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Homework

I am not a big fan of homework in the primary grades.  There is no real correlation between student success and levels of homework at the elementary level.  

 Homework has it's good points too!  It establishes a routine at home that will help as students move through the grade levels. Developing good habits is very important.  However, packets of worksheets are not meaningful.  Do we use them sometimes......yes, because that's real life.  

 My homework now really focuses on reading practice.  I send home a reading log as much as possible.  There are always spelling words with a menu of activities too.  My students also have reading folders in which I place his/her reader from reading group.  That adds up to 3 main jobs per week for first graders.  Here is a little more about each component.....

 1. Reading Log- I just posted a simple log for free on my TPT site!  The log provides an opportunity for parents to make choices about how the reading takes place.  The focus is reading.  That can look different in each child's home and it is okay.  Good readers develop by listening to good reading so making the child read everything isn't necessary.  I like to read comments that parents sometimes include.  It shows that they are participating and it makes having conferences about their child's reading more of a shared effort. 
Reading Log Homework


2. Spelling Word Menu- This will be the next piece of homework that I post to my TPT site, so look for that soon.  I send home our designated spelling list in the beginning of the week.  The menu asks that at least 5 activities are completed at home by Friday.  Students bring his/her spelling homework back to school on Friday with the activities that they finished initialed by their parents.  The menu is quite a long list of activities that include something for each of the various intelligences.  I have been using this system for years and parents really appreciate the variety and kids like the choices.

 3. Reading Folder- I usually start this by mid-year because the students are ready for a new routine and they are more responsible.  I can't have my books lost so I need to know that they are capable of bringing books home, reading them and returning them to school.  This is a successful activity for all my students, but especially my lowest readers.  They read the book several times in school before taking it home.  This practice increases his/her confidence.  The parents really enjoy hearing their child reading a "school book" and the kids enjoy showing off a little.  For my more capable students I might include discussion cards or comprehension work they completed in reading group.  This provides them with an opportunity to talk about text with their parents.  Sometimes parents don't know how much their child is capable of until they see what is completed at school.

 So there is my homework in a nutshell!  Make sure to stop by my TPT store Simply Primary to pick up my reading log.  I'm hoping to get my spelling homework up soon too.

 Thanks!
Kristin   
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