Dear Elementary School Parents,

Making Learning Visible at School and Home

At the Elementary School, we want to make your child’s learning accessible and easy to follow. To keep our communication consistent across all grade levels.

Here is how we currently share your child's learning with you:

• Weekly Newsletters: Every Friday, you receive a grade-level email with direct links to our current unit overviews (Reading, Writing, Math, Science, and Bible).

• Curriculum Guides: You can view these guides online to see what students learn from P1 to Grade 5.

• Rubrics: We share rubrics so you know what success looks like for each project or unit.

• Signed Assessments: completed assessments home for your signature so you can see your child's progress.

• Home Practice (Homework): students will regularly bring home assignments as a parent window into what they are currently learning in class.

Through these steps, our teachers help you see what your child is learning, what success looks like, and how well your child is doing.

Understanding Home Practice (Homework)

Home Practice (Homework) helps you see what your child is learning in class and allows you to support them at home.

According to our Parent and Student Handbook, homework in Elementary School helps students:

1. Build good study habits (managing time, staying organized, and building responsibility).

2. Practice and stretch the skills learned in class (as a part of ongoing revision/review).

3. Strengthen the connection between home and school.

4. Show that learning happens everywhere, not just in the classroom.

The Student’s Role in Home Practice

In P1 and Grade 1 the role of home practice is primarily to build the habit and provide that window into learning for parents. In Grades 2 to 5, to provide opportunity for independent practice and help them take ownership in their learning.  Once complete, students will be encouraged to check and revise or correct their own work:

• Students will complete assign homework on topics already taught in class.

• Students will self or peer-check their work at home or in class using answer keys or other resources such as checklists or rubrics provided by their teacher.

• Students do not need to hide or erase their mistakes. Identifying and fixing mistakes is a powerful way to learn!

*Because students are actively checking their own work, revising and correcting mistakes, the assignments will not be individually marked or graded (including in Chinese).

The Teacher's Role in Home Practice

Instead of marking every page,  teachers will:

• Check for completion: Teachers collect, check and place a simple tick mark on completed homework.

• Scan for patterns: Teachers will look over the work to spot common mistakes across the class.

• Review in class: Teachers will review, and if necessary, re-teach key concepts that students found difficult.

• Read parent notes: Teachers will review any comments or notes you write on the homework page or send through email.

Where Feedback Has the Greatest Impact

Teacher feedback is most effective in the classroom, while work is actively happening. During class time, teachers closely monitor students, answer questions instantly, and provide step-by-step guidance when it matters most.

Home practice serves a different purpose: it provides an opportunity for independent revision.  

When a teacher returns marked homework, sometimes days later, students rarely retain the corrections. However, when students check their own work immediately, they actively analyze their thinking, spot their own mistakes, and learn how to fix them in real time.

The Parent’s Role in Home Practice

As a parent, your primary role is to create a supportive environment rather than do the work for your child. Here is the best way to help:

• Set up a routine: Choose a quiet, well-lit workspace and set a consistent daily time for homework free from TV or phone distractions.

• Encourage independence: Let your child attempt the problems on their own first. If they get stuck, ask guiding questions (e.g., "What did your teacher show you in class?") rather than giving them the answers.

• Embrace mistakes: Do not erase or fix your child's errors. Mistakes show teachers what your child still needs help learning.

• Focus on effort, not perfection: Praise your child’s focus, persistence, and hard work rather than just getting right answers.

• Keep sessions short: If your child is frustrated or spending far too long on an assignment, stop and write a quick note to the teacher on the homework page.

• Ask your child to explain: Have your child walk you through one completed problem. Teaching it to you is one of the best ways to solidify their learning.

Homework supports learning in the ways outlined above, and giving targeted feedback remains an important priority in the classroom, where teachers can guide student effort most effectively.