A Great Refresher for all..

Interview Day has come and gone. I was very grateful to get the chance to meet with most of the parents of my students. In more than a few cases, we were able to clarify expectations for the children about their homework responsibilities.

Just because I'm not specifically assigning "homework" in the agenda, by sending home a textbook or a worksheet, doesn't mean the kids don't have something to do. Our school board's homework policy states that about 15 minutes per grade is a reasonable time to invest at home on "school work". (So, for grade 2, 30 minutes is the number.) It also states that work done at home should be for practice or review, and that the student should be able to do it on their own. It is for consolidation of skill, not acquiring skill.

Parents can help by making sure there is a time and a place for it to happen.

In our case, homework is "Home Reading." The students are to bring home their reading book, at their "Learning Level" every day. It is my hope that they will have a time, a place, and a person to read their book to. Every day.

If this has not been happening, set a reasonable starting goal of, say, 3 days a week.

Thank-you again for all your support in your child's learning!

G. Brown