Hawthorne School Parent-Student Handbook 2016-2017
HOMEWORK POLICY Homework is an important part of Hawthorne School ' s programming .
What are the purposes of homework ? * to help foster a positive attitude toward learning * to promote independent study and develop good work and study habits * to encourage children to utilize outside resources which aid in current learning * to provide for the extra practice needed to perfect basic skills * to extend and enrich children ' s learning and broaden their interests
What are the criteria for homework ? * to put school learning to a practical use * to be simple and clear to the student * to be varied in kind , purpose and procedure * to take into account children ' s individual abilities , interests , needs and resources * to be completed by the student without undue attention or help from the parent * to be used as a review of what the student has already learned , not new content
Approximately how much homework will your child be assigned each day ?
* Grade l : 10 - l5 minutes * Grade 2 : l5 - 20 minutes PLUS an additional l0 - l5 minutes of independent / parent reading with the student
* Grade 3 : 20 - 30 minutes * Grade 4 : 30 - 40 minutes PLUS an additional l0-l5 minutes spent in independent or partner reading
* Parents can be encouraged to supplement this time with other activities , i . e . reading , reviewing math facts .
How can a parent help children do their homework properly ? * Provide a study area * Plan a specific time * Encourage their child * Review homework that has been completed and assist them in correcting errors * Be persistent in their daily attention to the child ' s school work * The parent can sign the child ‘ s homework to verify they have checked it .
When should homework be assigned ? Homework is assigned on a regular basis . One homework assignment for every student is independent reading of a book selected by the student ( on their independent reading level ) from either the school library or classroom library . This should be accompanied by a reading log that will be checked regularly by the classroom teacher . A specific homework assignment other than independent reading ( in mathematics , language arts literacy , science , social studies ) is not a necessity each evening , however , at the beginning of the school year and many times thereafter , you must encourage children to be involved in a learning experience each evening , such as reading , journal writing , or practicing math facts .
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