Homework and fun are traditionally not used in the same sentence. It is possible for a teacher to make math homework fun or at least enjoyable by being sure the work is at an appropriate difficulty level, not over doing it with workload, and providing a variety of types of assignments that can include challenging, yet interesting and fun games. These tips will remind teachers to step back and keep homework in the proper perspective.

TIP ONE

• The point of homework is to reinforce what was taught in the class.
• Homework is not busy work. It needs to be productive
• Homework should be work that can be done independently, meaning they have enough experience with the skill, they can do it at home with little or no help.

Where is it written math homework has to be page after page of boring problems? Incorporating a variety of activities, that address the targeted skill, in a challenging, innovative game will serve the same purpose. No one says send a game home everyday, but do incorporate innovative and challenging activities into the overall scheme of things.

TIP TWO

• If you run out of time in class, and did not have a chance to fully finish explanations, then assigning the accompanying problems will cause consternation. You will just have to go over it all again the next day.
• Fire drills, visitors, unexpected announcements happen; it is never wise to punish the students for this by giving work they are not prepared to finish.
• No one fails a class because an occasional day goes by with no math homework. To be sure, a simple no homework tonight is the best definition of a fun math homework!

Always have a back up plan! Digital printable math games and/or activities can be sent home electronically or easily printed out at the last minute for those days things did not go as planned. And yes, it is even acceptable to skip homework occasionally, the children with thank you, their parent will thank-you!

TIP THREE

• Regular reinforcement of math facts is educationally sound for all subjects but is particularly important for math.
• So many pieces being taught and absorbed depends on memorizing facts, or steps in solving the problem. Too much time between using it slows everything down.

Avoid the Monday memory freeze or the first day back from winter break memory chasm by providing valuable quality but fun activities and games to use over the weekend or on longer breaks. This will eliminate the groan factor, but keep skills sharp.

TIP FOUR

• More is better frame of mind is outdated.
• 20-30 minutes of targeted, appropriate work for elementary and 30-45 minutes for middle school is plenty of time. Anything over that, promotes distaste and negative feelings toward the class.

Simple as can be, if you hate the homework load, you will hate the class and take longer to learn what you need. Math teachers will benefit from remembering the whole picture and find a balance that works between assigning important reinforcing drills, and problems and making math homework fun by incorporating different challenging but enjoyable activities into the mix.

Teachers as a whole are facing the challenge or teaching traditional subjects to student growing up in the digital world. Keeping them engaged at their skill level and getting them to learn the facts and not depend on technology will continue to be a challenge. Finding activities that are innovative, fun and challenging is one weapon to use in this battle.

Sue Gnagy Fegan used a structured, sequential multisensory teaching approach for the past 34 years. She saw first hand the benefits of engaging students in productive, hands on activities in class. She created and has presented Make it Fun! Make it Challenging! Make it Multisensory! workshop at conferences across the country.