Take Home Folder
Students will have a take home folder that goes home with them every night. I send home most worksheets from class so parents can see what their children are studying as well as how they are doing with the activities. Folders should be checked by parents daily, but it is the students that are responsible for handling any papers that should be given to an adult. It is great to set up a routine at home so you can go over everything nightly. Any physical papers you would like given to me or turned in can be done in the morning when students place their folders in their mailboxes.
Homework
Students spend a lot of time at school learning and practicing new academic skills. Homework in the primary building is about learning responsibility, growing as a reader, and practicing familiar concepts. There are many things that can also be learned at home while spending time with family, like cooking, exercising, playing games, reading, and conversing. I am a strong believer in that type of home learning versus traditional paper and pencil homework. Generally I ask that students complete 20 min of reading and 5 min of math fact practice. Occasionally traditional homework is given as part of a project and it shouldn't take more than those 30 min. If it does happen, I will let you know via parentsquare that something is due to come back.
Reading: Research has shown that the more children practice reading the more fluent they become. Because of this, students are expected to read for at least 20 minutes every day. They should try to alternate between reading independently, taking turns reading with an adult, or having an adult read aloud to them so that they are not only practicing, but hearing a fluent reader too. We try to go to the library weekly, so there is no lack of reading options for the students. There is nothing to be turned in to verify reading, however we do have conversations about their home books at school as a check in to be sure reading is happening.
Math: Basic math facts are a foundation to almost everything we learn in math. Because of this, I ask that the students work on their math facts a little every day. By the end of the year 2nd graders should be fluent in addition and subtraction and 3rd graders are expected to be fluent in multiplication. It should only take about 5 min and they can practice in any way that works for them like playing memory games, online games, or oral quizzes, etc.
Reading: Research has shown that the more children practice reading the more fluent they become. Because of this, students are expected to read for at least 20 minutes every day. They should try to alternate between reading independently, taking turns reading with an adult, or having an adult read aloud to them so that they are not only practicing, but hearing a fluent reader too. We try to go to the library weekly, so there is no lack of reading options for the students. There is nothing to be turned in to verify reading, however we do have conversations about their home books at school as a check in to be sure reading is happening.
Math: Basic math facts are a foundation to almost everything we learn in math. Because of this, I ask that the students work on their math facts a little every day. By the end of the year 2nd graders should be fluent in addition and subtraction and 3rd graders are expected to be fluent in multiplication. It should only take about 5 min and they can practice in any way that works for them like playing memory games, online games, or oral quizzes, etc.
Expectations / Grades
I expect that students hand in work that they are proud of and have tried their best to complete. It should have a name on the top and be neat so that I can read it. They should be able to apply capitals and punctuation independently, write complete sentences, and spell grade appropriate words correctly. Before handing in work they should check it to be sure all of these things are complete. These expectations will be included as part of their grade.
Not all tasks get graded because we spend a lot of time conferencing and reflecting on work that has been done. But if assignments do get a grade, it can come in many forms. Grades are meant for students and parents to see how their work is progressing, rather than a pass/fail. You may either see stars or numbers (1-4) at the top of the paper, depending on the task. Or it could also be a fraction or percentage if it is an assessment. If an assignment required or requires extra time spent on it, it may say re-do or with teacher assistance at the top.
Not all tasks get graded because we spend a lot of time conferencing and reflecting on work that has been done. But if assignments do get a grade, it can come in many forms. Grades are meant for students and parents to see how their work is progressing, rather than a pass/fail. You may either see stars or numbers (1-4) at the top of the paper, depending on the task. Or it could also be a fraction or percentage if it is an assessment. If an assignment required or requires extra time spent on it, it may say re-do or with teacher assistance at the top.
Tips for Parents
- Kids bored with memorizing and practicing things over and over, then try turning it into a game of war, crash, or memory.
- When oppositional about homework, try "if then" statements... if you do three more problems, then we can have a five minute break.
- Use time spent in the car to converse with your kids, ask them challenge questions about math, science, or social studies. Make a game out of it.
- Read with your kids in the morning instead of before bed, it reduces frustration for parents and avoidance for kids.
- You can make any worksheet a bit more exciting by inserting it into a clear sleeve and using a whiteboard marker!
- Work on a growth mindset with your child, they can do hard things! Check out this link to learn more about fostering a growth mindset at home.