Homework Handbook

We all want our students to get the best out of school and to develop habits that enable them to enjoy learning throughout their entire life. So often this goal is hard to achieve working just at school or just at home.

This document is an effort to explore some ways to "link" our efforts between home and school.

Research from the National School Boards Association says, and it says it very clearly:

Homework will be considered a necessary part of the learning process and a legitimate demand on the non-class time of students. Generally, homework should provide sufficient practice time to master the subject matter of the course. A home assignment should be an extension of clearly defined school activities and should be appropriate to the age, ability and independent level of students. Teachers should assign meaningful homework which fosters lesson enrichment, application, review and the practice of skills which have been previously taught and learned. Homework should also provide an opportunity for open-ended individual activities encompassing a variety of levels for suitable response and a variety of activities and products.

How can we work together for the benefit of the students and the satisfaction of both the parents and teachers and avoid turmoil and strife?

The Homework Guidelines as set by the National School Boards Association and endorsed by School District #47, recommend the following times:

Recommended Average Homework Time:

• Grades 2 - 15 to 30 minutes per day for four days
• Grades 3 - 15 to 30 minutes per day for four days
• Grades 4 - 30 to 60 minutes per day
• Grades 5 - 30 to 60 minutes per day

Philosophy of Homework

Homework is a valuable and appropriate extension of instructional activities initiated in the classroom. In addition to the reinforcement of instructional concepts, completion of such work develops independent thinking and good work habits, promotes self-discipline on the part of the students and assists the home and the school to better understand each other's goals and values. This is an admirable goal that so often goes awry because of the confusion about who has the responsibility for what part of the homework.

Responsibilities

School

• Extends and enriches learning
• Provides reinforcement of concepts initially presented in classroom
• Strengthens concept and skill ability
• Develops responsibility
• Helps students to see how homework is related to class work

Teacher

• Ensures that homework assignments are clear, meaningful and appropriate
• Ensures that homework is appropriate to student's needs and abilities
• Establishes the manner in which homework will be evaluated and how it will be a part of the student's overall evaluation

Parent

• Promotes a positive attitude towards homework
• Provides a consistent time and place for study
• Makes resource materials available whenever possible
• Assists with drills and practice
• Communicates to the teacher special circumstances which may affect the child's ability to complete assignments

Student

• Records all assignments in their homework books, reading logs
• Brings all necessary materials home
• Returns assignments promptly and on the due date
• Requests help if a concept is not understood
• Maintains a regular time and place for study

Parents and Children's Learning

Research has shown that parental participation in their child's education both at home and at school can be extremely important in terms of academic achievement.

Not too surprisingly a child's home environment is the most important influence on overall academic performance but parent involvement at school is also very valuable.

Parents of high achieving children have very distinctive styles of interacting with their children at home. The key points that influence academic success are:

• Parents create an emotionally supportive home environments.
• Parents provide reassurance when their children encounter failure.
• Parents se school performance as directly linked to regular practice and work.
• Parents assist their children in developing strategies to learn.
• Parents accept responsibility for providing a good body of general knowledge to their children.

The Four Most Consistent Parent Behaviors That Increase Student Learning Were Found To Be:

1. Parents actively organize and monitor their child's time.
   Parents of successful children actively help them to organize their daily and weekly schedules, check to make sure they are following routines at school and establish and follow routines at home. Also, school performance is better among children whose parents know where they are, who they are with and when their children are coming home.
2. Parents actively help with homework.
   Discussing the details of assignments, explaining work, checking for accuracy and assisting children to fully complete work are directly related to a child's academic success. Establishing a regular place and time for homework is a key indicator of success.
3. Parents regularly discuss school matters with their child.
   Parents who listen to concerns as well as successes, play an important role in decision making with their children. Generally displaying a high degree of interest in all school matters is most effective.
4. Parents provide literacy and reading at home.
   There is a positive relationship between a home environment rich with reading material and a student's academic success. More importantly there is a clear connection between parents who read to their children and reading proficiency. As well there is an important connection between children who read to their parents and reading achievement, especially if the parents guide and correct the child. The best way to learn to read is "to read" and an interested audience is a very positive influence.

The Time is Ripe

Psychologists, parents and educators all agree on the importance of establishing positive habits that continue through childhood and beyond.

The most efficient and important time to set a child on a successful learning path is when they are at home and at a young age.

Hopefully this document will give you a few tips on how to increase your child's learning success.

Of course the most important thing to remember is that nothing happens overnight. The familiar slogan, "Just Do It" is a good one and, "One Step at A Time" is another.