homework

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Home : 2006 : August : 19

homework
By Teach 5

One problem with trying to figure out homework is that each child completes it at a different rate. My 5th graders are supposed to have about 1 hr. (no more than 1 and 1/2 hour) per night. (4 nights a week.)

Last
year, my teaching partner & I decided to give all of the homework out on Thursdays, due the next Thursday. This helps the kids plan around their activity schedules. The parents & the students loved it. It helped the kids that needed more time to complete things to plan for it. It helped our brighter kids free up time for more reading or other activities. Parents liked it because

even though we aren't "supposed" to assign homework on weekends, they could choose to work on the homework over the weekend if they wanted too. For some families that was the best time to complete homework. All of our incoming parents & students were clamoring for the same system & we are using it again this year.

We require them to read a minimum of 60 minutes per week & complete a written or other simple project for the book they are reading. We have different spelling assignments each week. We assign 3-4 math worksheets that allow them to practice skills that we are working on. We give them science, social studies, & religion (I teach in a Catholic School.) if we have something appropriate for those subjects. If not, we will add a grammar review or other skill reviews. Studying for tests is also considered part of their homework time, so we are careful to space the tests so they don't all fall on the same day.