Making Homework a positive experience: Homeworkopoly

Homework is an area that has often been a part of education that is often the hardest to get right. Many parents expect homework and insist that their child does it. There are other parents who believe in Homework but have no time to give to it, because of work commitments or other priorities. There is also a small minority of parents who feel that Homework should not be given at all. Even amongst educators, it can be a divisive topic.

Our school has a homework policy, that while we give homework, it is not compulsory for it to be completed. It serves to support the learning happening in the classroom, but no pressure is applied to have it completed.

My belief is that homework serves the purpose of developing healthy study habits and supporting those families who want homework for the child. For some parents though, it can be a source of tension when a child struggles with a task.

How to make it a positive experience?

I came across this idea a few years ago and it fits the premise of game-based learning. Homeworkopoly is basically the game Monopoly for Homework. The very first one I found was on Teachnet which has an editable version. There are many different varieties and quite a few can be found on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Once photocopied and laminated, I have set the Homeworkopoly board up on a display board. Each student receives a peg with their name written on it. They throw a dice and land on a different section of the board. There are quite a few incentives for the board that I have. Such as being allowed to have lunch time inside to play on the computers or iPads:

or your card gives everyone in the class the opportunity to read outside:

I am finding for my Year 4 students that it has helped to make completing Homework a rewarding one, especially for those students who need encouragement to do it.

What are some ways that you have encouraged homework in your classroom?

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