4 of 16

Write now Article Tools

In every household across this nation (and others) the question can be heard, "What did you do in school today?" Inevitably, this is followed by a shrug, "Nothing" or "I don't know." Homework is a wonderful opportunity to facilitate conversations that are natural and meaningful. When it comes to homework, in any grade level, there are elements that must be present in order for it to benefit the student, be valued by the student and helpful to the parent. Surprisingly, homework can and should be all those things and more. I think of my classroom and instruction as a house, and imagine that homework is one of the windows or doors, through which parents can enter, look in, observe and feel welcome.

To begin with, homework should be reinforcement of what has already been taught. If not, it may be frustrating and discouraging for the child and equally so for the parent. If the homework is related to skill practice, I include a parent signature sheet with a section for comments. Parent comments are always welcomed and responded to. In the case of skill practice (Counting by 2s, for example) I use the homework as a tool to accomplish two purposes. First, the practice itself is valuable to the student. It allows them to shine and share their ability. That is not to say they have necessarily mastered the skill, however, at home they are the only person demonstrating the skill, to whatever degree-free from peer or self comparison. Secondly, skill practice let's the parent know what skills are being taught and may be able to help their child in a unique way that will help the child have a breakthrough related to the skill. After all, parents are the first teachers our students have and have an understanding that comes with parenting.

Homework should also be a vehicle for communication about what is being learned by the child. An excellent way to foster this type of communication is with book notes, journal shares and information seeking activities. Book notes are simply notes that let parents know a particular book was read. These may include simple story reminders (characters to cut out and use to re-tell the story, for example), comprehension questions for the parent to ask their child or the opportunity for the child to re-tell the story in their own words. As the students and parents become familiar with various skills these can be expanded to include home connections. For example, as the students learn to connect a plot or character to something in their own life;

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Teachers' tips for successful homework assignments?
We want to hear your view. Write now!