Holiday Homework Of Rm Public School
Heinz Francis
I cringe even just thinking back on it. If you have been around my corner of the internet long, you know that this is NOT in line with my current philosophies whatsoever. In fact, in my most recent years in the classroom, I was even a HUGE proponent of not assigning homework at ALL, let alone over breaks from school.
But oftentimes, especially in my early years, I just did what everyone else was doing because I felt like, if those teachers are doing it, I probably should too. As the years went on though, I got REALLY reflective about my teaching practice and intentional about the motivation behind each choice I made in my classroom, and I want you to consider doing the same as you read this post, or really any post on my blog.
Neither of these scenarios are what I want for my students. Personally, I want my students to care more about their families than they care about their success in school. So why take over some of the limited time they may have to spend with their families?
We ALL need rest and we ALL need the people in our lives to hold us accountable to resting and actually having work/life (or school/life) boundaries. By not assigning homework over breaks (or ever) I was able to get the rest I personally needed AND model for my students how to rest and how to separate work from life.
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Each month of the 2023 - 2024 school year, the communications office will publish a newsletter containing district calendar dates, school-related appreciation days, national recognition celebrations, and if applicable, related community events. These 'Date-Driven Smores' will also contain educational resources for parents and educators.
It is an undeniable fact that vacations should be utilised to the hilt wherein the learners along with their parents can break the monotonous routines and refresh their minds. Therefore, Ahlcon ensures that the holiday homework given does not become a burden for the children at any stage. It is prepared and designed in a manner to sustain the interest of the students in the subject and help them learn by doing. These home assignments are formulated in such a way that they benefit one and all and cater to the long-term interests of the pupils.
At all levels, homework should be used to provide additional practice and extension of content and skills that have already been introduced in class. It is not intended to introduce new or unfamiliar material. Providing students with multiple opportunities to practice what they have learned is a recommended standards-based practice.
For students in the elementary (grades K-5), teachers should encourage reading nightly to build a positive home-school connection and a love for language and learning. As students move up through the grades, homework may be assigned to provide additional practice on content and skills learned during class time.
For students in middle school (grades 6-8), homework should play a gradual and supportive role in building academic skills, time management, organization and persistence. Nightly reading is encouraged in addition to short, low-stakes practice
For students in high school (grades 9-12), Homework should support the development of executive functioning, time management and life skills that are connected to the world of work and higher education so that students can be prepared for either. Literacy is a foundational post-secondary skill and students should have ample opportunities to read, write and reflect on relevant, standards-based content as part of homework.
Others claim that urban districts with a significant population of high needs students might shortchange these students through low expectations by assuming that they are not capable of performing at the same level as their suburban peers. (Brookings Institute Report, Analyzing the Homework Gap Among High School Students) In addition, if students have not built some routines for completing homework over their K-12 experience, those that are headed to college or post-secondary training will be unprepared for the demands of higher education programs.
Salem Public Schools takes a balanced approach, which suggests regular, short, and accessible opportunities to practice and solidify material learned in class. Teachers are asked not to make assumptions about resources at home, including support from adults, school supplies, or access to technology. When projects are assigned that require materials and adult supervision, this perpetuates a climate of inequity. Teachers should be confident that all homework assignments can be completed independently by the student. No student should be penalized for failure to complete or turn in homework assignments if there are extenuating circumstances or they are unable to complete it because they require more assistance. Families should be involved as soon as a student establishes a pattern of not completing homework.
Teachers should also communicate to caregivers that if their student is struggling to complete homework assignments, they should reach out to the teacher to develop a plan to help the student succeed. We are fortunate to have community partners who provide free drop-in, free, after-school programs that offer adult support, technology access, supplies and a space to complete homework. Teachers and adjustment counselors could refer families to these resources.
Recognizing that families have busy lives outside of school on the weekends, Salem Public Schools asks that no homework be assigned at the K-5 level on weekends (e.g., assigned on Friday and due on Monday).
Homework should not be assigned to be completed during (assigned day before, due the day after) legal holidays recognized by the state of Massachusetts. When a religious/secular holiday not formally recognized by the state of Massachusetts may prevent a student from completing an assignment, students will not be held responsible for the assignment.
Cumulative demands of homework at the middle school level can occur as a result of multiple teachers assigning homework. Teachers should coordinate the duration and frequency of homework assigned across content areas. In some schools, this is managed by having each content area select one day of the week for assigning homework; a shared Google document or calendar can also be used.
The Sudbury Public Schools Homework Committee, comprised of teachers, administrators, and mental health staff from both the elementary and middle school levels, met over the course of the 2017-2018 school year to research the effect of homework on student achievement and the impact of homework on student life. In addition to reading current research about homework, the committee also conducted surveys with students, staff, and parents and analyzed these results, along with results of the middle school Metrowest Adolescent Health Survey. Based on this work, the Committee has made the following recommendations.
Reading regularly is closely tied to student achievement and is strongly encouraged at all grade levels. Independent reading, texts chosen by the reader, has consistently been found to relate to achievement in vocabulary, reading comprehension, verbal fluency, and general information.
At the upper elementary and middle school level, we encourage students to connect with their teachers directly about their learning. If they are unable to complete an assignment or the assignment is taking longer than the homework guideline times, we want them to talk to their teacher. Parents are always invited to contact the teachers as well.
Subject teachers will coordinate assignments and assessments so that maximums are not exceeded. Subject teachers, including World Language, will strive to minimize the number of assessments on the same day. Team teachers will work to limit major assessments to one per day and not to exceed two per day.
Last evening, the School Committee approved the "no homework" calendar for the 2023-2024 school year. The establishment of dates when no homework is due and no assessments requiring studying will be given is part of the updated Homework Policy that was approved in late April, with the goal of establishing "a shared responsibility between home and school to ensure that students have balance in their lives while pursuing educational excellence."
School leaders and teachers will provide additional detailed information about homework expectations when the new school year begins. I am confident that with the support of educators and families, our students will strengthen their academic skills and build strong independent work habits through meeting expectations for regular homework completion, with "no homework" dates providing balance for family time and other pursuits, especially during vacations and long weekends.
Students should experience frequent and ongoing assessment and feedback throughout each quarter. Students should receive continual feedback on the quality of work as it relates to the course objectives. Teachers are required to record a minimum of 9 grades over the course of each quarter.
Quizzes, tests, examinations, essays, homework, or papers are evaluated and/or graded, returned, and reviewed promptly with the student. Teachers are expected to grade each assignment and post grade to the electronic gradebook within seven school days after the due date with the understanding that major projects/papers may require additional time to ensure quality feedback. If more time is required to provide feedback, teachers will notify students in advance of the project due date.
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