Homework Procedures
It is important to establish a consistent daily homework routine. While students in the primary grades need more parental involvement, junior division students should learn how to work on their own. In primary grades, 15-30 minutes is a reasonable homework period; 30-40 minutes for Junior grades is appropriate. A general guideline for homework is approximately 10 minutes per grade level, however this can fluctuate depending on the assigned work.
Primary Division (SK - Gr.3)
For homework in the Primary Division, children:
- may be expected to complete work not completed in class
- may bring home English and French reading books so that they may read to their parents/guardians
- may review weekly spelling lists or étude de mots/dictée
- students should not average more than 20 minutes of "on-task" homework each day (guideline only)
Junior and Intermediate Divisions (Gr.4 - 8)
For students in the Junior division, homework may take the form of:
- completion of work assigned in class or missed due to absences
- supplementary practice and/or further study
- reading of a book (French and/or English) and work on book reports
- research projects
- reinforcing difficult concepts
- preparation for tests
- as a guideline, students in Grades 4 should not average more than 40 minutes of "on-task" homework each day; students in Grades 5 and 6 should not average more than 60 minutes of "on-task" homework each day; students in Grades 7 and 8 can be expected to have on average, no more than 90 minutes of “on-task” homework each day.
If you feel that your child is taking an unreasonable length of time to complete homework, contact the teacher. Occasionally, a special assignment or project may entail more than 30 minutes.
All homework should be such that the child understands clearly what is expected. The child should be able to do the work with a minimal amount of help from parents.
Parents may assist their child with this responsibility by:
A. Establishing where and when homework should be done.
B. Checking periodically to see that your child is making good use of this homework time and is not distracted by other activities.
C. There should be consistency as to time of day. A suggested time would be after supper, 4 nights a week (Monday to Thursday), or whatever is suitable for your family’s schedule.
D. Develop independence in your child – facilitate but don’t do the homework!
E. Provide a quiet place - not on the bed with music or near the television.
F. Be aware, be a monitor - ask to see the homework. Be more involved at the younger levels - less so when the child is older.
G. Use the student agenda - it should be brought to school every day and checked by teacher/parent. Write comments as necessary in the agenda.
H. Communicate with the child - ask what work needs to be done. Encourage your child to communicate with the teacher.