Turn Key Thursday: A HW Alternative

While recently visiting a #WeArePlainedge Grade 4 classroom, the teacher, Cara Newman, and her students excitedly started telling me about all the exciting things happening in their classroom. They told me about the book talks they were having, the literary essays they were about to begin writing, the independent reading books they were immersed in, the Genius Hour projects they were just starting and how excited they were to share their HW. 

Excited about HW? Excited to show off HW? Hmmmm.... Needless to say, I didn't want to squash their enthusiasm with my own personal feelings about HW so I just smiled. If anyone has read my blog posts (here and here), seen my social media posts or just spoken to me in person, you know my position on HW... I'm not necessarily the biggest fan. That being said, I wanted to hear more from these kids - I needed to know why they were so excited about doing their HW. That is when they told me all about Turnkey Thursday!

What is Turnkey Thursday you ask? Well, I could never do it justice so I asked the kids to write a guest post for me where they explained it and here is what they generated... their first ever blog post...

What is TurnKey Thursday? How does it work? Why do you do it? Can students really teach others? Have you ever wanted homework that was fun? Or to be able to create a keynote, song, scratch game, or maybe even a dance about the material you learned in class? All of this is possible with TurnKey Thursday. All classrooms should have TurnKey Thursday because kids can teach their family members, it is fun, and most of all it helps students to become better learners.

All classrooms should have TurnKey Thursday. All classrooms should have TurnKey Thursday because kids can teach their parents so they stop saying, “I don’t know what that is!” Mrs. Stella is a parent who said, “As a parent it is very hard for us to help our children because they are learning so differently than we did. We stayed in box, kids today learn outside the box.” This shows it is very hard for parents to help their children with homework. Instead kids can help their parents! Alec says, “You could teach your parents the way your teachers teach you. Also, you could make a test or quiz for them at the beginning or end of every new chapter.” If you teach your parents, they will understand the concept that you are learning so in the future your parents will be able to help you. It would be great to teach your parents so they don’t say, “I didn’t learn this way when I was younger.” As kids it is hard to learn differently that our parents did. When we ask for help they can’t help us and get frustrated. Having Turn Key Thursday takes this frustration away!

All classrooms should have TurnKey Thursday because it is fun! TurnKey Thursday is fun because you can use your imagination and creativity. For example, when learning about Prime and Composite numbers students made a song about it. The two students changed the “Cup” song into a prime and composite song. They used their imagination and even gave the lyrics to the class! Now the class is having fun as well. This shows that Turn Key Thursday is fun!

Ryan said, “It is fun because you get to be a teacher just like Mrs. Newman and Dr. Sinanis. You also have to remember what you learned that week. It is pretty much fun homework even though you have to remember the work learned. You don’t realize it but you are really learning.”

All classrooms should have TurnKey Thursday because it helps students to become better learners. It helps students to become better learners because they have to know the material, to teach the material. It helps students to become better learners because they want to pay attention so they can be a good teacher themselves. It helps students to become better learners because they need to practice what they are going to teach. While they are practicing, they are learning. Gino feels its makes him a better student because it makes him study harder, so he can teach someone else.

In conclusion, children should have Turn Key Thursday because family members can learn from them, it is fun, and most of all children become better learners. We hope you try Turn Key Thursday and explore all its possibilities!

So, what do you think about Turnkey Thursday? Are you convinced that it is worth a try? Leave a comment below and let us know!