Homework Policy

Dear Parents,

Communication between home and school is at the heart of our partnership in the education of our children. With this in mind, a committee of parents and teachers has been meeting regularly to think about ways to extend and deepen our dialogue. The subject of homework kept coming up. Both philosophical questions and practical considerations arose. The committee arranged for a roundtable discussion in which parents and teachers together could talk over these ideas, share perspectives, and broaden our understanding of both the topic and of one another.

The evening was well attended and well received. In fact, it has become something of a model for our common consideration of further issues of mutual interest.

This booklet is one outcome of that effort. It is designed to give you an overview of the homework program at Murray Avenue School. It is representative of our commitment, as a faculty, to providing a coherent framework that applies to all learners. At the same time it maintains appropriate freedom for teachers to respond to the changing needs of individual learners. It also outlines some of the issues about homework that continue to be widely debated nationally, as well as in our community. There are no absolute answers to these questions. Our policy, like the booklet, is a work in progress. We invite your comments and suggestions.

OUR HOMEWORK PHILOSOPHY

The Murray Avenue School faculty feels that homework plays an important part in the education of our children. Here are some of the contributions that homework can make:

extend and enrich learning opportunities, showing children that learning can take place at many times and in many places, not only in school

provide practice, reinforcement, review and new applications of skills

help children to develop good study habits and responsibility for their own learning

provide an opportunity to prepare for a class project or new topic of study

inform the teacher about the child’s understanding of concepts or mastery of skills

keep parents in touch with the school program and their child’s progress

While the balance of these purposes in any homework assignment will vary from grade to grade, class to class, and assignment to assignment, they all have their place in the overall homework plan each year and throughout your child’s school career at Murray. Some variations are dependent on the kind of work the child or the class is doing at a given time. Some are determined by the age and developmental level of the child.

Here is a description of the kinds of assignments that you can expect your children to receive as they move through the grades.

KINDERGARTEN

Children at this age usually will not have homework on a regular basis. When they do, it might be to pursue a topic of interest either for an individual child or the class. Sometimes homework will be used as a means to find information that is not available in the classroom. For example: children may interview parents for information about the family, they may be asked to bring in a poem or book of interest or connect to current studies, or draw a map of his/her room in conjunction with a map study. Children may bring home books to share with family members, or a math or language arts concept game to play with the family.

One outcome of some of the things we do in school is that children may want to pursue at home an activity that has intrigued them in school. For example, your child may want to try out a recipe, mix some colors, construct a model, or share a book.

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FIRST GRADE

The pattern established in kindergarten will continue, with some changes. Early in the year, assignments may be few, as children develop skills for independent work. Later, there will be regular assignments. First grade teachers try to establish simple, regular, predictable homework routines to foster good work habits and independence. In first grade, children are expected to complete their homework and bring it to their teacher. The teachers expect them to take growing responsibility for this task.

In addition to the kinds of assignments outlined for the kindergarten year, in this grade there will be a gradually increasing emphasis on mathematical and literacy skills in the homework assignments.

First grade homework will typically take about fifteen minutes.

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SECOND GRADE

Homework for second graders will emphasize review, repetition and reinforcement of classroom topics and activities

Some typical examples of homework assignments might be: math computation, phonics review, spelling, and handwriting practice. Assignments are expected to be returned the next day.

From time to time, children may be asked to comment on a field trip experience or a book read in class as an independent writing assignment.

Second grade teachers expect that students will read each night for at least fifteen minutes.

A typical night’s homework for second graders will take about a half hour.

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THIRD GRADE

The pattern of nightly assignments continues in third grade. Assignments grow out of daily lessons and children practice skills learned during the school day. Teachers keep in mind the importance of children’s growing independence in managing homework responsibilities. In making homework assignments, they emphasize tasks that the children can complete on their own.

As the year progresses, the time given for completion of assignments will be gradually extended. Some will be due in several days to a week, rather than overnight. Teachers give children guidance in planning more extended assignments, and follow-up frequently in school.

A third grader can expect to spend between thirty and forty-five minutes nightly on homework.

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FOURTH GRADE

Fourth graders are ready to do more planning ahead and organizing of their time. Their teachers will gradually extend the time frame for some of their home assignments. For example, some will give all of the week’s assignments on Monday, and provide charts to help children to map out their work plan for the week. Others may give specific assignments that are due in several days or a week .

Fourth graders’ homework will continue to include some basic skills practice. Their tasks will help to develop organization and responsibility, planning, time management, quality of work, and attention to deadlines.

Regular weekly homework assignments may include math problem-solving and language arts. There may be homework assignments that reflect current classroom topics. Examples include research, collecting and/or organizing data and making projects.

Fourth graders will typically spend about an hour on their homework.

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FIFTH GRADE

A fifth grader can expect homework to take from an hour to an hour and a quarter, nightly.

This can vary from child to child and from day to day. If a child consistently spends an excessive or a minimal amount of time on his or her homework, the parent should contact the classroom teacher.

There are generally four types of homework that a fifth grader may be assigned:

Reinforcement of skills through practice, for example, a worksheet on mathematical operations.

Completion of assignments begun in class, e.g. finishing the reading of a chapter in a novel.

A written reflection/response to a reading, an exploration or an experience in the classroom.

Special projects/long term assignments. (Some assignments change nightly. Others may extend over several days or several weeks.)

The framework or foundation for all projects begins in the classroom through explanation, modeling, discussion and performing. Some of the related project assignments children might be given include:

collecting outside information from the library, electronic resources, and other sources;

using these resources to continue research on assigned topics;

typing and preparing materials for reports and other final products;

preparing and practicing oral presentations.

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HOW PARENTS CAN HELP?

Before your children ever encounter homework, you have already been setting the stage. Your responsiveness to their questions, encouragement of their curiosity, joy in their growing mastery, all lay the groundwork for successful learning. When more formal schooling begins, while continuing to join in their love of learning, you will also want to convey how important school work is and how much your value their thoughtful attention to their responsibilities. In this aspect of child rearing, as in so many others, your loving concern and your natural common sense will serve as your best guides. Here are some simple steps that many parents have found helpful:

With your child, settle on a regular time and place for nightly homework. ( A decision made collaboratively once, and firmly supported, is far better than nightly discussions, negotiations or even battles.) There is no one answer to the question of where and when. Some children do best if they get right to work early, and then have time to relax. Other families find it best to provide lots of outdoor, running- around time first and set time aside for study right after dinner. Your work schedule and coming-home time will also be important factors.

The best place depends on your child and your home circumstances. While the desk in his quiet bedroom, upstairs, may seem like the logical place to you, some children need to be nearer to the center of things and to you. In some families, children who gather at the dining room or kitchen table while Mom or Dad attend to their own work nearby, seem to do a fine job of getting the work done. You will want to see that necessary materials are at hand.

Be alert and responsible. Keep distractions away from your young scholars. It’s your job to see that TV does not compete for their attention and that baby brothers and sisters do not interfere.

Most youngsters do best if a comfortable, capable adult is near at hand at homework time. Again, your job is: to give reminders that the time has come; to offer encouragement if the going gets a little rough; to sanction breaks, if that seems to work; and to encourage the persistence that brings ultimate satisfaction.

Helping is O.K. if it’s just the right amount. And how much is that? Of course, there is no absolute answer. Most children benefit from some help, to read the directions or to recall the assignment, if confusion arises. Parents can suggest calling a classmate to clear up a question. A few ideas about "what to write about", or straightening out a math problem can only help. If the problem seems beyond this kind of assistance, it’s best to tell your child to bring the confusion to his or her teacher. In fact, this is helpful to the teacher as it lets her know what further instruction your child may need.

Some children need an adult to look over their homework when it is done. A check to be sure that all assignments have been completed and that appropriate attention has been given to quality work may be helpful. You will know best if your child needs this supervision and support.

Show your appreciation for the effort, responsibility and persistence that your children demonstrate in their work. Show your pride in their accomplishments. It’s not easy to do a good job, night after night, after a long hard day!

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YOUR CHILDREN’S JOB

Taking responsibility for homework is your children’s job and something that they will grow more and more able to do.

All of the suggestions offered are designed to help children gradually assume the responsibility for developing good homework habits.

Children need to know what they are assigned.

They need to try hard to accomplish their assignments completely and well.

They need to know how to help themselves if they have difficulty

how to call a classmate

how to ask a clear question, either of a adult who is at home or of the teacher the next day.

They need to learn to organize their time. First, just getting started at the same time every night will be an important task. As they grow older, they will need to decide what to do first, what will take some time, what will be very hard to do if they are tired. Even later, they will need to plan to do some work on a project each night for a week or even two, in order to meet a long term deadline.

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RESPONSES TO HOMEWORK "DILEMMAS"

What family has not faced upset teachers, torn-up papers, "past-bedtime" distress around homework?! What family has not wondered about the child who never seems to have any homework or who "finished it at school". Here are some suggestions for dealing with the most common homework dilemmas:

Listen carefully at Back-to-School Night. Your child’s teacher will explain homework procedures for the grade and year.

If homework seems rarely to happen, let the teacher know. However, if your child is not regularly handing in assignments, you can be sure the teacher will be in touch with you.

If homework takes a longtime, first offer some additional help. Try to see what seems to be getting in the way.

Does you youngster keep drifting away from the task?

Maybe you and he can break the work up into sections and he can let you know when each is done. A pat on the back then may help him attend to the rest.

Tears, torn-up papers, heated words are not conducive to learning. Please let your child’s teacher know immediately when homework becomes an insurmountable struggle. Better to skip homework that night, and write a note to the teacher.

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A BROADER LOOK - HELPING LEARNING TO HAPPEN

The debate about homework goes on. Articles are written. Research is conducted. Meetings are held to consider the value of homework, the kind that is best, the amount that is optimal, or whether there should be any at all. We can agree, though, that homework is just one part of an educational program, one way to help children to learn. There are many others.

Schools and school assignments are far from the only paths to learning. Families are in a unique position to provide some very important opportunities to their children. Here are some suggestions. Each family will be able to find other ways that are particularly suited to their talents, interests and circumstances.

Read aloud to your children. Even able readers can enjoy hearing a wonderful story read aloud. Maybe the whole family can join in. Talk about the book. Be careful not to have a quiz session. Instead, hold a conversation of the kind that you would have with a friend about a book you have both enjoyed.

Let your children see you read. At the dinner table, talk about what you are enjoying in the book you are reading. Maybe you can share a funny part.

Once in a while, read a book that your child is reading. You may be surprised at how much there is to enjoy in some children’s novels…and how much there is to talk about.

This can be a most wonderful experience for both adult and child throughout all the years of schooling.

Conversation is a wonderful stimulator of learning. Language grows through conversation, as do ideas. Family meals are a fine time for such talk.

Share your interests and hobbies. Your children are interested in what matters to you. They will want to learn what you want to learn.

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