Homework Policy
My Homework Philosopy: I believe homework is an extention of the classroom at home. I try to give homework that is meaningful practice of what we are learning in the classroom. Homework builds on skills and gets your child ready for the next educational step. I feel that homework is a way for parents to become involved in thier child's learning. Sometimes your child may need more time to expand and think deeper and have more time with their work or look at something in other ways and this can be done through homework. I will never give homework out of habit or punishment.
​
Homework will be assigned most nights. Students will usually be given time at school to begin their assignments. Homework Planners should come home daily and will show what assignments were given. We complete planners together at the end of each day. Even if homework is finished in class, students are still required to write it down so you know what the assignment is. As a backup, you can always get an update on important dates, assignments, tests, or project due dates by logging onto our team webpage. As a general guide, you can expect no more than 50 minutes of homework per night. If your child is consistently spending more time than this, please contact me so we can evaluate this together.
*At this point in the school year, please plan to sign the planner nightly.
Math is the one subject that we usually will have homework in every day, Monday through Friday, although I try to go lighter on Fridays. Students are given class time to begin and receive help with homework. Homework in math should be independent practice. If your child struggles with the homework, please write a note in the planner. I do not expect you to re-teach your child at home. This program allows for some “productive struggle” in math, and there may be times when they are working on a skill that they are not supposed to have mastered quite yet.
When homework is not completed, I will circle the assignment in your child's planner so that you know that it was not completed at the start of class. There are some assignments that I will correct with your child so that they will not miss out on any instruction to complete an assignment. There are other times when I may be using an assignment to assess your child's knowledge on a skill, so I will have them complete the assignment in our study room. Another option may be to miss recess that day to complete an assignment that was not done the night before. I usually don't use this option unless the child is beginning a habit of not doing homework, and if this happens you will be notified.
How can you help your child with homework? I do not expect you to teach your child through homework. You can provide a quite place, free of distractions for your child to work. You can help him or her begin a habit of healthy study routines by doing homework at a similar time each night. You can give encouragment and prompting if needed. You can take an acitve interest is what he or she is studying by checking homework for completion against the planner.