Homework

Homework

Oak Park High School subscribes to homework guidelines to provide a form of consistency in assignments among grade levels and schools. These guidelines are based on current research and practice so that homework can serve as an effective tool to encourage, reinforce and enhance learning. While these guidelines are suggested by the Oak Park School District, homework is designed to meet the needs, abilities, or interests of individual students. . It is reasonable for the serious college-bound student to spend an average of 1 1/2 - 2 hours per night on outside work. Honors and A.P. students should expect to spend an average of 2 1/2 - 3 hours per night.


What is Homework?

Homework is study outside the classroom that engages students in valuable activities independently and collaboratively for group assignments to prepare, practice, reinforce, extend, or apply knowledge and skills.


What are the Positive Effects of Homework?

Increases achievement

Increases individual student responsibility and accountability

Improves communication between home and school on student progress

Promotes life-long learning

Please remember that student progress is compromised when students miss instruction and homework activities as a result of absenteeism. In planning family vacations and activities, keep in mind that it is the responsibility of the student to learn all material covered during any unexcused absence, such as a vacation not scheduled on the school calendar. The teacher is not obligated to provide specific make-up assignments either before or after such an absence.


What Types of Homework May Teachers Assign? The Acronym PREP helps us remember.

P = Preparatory R = Reinforcement E = Extension P = Practice


  • Preparatory Homework – provides opportunities for students to gain background information so that they are better prepared for future lessons. Some examples include background reading and collecting items/data. These assignments are short-term.
  • Reinforcement – provides students with the opportunity to revisit challenging material and gain further understanding of concepts and skills. Some examples are studying for cumulative tests and document- based questions (essay).
  • Extension – encourages individualized and creative learning by promoting student initiative and application of newly acquired skills. Some examples include book reports, research papers, presentations, and class projects. These assignments are usually long-term. Students are given windows of time for completion with teacher guidance and checkpoints.
  • Practice – provides students with the opportunities to review and rehearse recently learned skills. Some examples include: skill-building exercises (spelling words, math facts/problems, musical instrument), reading selected text, and vocabulary/grammar. These assignments are usually short-term, in limited amounts, and should not include any new concepts.


What are the homework responsibilities for students, parents, teachers and administrators?

Student Responsibilities:

  • Keep a record of assigned work and make sure assignment instructions are understood.
  • Set a regular routine for completing written homework, reading and studying.
  • Maintain the highest quality on student’s own homework assignments.
  • Take home all necessary materials, keep assignments and resources organized, and submit homework to school when due.
  • Be responsible for getting assignments when absent from school.
  • Plan and work ahead of schedule to help manage days when multiple assignments are due.
  • Check Teacher Websites and Google Classroom to stay apprized of due dates, & upcoming tests and quizzes


Parent Responsibilities:

  • Schedule a consistent homework, reading and study time each day.
  • Establish a study area with: minimal distractions, good space and light, necessary supplies and materials.
  • Encourage, motivate and guide your child, but do not do the assignment.
  • Encourage your child to communicate with their teacher when there is a homework concern.
  • Communicate with your child’s teacher, giving feedback when there is a homework concern.
  • Alert the school to any domestic stress factors that may affect the quality of homework and academic performance.
  • Encourage your student to attend 7th period support time for support on homework.
  • Check “Q” on a regular basis, at least at the 5-week grading periods, to monitor student progress and facilitate conversations with your child.
  • Encourage attendance of support time by not picking students up until 3:10


Teacher Responsibilities:

  • Communicate clear expectations to students.
  • Provide a method of notifying students of all assignments and provide time for students to record them in their agenda, or other means.
  • Review homework within a reasonable time.
  • Ensure that resources and materials are easily obtainable for homework and projects.
  • Be available for parent communication and initiate conversation with parents over concerns.
  • Provide appropriate time for project completion.
  • Be available during scheduled support periods to help students with content review/homework.
  • Update Q regularly to facilitate monitoring of student progress. (District Policy requires grades to be updated at the five-week grading periods)
  • Avoid setting late-night deadlines that encourage students to stay up late. When possible, set morning deadlines that give students the option to get up early to complete homework
  • If using social media apps to communicate with students, ensure that all announcements of upcoming tests, quizzes, HW assignments or changes to due dates or assignments are also communicated through District Approved applications such as Google Classroom or Schoolwires


Administrator Responsibilities:

  • Ensure that homework practices at the school level are consistent with the district educational goals, guidelines and policy.
  • Facilitate the communication process between the school and home as it relates to the district guidelines on homework.
  • Communicate with parents the importance of homework and its effect on student achievement.
  • Communicate with parents explaining school day ends at 3:10


Specific Homework Guidelines for the High School Level

Regular homework is assigned and expected for high school courses. As the complexity and depth of student learning increase, so does the time required outside of school to learn, reinforce and respond to the instructional material. Homework is to reinforce, prepare, extend, and integrate a large body of curricular material. The importance, encouragement and support of substantial amounts of time set aside for required as well as independent reading and writing cannot be overemphasized.

Due to the nature and complexity of our curriculum, homework at the high school level will be assigned over weekends and holiday breaks (with the exception of Winter Break).