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Homework Procedures

* Homework folders go home each Friday and are expected to be returned the following Friday.
*Students who do not turn in their homework on time will go to Success Club during lunch recess.
* Homework is a review of what students have been studying in class and typically includes practice in math, reading, writing, science, social studies and healt

 

 

 
General Homework Tips for Parents

By applying these three sets of homework tips early in your child's school years, you will help your child establish the habits they need to be successful throughout their school years.

  • Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework.
    Avoid having your child do homework with the television on or in places with other distractions, such as people coming and going.
  • Make sure the materials your child needs, such as paper, pencils and a dictionary, are available.
    Ask your child if special materials will be needed for some projects and get them in advance.
  • Help your child with time management.
    Establish a set time each day for doing homework. Don't let your child leave homework until just before bedtime. Think about using a weekend morning or afternoon for working on big projects, especially if the project involves getting together with classmates.
  • Be positive about homework.
    Tell your child how important school is. The attitude you express about homework will be the attitude your child acquires.
  • When your child does homework, you do homework.
    Show your child that the skills they are learning are related to things you do as an adult. If your child is reading, you read too. If your child is doing math, balance your checkbook.
  • When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers.
    Giving answers means your child will not learn the material. Too much help teaches your child that when the going gets rough, someone will do the work for him.
  • When the teacher asks that you play a role in homework, do it.
    Cooperate with the teacher. It shows your child that the school and home are a team. Follow the directions given by the teacher.
  • If homework is meant to be done by your child alone, stay away.
    Too much parent involvement can prevent homework from having some positive effects. Homework is a great way for kids to develop independent, lifelong learning skills.
  • Stay informed.
    Talk with your child's teacher. Make sure you know the purpose of homework and what your child's class rules are.
  • Help your child figure out what is hard homework and what is easy homework.
    Have your child do the hard work first. This will mean he will be most alert when facing the biggest challenges. Easy material will seem to go fast when fatigue begins to set in.
  • Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration.
    Let your child take a short break if she is having trouble keeping their mind on an assignment.
  • Reward progress in homework.
    If your child has been successful in homework completion and is working hard, celebrate that success with a special event (e.g., pizza, a walk, a trip to the park) to reinforce the positive effort.


* Practice your spelling words each night.

Here is a list of activities to use when practicing your spelling words.

1. Rainbow Words - Write your spelling words with a crayon. Trace over each word again with another color. Now trace each word one more time with another color. Do not use black or brown.

2) Write the words on someone's back (and vice versa.)

3) Write the words in sand, dirt, bubbly bath water, whipped cream, shaving cream, etc..

4) Write the words in the air.

5) Make flashcards to study and review.

6) Modeling clay writing - Flatten the clay and use a pencil to "write" a spelling word in it. Smooth over the clay for the next word.

7) Write the words with colored chalk on black construction paper.

8) Use your spelling words to write sentences.

9) Make a word search.

10) Have Mom or Dad scramble your spelling words for you to unscramble.

11) Write the words in ABC order.

12) Cut your spelling words out of a magazine or newspaper.

13) Write your spelling words. In each word color all the short vowels yellow. Color all the long vowels blue. Color all the blends green.

14) Draw pictures of your spelling words.

15) Play a game of Hangman using spelling words.

16) For a real challenge, use the letters of the spelling words to make sentences. For example: "storm" Susan tasted only red marshmallows.

17) Cut a picture from a newspaper or a magazine and use spelling words to write a story about a picture.

18) Use a spray bottle and spray the word onto the sidewalk.

19) Look at a spelling word, say it out loud, cover it up, remember how the word is spelled and write it out. Check your answers.

Be creative and have fun!