Dear Partners in Education,
I believe homework is important because it helps students make the most of their experience in school. I give homework because it is useful in reinforcing what has been learned in class, extends and generalizes concepts, provides practice time, teaches responsibility, and helps students develop positive study habits.
I will assign homework Monday through Thursday nights. Homework should take students about 45 minutes to complete each night, not including long-range projects. We will read different genres each month as well. Spelling tests will be given on Fridays. I will do my best to give students at least one-week notice to study for all tests.
I expect students to do their best jobs on their homework. I expect homework to be neat, not sloppy. I expect students to do the work on their own and only ask for help after they have given it their best effort. My students will be required to do assignments over if it’s unacceptable. Remind your child to write their entire name and check over their work.
I will check all homework or we will check it over in class the following day. I strongly believe in the value positive support plays in motivating children to develop good student habits. I will give students feedback, guidance, support, and praise. You will find out about various motivation techniques as the year goes on.
If students choose not to do their homework, I will ask that parents begin checking and signing completed work each night. If students still choose not to complete their homework, they also choose to lose certain privileges.
If there is a legitimate reason why a student is not able to finish homework, please send a note to me on the day the homework is due stating the reason it was not completed. I realize that things do come up during the year.
I feel that parents are the key to making homework a positive experience for their children. Therefore, I ask that parents make homework a top priority, provide necessary supplies and a quiet homework environment, set a daily homework time, provide praise and support, not let children avoid homework and contact me if they notice a problem.
Parents should help their children with homework if a problem arises, but only after children have tried their best to solve it on their own. In no case, however, should parents do homework for their children.
I believe in each and every student!
Yours truly,
Miss Dixon