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Homework Policy
Homework is meant to be a practice of the day's lesson and to prepare for the next day's class. It is my philosophy that much learning can happen during homework -- and most importantly -- when we correct homework in class the next day. When a student does not have his/her homework, there is a missed opportunity for learning!
The purpose of homework is to reinforce material already taught and to foster habits of independent study and responsibility. Students should recognize the difference between homework and studying. Even if a child does not have homework in a particular subject, she/he should always be studying and reading for enrichment and vocabulary development. In junior high, students are expected to read independently for at least 30 minutes each night, weekends and holidays included.
Students are expected to complete their homework daily to prepare for class. Parents are asked to supervise daily homework and check completion of assignments. To prepare for the workload of homework in high school and beyond, junior high students are expected to write down assignments independently and complete homework without many reminders from parents!
Here are some benefits to homework:
The following is an approximation of the amount of time students should spend on homework each day. Please be aware that each child is unique and learns differently. While some children might take longer, most children should spend at least this amount of time on their homework:
Kinder 15 minutes
Grade 1-2 20 minutes
Grades 3-4 30–45 minutes
Grade 5 45-60 minutes
Grades 6-8 60-90 minutes
Students are expected to complete their homework daily to prepare for class. Parents are asked to supervise daily homework and check completion of assignments. To prepare for the workload of homework in high school and beyond, junior high students are expected to write down assignments independently and complete homework without many reminders from parents!
Here are some benefits to homework:
- Homework reinforces ideas, concepts and knowledge that have been taught.
- Homework provides students with practice in what they have learned.
- Homework allows students to study a subject in depth.
- Homework allows teachers to monitor and evaluate students' progress.
- Homework requires students to use organizational skills and time management.
- Homework requires students to be responsible and accountable.
- Homework helps to prepare students for the next school day.
- Homework gets parents involved in their child's learning.
The following is an approximation of the amount of time students should spend on homework each day. Please be aware that each child is unique and learns differently. While some children might take longer, most children should spend at least this amount of time on their homework:
Kinder 15 minutes
Grade 1-2 20 minutes
Grades 3-4 30–45 minutes
Grade 5 45-60 minutes
Grades 6-8 60-90 minutes
Three Steps to Better Grades
Cal Newport, author of How to Be A High School Superstar (Three Rivers Press) and founder of the popular advice blog Study Hacks, offers these tips for kids:
Disconnect
Seriously, disconnect. Unplug the cable that connects your computer to your modem, wrap it around your cell phone, and tive this bundle to your mom, telling her how long you'll be studying and when she can hand it back to you. Students HATE this advice, but it absolutely works. Once you get used to working without distractions, two wonderful things happen: Your work gets much better and takes about half the time!
Follow the fortnight rule
Put a calendar in a public place in your house and write on it all your deadlines, tests, and due dates. Every morning, check what's on for the current day. Then -- and this is the important part -- look two week ahead. If anything is scheduled, make a day-to-day plan for it and mark the steps on the calendar. RThis is a smart way to spread out your workload and tackle it more efficiently.
Never highlight
The most efficient students all study the same way: They try to explain concepts out loud in complete sentences -- without looking at notes -- as if lecturing a class. If you can do this, you're done reviewing. This is much harder than what most kids do, which is highlight textbooks and re-read their notes silently again and again, but it leads to better comprehension and requires much less time.
Originally published in the February 2012 issue of Family Circle magazine.
Disconnect
Seriously, disconnect. Unplug the cable that connects your computer to your modem, wrap it around your cell phone, and tive this bundle to your mom, telling her how long you'll be studying and when she can hand it back to you. Students HATE this advice, but it absolutely works. Once you get used to working without distractions, two wonderful things happen: Your work gets much better and takes about half the time!
Follow the fortnight rule
Put a calendar in a public place in your house and write on it all your deadlines, tests, and due dates. Every morning, check what's on for the current day. Then -- and this is the important part -- look two week ahead. If anything is scheduled, make a day-to-day plan for it and mark the steps on the calendar. RThis is a smart way to spread out your workload and tackle it more efficiently.
Never highlight
The most efficient students all study the same way: They try to explain concepts out loud in complete sentences -- without looking at notes -- as if lecturing a class. If you can do this, you're done reviewing. This is much harder than what most kids do, which is highlight textbooks and re-read their notes silently again and again, but it leads to better comprehension and requires much less time.
Originally published in the February 2012 issue of Family Circle magazine.