Homework Policy
Intermediate Multiage
Dr. Gail Davis
Why Homework?
• Homework should be a continuance of what
students have already covered in the
classroom.
• It is the Independent Practice part of a good,
educational study wheel.
As Madeline Hunter explains and I
see it…
• Learning is
about the
acquisition
of new
concepts
and skills!
Introduction
of new skills
Summative
Assessment
Guided
Practice
Re-teach, as
needed
Enrichment
Move on or
move back
Formative
Assessment
Independent
Practice
• Homework becomes Independent Practice.
• Students may have to keep on trying until
the Formative Assessment indicates they are
ready to move on!
Therefore…
• Students should plan on Reading twenty
(20, XX, veinte) minutes daily. They may
read silently or aloud to you or a sibling,
• Students should read in a car, on a star, in a
boat or on a goat…it really does not matter!
• However, students should read on their
Independent Reading Level.
Independent Reading Level
• How can you tell if a book is a student’s
Independent Reading Level?
• If your child can read a paragraph with
almost no hesitation or having to stop and
sound out too many words,
• or can retell accurately the main ideas of
what he or she just read, that is probably the
Independent Reading Level.
Same old books…
• Children benefit from reading the same
book as many times as they wish.
• Remember reading Goodnight Moon (insert
your child’s favorite book here) a gazillion
times?
• Now your child is doing the same thing,
only for him or herself.
Reading Speed…
• It’s really fabulous!
• Reading familiar text increases reading
fluency, reading with expression, noticing
forms and features of text (such as
punctuation), feelings of confidence,
autonomy and self control.
• What’s not to like?
Mathematics
• Students should plan on memorizing addition,
subtraction, multiplication and fraction facts to
automaticity.
• That means more Independent Practice.
• Plan on doing about ten (10, X, diez) minutes of
math. That is one word problem a night.
Viva la difference!
• Some students will have addition fact sheets
and some will have algebra homework.
• Independent Practice is individualized.
Other Assignments
• I like to involve the family in most
homework assignments other than reading
and math.
• I ask the students for ideas, and I generate
some myself.
• I hope you all have fun with homework!
Other Assignments
• Additionally, your child may receive other
homework assignments as needed or
wanted.
• There may be unfinished class work,
research, or independent projects that
require occasional homework time.
• So, how much homework is reasonable?
I thought you’d never ask…
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Read 20 minutes,
plus ten minutes of
math five times a
week.
Read 30 minutes plus
ten or more minutes
of math five times a
week.
30 minutes, plus ten
or more minutes of
math five times a
week.
20 + 10 X 5
nights a week
30 + 10 or more
30 + 10 or more
X 5 nights a week X 5 nights a week
Preparation for …(fill in the blank)
• Parents sometimes worry that their children
are doing less homework than children in
(Other Teacher’s) class.
• I would assure you that it all averages out!
• Furthermore, we do not ask our elevenyear-olds to drive because some time in the
future they will be required to drive. The
same fits with homework.
• Because a high school child might complete
two hours of homework daily, does not
mean that a 4-5-6th grader should.
• I will prepare your children for their present
grade, and I will expect that in the future,
their teachers will do the same!
That’s It!
• Homework has some variables, but
generally is consistent.
• Closer to spring and MSP, things change
(more on that in the spring).
• Independent Practice means that your child
should be able to complete the assignment
independently.
• If at any time you have concerns regarding
homework, please feel free to contact me at:
• Gdavis@nkschools.org
• I will do my best to get back to you within
two working days.
• 2 * 24 = 48 hours, Dr. D.