HOMEWORK Welcome to the start of a brand new, exciting year. Homework will play an important part in teaching students about responsibility this year, and I will be assigning homework on a regular basis. Homework is given as extra practice for the skills we work on in class. As I won’t be assigning any work that we’ve not covered in class, I expect students to do their own work and to ask for guidance only after they have given their best effort. Please guide your child only when they need it, and do not do the homework assignments for your child. I will go over the homework directions in school at the end of each day, encouraging children to ask any questions that they might have. Completing homework neatly, completely, and handing it in on time are all part of a student’s responsibility. Because I know that we all forget from time to time, students will be given three chances before I contact you about the missed assignments. If, due to unforeseen circumstances, your child is unable to complete the assignment, please send in a note letting me know why the homework is incomplete. Students who don’t complete homework will miss five minutes of recess. Any incomplete homework must be turned in the following school day. As part of the daily homework, students are required to read for 20 minutes every night and have a parent/adult initial their reading log. If your child forgets to read and/or record in their reading log, they will miss five minutes of recess. Homework: How can I help without doing the assignment? • Make homework a priority in your house. • Decide on a daily homework time. If your child is old enough (second grade and above) sit down at the beginning of the year and decide on a homework time together. • Make sure your child has a quiet are to work. No TV, radio, phone calls, or loud interrupting siblings. • Any school-age children that do not have homework should read a book quietly or play away from the homework area. • Keep supplies close at hand. Please see the attached suggested supply list. Having supplies ready will help eliminate procrastination. • Have the phone numbers of two other students in your child’s class, so that your child can call for last minute clarifications or directions. • Provide guidance not the answers. Have your child read the directions to you and explain what they think they need to do. • Decide on how much guidance your child actually needs. Children should be able to work on their homework independently at home, unless they are too young to read directions or have special needs. If your child has a learning disability (or you suspect this is the case), a more hands-on approach with homework may be required. We can work together to come up with a solution that will still allow your child as much independence as possible.