MYRNIONG PRIMARY SCHOOL
HOMEWORK POLICY
RATIONALE:
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Homework helps students by complementing and reinforcing classroom learning,
fostering good lifelong learning and study habits and providing an opportunity for
students to be responsible for their own learning.
Homework also provides an opportunity for parents to participate in their child’s
education and extends and complements the partnership between school and
home.
While homework is an important component of the teaching and learning process,
we acknowledge that it is important for students to have time for play, leisure and
physical activities outside of school.
GOALS:
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To develop independent study habits.
To prepare students in the upper levels for the routine of Secondary School.
Parents are requested to take an interest, support and encourage children to
complete homework. There is strong evidence to suggest that children are more
interested in participation at school when parents involve themselves in their
children’s learning. After all, parents are their children’s first teachers and their
continued support is invaluable both to children and teachers.
GENERAL STATEMENT:
Homework is any type of activity with an educational emphasis, which a child may
undertake out of school hours. The activity may be academic (reading, maths,
spelling, etc) or non-academic, based on Social Values (collections, visits, hobbies,
discussions, etc) and should involve the active participation of the child preferably
with parental encouragement and support.
IMPLEMENTATION and GUIDING PRINCIPLES :
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Homework will be set on a weekly basis, distributed on Tuesday and to be
returned on Monday.
Reading at home is considered as homework and all children should read daily.
Completion of homework will be acknowledged and or corrected, according to the
required task. If the child is experiencing difficulties then parents should make
contact with their child’s teacher.
Parents are required to sign the weekly homework.
Parent programs designed to assist parents with helping children at home will be
organised as appropriate eg. Literacy Partnerships, newsletter hints, parent
information sessions, homework helper.
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Regular basic skills work: Prep to Year 6 weekly homework should cover basic
skills such as reading, spelling, tables, number facts or areas of need.
Questions may be based on information sought for projects or related to a theme
eg. Space, Communication. This helps children to become more involved in their
work.
Children initiated activities : As a means of extending their interests and talents,
children like to write poems, stories, plays, make models or prepare a project sheet
on something topical. This type of homework is an excellent way to extend
children and to have them share their interests, knowledge and talents with others.
Homework may vary within the grade level. The child’s ability, identified needs
and interest levels, subject areas and the time of the year will determine what
homework is required.
Homework should be a positive experience for teachers, students and parents, not
a source of additional stress.
EVALUATION :
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Classroom teachers will evaluate the policy by monitoring children’s participation
and performance in all homework activities.
Communication with parents on homework issues.
Information gained from Annual Parent Opinion Survey.
2010