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Do you have difficulty getting students to complete homework? I assign 4-10 problems and allow 10 minutes (sometimes more) at the end of class for them to get started on it so I can help, if needed; and STILL have many, many students are not attempting the work. What have you done to get students to practice the skills?

I'm not quite sure how I navigated to this page, but being an 8th grade student at a private school here is my answer.

My math teacher doesn't allow us to start our homework in class, unfortunately. I wish I could for obvious reasons of getting it done but she is very strict on finishing it. Each day when we arrive to class we have to put it on out desks facing her. She comes around, and checks you off if you did it. we correct it in class, focusing on confusing problems, and then she collects it for further examination. If one of us didn't complete the assignment, he/she receives a, as she calls it, an "ouch". Three "ouches," and your parents receive a email. Three more "oouches," and your parents receive a phone call. One more "ouch" and you receive a academic detention, and a call home. Then it starts all over again. But, whenever you miss an assignment you have to get it to her within' a span of one day--or else it will be late, and you will receive "ouch," (Basically each day that you don't have your work or don't bring it in you receive a strike).

In reply to #2: In reply to your situation, I am a math teacher myself and it IS  very annoying when I go over problems and students don't pay attention.  It gives me the idea that they don't care.  Often times it IS  that they DO  understand and are  just bored.

Here's some advice.  Pay attention anyways. It is a great way to get in good with your teacher.  If she thinks you are really interested, she will generrally help you more both in grading your work and helping you when you take a test.  It seems like it is not important, but it really does pay off. 

In reply to #1: I generally check homework everyday- not just for correctness but mainly for completion.  Also, almost every day, after we go over homework, I give a quiz using the exact homework porblems that I have assigned.  It seems to work pretty well.

Here's another tip that I have found that pays off.  Every now and then I take up students notebooks and check for an orderly notebook and to see if the students are correcting the problems that we have gone over in class.  There is always a mad fury before I do this, but I find that as the year goes on, it seems to pay off.

I find that strong communication with parents helps with homework. If I have a problem with a particular student not turning in homework, I email the parents, and that usually does the trick, at least for awhile.

In my experience, the key factor here is whether doing homework is valued in the home. 

To be sure, there are some families where this is difficult.  Perhaps the parents are poorly educated and can't help with the homework -- or, since we're talking about math, perhaps the child has reached a more advanced level than the parents did.  

If a child comes from a family where there is no emphasis on education and homework, or where the child can't get the support they need, try to find afternoon options for the child so they can get the support they need.  

I'm a firm believer that many schools assign way too much homework, especially to younger children.  However, extra practice is important, and kids are ill-served if we don't help them get the structure and support they need to develop good habits around homework.    

Right on, cburr. If mom, dad or guardian isn't at home "pushing" the idea of completing homework, chances are it won't get done. The other obstacle students seem to face is that of time management.

"But I have a basketball game today" or "We have practice tonight" doesn't sound like a valid excuse for not completing homework, yet in the student's mind, if there is even one other activity planned for a night with homework, the assignment becomes eclipsed by the sport or extracurricular.

Schools do give too much homework at large, but to their defense, many states are now mandating it, labeling it as a contribution to rigor and relevance. There are enough places where the finger could be pointed, but in the end, homework remains a necessary part of school life and academic preparedness for the real world. 

I am not a teacher, and therefore, cannot see everything from your viewpoints, but as a talented HS Senior, who took AP Calc BC as a Junior and AP Stats as a senior, I do not do my homework.  I see the value in doing the homework for students that do not fully grasp the topics, and also the fact that teachers cannot clearly dilineate/discriminate, by giving only the strugglers homework, but for me, homework is not the way that I learn.  I am luck enough to be able to absorb most material through Teacher's lectures.  Anyways my general point is that homework and lectures are not always the most effective ways to teach your students.  My next post (because of this stupid word limit) contains some suggestions for bettering conceptual learning and the overall value of a class to a student (compiled mainly from my AP-Stats class):

Reward students for class participation                               For Example: Give a student a token for each question answered during class (these could be off of the homework)...and then at the end of the quarter/semester, allow them to purchase free locker passes, or maybe even test points (don't make them too cheap)

-Have class contests to Review for the Tests                      For Example: Divide students up into random groups.  Pass out a practice test and allow the students time to complete.  Then go over the test.  Whichever group has the best score gets a prize.

-If you have more than one class...you may choose to correct homework on random days...but be sure to stagger the dates that you correct homework in different class hours to be sure that classes later in the day do not get an early heads up.  In this way you may keep your students better on their feet.

-IN GENERAL MAKE YOUR CLASS FUN...When kids sleep through your lectures...and better yet...when you assign the homework...they are much less likely to do it!