Hox! [mportant is Homework Ine veyy preven Fegetot » Bored gifted child? My gifted child -.ing Schoo! K12 can ignite his mine with ‘Att, Spanish, Mandarin, Fens passionats he Exceptional, free online curriculum Trial Class-S in a class temative. S »port sn K12.com Credits Source us. Department of Education Contents What Is Homework? Why Js Homework Important? How Can Parents Get Involved? How Much Time Should My Child Spend on Homework? Why Should Parents Be Concerned ‘About a School Policy? Where Can Parents Find Out More sites google comieterenais ~ Adby Googl How Important Is Homework? Assigning homework serves various educational needs. It serves as an intellectual discipline, establishes study habits, eases time constraints on the amount of curricular material that can be covered in class, and supplements and reinforces work done in school, In addition, it fosters student initiative, independence, and responsibility and brings home and school closer together. What Is Homework? Homework is defined as out-of-class tasks assigned to students as an extension or elaboration of classroom work. There are three types of homework: practice, preparation, and extension. Practice assignments reinforce newly acquired skills. For example, students who have just Jeamed a new method of solving a mathematical problem should be given sample problems to complete on their own. Preparation assignments help students get ready for activities that will occur in the classroom. Students may, for example, be required to do background research on a topic to be discussed later in class. Extension assignments are frequently long- term continuing projects that parallel classwork. Students must apply previous learning to complete these assignments, which include science fair projects and term papers. Back to the Table of Contents Why Is Homework Important? Research in the last decade has begun to focus on the relationship between homework and student achievement and has greatly strengthened the case for homework. Although there are mixed findings about whether homework actually increases students’ academic achievement, many teachers and parents agree that homework develops students’ initiative and responsibility and fulfills the expectations of students, parents, and the public. Studies generally have found homework assignments to be most helpful if they are carefully planned by the teachers and have direct meaning to students. Back to the Table of Contents How Can Parents Get Involved? * Share any concerns you may have regarding the amount or type homework assignedHow Important is Homework Page 2 of 5 About Homework Guidelines? Sources Forums Education and Kids Related Articles Helping Your Child With Homework Helping Your Child Succeed in. School with your child's teacher or principal. + Encourage your child to take notes concerning homework assignments in case questions arise later at home. + Provide a suitable study area and the necessary tools (for example, paper and books) to complete the homework assignments. + Limit after-school activities to allow time for both homework and family activities + Monitor television viewing and establish a specific homework time. + Plan a homework schedule with your child. Allow for free time when assignments are completed. «+ Praise your child's efforts, If questions arise about the assignments, and your child asks for help, ask him or her questions or work through an example rather than simply providing the answer. + Younger children need more parental assistance with homework than older children. Go over homework assignments with your child, Do several problems or questions together, then observe your child doing the next one or two. + If your child is in elementary school, check completed assignments. At all levels, ask to look at homework once it has been marked and returned. ‘* Ask your child's teachers about their homework policy and specific assignments. Back to the Table of Contents How Much Time Should My Child Spend on Homework? ‘According to some researchers, two ways to increase students’ opportunities to leam are to increase the amount of time that students have to learn and to expand the amount of content. they receive. Homework assignments may foster both these goals. Reforms in education have called for increased homework, and as a result, reports show that students are completing considerably more homework than they did a decade ago. According to statements by the National PTA and the National Education Association (NEA), the following amounts of homework are recommended: + From kindergarten to third grade, no more than 20 minutes per day. + From fourth to sixth grade, 20 to 40 minutes per day, «From seventh to twelfth grade, the recommended amount of time varies according to the type and number of subjects a student is taking. In general, college-bound students receive lengthier and more involved homework than students preparing to enter the workforce immediately after graduation,GENERAL HOMEWORK TIPS FOR PARENTS _ a ‘© 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 or her ‘© 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 Sage teh aaa