Homework

If your student receives reading or math instruction from me, they will have some homework assigned weekly.  I don't give much homework. In my opinion, the best thing anyone can do, is read.  Read what you enjoy.  Read it aloud or silently.  Discuss it.  Make it a part of everyday life.  I don't send home reading logs or ask students to record what they read.  I just want them to read, or in some cases, be read to.  There is an amazing amount of research out there on what being read aloud to can do for kids.  It's not cheating.  I ask for twenty minutes a night, but that is a merely a suggestion.  

 

Learning Ally is a great resource for audio books. I will give students homework credit for listening to an audio book 20 minutes a night. And they can take AR reading quizzes on many of the titles. Talk about a win-win situation.  I'm posting a link from Learning Ally for a video where Barbara Wilson talks about the benefits of reading aloud to children.

 

If your student is in my Wilson Reading Group, then I will send home a weekly spelling list. Last year Spelling City changed to Vocab A-Z, and an online option is still available. If you aren't able to access the internet at home, you can still do the paper/pencil activities listed below or choose from the menu on the backside of the spelling list. 

 

 1) Mark up words 2) Break words into syllables and label the syllable types 3) Pick 5 words from the list and either use them in sentences or pick 5 words and illustrate them and 4) Take a practice spelling test or write the words three times each.  

 

I prefer that the students spend a small amount of time each night reviewing the words rather than do all of the work at once.  The lists may contain nonsense words.  At the top of the list is a brief explanation of what sub-step we are working on and the skill we are learning to master.

 

If your student is in my out of graded level math replacement group, I will send home some math review most nights.  It will always be a review of topics we have already covered in class. If the math homework doesn't get done because it was forgotten at school, I ask students to get it done either before or during recess.  It is not my philosophy to take away recess as a punishment for not completing homework.  Kids need breaks, and honestly, so do I.  That said, homework that doesn't get done the night before, usually gets done during the day at the cost of free choice time.  When the work is done, they can join in on the fun.

 

Homework Folders go home daily, Monday through Thursday. There are two pockets inside.  The one on the right says "Keep at Home."  This is where corrected student work will be.

 

If you find that your child is struggling with completing homework, even with accommodations in place, please don't hesitate to contact me.