Agenda and Homework Procedures

Parents, please make homework a top priority by scheduling 45 to 50 minutes each day for your child to read, study spelling, review multiplication facts, and complete class work and homework. Children need routine and structure to be successful.

Before your child begins his/her nightly assignments, check his/her agenda for the following:

Be sure your child is writing down homework assignments.

Check for notes home. Read them, respond if requested, and place them back under the clip in the agenda.

Behavior note- these can be positive or negative

Work to be completed - homework or incomplete class work.

**After checking, please don't forget to sign your name on the appropriate day.**

Please note: If your child is bringing home a lot of extra work to complete each day, this could be a sign that he/she is not using time wisely at school.

Rationale for assigning Homework:

Homework is important because it teaches responsibility and helps students develop good study habits. In addition, homework helps to reinforce lessons that have been learned in class, and helps prepare students for upcoming lessons and tests.

Homework Expectations:

Usually, written homework should not take more than 30 minutes a night. In addition, time should be set aside daily for independent reading, studying spelling, and studying math facts.

Please encourage your child to do his/her best work. Homework should be neat. All written work should be done in pencil. Homework will not be accepted if written in pen, crayon, marker, etc. When completing work on notebook paper the heading should include name, date, subject, and the name of the assignment.

When is Homework Assigned?:

Homework is assigned every day of the week. Students will have spelling and math homework on Monday - Thursday. Students should study spelling, math facts, and read on a daily basis. This does not have to take a long time. Just 10 or 15 minutes a day spent reviewing spelling and math facts can significantly help your child's performance on tests.

If for some reason no homework is assigned on a designated homework day, your child should still spend some time reading or studying.

When the Student Doesn't Know the Homework Assignment:

Homework assignments are written on the board each day, and ample time is given to write down the assignment. I spot check and initial agendas as the students are writing down the assignments each morning.  If your child does not come to class before 7:50 a.m., I may not get to check his/her agenda.  In addition, I always go over the homework assignments each day, and remind the students of what they need to bring home. The students are reminded several times during the day about their homework assignments and the materials or books they will need that night.  There is no excuse for a student not knowing the homework assignment, or for not having the proper supplies at home to complete it.

Expectations for Turning in Homework Late:

If for some reason (sickness, emergencies, etc.) a student is unable to complete homework, please write a note, and the assignment will be excused until the next day or longer if needed. However, please don't write a note asking for more time to complete homework if the reason is due to lack of materials, extracurricular activities, or because your child didn't write down the assignment. Please remember, this will hurt your child in the long run because it sends the message that it is okay to not pay attention when we are going over homework and/or when we are packing book bags. When students face the consequences of their actions it helps to prepare them to become more responsible, independent workers in the future. (I know this is hard. Please work with me on this.)

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