Homework

Homework can be a powerful tool for (a) reviewing what was taught in class (b) letting parents and other adults know what the child is learning, (c) giving children and parents a reason to talk about what's going on at school, (d) giving teachers an opportunity to hear from parents about children's learning, and (e) teaching responsibility within the students to complete and return the homework by its due date.

The students in room 213 will have homework Monday through Thursday nights. Very rarely will I give homework over the weekend. If your child does come home with homework on the weekend, it will generally be work that was not completed in a timely manner during class or make-up work from when your child was absent. However, every night, including on the weekends, your child should be reading for pleasure. It is a daily "assignment" and not necessarily considered part of the guidelines as set forth under the Chester Elementary School Homework Policy that is found in the school handbook. Many times we might start our day by sharing our thoughts about books that we are reading at home. It will be quite obvious when a child has nothing to share that they are not reading at home. Please contact me for ideas about helping your child read more at home if this is a problem. I have chosen not to require a reading log or a set amount of minutes to read each night. I'm looking for kids to become independent readers and search out books that interest them. You may find these articles that support my thoughts to be interesting.[|Throw Away Reading Logs] and [|NYTimes Summer Must-Read for Kids? Any Book]

Most of my homework will be fairly simple, related to what we have done in class, and should take less time than the guidelines. Please note that the main purpose of homework is to reinforce concepts taught during the school day. However, homework also teaches students to be responsible not only to complete their assignments in a neat and acceptable manner but also return them to school when they are due. Students will write down their homework assignments daily on their assignment sheet and bring this sheet to and from school on a daily basis. It is important to set up a consistent after-school routine to complete homework. I recommend completing homework as soon as the children arrive home, possibly after a snack. I explain the homework in class and usually model what my expectations are for each assignment. Therefore, the students should have no trouble completing their work independently. Please be sure to let me know if your child consistently needs your help. Also, please let me know if you feel that your child is adequately working during the allotted time and is still unable to complete the assignment(s) in forty-five minutes. You can jot a note right on the assignment, call me, or e-mail me. Also, on the assignment sheet, students are supposed to record one thing they learned in school each day. This might give you a jump start on that dinner conversation and avoid the all-popular answer of "Nothing!" when you ask them what they learned in school today. They really are learning!!!

Two Sculptors  I dreamed I stood in a studio, and   watched two sculptors there. The clay they used was a young child's mind,  and they fashioned it with care. One was a teacher, the tools she/he used were  books and music and art. The other, a parent, who worked with  a guiding hand, and a gentle, loving heart. Day after day, the teacher toiled  with skill that was deft and sure. While the parent labored by his/her side,  and polished and smoothed it over. And when at last their task was done,  they were proud of what they wrought. For the thing they molded into a child  could neither be sold or bought. And each agreed she/he would have failed  if she/he had worked alone. For behind the PARENT, stood the SCHOOL,  and behind the TEACHER, the HOME. ~Anonymous