Homework

Homework is a new concept for most students in T-1. While it does give extra skills practice for students, I use it primarily to teach students to be responsible. The student must bring home the assignment, complete it with parental guidance and return it to school. It also provides a classroom to home link for parents. It keeps you informed and involved in your child's education. You are able to see at home what your child is working on in school and can easily note any problem areas.

For the first part of the year I will only send homework home occasionally. Later in the year we will begin an at home reading program called Fast Start. Thiw will involve activities for 3 nights of the week. After we have begun our reading series, I will send homework packets home each Friday. The packet will contain a skill practice sheet for 5 school nights. They are to be completed and returned by the next Friday. The week that the homework packet is for, as well as the date the packet is due will be clearly printed on the front of the packet. Students who return packets that are completed by the due date will receive a homework reward for their responsibility.

What homework should I expect?

This is what you can expect from the homework with the reading series:

Friday -(the first day of the homework week) – Practice Vocabulary Words on the first page of the packet and Math skills
Students will practice reading the weekly vocabulary list. They will also have a page that reviews or reinforces a math concept they had during the past week.

Monday – Language Students will have a skill page practicing the grammar concept for the week.

Tuesday –Spelling Words Students must copy the weekly spelling list (basic words and challenge words) three times on their spelling page. Continue to review throughout the week for the pre-test on Wednesday and the final test on Friday. The basic word list will count on the test for a grade. The challenge words will be extra credit if students spell them correctly. All students are expected to attempt them. Students who make a 100 on the pre-test Wednesday do not have to take the test on Friday.

Wednesday - Math
Students will have a page that reviews or reinforces a math concept they are working on during the current week.

Thursday – Spelling and Reading/Language Study for Friday's vocabulary recognition test by reading and concentrating on any words students struggle with in the reading story. Sixteen words from the story will be selected. Study for the final spelling test. The skill page will either be reading or language.

Everyday – Part of homework every night is to practice the reading story. Take turns reading with your child. Encourage fluent oral reading. Talk about the story. Enjoy it together.

How much homework should I expect?

Your child should spend no more than 10-15 minutes each evening on homework. If your child is consistently spending more time than this, please let me know. Or if a specific assignment takes an extraordinary amount of time, please let me know.

Do I correct my child's mistakes?

Some of the assigned homework for our class must be completed with family members. . However, many homework assignments are considered independent tasks. These also require parental involvement. Always review your child's homework. Discuss any mistakes. If there is a particular problem, please make a note of it and send it with your child. Games or word cards are fun ways to spend time together and review skills learned at school.

I hope this page answers some of the questions you may have about our homework. Feel free to contact me about any specific concerns. Together we can make a difference!