North Glendale Elementary School

North Glendale Elementary School

As adults, we have been brought up to believe that nightly homework is essential not only for children’s concept development, but for their growing abilities to manage time and assume responsibility.  If only the research supported this idea, we could go on helping our children by doing what we know and what we’re comfortable doing, helping with nightly homework.

The reasons homework was assigned in the first place are not supported by current research. Rigor in the curriculum, a sense of responsibility, acquiring content knowledge, higher test scores, self-discipline, time-management skills, work ethic, none of these outcomes is supported by the completion of regular homework.

As a school, we have developed this homework policy in an effort to improve student learning and achievement.

Homework Policy

In all grades, homework may be given Monday through Thursday, with some assignments, such as spelling and math facts practice, spanning an entire week. Homework will not be assigned over the weekends or during breaks and holidays.

Some schools have adopted the concept of 10 minutes per grade level, i.e.  first grade: 10 minutes, second grade: 20 minutes, third grade: 30 minutes, fourth grade: 40 minutes, fifth grade: 50 minutes. This concept provides teachers and parents with a general time guideline that we view as a limit. We choose a more differentiated approach where homework is assigned when there is an opportunity to tie student learning to an assignment that is best completed at home and has direct meaning for students. For example, when studying the universe, students may be asked to complete a moon journal. Science Fair projects are valuable opportunities for students to use what they’ve learned at school to a long-term project completed outside of school.  When keyboarding practice is available online, students with Internet access can complete this practice at home.

Professionals from many fields cite the benefits of daily reading outside of the regular school day. Nightly reading is required at all grade levels. Our hope is that this is a routine you have adopted as a family since the birth of your children. As professionals, we hesitate to assign a required amount of time, as that encourages the setting of timers and reading becomes a task, rather than a pleasurable activity as lifelong learners.

Research has shown that there are benefits for nightly practice of spelling words and math facts for brief periods, especially before bedtime when some studies show the brain repeats patterns and facts during sleep. Therefore, spelling and math fact practice may be routinely assigned in grades 2 through 5.

In a way, homework has been used as a communication tool; it communicated what was being learned in the classroom. Toward that end, we, as teachers, will communicate with parents through our web sites, email, newsletters, and home folders. Those are our tools to keep you informed about the learning that is taking place in our classrooms.

Further, we believe that family time is an important time that needs to be protected. As teachers, our family time allows us to explore music, dance, sports, cooking, creating, playing, learning and more. Enjoy the time you have as your children’s first teachers.