•  Homework FAQs for Room 215

    Maintaining a healthy balance between family life and school is important.  There has been much discussion about the benefits and drawbacks of assigning homework recently.  My belief is that homework does play an important role in a student’s academic progress.   However, as is the case for most things, it must be meaningful and given in moderation. 

    How do I decide what to assign for homework?

    These are the two questions I ask myself before I assign homework:

    1.     Is this a valuable use of a student’s time?

    2.     Is this something that can be completed independently, therefore freeing up valuable class time for discussions and group work?  (Examples include but are not limited to independent reading, watching a short video, writing a response, working on a speech, practicing a math skill or problem solving,)

    How much time will my child be expected to spend on homework?

    In general, a student shouldn’t have to spend more than an hour a night working on homework and many times it may be much less.   In some instance, assignments will be given for the course of a week, so students can plan ahead or do a small part each night.  Unfinished class work may also be assigned. 

    Why is my child spending much longer than an hour on homework?

    Sometimes, especially in the beginning of the year, students need to develop routines that will help them finish work.   Also, at the start of the year, I am still getting to know your child.  I will modify work as needed, so if your child is struggling with homework, please encourage him/her to have a conversation with me.    Afterward, follow up with an email or phone call if you haven’t heard from me.  Homework should not be something that takes forever (more than an hour) or causes a lot of stress.  Please communicate with me if that is happening.

    Why doesn’t my child have any homework?

    Occasionally, there will be days when there is no homework assigned.  (However, there will be 25 minutes of reading every day.)  Additionally, some students are fast workers or feel driven to use all available class time to finish work.  Also, some homework will be given at the start of the week and many students like to get it done right away.  In that case, they may not have much the rest of the week. 

    How will I know if my child is not finishing his or her homework on time?

    I want to first communicate directly with your child and give them an opportunity to make changes, however if there is a pattern of not completing homework (or classwork) you will hear from me via email. 

     

     
    Room 215 Homework Procedure

    In order to teach your child self-discipline, organizational skills, and to develop good study habits, the following homework procedure will be taught in class. Please reinforce this plan so we can work together to support your child and provide them with consistency.

        1 .Take out your binder and check your planner for what needs to be done. Decide what you will do first. I recommend doing the most challenging assignment first to get it out of the way.
        2. Complete each assignment thoroughly, neatly, and with pride. Also make sure to check over your work carefully for the following: complete sentences, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation
        3. As you complete each homework assignment, put it back in your homework folder so you don’t forget it at home.
        4. In your planner, place a check by each assignment as you complete them.
        5. When you are done, put everything back in your backpack. Place you backpack in a place where you will not forget to bring it to school the next day.


    ***It is also very important to eliminate distractions in your child’s study area and to establish a regular homework time. ***