Starting Homework

Hello, families!  Today, we’re kicking off our homework routines.  They’re quite a bit different from past years, but I strongly believe we’re improving the learning process for kids in making these changes.  Each week, students will receive a single math assignment.  It is intended to be completed over multiple nights and will cover a variety of topics that we’ve taught in prior weeks.  The idea is that the concepts on the homework aren’t BRAND new and, instead, are ones with which students have had a good amount of practice.  (We all know how frustrating it is for students – and families – when they bring home a worksheet based on the day’s challenging lesson, and come home thoroughly baffled!  That doesn’t help anyone!  By basing the week’s homework on past weeks’ skills, ones they’ve practiced and applied, I’m hopeful that students will feel more confident and proficient.)  When there’s something on the homework that I expect will be unfamiliar to parents, I will do my best to send out a video to help families understand the strategy we’re using in class.  Tonight, for example, you’ll see two items that involve renaming numbers.  (2,900 = __ hundreds, for example.)  Here is a pair of videos to bring you up to speed on the strategy I’ve taught students.

Homework for reading and writing will take more of a varied form.  Sometimes, it will be an activity directly tied to a skill we’re working on in class.  For example, this week, students will be asked to keep track of the thoughts they have as they read.  (We’ve been working on this a lot in class.)  Other times, students will be given an assignment tied to the book they’re reading at home.  Or their homework may set the groundwork for an upcoming lesson.

Remember, students always have free-choice reading for homework (around 30 minutes), and they should always take time to practice those often-elusive math facts. Stay tuned for ideas on both of these responsibilities.

If you ever have any questions about homework or anything else, please feel free to contact me!

Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss