repeat and retain information. With extra practice, you can commit information to memory.
• Excitement: Some well-made homework can get students excited to come to class to discuss what they did.
• Application: Situation-based learning, where you’re applying what you learned in class to real-world situations, can help progress students’ knowledge in ways that you can’t in school.
• Home-School Relationships: Homework also serves the purpose of ensuring parents know what’s going on in school. Many parents like to see what children are learning so they can monitor their children’s progress and keep teachers accountable.

Homework comes in all shapes and sizes. While many teachers stick to the old fashioned repetition homework mode, I’d encourage you to try out a range of other types of homework that can keep students engaged, encourage more discussion and collaboration in class, and ensure that the difficult work where students need the teacher’s help takes place in the classroom. This will provide maximum support for your students, help propel them forward, and prevent arguments for why homework should be banned .

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 15 Montessori Values for your Classroom
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 24 Montessori Classroom Design Ideas
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 21 Cozy Classroom Reading Corners
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Math Center Ideas for Teachers

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• (800) 596-0724
• Request Info

Sophia Sikowski

Essential Tips to Boost Your Post-College Career Prospects

Optimizing the Opportunities of the Clinical Experience

How Knack Is Transforming Tutoring

Geriatric Nursing: Meeting the Complex Needs of Older Adults

• Scholarships
• Nursing Programs
• Campus Locations

Contact us to request more information

Opt-In to Receive SMS Messages

Get the latest news you need to know, from study hacks to interview tips to career advancement. Have it delivered right to your inbox biweekly.

• Our Mission

How to Help Students Develop the Skills They Need to Complete Homework

Middle and high school students can learn to work more efficiently by using strategies that improve their executive function skills.

The effects of homework are mixed. While adolescents across middle and high school have an array of life situations that can make doing homework easier or harder, it’s well known that homework magnifies inequity . However, we also know that learning how to manage time and work independently outside of the school day is valuable for lifelong learning. From the homework wars  to students who have little time for homework to students who don’t even know where to begin, everyone can agree that kids who can self-regulate and engage in independent rehearsal are better positioned for whatever the future holds.

How can we empower students to overcome barriers to doing homework well?

Executive Functioning

Homework is partially an assessment of executive functioning. Executive functioning and self-regulation take time to develop. They depend on three types of critical brain function: working memory, mental flexibility, and self-regulation .

Let’s break this down to consider how to improve their efficiency.

Working memory: Don’t hold everything in your head; it is not possible. When doing homework, students should write down their ideas, whether they are notes while reading, numbers when working through a math problem, or non-school-related reminders about chores, such as remembering to take the dog for a walk. Clearing working memory for the immediate task at hand allows the brain to focus as the strain is reduced.

Mental flexibility: As students build their independence and grow their homework routines, seeing an array of strategies, or more than one way to solve a problem, is important. Consider the results when a child gets stuck and doesn’t know what to do to get unstuck or when one keeps trying the same failed approach. Chunking homework helps simplify the process. When stuck, a student looks at a smaller piece, which makes it easier to see other solutions. More practice with mental flexibility happens when others model thinking in different ways, and students practice flexible thinking with partners by asking them: What is another way? Use this bubble map to chart out multiple ways.

Self-regulation: Learning how to prioritize work and stick with it by not giving in to impulses is a skill that students develop over time . One way to teach self-regulation is to have students practice control by concentrating for short periods of time with the goal of building up to longer, more sustained periods of time as the year progresses. For a child who struggles with reading for an extended time, start with five minutes and then build from there.

Another self-regulation tip is creating a plan to overcome distractions. What happens when the child stumbles? Three minutes into reading and a student is reaching for their cell phone. Recommend that they practice moving the cell phone away from the homework area, and summarize before returning to the reading. Stops and starts are frustrating and often result in lost homework time. Have students practice responses to distraction, and make this part of their homework. When a student struggles to stay on task, they should be encouraged to remove any distraction in order to regain focus.

Use classroom assessment as a tool to plan for and support student homework. Record the following information for students:

• Do they write, read, and/or solve problems in class? For how many minutes independently?
• What is the quality of their work? Are they actually learning, or are they just going through the motions?
• Do they know how to strategize on their own or get help from a peer when they’re stuck? Observe them and take notes, and/or have them reflect on this question.

We cannot expect that students will independently practice a skill they don’t engage with during class. If it doesn't happen in the classroom, it's not going to happen at home. The teacher should be able to realistically gauge how much and what students might achieve at home. A suggestion to build independence is to use task analysis . Here is a model . For students who struggle with getting homework done, at first they may not actually do homework; rather, they practice the routines of setting up and getting started.

Direct Instruction

The following are some techniques that help students with homework:

• Mindful meditation to gain focus
• Prioritizing and estimating time
• Filtering out distractions

Peers as Partners

Class partnership routines need practice. With strong partnerships, kids learn how to support and learn from each other. Access to teachers will never match the unlimited access to peers. The hours that students who achieve at high levels put in after class are often spent alone rehearsing the content or with peers who push each other to improve.

Class-to-Home Connection

While some students struggle with executive functioning, others rush through their homework. The most important step in having homework count is to make it seamless, not separate from class. Homework flows from classwork. Especially with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous work, now there is no homework, just work done for our classes. Consistent instructional goals with engaging and meaningful tasks help students see the value in working beyond the last bell.

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact
• About Digital Citizenship
• Digital Citizenship Curriculum
• Digital Citizenship (U.K.)
• Lesson Collections
• All Lesson Plans
• Digital Life Dilemmas
• SEL in Digital Life Resource Center
• Implementation Guide
• Toolkits by Topic
• Digital Citizenship Week
• Digital Connections (Grades 6–8)
• Digital Compass™ (Grades 6–8)
• Digital Passport™ (Grades 3–5)
• Social Media TestDrive (Grades 6–8)

AI Literacy for Grades 6–12

• All Apps and Websites
• Curated Lists
• Best in Class
• Common Sense Selections
• About the Privacy Program
• Privacy Evaluations
• Privacy Articles
• Privacy Direct (Free download)
• AI Movies, Podcasts, & Books
• Learning Podcasts
• Movies to Support SEL
• Internet Safety
• Books for Digital Citizenship
• ChatGPT and Beyond
• Strategies for Shocking News
• Digital Well-Being Discussions
• Supporting LGBTQ+ Students
• Offline Digital Citizenship
• Teaching with Tech
• Movies in the Classroom
• Social & Emotional Learning
• Digital Citizenship
• Tech & Learning
• News and Media Literacy
• Browse Events and Training
• Modeling Digital Habits Teacher Training
• Digital Citizenship Teacher Training
• Student Privacy Teacher Training
• Common Sense Recognized Educators
• Common Sense Education Ambassadors

Training Course: Modeling Digital Habits

Earn your Common Sense Education badge today!

• Family Engagement Toolkit
• Digital Citizenship Resources for Families

Family Tech Planners

Family and community engagement program.

• Workshops for Families with Kids Age 0–8
• Workshops for Middle and High School Families
• Kids and Tech Video Series

• Get Our Newsletter

Best Homework Games for Students

Learning shouldn't stop because school's out. These homework games offer a nice mix of learning and engagement, so students extend classroom activities, refine skills, and reinforce concepts at home. With these great games spanning math, science, ELA, social studies, and more, students can form healthy study habits that help them dive deep into whatever interests them most. Whether students need to brush up on math facts and build fluency, grow their vocabulary, practice typing, stretch their thinking skills, or explore other cultures, this list has a game students can take home today.

Immediate feedback and breadth a huge plus, despite emphasis on drills

Bottom Line : Students can improve targeted skills by using practice modules in moderation.

The Robot Factory by Tinybop

Improve designs, collect favorites in robot creation sandbox

Bottom Line : A well-made and enjoyable STEM app that leverages what's great about play -- experimentation -- to spark engineering interest.

Simple Machines by Tinybop

Excellent elementary NGSS engineering practices embedded in fun games

Bottom Line : Fun gameplay lets kids explore important physics concepts in a solid standards-aligned context.

Motion Math

Playful collection of games reinforces a diversity of skills

Bottom Line : A great add-on to any classroom as a treat for students or as a way to get students to practice taught concepts to mastery.

Creative sandbox opens the door to coding in any subject area

Bottom Line : Scratch draws students of all types into coding and lays a foundation for future learning.

Awesome, adaptive math games with a killer teacher dashboard

Bottom Line : Fantastic tool for flipped or blended classrooms, formative assessment, or extra practice in any setting.

Contraption Maker

Solve problems, puzzles, brain teasers while creating wacky machines

Bottom Line : Hands-on problem-solving leads to great fun and independent learning with the right curricular wraparound to connect what kids are doing with what they need to know.

Sandbox tool enables engaged, conceptual physics inquiry

Bottom Line : A robust, free pedagogical tool that's like a digital workbench where kids build and apply conceptual science knowledge.

Dungeon-crawling adventure where code is king

Bottom Line : While not everyone loves fighting ogres, CodeCombat offers a classroom-ready platform and an authentic learning experience.

Kahoot! Algebra 2 by DragonBox

Super fun, cutting-edge approach to learning and practicing algebra

Bottom Line : Kids build a strong foundation for algebra by learning the underlying concepts for solving equations with this extremely fun and educational math tool.

Tyto Ecology

Well-developed biome sim provides cheap, endless learning

Bottom Line : This affordable ecosystem balancing game teaches life science skills while keeping students engaged.

Universe Sandbox

Superb sandbox for astrophysics experimentation

Bottom Line : An impressive -- and complex -- tool that encourages a playful, systems thinking-oriented exploration of the universe and astrophysics.

One of the best creation tools available for aspiring game developers

Bottom Line : Great choice for a full unit or class on game design; fuels students game-making dreams.

Niche - a genetics survival game

Immersive genetics sim puts evolution in students' hands

Bottom Line : This hands-on genetics game allows students to experiment, explore traits, and come away with a sophisticated understanding of the subject.

Kerbal Space Program

Design and launch a rocket into space in realistic astrophysics sim

Bottom Line : This accurate rocket sim encourages trial-and-error learning and makes for great (and often explosive) physics and engineering experiments.

ELA and Social Studies Games

Hangart: play hangman, draw pictures, tell stories.

Games, creative activities give 360-degree view of common sight words

Bottom Line : Combination of guided games and open-ended activities give kids a great opportunity for digging deep into words.

Never Alone: Ki Edition

Illuminating native Alaskan folktale supports SEL skills

Bottom Line : A beautiful achievement developed in cooperation with indigenous folk that offers players valuable SEL skill building and a respectful window into Inupiat culture, ways of life, traditions, and stories.

Well-designed games, lessons can spice up your civics curriculum

Bottom Line : This game-based curriculum would be an excellent addition to any secondary social studies.

Sid Meier's Civilization V

Legendary strategy game is a hit with history buffs in school and out

Bottom Line : For flexible classrooms, creative teachers, and sharp students, Civilization V is the perfect platform for making rather than memorizing history.

Political Animals

Charming political campaign sim mixes data analysis and civics

Bottom Line : It's a highly entertaining and surprisingly deep way to help students see the strategy -- as well as ethical choices -- involved in elections.

SAT Vocab by MindSnacks

Variety is key in charmingly effective SAT vocab app

Bottom Line : Upgrading to the full version gets you great games and a thorough word list for SAT vocab prep.

Walden, A Game

Thoughtfully designed game illuminates Thoreau's writing, philosophy

Bottom Line : It's rare to be so moved and permanently transformed by a work of art; that this game manages to (re)create these experiences is a triumph.

Miscellaneous Games

One-stop shop for a wealth of fantastic PBS Kids educational content

Bottom Line : Robust collection of learning resources covers an impressive array of topics.

Customizable multiplayer auto races rev up basic typing practice

Bottom Line : Nitro Type is pretty darn engaging, but teachers need to prep students' typing skills first.

Classic logic puzzler gets a beautiful new look

Bottom Line : Promote powerful thinking skills, resilience, and decision-making through purely fun gameplay that will keep students begging for more.

Spiraling sandbox of adventure and creation gets kids to dig deep

Bottom Line : An irresistible and seemingly limitless incubator for 21st century skills that, with a little guidance, can chart new courses for learning.

Epistory - Typing Chronicles

Practice typing by exploring and defending a world made of paper

Bottom Line : Great for practicing touch-typing skills, this adventure game draws players in with a slowly revealed backstory.

Related Content

Welcome to Art Class

Choose Your Test

• Search Blogs By Category
• College Admissions
• AP and IB Exams
• GPA and Coursework

How to Do Well in an AP Class: Your Complete Guide

Advanced Placement (AP)

If you’re reading this it’s because you’re considering taking Advanced Placement (AP) high school classes or you’re already enrolled in AP classes. That’s great! AP courses are a great way to prepare for college, raise your GPA, and even earn college credit.

But in order for you to get the full benefit out of your AP classes, you’ll need to make sure you know how to prepare for AP classes. That can be tricky: AP classes are designed to be harder, so you’ll need to be proactive about learning class material if you want to earn As.

We’re here to help. This article will help you develop the skills and tools you need to excel in every AP class you take . We’ll discuss:

• What an AP class is, and why they’re beneficial
• A quiz to help you identify your biggest pain points when it comes to succeeding in AP classes
• Specialized study tips customized to show you how to do well in an AP class
• A hypothetical weekly schedule designed to show you how to manage AP classes

There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

Feature Image: David Mulder /Flickr

What Is an AP Class?

The Advanced Placement (AP) Program is a program that is run by the College Board, the same institution that administers the SAT test .

Basically, AP allows you to take college-level courses in high school as a way of preparing you for college . These courses are more in-depth than regular high school courses, but they will give you an excellent introduction to college-style classes, and taking AP courses will make your transition from high school to college easier.

While AP classes are harder and more work, they also come with some pretty big perks, too. Read on to learn about the many benefits of taking AP classes and how to manage AP classes.

What Are the Benefits of Taking AP Classes?

The number one benefit of taking AP classes is that if you do well in them, you increase your chances of college admission ! Having AP courses on your transcript illustrates to college admissions committees that you have a commitment to pushing yourself to excel. Additionally, you show admissions committees that you already have experience with college-level coursework. This shows that you’re ready to succeed academically in college, too. 

Additionally, AP classes can raise your GPA even though they’re tougher than regular classes. That’s because AP classes contribute to your weighted GPA . A weighted GPA takes into account that you’re taking tougher classes by “adding points” to your final AP course grade. That’s how some students can g raduate high school with more than a 4.0 ! Weighted grades can be confusing, so be sure to check out our complete guide to weighted GPAs for more information. 

Another benefit to AP classes is that they give you the opportunity to earn college credit. Each May, you can then take the AP exams for each of the AP courses you took that year. If you pass the exam with a certain grade, you can potentially earn college credit . ( For more information about how this process works, check out this article. ) Earning college credit from your AP courses saves you valuable time and money...and it looks great on your college applications, too. 

Ultimately, AP classes benefit students by providing them with a rigorous education in subjects that you might otherwise have just glanced over in a regular high school class. This could even have the effect of exposing you to new ideas that shape your potential career goals!

The Top 3 Study Tips for Doing Well in AP Classes

Not sure how to do well in an AP class since they’re designed to be difficult. Guess what? It begins with developing good study habits.

In order to do well in an AP class, you’ll need to make sure you’re learning the course content on a daily basis. Trying to cram information into your head the night before an exam just isn’t going to work. So if you’re wondering how to prepare for an AP class, it all starts with studying!

Here are our top tips for studying regularly, efficiently, and effectively. That way you’re making the most out of your daily study time.

Tip 1: Get Ready to Study

First of all, if you’re going to succeed in an AP class, you need to believe that you will succeed in an AP class. You can do it! After all, you wouldn’t even be reading this article if you didn’t have what it takes to succeed in AP classes. 

It’s important that you spend some time making sure you’re confident and prepared to tackle your AP work. One way to do this is through visualization . Visualize yourself succeeding, then work toward that goal. Studies show that visualizing success is almost as effective as actual practice , and doing both yields even better results than practice alone.

Once you’re in a success mindset, it’s time to prepare to study. (Yes...you have to get ready to study.) Create a study habit by picking a study spot in your house or your school’s library. That way you’ll associate that place with studying, which will help you get in the right mindset quickly. Minimize distractions by putting your phone away, turning off your computer’s WiFi, and/or disabling notifications on your smart devices.

And finally, only get out the study materials you’ll be working on that day . Don’t overwhelm yourself with stacks of books and notes! If you’re focusing on AP Biology , for example, there’s no need for you to flip through your AP Literature or AP Physics notes. Focusing on one thing not only makes the study process manageable, it also helps minimize your stress levels.

Tip 2: Take Great Notes in Class

For many students, the problem with study time is knowing what to study. Do you look over your homework assignments? Reread the textbook? It can be kind of overwhelming when you’re faced with learning information on your own!

The key to studying efficiently is making sure you have great material to study with. That begins with class notes . Your homework and your class exams will cover the material your teacher talks about in class—they aren’t going to spring new ideas on you! Taking great notes in class means you’ll have an idea about what information your teacher thinks is important, which means you’ll know what you need to understand before test day.

Once you have great notes, you can start using other class materials as part of your study session . That can include using handouts, textbooks, and even old homework assignments to help you review.

For example, here’s how an AP Chemistry study session might go. You take out your class notes from Monday and review them. They’re over balancing equations, so once you finish going over your notes, you flip open your textbook to find the chapter that covers the same material. There, you realize the book has some practice questions that you haven’t gone over in class. To study, you decide to work through those and check your answers in the back of the book.

In about 45 minutes, not only have you reviewed a core course concept, you’ve also practiced putting that concept to work. Now you’re better prepared to balance equations on your next exam!

Tip 3: Enough Is Enough!

Speaking of balance...even though studying is important, you need to make time for the activities, hobbies, and people that sustain you. Burnout is a real thing, and you won’t be doing yourself any favors if you pursue your studies so vigorously that you harm your mental and physical health.

What often happens in burnout situations is that the student feels so ashamed of not being able to concentrate that they don’t tell anyone. As a result, they fall behind in their coursework, then have difficulty catching back up again. Before you know it, your grades are falling, your GPA goes down, and then you’re even more stressed out than you were when you started studying 24/7 in the first place.

Burnout can be a vicious cycle. The consequences of burnout can be severe, so watch for signs of it. If you’re having trouble concentrating or find yourself resenting the time you spend on your studies, or if you find yourself isolated because you’re so worried about falling behind, it’s time to take a break . Go do something relaxing for a few hours or a couple of nights. Maybe this is the instance in which going to the movies with your friends on a weeknight is a good idea.

Also, make sure you’re being open and honest about your struggles with people you trust. Whether that’s your parents, siblings, friends, or a trusted teacher, it’s important that you speak up if you’re having a hard time. School is important, sure, but so is your health! When you reach out, people can help connect you with resources that can not only alleviate your burnout, but can teach you skills to help you avoid it in the future, too.

3 Time Management Tips for How to Do Well in an AP Class

Now that you know how important it is to study for your AP classes, it’s time to get that study time on your calendar and learn how to prepare for AP classes. But there’s a good chance that your calendar is already full with extracurriculars and other responsibilities.

Don’t panic : we guarantee you can squeeze in study time if you’re smart about how you manage your time. Here are our top tips for time management (and if you’d like some more, be sure to check out our expert guide to managing your time ).

Tip 1: Triage Your Work

Have you ever spent three hours studying for a reading quiz the next day because you felt like you didn’t understand the material completely, only to skip out on studying for your chemistry exam because you ran out of time? The chances are that your reading quiz counted for a much smaller grade percentage than your chemistry exam did. 

Every student has found themselves in a situation where they wish they’d made a different decision about how to use their time. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes. One of the best things you can do to maximize your time is to prioritize your goals. That way you’re tackling the most important material first. 

Think about the emergency room. In the ER, they have a process called triage , in which they assign degrees of severity to a patient's various injuries , so they know which to focus on first. Whenever you get home from school and are about to get started on your homework, triage it first so that you can tackle the most difficult and important work while you’re still fresh and alert, saving the less challenging (or perhaps more enjoyable) work for last.

In order to triage your studying effectively, you need to consider three things: the grade point value of upcoming assignments, your understanding of the material, and your overall performance in the course.

Let’s take a look at an example: Joe is taking AP Biology, AP Statistics, and AP U.S. History. This week, he has a short essay due in U.S. History that’s worth 15% of his grade, one quiz in AP Biology worth 2% of his overall grade, and nothing due in Statistics. But he also has an A in both Biology and U.S. History, but he only has a B- in Statistics. He only has a few hours to study this week. How should Joe spend his time?

Here’s how we would recommend Joe triages his work. First, he should tackle his U.S. History essay. It’s worth a large portion of his final grade, so making a B or C on the assignment could keep him from making an A in the class.

From there, Joe should spend some time studying Statistics. Even though he has a Biology quiz, it’s clear that he has a pretty good handle on the material already since he has an A in the class. But he’s having a tougher time in Statistics, so spending a little extra time studying the course material will probably help him get higher scores on his upcoming work. Then, if he has a little extra time, Joe can quickly review his Biology notes to get ready for his quiz.

The big takeaway is this: make sure you’re doing the most important work first. That way you’re using your time as efficiently as possible!

Tip 2: Make a List

As you’re triaging all your tasks for the week, you’ll also be compiling a list of everything, with notes about the importance of each one. It’s very helpful to keep this list with you, perhaps in a planner or notebook, so that you can keep track in class of all the information that you might forget later. Just because you’re paying attention in class doesn’t mean you’ll remember assignments, due dates, or other important information later!

So what sort of information do you need to keep track of? Along with assignment due dates, you’ll also want to make note of any key ideas your teachers call out in class. You’ll also want to make sure you’re noting any extra credit assignments, special events, or even useful volunteer opportunities that are mentioned in class. Writing these down is a great way to making sure you don’t forget them!

Also, reviewing your planner or notebook every day is key to making this system work. If you’re writing things down and then never looking at them again, it’s not very useful. Pick a time every day when you review your calendar and update your to do list. Doing this at the same time every day helps ensure that you’re staying on top of your responsibilities.

Tip 3: Get a Good Night’s Sleep

This one is a little less obvious when you’re thinking about spending your time. After all, if you’re getting 8 hours of sleep a night, you’re wasting precious time you could use to study (or play video games), right?

Not so fast. Sleep is actually a key component to making sure your brain and your body stay healthy. After all, your brain is a physical muscle in your body, and there is a direct correlation between the well-being of your body and the capacity of your brain. Consequently, sleep is one of the most important factors in maintaining your mental and physical health.

A recent study shows that people have some very incorrect notions about how much sleep they need, and our culture prides itself on sacrificing our sleep in order to work more. Science shows that your body needs between seven and ten hours of sleep every night, yet over thirty percent of Americans sleep less than that . And when you’re not sleeping, you have a harder time paying attention and retaining formation , which isn’t great for your GPA, either.

When you’re staying organized by prioritizing your work, creating to do lists, and studying regularly, it becomes easier for you to get enough sleep to stay healthy. And the better your sleep is, the better you’ll do in school! So while all-nighters might seem like a good idea, it’s better for your health and your GPA to study ahead of time. That way you can get some much-deserved (and much needed!) rest.

We've put together an AP student's hypothetical week so we can show you how to plan for success.

How to Do Well in an AP Class: Plan Your Ideal Week

We’ve covered our top tips for how to manage AP classes, but it can be hard to see how those tips work in practice. We want to get beyond understanding just how to pass an AP class and show you how to excel in one.

To help, we’ve created a sample weekly schedule to help you figure out how to be successful in AP classes. (Keep in mind that this is just an example—depending on your course load, your ideal schedule will differ.)

Read on to see how to prepare for AP classes in order to be as successful as possible!

First thing’s first: you need to determine what’s on your schedule for the week. When you open your planner, you realize that this week is going to be heavy on reading. You have textbook chapters to read in your U.S. History and Macroeconomics courses, and you’re supposed to finish reading The Great Gatsby for your English class .

Since that’s a lot of reading, you’ll want to keep up with this nightly. You prioritize textbook chapters based on when you have reading quizzes and responses due in class . Right now, you have a reading quiz scheduled in your U.S. History class on Thursday and another reading quiz in your English class on Friday. You also realize that you have a quiz over the last 28 pages of The Great Gatsby, so you decide to split that into chunks so you can space the reading out over the entire week.

You’re also taking two science courses: AP Biology and AP Chemistry. You realize you have a lab report due in Biology on Thursday and an AP Chemistry exam on Friday. That means you’ll need to plan ahead to make sure you’re able to study for your test and finish your lab report.

So you open your planner and add the following due dates to your weekly schedule:

Now that you’re organized, you can tell that the end of the week is going to be hectic. You decide to get a jump on things by reading your Macroeconomics chapter tonight. That way you’ve freed up extra time to study for your quizzes and exams.

Teachers love to assign pop-up homework during the week, so there’s a chance that you’ve been given a handout or two that you’ll have to finish that night to turn in the next day. That’s not unusual: the typical workload for an AP class is about one hour per night per class.

You’ve gotten a quick handout to complete in Macroeconomics, so you tackle that first during your study time since it’s due the next day. Then you spend some time finishing the majority of your Biology lab report since it’s worth 10% of your overall grade. You want to make sure you have enough time to check it over before you turn it in!

Once that’s done, you split your remaining study time between reading for U.S. History, reading for English class, and going over your Chemistry notes. Since you don’t have a reading quiz over The Great Gatsby until Friday, you decide to tackle that reading last to ensure you’ve gotten a head start on studying for your Chemistry exam.

On this hypothetical Wednesday, your U.S. history class is doing an in-class discussion. You’re prepared since you’ve already done the reading, and your teacher gives you props for your excellent ideas in class.

When you get to English class, you realize you’re a little behind on your reading when your teacher splits you into small groups to talk about the characters in the book. You’re only a few pages behind, but you make a note to catch up on your reading that night.

When you sit down to study, you’re tempted to grab The Great Gatsby and start reading. But you know that you have a lab report due tomorrow and a Chemistry exam on Friday that are worth a lot more points than your reading quiz.

So instead of reading right away, you finish your Biology lab report first. Then you spend 30 minutes going over a tricky concept you talked about in Chemistry class before cracking open your copy of The Great Gatsby. By prioritizing your work, you’ve made sure you’re on the right track to do well on your assignments without having to pull an all-nighter.

You turn in your Biology lab report, confident that you’ve done a great job since you started it ahead of time. With that out of the way, you can now spend more time focusing on studying for your Chemistry exam on Friday.

That night, you pull out your quizzes and homework assignments, your class review sheet, and your notes. You spend an hour reviewing your handouts, studying key terms, and working a few extra sample problems . But since you’ve been studying a little every night, you find that you’re feeling pretty confident about the test.

Finally, you settle in to finish your Great Gatsby reading. You’ve got ten pages to read since you didn’t quite hit your reading goal yesterday, but it’s still a manageable amount. Actually, you find it’s a nice break from studying for chemistry!

Today’s a busy day, but because you’ve planned ahead, you’re ready to tackle it. You have your English class first, so you get up a little extra early to review your reading notes in order to ace your quiz. Your chemistry exam is after lunch, so you decide to spend a few minutes studying with your friends before the big test.

There’s a good chance that your teachers will assign your homework for the next week on Friday, so it’s important you take good notes and jot down important assignments and due dates in your planner as they’re announced. Don’t rely on your memory! This list will help you plan your next week so it will be as successful as this one.

But for now, it’s the weekend! Doing well in school matters a lot, but it’s also important to take some time to relax and recharge with your family and friends. Think of your time off as rewarding yourself for a job well done!

What's Next?

If you’d like even more tips for managing your time, don’t miss our article on the top 12 time management tips that everyone needs to know.

In our hypothetical student schedule, we mentioned AP classes. AP classes are advanced placement classes that can help you raise your GPA and potentially earn college credit while still in high school. Get the scoop on AP classes , and learn more about how their difficulty compares to a normal high school curriculum .

Setting aside study time only works well if you know how to study. But don’t worry: anyone can learn how to study well! Our expert guide to studying better in high school, can set you on the path to success .

Trending Now

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Our websites may use cookies to personalize and enhance your experience. By continuing without changing your cookie settings, you agree to this collection. For more information, please see our University Websites Privacy Notice .

Neag School of Education

How to use homework to support student success.

• by: Sandra Chafouleas
• January 13, 2022
• Community Engagement

Editor’s Note: Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Sandra Chafouleas shares insights on supporting students’ homework during the pandemic in the following piece, which originally appeared  in Psychology Today , where she publishes a blog.

COVID has brought many changes in education. What does it mean for homework?

School assignments that a student is expected to do outside of the regular school day—that’s homework. The general guideline is 10 minutes of nightly homework per grade level beginning after kindergarten. This amounts to just a few minutes for younger elementary students to up to 2 hours for high school students.

The guidance seems straightforward enough, so why is homework such a controversial topic? School disruptions, including extended periods of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, have magnified the controversies yet also have provided an opportunity to rethink the purpose and value of homework.

Debates about the value of homework center around two primary issues: amount and inequity.

First, the amount of assigned homework may be much more than the recommended guidelines. Families report their children are stressed out over the time spent doing homework. Too much homework can challenge well-being given the restricted time available for sleep, exercise, and social connection. In a 2015 study , for example, parents reported their early elementary children received almost three times the recommended guidelines. In high school, researchers found an average of three hours of homework per night for students living in economically privileged communities.

“ Debates about the value of homework center around two primary issues: amount and inequity.”

Second, homework can perpetuate inequities. Students attending school in less economically privileged communities may receive little to no homework, or have difficulty completing it due to limited access to needed technology. This can translate into fewer opportunities to learn and may contribute to gaps in achievement.

There isn’t a ton of research on the effects of homework, and available studies certainly do not provide a simple answer. For example, a 2006 synthesis of studies suggested a positive influence between homework completion and academic achievement for middle and high school students. Supporters also point out that homework offers additional opportunities to engage in learning and that it can foster independent learning habits such as planning and a sense of responsibility. A more recent study involving 13-year-old students in Spain found higher test scores for those who were regularly assigned homework in math and science, with an optimal time around one hour—which is roughly aligned with recommendations. However, the researchers noted that ability to independently do the work, student effort, and prior achievement were more important contributors than time spent.

Opponents of homework maintain that the academic benefit does not outweigh the toll on well-being. Researchers have observed student stress, physical health problems, and lack of life balance, especially when the time spent goes over the recommended guidelines. In a survey of adolescents , over half reported the amount and type of homework they received to be a primary source of stress in their lives. In addition, vast differences exist in access and availability of supports, such as internet connection, adult assistance, or even a place to call home, as 1.5 million children experience homelessness in the United States

The COVID-19 pandemic has re-energized discussion about homework practices, with the goal to advance recommendations about how, when, and with whom it can be best used. Here’s a summary of key strategies:

Strategies for Educators

Make sure the tasks are meaningful and matched..

First, the motto “ quality over quantity ” can guide decisions about homework. Homework is not busy-work, and instead should get students excited about learning. Emphasize activities that facilitate choice and interest to extend learning, like choose your own reading adventure or math games. Second, each student should be able to complete homework independently with success. Think about Goldilocks: To be effective, assignments should be just right for each learner. One example of how do this efficiently is through online learning platforms that can efficiently adjust to skill level and can be completed in a reasonable amount of time.

Ensure access to resources for task completion.

One step toward equity is to ensure access to necessary resources such as time, space, and materials. Teach students about preparing for homework success, allocating classroom time to model and practice good study habits such as setting up their physical environment, time management, and chunking tasks. Engage in conversations with students and families to problem-solve challenges When needed, connect students with homework supports available through after-school clubs, other community supports, or even within a dedicated block during the school day.

Be open to revisiting homework policies and practices.

The days of penalizing students for not completing homework should be long gone. Homework is a tool for practicing content and learning self-management. With that in mind, provide opportunities for students to communicate needs, and respond by revising assignments or allowing them to turn in on alternative dates. Engage in adult professional learning about high-quality homework , from value (Should I assign this task?) to evaluation (How should this be graded? Did that homework assignment result in expected outcomes?). Monitor how things are going by looking at completion rates and by asking students for their feedback. Be willing to adapt the homework schedule or expectations based on what is learned.

Strategies for Families

Understand how to be a good helper..

When designed appropriately, students should be able to complete homework with independence. Limit homework wars by working to be a good helper. Hovering, micromanaging, or doing homework for them may be easiest in the moment but does not help build their independence. Be a good helper by asking guiding questions, providing hints, or checking for understanding. Focus your assistance on setting up structures for homework success, like space and time.

Use homework as a tool for communication.

Use homework as a vehicle to foster family-school communication. Families can use homework as an opportunity to open conversations about specific assignments or classes, peer relationships, or even sleep quality that may be impacting student success. For younger students, using a daily or weekly home-school notebook or planner can be one way to share information. For older students, help them practice communicating their needs and provide support as needed.

Make sure to balance wellness.

Like adults, children need a healthy work-life balance. Positive social connection and engagement in pleasurable activities are important core principles to foster well-being . Monitor the load of homework and other structured activities to make sure there is time in the daily routine for play. Play can mean different things to different children: getting outside, reading for pleasure, and yes, even gaming. Just try to ensure that activities include a mix of health-focused activities such as physical movement or mindfulness downtime.

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredits the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. Read more about CAEP Accreditation, including the programs covered and the accountability measures .

Some content on this website may require the use of a plug-in, such as  Adobe Acrobat Viewer .

• Support the Neag School

Neag School of Education 249 Glenbrook Road, Unit 3064 Charles B. Gentry Building Storrs, CT 06269-3064

860-486-3815 [email protected]

Creative Homework Ideas For Your Students

Setting appropriate homework tasks is a big part of your teaching role. Setting homework is an opportunity to ensure that your students have absorbed the lesson and can apply what they've learnt to individual study. Homework allows students to reflect on your teachings and broaden their understanding of a particular subject or topic.

However, motivating your class to view homework this way might be something of a challenge! Most young people find settling down to complete homework outside of school hours challenging. If the task feels overwhelming or difficult or seems monotonous, they might just go through the motions of getting it done rather than giving it their full energy and attention and completing it the best they can.

So how can you ensure students' love of learning continues outside the classroom and that they not only give their all to completing homework but actually enjoy it too?

By getting creative with the work you set and thinking about how you can engage and motivate students to complete their homework, you will undoubtedly see better results.

Here are some excellent homework ideas to help encourage creative, student-led learning.

Exciting, engaging homework ideas to keep your students paying attention

Write their own lesson plan.

If you want to give your students a chance to step into your shoes for the day, why don't you ask them to create their own lesson plan around a topic they've learnt about or are about to learn? This will give them a chance to showcase their knowledge, do research and think creatively. You'll also learn more about how your students like to work and what would make a good lesson from their perspective, which could help inform how you shape your lessons in the future.

Write a speech or story from a different perspective

If your students are learning about a famous historical figure or studying a classic text, why not get them to think about different perspectives? You could ask them to embody someone influential from a particular period or a character from a play or story and write a speech or story from that person's point of view.

Create a board game

Gamification is always a fun idea to try to inject energy into the classroom, and getting your students to create their very own board game is a fantastic way to keep things fun while also getting them engaged in their learning. Games could centre around a particular topic; they could be quiz-based, matching games, or number games - let them get as creative as they like. You can then have fun in class playing the best ones too.

Go on a treasure hunt

As a fun homework task that will get your students out and about, ask them to go on a treasure or scavenger hunt, finding certain things that are related to your topic. For younger children, this could be as simple as collecting leaves, flowers, or twigs they might find in their local park, or particular shapes or colours, but older children can benefit from this kind of task too by setting more complicated challenges.

Create a collage

Creating collages can be a fun and interesting way for students to demonstrate their learning, improve their research skills and use their creativity and imagination and can be based on a variety of different topics so they work well across lots of subjects. Encourage them to stick cutouts, fabrics, tickets, photographs, and any other relevant materials to make up their collages, and then they can take turns presenting these in class.

Film a video

If your students are older and have mobile phones, you could set a video-making task for them to do at home. This could involve interviewing friends and relatives about a topic or filming themselves talking about a specific subject, or answering a particular question. Students could share their videos in class and will love being able to use their phones in school for once!

Create a crossword

Get your students to think creatively about questions and answers by asking them to create their very own crossword puzzle, using the material you've taught them in class as a basis. You can ask them to bring all their crossword puzzles into class and then swap them with each other to see if other students can fit the answers in correctly.

Find fun facts

Almost every subject has weird and wonderful facts surrounding it. Did you know, for example, that the word 'hundred' derives from an old Norse term 'hundrath,' which actually means 120?! Or that water can both boil and freeze simultaneously? Encourage your students to find the most obscure or interesting facts about the subjects you are teaching them, and then you can all share your findings in class.

Looking for your next job in teaching?

If you are looking for a new teaching role, we can help! At Horizon Teachers, we work with you to help you find the perfect role in education to suit your needs. Our extensive jobs board lists all the latest teaching jobs, and our friendly team of recruitment specialists is just a phone call away!

- See more at: https://www.horizonteachers.com/blog/2023/01/creative-homework-ideas-for-your-students/279#sthash.x9SGIBTc.dpuf

Homework – Top 3 Pros and Cons

Pro/Con Arguments | Discussion Questions | Take Action | Sources | More Debates

From dioramas to book reports, from algebraic word problems to research projects, whether students should be given homework, as well as the type and amount of homework, has been debated for over a century. [ 1 ]

While we are unsure who invented homework, we do know that the word “homework” dates back to ancient Rome. Pliny the Younger asked his followers to practice their speeches at home. Memorization exercises as homework continued through the Middle Ages and Enlightenment by monks and other scholars. [ 45 ]

In the 19th century, German students of the Volksschulen or “People’s Schools” were given assignments to complete outside of the school day. This concept of homework quickly spread across Europe and was brought to the United States by Horace Mann , who encountered the idea in Prussia. [ 45 ]

In the early 1900s, progressive education theorists, championed by the magazine Ladies’ Home Journal , decried homework’s negative impact on children’s physical and mental health, leading California to ban homework for students under 15 from 1901 until 1917. In the 1930s, homework was portrayed as child labor, which was newly illegal, but the prevailing argument was that kids needed time to do household chores. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 45 ] [ 46 ]

Public opinion swayed again in favor of homework in the 1950s due to concerns about keeping up with the Soviet Union’s technological advances during the Cold War . And, in 1986, the US government included homework as an educational quality boosting tool. [ 3 ] [ 45 ]

A 2014 study found kindergarteners to fifth graders averaged 2.9 hours of homework per week, sixth to eighth graders 3.2 hours per teacher, and ninth to twelfth graders 3.5 hours per teacher. A 2014-2019 study found that teens spent about an hour a day on homework. [ 4 ] [ 44 ]

Beginning in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic complicated the very idea of homework as students were schooling remotely and many were doing all school work from home. Washington Post journalist Valerie Strauss asked, “Does homework work when kids are learning all day at home?” While students were mostly back in school buildings in fall 2021, the question remains of how effective homework is as an educational tool. [ 47 ]

Is Homework Beneficial?

Pro 1 Homework improves student achievement. Studies have shown that homework improved student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results, and the likelihood to attend college. Research published in the High School Journal indicated that students who spent between 31 and 90 minutes each day on homework “scored about 40 points higher on the SAT-Mathematics subtest than their peers, who reported spending no time on homework each day, on average.” [ 6 ] Students in classes that were assigned homework outperformed 69% of students who didn’t have homework on both standardized tests and grades. A majority of studies on homework’s impact – 64% in one meta-study and 72% in another – showed that take-home assignments were effective at improving academic achievement. [ 7 ] [ 8 ] Research by the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) concluded that increased homework led to better GPAs and higher probability of college attendance for high school boys. In fact, boys who attended college did more than three hours of additional homework per week in high school. [ 10 ] Read More

Pro 2 Homework helps to reinforce classroom learning, while developing good study habits and life skills. Students typically retain only 50% of the information teachers provide in class, and they need to apply that information in order to truly learn it. Abby Freireich and Brian Platzer, co-founders of Teachers Who Tutor NYC, explained, “at-home assignments help students learn the material taught in class. Students require independent practice to internalize new concepts… [And] these assignments can provide valuable data for teachers about how well students understand the curriculum.” [ 11 ] [ 49 ] Elementary school students who were taught “strategies to organize and complete homework,” such as prioritizing homework activities, collecting study materials, note-taking, and following directions, showed increased grades and more positive comments on report cards. [ 17 ] Research by the City University of New York noted that “students who engage in self-regulatory processes while completing homework,” such as goal-setting, time management, and remaining focused, “are generally more motivated and are higher achievers than those who do not use these processes.” [ 18 ] Homework also helps students develop key skills that they’ll use throughout their lives: accountability, autonomy, discipline, time management, self-direction, critical thinking, and independent problem-solving. Freireich and Platzer noted that “homework helps students acquire the skills needed to plan, organize, and complete their work.” [ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 49 ] Read More

Pro 3 Homework allows parents to be involved with children’s learning. Thanks to take-home assignments, parents are able to track what their children are learning at school as well as their academic strengths and weaknesses. [ 12 ] Data from a nationwide sample of elementary school students show that parental involvement in homework can improve class performance, especially among economically disadvantaged African-American and Hispanic students. [ 20 ] Research from Johns Hopkins University found that an interactive homework process known as TIPS (Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork) improves student achievement: “Students in the TIPS group earned significantly higher report card grades after 18 weeks (1 TIPS assignment per week) than did non-TIPS students.” [ 21 ] Homework can also help clue parents in to the existence of any learning disabilities their children may have, allowing them to get help and adjust learning strategies as needed. Duke University Professor Harris Cooper noted, “Two parents once told me they refused to believe their child had a learning disability until homework revealed it to them.” [ 12 ] Read More

Con 1 Too much homework can be harmful. A poll of California high school students found that 59% thought they had too much homework. 82% of respondents said that they were “often or always stressed by schoolwork.” High-achieving high school students said too much homework leads to sleep deprivation and other health problems such as headaches, exhaustion, weight loss, and stomach problems. [ 24 ] [ 28 ] [ 29 ] Alfie Kohn, an education and parenting expert, said, “Kids should have a chance to just be kids… it’s absurd to insist that children must be engaged in constructive activities right up until their heads hit the pillow.” [ 27 ] Emmy Kang, a mental health counselor, explained, “More than half of students say that homework is their primary source of stress, and we know what stress can do on our bodies.” [ 48 ] Excessive homework can also lead to cheating: 90% of middle school students and 67% of high school students admit to copying someone else’s homework, and 43% of college students engaged in “unauthorized collaboration” on out-of-class assignments. Even parents take shortcuts on homework: 43% of those surveyed admitted to having completed a child’s assignment for them. [ 30 ] [ 31 ] [ 32 ] Read More

Con 2 Homework exacerbates the digital divide or homework gap. Kiara Taylor, financial expert, defined the digital divide as “the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology and those that don’t. Though the term now encompasses the technical and financial ability to utilize available technology—along with access (or a lack of access) to the Internet—the gap it refers to is constantly shifting with the development of technology.” For students, this is often called the homework gap. [ 50 ] [ 51 ] 30% (about 15 to 16 million) public school students either did not have an adequate internet connection or an appropriate device, or both, for distance learning. Completing homework for these students is more complicated (having to find a safe place with an internet connection, or borrowing a laptop, for example) or impossible. [ 51 ] A Hispanic Heritage Foundation study found that 96.5% of students across the country needed to use the internet for homework, and nearly half reported they were sometimes unable to complete their homework due to lack of access to the internet or a computer, which often resulted in lower grades. [ 37 ] [ 38 ] One study concluded that homework increases social inequality because it “potentially serves as a mechanism to further advantage those students who already experience some privilege in the school system while further disadvantaging those who may already be in a marginalized position.” [ 39 ] Read More

Con 3 Homework does not help younger students, and may not help high school students. We’ve known for a while that homework does not help elementary students. A 2006 study found that “homework had no association with achievement gains” when measured by standardized tests results or grades. [ 7 ] Fourth grade students who did no homework got roughly the same score on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math exam as those who did 30 minutes of homework a night. Students who did 45 minutes or more of homework a night actually did worse. [ 41 ] Temple University professor Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek said that homework is not the most effective tool for young learners to apply new information: “They’re learning way more important skills when they’re not doing their homework.” [ 42 ] In fact, homework may not be helpful at the high school level either. Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth, stated, “I interviewed high school teachers who completely stopped giving homework and there was no downside, it was all upside.” He explains, “just because the same kids who get more homework do a little better on tests, doesn’t mean the homework made that happen.” [ 52 ] Read More

Discussion Questions

1. Is homework beneficial? Consider the study data, your personal experience, and other types of information. Explain your answer(s).

2. If homework were banned, what other educational strategies would help students learn classroom material? Explain your answer(s).

3. How has homework been helpful to you personally? How has homework been unhelpful to you personally? Make carefully considered lists for both sides.

Take Action

1. Examine an argument in favor of quality homework assignments from Janine Bempechat.

2. Explore Oxford Learning’s infographic on the effects of homework on students.

3. Consider Joseph Lathan’s argument that homework promotes inequality .

4. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the “other side of the issue” now helps you better argue your position.

5. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives .

More School Debate Topics

Should K-12 Students Dissect Animals in Science Classrooms? – Proponents say dissecting real animals is a better learning experience. Opponents say the practice is bad for the environment.

Should Students Have to Wear School Uniforms? – Proponents say uniforms may increase student safety. Opponents say uniforms restrict expression.

Should Corporal Punishment Be Used in K-12 Schools? – Proponents say corporal punishment is an appropriate discipline. Opponents say it inflicts long-lasting physical and mental harm on students.

ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA

Natalie Leppard Managing Editor [email protected]

© 2023 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved

• Social Media
• Death Penalty
• School Uniforms
• Video Games
• Animal Testing
• Gun Control
• Banned Books
• Teachers’ Corner

Cite This Page

ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. Below are the proper citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): the Modern Language Association Style Manual (MLA), the Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Turabian). Here are the proper bibliographic citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order):

[Editor's Note: The APA citation style requires double spacing within entries.]

[Editor’s Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries.]