Homework is authentic and may be differentiated for students – both with regard to what and when. Not all students necessarily would have homework every day – this is not an equity issue, rather a learning one.
SCIS LS Homework consist of: - additional practice for skill development - assignments that were not able to be completed by the student during the school day - preparing for a future lesson, such as reading the next chapter in a literature book or researching a topic soon to be covered in class - extending a classroom-covered topic by doing parallel work by perhaps writing a report or creating a science fair project. - reading
To prevent students from being over-loaded with homework the following guidelines have been developed: Total homework time for any given night will vary - Grades1-3 may have 10 to 30 minutes of homework a night - Grades 4-5 may have 40 to 50 minutes of homework at night - independent reading or reading with family members for at least twenty minutes a night
Student Responsibilities: - to keep track of assignments in an assignment notebook - to ask questions for understanding - to take necessary materials home and return the next day - to complete assigned work by predetermined deadlines, to prepare for tests and to prepare for long-term assessment
Teacher’s Responsibilities: - to base the number, frequency and degree of difficulty of homework assignments on the abilities, activities and needs of the student - to be sure that homework is a planned part of the curriculum, extending and reinforcing classroom learning and experiences - to assign homework in ways that ensure student understanding of expectations
Family Responsibilities: - to provide help as needed, but also to be sure that the work is completed by the child unless otherwise noted - are encouraged to discuss the assignment with their child, show an interest in the child's work and offer encouragement - to be supportive of the teachers and the assignments, but also be responsive to the child's concerns or confusion about the assignments - to communicate any concerns with the teacher
How Homework Expectations are Communicated: Homework diaries are used in Grades 1 – 5 Homework policy - teacher website https://pd.scis-his.net/faculty/ls